The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-09-24
MORE THAN HE WANTED.

We occasionally hear Of men lifting OF
more than they can chew,n and others who
get more than they ask for. Mr.. A. L. WILL
JAMS, late Liberal candidate for tie Office of
county collector of this county, will go
down to history as the gentleman who
found good deal more than he sought.
When the votes cast at the recent election
had been counted it was ascertained that
MIR. WILLIAMS had a plurality-not ma
jority, as he alleged in his complaint-for
the collectorship. That circumstance should
have been very gratifying to the gentle
man, and if he had been content to abide by
the result as declared and by the law as it
read the probabilities are that he would
have enjoyed the occupancy fcr two years Of
a very fat office. But Mr.. WILLIAMS was
not content. He wasn't satisfied with
permitting matters to take their course.
He insisted upon fastening things. He
wanted Office, and wanted it mighty bad
and in very great hurry. The law says
that the collector elect shall take office in
June following the August in which he was
elected, and in the past that rule has been
observed But Mr.. WILLIAMS couldn't
wait. He was IN an awful hurry. No
sooner did he receive OIL ial notification of
his election and get possession of q certif-
cate setting forth the fact than he filed his
bond and proceeded to demand the
office of his predecessor, Mr.. l.. G..
HARDY. The last-named said he
was not ready to retire; that he could not
surrender the place until next June, by
which time he would have collected this
years taxes and made settlement with the
county, when he would be pleased to turn
over the Office in proper shape, as the law
required. But the delay was disheartenins
to the longing MIR. WILLIAMS. He couldn't
think of loafing nine months when be
might be drawing handsome salary eno
have the fun of handling $500. 900 or $500, 00(
of the public money. His Impotence wat
too much for his judgment, and he
flew to the court to give him wha'
had not been surrendered at hi.
request The question was argued before
the CHEF justice a few days ago, and yes
terday his honor handed down his decision
which latter is the. more than he asked fol
received by Mr.. WILLIAMS. Judge ZANE de
cides, in short, that Mr.. WILLIAMS wa
not elected in August notwithstanding
plurality of The votes were cast for him
The Judge says the law did not provid
for the election of collector in 1891, tn
statute requiring that the official indicates
must be chosen in the years Of even mum
Der, the successful candidate takinl
the Office in June of the year
bearing odd numbers; tnat III
fact that few years ago, through
the resignation of collector AM
the appointment Of successor, the cleo
ton was changed to the odd mum beret
years did not change the law as to the be
ginning and end of the official term. Tn
chief Justice holds that inasmuoh as Their
was no election of collector in 1890 tn
incumbent, Mr.. HARDY, is entitled, unde
the hold-oyer provision Of the law, to tn
Office and its emoluments until the electio
and qualification of his successor and to tn
end of the term now running-June, 1896
Thus, q collector cannot be elected until tn
general election in August, 1892, and b
cannot take Office until June, 1898.
1t will thus be readily seen how MI
WILLIAMS, In his esgerness to deprive Nj
HARDY of nine months of Office holding ia
deprived himself of office entirely BY th
next general election in August there wi
be no Liberal party to vote for Mr.. WILL
JAMS, and in the light of recent politics
events it may reasonably be doubted this
any other party will vote for him. 1t Is
clear case of ambition overlapping itsel
the punishment following fast upon til
heels of the offense.