The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-12-08
The GRAND JUaY's REPORT.

The report presented by the grand jury
on Monday, and which appears in full in
this issue Of THE HERALD, is a concise and
decidedly interesting paper The inquisi
tors have wasted no words In every in
stance they have gone direct to the mark.
There is neither politics nor partisanism in
the document, and in this respect, as well
as in others, the report differs widely from
some of its predecessors.
What an arraignment it is of the city
police administration! Itrecites that crime
has greatly increased lately, and almost
charges in direct terms that this is due TO
the negligence or worse of the police de-
partment which Inns had a demoralizinff
effect upon the public 1--WE have been
handicapped to great extent" says
the report, "by the deplorable condi-
ton of affairs existing among guardians
of the peace and conservators of the law"
This tells the story why vice and crime
have spread with such alarming rapi0ity,
and why the local authorities pay SO little
attention to the matter. What will the
good people of Salt Lake think of the men
charged with the enforcement of the NUM-
| cipal ordinances when they read that "the
apathy Of the city authorities in re alton to
these disturbances gambling, prostitution,
Sunday iquor-selling, burglary, highway
robbery and violence on the streets at
night was such that the United States
marshal and his deputies proceeded, under
the act of Congress Of March 3, 1887, to
make arrest of offenders against the terrific
rial statisticsf" They will think that the city
hall gang, through its incompetency and
almost criminal negligence, is in sense re-
sponsible for the shame and disgrace which
have been brought upon this city. Though
the grand jury has brought no indictment
against the authorities under which they
can be prosecuted in court of justice the
presentment is one upon which verdict of
guilty will be pronounced in the great
tribunal Of public opinion.
The jury calls attention to other matters
| which demand attention and regulation.
For instance this business of collecting Ii
cense from gamblers and prostitutes. The
HERALD denounced the practice under past
administrations and has done SO under the
present rule, and now that the matter has
been taken cognizance of by the grand jury
Y
call it license, but it amounts to the same
thing. The police, at stated periods,
notify the gamblers and keepers of houses
of ill-fame to appear in court and answer
the charge of gambling or prostitution. If
these notifications do not become too fire.
quent the parties appear, as requested,
plead guilty, pay the fines and return to
their dens, feeling that they have been
licensed to proceed with their business and
that they will not be disturbed. Rarely is
any evidence taken or demanded, and if it
were asked it would not be forthcoming,
for the reason that the authorities conf.
IDENTIFY expect pleas of guilty; and therefore
do not take the trouble to try to convict by
testimony. 1t is shame, and is neither
more nor less than the granting of license
to commit crime.
The inquisitors congratulate on the dis
appearance from the court calendars Of
cases arising under the auti-polygamy
, laws. That these cases should disappear
was to be expected, and the community, a.
well as the jury, will rejoice that the enc
has come. Of course the absence of such
cases will be displeasing to those radicals
who have lived and thrived on hatred oil
the Mormons; their occupation has de-
parted and they viii grieve for time but
4 their discontinue will trouble nobody else
Altogether the report is creditabe to the
, intelligence and fairness of the grand jury
and we believe it will result in some good
= although all the reforms demanded canno
. be brought about until there has been
thorough change in the personnel of tn,
, municipal administration and 10 some O
the other Offices.