The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-29
MAYOR GLENDINNING,s MESSAGE

Mayor Glendinning has sent his first
message to the city council. 1t is
necessarily long but it viii repay the
reading by any citizen, while the mem
bers of the city council should read it
and re-read it and make careful note
of the suggestions it contains.
His honor first addresses himself to
the question of the city's bonded in
debtedness. This amounts TO s2,54S,0O0,
carrying interest at the rate of per
cent per annum. At the expiration of
ten years any part or all Of it may be
redeemed, while there must be set
aside a sinking fund equal to 10 per
cent. of each issue.
His honor says. what every citizen
must recognize as most patent that
the present administration is called
upon to deal with complicated and
difficult problem, the solution OF which
demands the most careful thought and
Judgment, and the harmonious action
of all the officials of the city. 1t is
wisely suggested that expenses should
be reduced where such reduction can
be made without destroying the eff
ficacy of the service.
The immediate adjustment of the
present board of public works is re-
commended. It its place it is recon-
nended that there be a new board
consisting of five members, to be COM
posed of the city engineer, 5uperinten-
dent Of waterworks. superintendent Of
streets and parks. the city electrician
and the superintendent of sanitation.
OF this board the mayor should be
made chairman, and it should hold
meetings daily. This is the most i'm
portant recommendation made. 1t
deserves very careful consideration,
of the work of the different depart
ments of the city that would result in
greater efficiency and material re-
duction of expenses. On this latter
head the message states that this
change would effect a saving of $10,-
$40. The total reduction of expenses in
all departments, as estimated by the
mayor, is $500 If such a saving can
be effected it certainly should be.
The recommendations regarding the
creation Of the Office of city electrician
seems timely. When, in this conuec-
ton. the mayor says that the present
system Of street lighting tnspectation is
farce he but utters a simple truth
known to all who care to know.
1t is recommended that the law
creating the present board of police
and fire commissioners be abolished,
and that these departments be placed
under the control of the mayor and
city council
With this recommendation we
cannot agree. With the mayors
position in regard to the enforce
ment of all the laws, or else
their repeal, we are heartily in
accord. II am unqualif1edly in favor
of their enforcement" says the mayor.
There is no equivocation about his
position; it is the only position for the
city's chief executive to take.
There is justice in the criticisms the
mayor makes of the police department
when it is stated that it has assumed
to regulate offenses against laws for
the control of liquor selling and the
suppression Of prostitution and gamb-
ling, criticisms that The Herald has
made on various occasions. Some of
these offenses have been practically Ii
censed through a system which re-
quires those arrested for violation of
the laws to put I'D fixed sum, ac-
n 81
for their appearance when called for
trial, which sum is nearly always for
feited, no effort being made to reap
prehend those who have thus forfeited
the sum put up for their appearance.
Law abiding and respectable citizens
will endorse the sentiments Of the
mayor on this subject: 1--WE ought
not to demand share in the wages
OF sim
The sum total of the salaries paid to
city employees. from the mayor to the
grave digger, is, as shown by the mes
sage, $3.50, $3.50. 1t is simply enor-
nous; far more than what it should
be and makes the reduction of the
same imperative
There are several recommendations
on which we have not touched, prin-
cipally concerning the city's water sup
ply and system.
Taken as a whole the message is a
very good one If Mayor GIendinning
will do as well as his message shows
he knows what it is well to do, he will
give the city an administration of
which he may be proud when his term
Of office expires and with which the
citizens will be well satisfied.