Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-09-10
ADDRESS 70 SALT LAKERS.
Tho Good Citizenship League Issue
q Circular
10 win Hold Meeting on tuesday,
september ~, IN This
Citg.

TO he Citizens Of Sat Lake CiiE
within the past yeas what has boon
aptly described ~ tho "new municipal
spirirt ha. been masking unprecedented
hpadvay In many n the larger 81 los "
our country. Tie sober thought OF tho
American people cannot bu lead thom to
thoroughly ondurso this revival of tho
spirit " 1875. In too many Of our com
munities % Is "a rogrottablo iaci that bad
government has apparently FIRMLY To-
tfonchcd itself, ana mainly tor two
roason.i In tho FIRST place, a lack Of In
totest on the part OF the hoItor element Ia
tho proceeding ai tho primaries. the vast
majority remaining away while the pro.
io.sionm politicians run things TO
suit themselves, selecting candt-
dates for Office whose foputa-
tion for honesty aud capabilty iu
too many Instances will not boar close
scrutiny, and secondly. tho sooming lack
~ respect for our laws aud municipal
ordinances, OF which We have had album
daui illustration during the progress Of
the last strike. When those whose
sworn duty u IL 10 administer t.8 laws,
without fear or favor suilor this or that
ordinance 20 become inppcri i've, 10 is
not 10 bo wondered At that cortain sec.
tons VI tho community cpnYider thcm.
solve. privileged 10 ignore whatever laws
arc calculated, in their opinion. 20 render
heir business unrHmunorAiivCs or rom
o.hor reasons are peculiarly obnoxious
10 thom. 10 recognize tho right Of
any individual, company or corpora
ton, to detetmino what laws they shall
obey, and what ignore, a. once
payos tho way n llcouso-thai uuiusiih.
able Interference with the liberty u tho
community asa whole. which IL the key.
note ~ our Cousiituii1n-ani which N
unchecked will drive us To tho vorgo Of
anarchy and social disruption. Hence,
tho cry that our laws and ordinances
should DO enforced by capable officers,
aided by tho moral support ~ tho conn
munry, Is one that should not DO disro.
gafdod.
There has boon started recently In our
city an organization bearing tho nnma
"ihe Good Citizenship League u salt
Lake city" Tue reasons leading 10 tho
formation OF such league are AS iol-
lows!
lat, Laxnc~ in tho onforcomont Of
law.
2nd. Lack Of interest shown by citl.
gena IN the selection aud election Of good
aud upright men to office.
Bfd. The existence ~ OWLS In our
midst which tend TO corrupt tho morals
Of tho community.
The league n not third party move.
ment II does not propose 10 20 outside
of existing party lines, believing that all
needed reforms eau bH inauguratod and
contaminated through existing political
channels. IL socks TO wrost tho control
~ tho primaries from tho lnwlt,s, dis
reputable and ofllco-sooking element, aud
place IL Ia tho hands Of patriotic. law.
abiding citizens, 10 that whether the city |
is governed by Republicans or Demo- !
Gratis IN NOS 30 much matter Of concern /
as whether the administration OF muuirl. |
pal affairs Il Ia the hands Of honest, In.
ioliigent mon. "Patfioiism, honesty aud /
capabllity tho qualifications Of the /
oihco-holdor," II ono Of tho notices Of /
the league.
Tho work undertaken can be- described |
In the language q the city club OF Sew
York, which aims To bo "porsistonuy,
consistently aud impartiany Auu.bad
city government 70 shape aud main
tain "a generally entertained public
opinion vigilantly opposed To dishonesty
rnd iucOmpotency In municipal govern
menii In rendering contemplate that
Indifference 10 civil duty, or insonslbliity
OF conscience, which permits citizens 10
overlook maladministfatlon Of Office,
unul IL becomes 90 uncomfortable AZ 10
make opposition oa'lor than submls.
hlon.n
Tho work OF tho league will DO per.
formed by central council and by
branch organizations In each ~ tho ave !
proc nets OF tho city. Tho object oi tho |
league IN not 10 dictate 10 tho citiEon h0iB |
he shall vote; simply to educate the yOt-
ing public saOng tho three limos which
We claim arc the throo great tosss Of good
citizenship.
"Tho nfst test IL lntorosiednoss. Dis
Intermediates Ia politics, now 10 often
the boast II our citlz1us ~ cuipahlo aud
Indeed criminal Ia a city Of this slEn
whore tho Issues Of political action arc Hu
inr.reaching In their Influence. Apa-
thciio unconcorn II responsible for NUM-
ciual corruption and social dogrudatiou.n
We contend that oyory ciiE1n IL under
obligation to take "a lively Interest la
political and social affairs.
'lho second lost n that good citizen.
ship shall DO Intelligent citizenship. lg-
uuunco IL objectionable whore KNOW.
edge IN accessible" iiy tho public pross
We viii roach every ono IN this COM
muniiy. Information ia the basis OF all
effort to overthrow evils. Nothing Is 20
unAnswomblo a. facts. Careful invest.
CATION Of methods now used In our city
Of enforcing tho law will be made ana
facts published. There Is not reform
OF our timO that would not lOap 90 prumi.
nUnco and success ~ tho people worO In
possession OF the facts concerning H..
These facts viii bo placed before tho
public, aud whom tho timn TO vote comes,
the citizens will be- In possession Of that
vote right We cannot Keep ourselves
too Wen informed ON tho OWLS OF intom-
poranco aud gambling. Tho facts In ro-
lauun To these and uthor OWLS Will be
brought before tho public so oNou that
the cl lien viii bo unable 90 say hr did
not know OF their existence, Il lHtimo
our public was educated In this dirce.
ton.
"rho third tost IL that thero ls such
thing a. good citizenship and public
morals, ana that Il M possible 10 reach
the ono and attain tho u.horn We do
not believe that there IL any necessary
permanoncy In organized inlquily. The
gigantic evils NJ our time now ~ ram.
pant In our city are preventnulo
such are The objects Of tho Lslguo and
such the lines upon which tho promoter.
NJ the organization hope Co roach these
ohjon s. 10 aid In accomplishing this
desirable result, "rho Good citizenship
League" invites tho hearty cooperation
ot tho loyal American citizens OF Salt
Lake City.
The annual meeting will bo hold on