The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-29
L. NJ EARL's "oPEN SECRET,

In yesterdays Tribune Mr.. L. NJ.
Earl writes that it is an ''open secret
That it was at a non-partisan meet
ing, held in the Eighteenth ward, when
the Democrats made a promise that if
the Republicans would renominate Mr..
r. W. Young, a Democrat, as school
trustee, they would, one year later,
join in and elect a Republican member
Of the Board of Education, and false
to their promise, as usual, the Demo-
Gratis of the Fourth precinct have cut
the arteries which have hitherto sup-
ported them.
If that is an '"open secret" the secret
heretofore must have had it's abiding
place in Mr.. Earls bosom and been
drawn thence by him alone. Mr. Earl
has said this same thing before. His
persistence in reiterating it indicates
that he is a believer in the old saying
that "a lie repeated often enough
gains the force of truth" But in this
particular case it will not.
The meeting to which Mr.. Earl re-
fers was held in pursuance of a call
issued by voters of the precinct. There
We're seventeen names signed to the
call, there being seven Democrats,
four Liberals, five Republicans, one
unallied.
In response to this call just thirteen
people responded. So soon as the meet
ing was organized Judge Powers, a
Liberal, arose and nominated Mr.. r.
W. Young, the then School Board mem
Der Mr.. James Devine. a Republican,
objected to any nomination being
made, alleging as a reason therefor
that at meeting held the Wednesday
previous it had been recommended that
action be postponed until a later day.
at the same time requesting that Judge
Powers withdraw the nomination The
Judge objected, saying he had signed
q call for non-partisan caucus and
that the present meeting had been the
result He further said he cared not
for the action of any board or any
body of citizens and demanded that
his nomination be entertained, and it
was.
AT that meeting nothing was said
about the School Board member for
the next year, and Mr.. EarIs assertion
that 1.-The Democrats made a promise"
that they would join in and elect a
Republican the following year, if the
Democratic member then in were re-
nominated, is absurd on the face of it
when the politics of those who signed
| the call for the non-partisan caucus is
considered, and the politics of those
who were present at the caucus Of
the thirteen there assembled, the
Liberals had not merely a plurality"
but majority Would they have
been a party to a Democratic promise
to Republicans? Scarcely.
There having been so much talk
about this matter, it may be we'll to
recall the fact that on Friday, Decem-
| Der 2, 1892 there was a conference OF
the city committees Of the three politi-
cal parties to consider the school elec-
| ton matter. The Democrats were
represented by Colonel Lett and Mr..
j. B. Toronto. At this conference Mr..
Joseph r. Norris introduced the fol-
lowing resolution, which was adopted:
Resolved, That it is the sense of
| the respective city committees of the
Democratic, Republican and Liberal
parties of Salt Lake City that, so far
as possible, politics be eliminated from
the public schools.
Secondhand in view of the efficient
services of the present School Board
that the retiring members thereof be
returned without party contest.
Third-And that, so far as possible
we bind ourselves to take such steps
as may be necessary to accomplish this
result.
On the adoption of the resolution as
a whole the Democrats and Liberals
voted AYE" while the Republican
vote was withheld. This is not merely
an open secret it is a matter of
record in the daily papers. The other
facts above stated can also be found
in them.
Mr. L. NJ. Earl is a very good par
tisan with a very bad memory, which
bad memory causes him to mistake
fictions for facts.
BULLDOZING WILL NOT DC