The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-26

The self-appointed Citizens commit |
tee has finished its labors and the re-
suit of weeks of deIiberation is en-
bodied in the following address, which |
was issued last night:
To the People of Salt Lake City:
Every tax payer is an investor, every |
resident snare holder. in the govern
ment of his city. All are directly inter-
ested in its prosperity and advancement.
Shcrt-sighted and selfish is he who makes
any other interest paramount to the
public welfare: desperate is the condition
of any municipality where cliques or rings
or incompetence or craftsmanship control In
official affairs, and business methods be-
come subordinate to personal or political
advancement. Industry lanGuGsAes, ex-
travaSanee runs riot, patriotism is re-
pressed, the honest pride of citizenship
dWtndles, and the people suffer
We hold it to be necessary to state. re-
gretfuLGy yet plainly, certain facts With
reference to the condition of pubic at
fairs in Salt Lake City; it is better to tell
The truth now, even at the cost of adVer-
tsinS our nlGsfortunes Than BY conceal
merit and Inactivity to rush swiftly on to
further sufferings
Heavy debts, increase of office large
salaries and consequent excessive taxation
nave made the burdens upon the people
unbeapable. In 1880 the aggregate OF tax
oLtOH III CttIl Like Ky US IL Hills III
1897 it is 271a mills. Even this enormous
hgure WA not cover current expenses at
| their present volume and when TO TITS
is added that the Valuation on which this
assessment is made IL IN MARI instances
greater than the property is actually
worth. there Will be none to dispute GlNt
Salt luke City bears a burden heavier
than almost any city in the ldnd. De-
probation in values since 1890 has gone
hand in hand with increase in expenses:
the ease with which. public money has
Z l.i.Y Nlal
with the difficulty the people h1ve had in
supplying it. All things considered, the
statement is fairly susceptible of proof
that taxes nave increased n1oGa than zoo
! per cent during the seven years, While the
prevailing depression has many times Inul-
tinted the QifflcIttfes of the tax PAYERS.
The load thus placed upon the s1nall
wage Garner and home owner has been
and is gTfeYous to be borne; among the
poorer classes 1t has in many cases
J improvements wllGch under a more con-
SENTATIVE policy might nave been prose
cIted, and thus furnished employment to
many people, have had to be POSTPONED.
! Nor have the poorer classes been the only
sufferers. Investment has been DIS
couraged because property. even where
/ favorab1y situated, is able To return little
more than the amount of the taxes;
( capital, naturally tinid. has not looked
/ this way With favor; and business men
/ generally have felt to the utmost extent
/ the Voracity of the tax monster which
! consumed so much of the profits of their
/ enterprise and ton.
/ For the present year the citys income
/ has been partially anticipated and used
deficit exists, in the payment Of which
( q large portion OF the current years taxes
VIII be needed that should properly SO
only for next years necessary eXrgandG-
lures. In addition to ordinary expenses,
100000 per year, commencing with 1895,
/ must be raised as a sinking fund for the
} payment of our municipal debt. which as
a fitting climax to these financial woes.
may be announced as reaching the
( enormous sum Of over s2,5O9,000. Besides
I all other evils that come from the condi-
/ from doing necessary work in praserv-
! ing and adding to municipal irnprove-
meuts the CONSEQUENCE of which is that
/ the clty'S progress is stupued.
This is a gloomy yet truthful picture.
{ Happily we believe a remedy and relief
can be mad. The situation calls for the
/ highest patriotism men of undoubted in.
/ tegrity and business ability must be
called to office regardless of politics and
every other consideration save capacity
! for the duties required.
J We affirm it as a correct principle and
one that should prevail tlenceforth. that
/ the government of this city should be
put wholly on a business basis. Party adj
( ininistration in municipal affairs should
( be forever abolished. This is no expert
merNt, no new doctrine. The best COY
! erned critics of the Old World have made
/ it triumphant, the largest and most pro-
! gressive of American cities are struggling
. successfully Wtll the same prODLQIn- INA
hand of the politician Win in the near fu-
/ lure be shaken off IN all municipal ar
fairs party politics in municipal cam
paignS will have no place. Salt Lake City
( shoGld be in the front in this great re-
form. Its business should II, managed by
! business men Of approved ntne5s and e;i-
perienee. Its servants and employees
should be selected for these qualifications
I and no others, just as in any private or
corporate business of which the mun!ci-
pality is after all but the larger counter
part. Every shareholder has a right to
demand this in the one case as well as
In the other; the highest success and tlle
best results. can be achieved in no other
( way.
Therefore we. who have signed our
names 10 this address. affirm and hold TO
these principles I'D declarations:
That party politics have no necessary
connection with municipal manag ement;
That only such persons should be Sc
lected for municipal offices as are llonest,
efficient and willing TO devote the re-
Quts.te time to the public service having
! no unnecessary deputies or assistants;
Who will conduct public affairs on
economical and strictly business princi-
pies;
Who will levy no higher 1xes than are
absolutely needed for pubic expenses;
Who VIII reduce salaries and other eX-
penses TO figures conSonant with financial
conditions, paying only such conpensa-
ton for public service as would be paid
in private business:
Who viii treat a public trust as an
honor conferred. not as an opportunity
for private gain.
we cordially invite the people of this
city of all parties. creeds and opinions to
join with us In this effort to establish an
efficient. economical, non partisan NUM-
cipal government. In furtherance of this
effort We place in nomination the follow
ing named persons to I'll the various
elective municipal offices, to be voted for
at the coming municipal election, pledg-
ing them our support and appealing to all
patriotic citizens to do likewise:
For Mayor--Jo.ln Clark.
For Recorder.-Afiss Joan Sprague.
For Teasurer.-Joseph Il. Game.
For Audttor-Sam c Park.
Fer Attorney.-George L. Nye.
For Police Justice.-Orson a. Woolley.
COUNCIIMEN.
First Municipal Ward.-Adam Spiers.
: r. u