Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-30
A CHANGE NEEDED.

Whether or not the proposition pre-
sented by Councilman Lloyd to have
license collector In Salt Lake Glly
will remedy the present unsatisfactory
condition OF afiairs in the license de-
parlment is matter that the City
Council PROBABLY will decide upon OF
an early date. Certainly the circum-
stances that have called 1t forth de-
mnnd that change be msde as soon
as possible. When an Official IL
charged under the law with the re-
aponsibilily OF PERFORMING certain
duty; when be is given ali the
clerical and other assistance that
the operation OF his oflice rtq 'ires;
when the affairs OF ms de-
pRrtment are so that the public iund Is
muloted or deprived OF many thousands
Of dolIars which IL should have; 1t is a
common, natural, logical conclusion
that incompetency or something worse
is indicated. According to the state
meut given out as reason for the
Lloyd bill, the license collection de-
partment in the city treasurei's office
10 in Just that unsatisfactory conditio n;
ard II there be no actual cuIpability an
explanation conveying that iniorma-
ton ough, to be given TO the public.
With regard to the collection Of
licenses in this city, The rule ap.
piled to many In busine.s lie
to insist upon prompt pay
ment of the license fees. In
come cases where the parties are res.
ponsible and where financial pressure
makes u little leniency for ohort
time convenience to those Ia bust
ness, without interfering with the
public, the accomm odsti0n Is extend-
ed. IN other cases, parties are allowed
to go ON indefinitely without settling
OF the law thus being dated In behalf
OF favored few, until there are ar
rearages OF more than $50, 600 which
the city virtually is loser OF. In still
other instances parties are given a
license for one half, or oue.third, or
even less, OF the business they
are conducting, thus cutting down
their fees, while others are re.
qulred to pay the iuIl amount.
Sometimes business houses are two
years or more behind in llcense; some
have failed, ami others would tni it
more profitable to retire than pay the
delinquent license. Ii is clear that no
. collection can be made OF y large per.
centage of the delinquency. So that,
between paying partial licunses and
making no payments at all, the city /;
muicteu Ia very large sum.
This condition should not he toler.
atei longer. The mechanic who has a
lax assessed on his nom is not allowed
to avoid il. II the tflicer charger with
the collection thereof fails In MS duty
he Is Responsible on his b1ni for the
deficiency. 1t should be so with the
license collector He Is under the oh.
.igation to enforce the law impartially,
anu where he wilfully negiects doing
go ought to be brought to aocouu
therefor. Whether or not u separst,
office Is created, there ought to be I
radical change from the present sys
TEN, which 10 not honest 10 tn,
municipality or just to those who d,
ray their taxes and hoensn fees.
these fees are too high In any case, a
perhaps they are, let them be cat COW
to proper figure, But let this uuius
discrimination between business firm
cease. The way II has been carried
IN is an Outrage On proper munieipa
administrator, however It has beer
permitted to come into 19gue.