The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-05-09
THE RECORD RECALLED.

On Thursday morning our unesteemed
morning contemporary slashed away at the
city council in true Bashi Bazouk style. 1t
cut right and left, frothed at the mouth and
tore its linen shockingly. The occasion
was the granting of the blanket franchise
tothe Rapid Transit company. Now, THE
HERALD thinks the act was contemplate,
but We 90 not care to say that the
councilmen are thieves and that they were
bribed to make the grant. Our contempor-
AIRY, however, proceeds very nearly, if not
quite, to that point. But let it speak for
itself: "The great objection is that we
have some dishonest men in the council,
and there is no estimate to be made of
what they viii do. The Tribune does not
Like to have to say this, but it is true, and
as may be necessary it win keep the people
so well posted that there will be no trouble
IN having matters perfectly understood"
Thisis very funny; tits almost humorous
when read in connection with what was
said by the writer of the item
three months ago about the gentle
men who compose the council. During
those days The HERALD occasionally sug-
gested that all the Liberal nominees
were hardly the right men to be placed in
control Of this prosperous and growing
city. We never went so far as to intimate
that any of them were thieves and scoun-
drels, the extreme Of our reflection being
that they were lacking in the responsible
ity and trustworthiness which councilmen
should enjoy. The campaign is not so long
gone that verybody has forgotten how our
contemporary frothed and foarned when
ever a line appeared in these columns
which suggested the bare possibility that
the Trtbunc's pets were not the most capa-
bic, the most honorable and the truest men
on earth. We are not now going to draw
the deadly parallel column on our cranky
old contemporary, but the temptation to
reproduce one of its choice bits of praise in
connection with the above cannot be re-
sisted. The following appeared in lead
ing editorial in the Tribune Of January 9,
and is only one Of many Of similar import
which used to come out about that time.
We trust the Peoples party Will look over the
names OF the aldermen, councilmen and justices
nominated by the Liberals on Tuesday evening
and then read the double-leaded editorial at the
head OF TIRE HERALD'S editorial columns and
Judge for Themselves whether the city would
be safe in the hands OF such fathers as the Lib
erals propose 10 give It. There is not a name
that Goes not represent what would be first
class man in any country not a name except OF
d business man fully identified with the best in
terests Of the city, not q name that can be fairly
criticised. So far, at least, the Liberals have
fulfilled their promise Of giving Gully iirst-class
men positions, in case they carry the election
The beginning is an earnest of what viii be and
in it IS promise OF transit guration for the city
ana OF good TO every man interested in its fu-
ture growth and reputation.
There is more of this slush, but the above
twill be sufficient at this time, in connec
ton with Thursdays denunciation OF the
council. 1t viii show what disreputable
and dishonest old reprobate the Tribune is,
and illustrate how readily it can lie when
the occasion demands.
But there is another point to be consid-
cred. There are fifteen councilmen and
one mayor in the council. Last January
the Tribune said of the gentlemen. There
is not man that can be fairly criticised"
Yesterday the organ said that flour mem
bers Of the council were directly interested in
certain pending franchises" and told how
it had been roundly abused for making
the accusation, and "the men
in the council who knew they
were guilty were especially in
dignant." This is very serious charge,
and the failure to name the four makes the
accusation lie against the whole council
Furthermore, it is on record that the fran
chise was voted by every member, not one
councilman raising his voice against it,;
hence if one is guilty, why not all the
othersi If four are corrupt are the eleven
clean, and merely supported the franchise
through friendship for the dishonest quar-
tette. The Tribune has said too much or
has not said half enough. 1t must name
the four boodlers, and except them from
its January certificate of character, or
1t must say that the certificate was a mis-
print ard should read: 'sThere is not a
name that represents what would be first
class man in any country, not name of a
business man fully identified with the best
interests Of the city, not name that can
not be fairly criticised. So far, at least.
the Liberals have not fulfilled their promise
OF giving only tirst-class men positions, in
case they carry the election
s-.--ss-s=----.