The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-09-16

per statements: Judging from the
trend of affairs in certain municipal
departments in Salt Lake. there ap-
pears to be determined effort to make
the recent efforts at retrenchments as
farcical as were some of the noisy pre-
tensions and proceedings against gam
biers and ordinance vioIators a short
time ago.
When the present city administra-
ton assumed control, there were many
suggestions of cutting down expenses.
And some highly commendable practi-
cal work was done at the instance Of
the council committee on finance When
this retrenchment was nominally ef-
fected, the city administration was
given full measure Of praise therefor.
and there was hope thai a clean, hon
est and consistent record would be
made despite forebodingS which had
been expressed in some directions. Re
cent events. however, go to show that
this hope has not been altogether we'll
founded. Some Of the council have
shown unwavering fidelity to the rule
adopted. But others and officers ont
side of the council have given evidence
OF departing therefrom. Little by little
the old extravagances are being tackled
on until quite a number have been
restored, and considerable of the old
order OF fleeing the public treasury
IN the interest of individuals or cliuues
Is again in vogue. Some of the Off
Gals engaged in running city affairs
may IND at time that will not be
so very advantageous to themselves
That the taxpayers mean retrenchment
and receive as an evidence of bad
faith their unkept pledges. Unless the
present administration gives greater
force TO the rule of economy, in GER
tain departments than it does now.
there is reckoning day in store. The
city taxpayers have been officially
Heeced long enough to make them aw-
1uIly tired of the game"
In the same paper of another issue
soon after appeared a. communication
from a. tired taxpayer, as follows:
In your issue Of Saturday, November
10, Is an article under the head Of pub
Tic patronage" giving the amount paid
city officials and employees. In looking
over this article, there are some things
with which 1 propose to find fault.
First. then, 1 object to the mayor's
clerk, as being utterly needless, declar-
ing MS office vacant would save the
taxpayers $3.50 per year. The con-
slant employment Of an assistant city
attorney is another needless burden.
and his salary would save to the people
$1,000 per year. Deputy auditor, another
$1,000 per year. Deputy treasurer is
even a more glaring outrage upon the
taxpayers and costs them s., 500 per year.
Then we have a deputy recorder and ~
deputy recorders clerk, each receiving
$1,000, or another 81, 400 per year, one OF
these ought to be dispensed with. Next
comes the supervisors clerk of 81 $50
and poll tax clerk of $3.50 per year. Chief
craftsman in the surveyors department.
al $1,000 year. Two assistant
chief engineers, at $500 a year.
Inspector of sewers clerk, $780, Eiec-
trio light and fire inspector, 200 a
year.
Now 1 object to the wasting of pub
lie moneys to employ men whose ser
vice is only as a duplication of work
that the officers whom they assist are
well paid for doing and should perform
Signed, "a Tired Taxpayer"
These items make very interesting
reading, when we consider the s atement
of the auditor of pubic accounts to the
last sitting of the city council that There
was a deficiency in the city treasury OF
$4,000
In July last a road supervisor re-
ported expenditures in his department
for the month Of July $1,000. And then
a communication appeared in the News
following that date signed by another
tired taxpayer. asking that the road
supervisor of the city be cut down to
the lowest possible minimum, suggest
ing that it was a needless waste of pub
lie moneys for him to pillow up the pub
lie highways and heap the dirt into the
middle of the streets, as such dirt was
blown away and by the action of the
elements generally beaten down and
the labor entirely destroyed that had
cost the taxpayers for this needless eX-
penditure; and until such time as the
city was able to cover these newly
graded streets with the shale from the
nearby canyons, or some other solid
material this labor was a. needless
waste of the taxpayers money. How
ever, at the last session of the council
the supervisor comes in again with an
expenditure of 81, 800 for the month, and
instead Of curtainng and cutting down
ed by this tired taxpayer, he is permit
ted TO constantly add thereto.
The nomination and election Of our
city and county officers, as well as OF
our legislative asseulblymen, should be
looked after very closely in the future
by the people, and they should see to it
by attending to the primaries, and vOt-
ing at the elections. that such men are
CHOSEN as will carry needed reforms all
Let the voters cry a halt to past and
present extravagancies, and by their
votes let them make a solemn protest,
one that will be needed by those now IN
power, although it wild be too late, we
hope for some of them to receive any
benefit, for they will be among those
who have been weighed in the balance
and found wanting.
Rights, not favOrs; the people, not
classes, these are the conditions and
these are the demands that the voters
should make. And the people have a
right TO say for the future what kind
Of men they Will have for their public
servants; and with a firm and united
stand they can have clean officials,
honest government, and such men elect
ed as will be a pride and a satisfaction
to all the departments Of our growing
state.
We say, we will have no more ex-
travagant and dishonest officials in the
language of a country justice, IF this
court knows herself, and she thinks she
do" So 1 say to all tired taxpayers,
get thee to the primaries, to the pri-
rnaries go, go to the primaries.
SEYMOUR B. YOUNG.