The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-22

The Municipal league held meeting
last night in the city and county build
ing, and in addition to their regular
| business had a short discussion by Mr..
D. G. Dunbar and Mr.. j. A. Houghton.
nounced to be, Should Political Par
tisanship Be Carried into Municipal
Affairs?" The affirmative was taken
by Mr.. Dunbar and the negative by
Mr.. Houghton.
LAWRENCE RESIGNS.
The meeting was called to order by
Chairman H. W. Lawrence, who, in a
few words, expressed his regret at hav-
ing to Yacate the chair, but the con-
stitution Of the league provides that
when a member of the league accepts
nomination for any office he must
racate his office in the league Mr.
Lawrence then called upon Vice Presi-
dent ]. P. Caldwell to take the chair
and take up the order of business.
DUNBAR ON PARTISANSHIP.
Mr.. Caldwell then introduced Mr..
Dunbar, who went on to say that par
| tisanship should be carried out in all
elections. That some organized parties
should be made TO bear the responsible
ity of eIecting good men. The best men
! should be put up by all parties, for
when thew are elected they make the
laws and carry on the affairs of gov
eminent. Of" said Mr.. Dunbar. par
tisanship is to be abandoned in the
municipal affairs, then why not do
away with il in all branches of poll
tics? If the institution here is wrong
in a municipal capacity, it is equally
wrong in Others.
NO one" continued the speaker. has
ever seen one nGn-partiSan government
succeed another These non-partisau
parties are generally made up of men
that have made political overdrafts on
their friends. The people uphold a party
as long as they adhere to their plat
form and carry out their pledges after
they are elected to office. The Repub-
lican party had been very strong and
won a great many victories because
they stuck to their party platform. but
| then they began to disregard their
pledges after election and the party
weakened. The Democrats set UP a
platform and carried out their prom
Uses and victory rewarded them. The
safety in municipal government lies in
the finding of good men and women
that will stand up and assert their
American rights and vote against all
bad men We want no abandonment
of party lines, but we want men and
women who will elect the best men
and women to attend to our municipal
affairs. Let the people do their duty,
exercise their American privileges in
saying who shall represent them as
legislators and councilmen-"
MR.. HoUGHToN's VIEWS.
Mr.. j. a Houghton was introduced
next to speak on the negative side of
the question. He Said that the only
difference in his ideas and those ex-
pressed by Mr.. Dunbar was that the
conditions as stated by him did not
exist. He went on TO say that a great
many laws had been made and en-
forced to the detriment of the people
and that the officers that are elected
on party lines are pledged to party
rather than people. The candidates
that are put up make their promises
to their friends and they in turn go
out among the people and in this way
form ring that governs after election.
Mr., Houghton stated that there was
about $50,000 in unpaid licenses on the
books of the city at the present and
this condition of affairs is due to par
tisanship. The friends of the party
were allowed to become delinquent on
party lines. 49,
THE so-called bipartisan party.
which has been put in the field, is par
tisan in the extreme" ne continued "A
few men got together and nominated a
ticket which consisted of men that
were of themselves. The people would
look over the list and doubt the good
intentions of this party. They are all
men who now control nearly all the
public franchises and it is so un-Amer-
lean that | do not believe the people
of the city will endorse it. Had it
come from the people as their nominees
il would have carried the city with
sweep. AS it is there will probably be
some of the ticket elected but when it
comes to the head of the ticket I don't
believe the people viii tolerate it."
OTHER ADDRESSES.
Mr.. Houghton then thanked the
meeting for their attention and the
question was thrown open to general
discussion. County Commissioner Hall
spoke briefly endorsing both speakers
in part but contending that partisan
ship should not be done away with.
Rev. Mr.. McNiece also made a few re-
marks on the subject and was followed
by Mr.. Anderson, who spoke briefly as
follows: This so-calied non-partisan
party is. in spite of all partisan. No
natler Wnetner you take away the
Democrats or the Republicans and
leave only this party in the field they
are still partisan. They will be the
Mccormick party or some other per-
sons party just the same. They would
serve their own interests but though it
may be a party-that is only tail. it
will try to wag the dog. The so-called
reform party is like a Scotch terrier. It
is so covered with hair that you can't
tell its head from its tail and we don't
know which way they are going"
The business of the meeting was
taken up and seven names were pre-
scented and We're admitted to member
ship in the league. The committee on
questions reported that they had draft
ed some questions that we're to be sent
TO each candidate in the coming cleo
ton for them to answer The questions
were as to the candidates stand on
the subjects of gambling. prostitution,
regulating the closing of saloons, sell
ing cigarettes to minors. enforcement
of all laws and ordinances. free public
libraries. free public baths municipal
ownership of gas and electric lights,
franchises, etc, and TO wind up with the
question will be propounded as to the
carrying out of all contracts awarded
by the city. This report was adopted
and the meeting adjourned.
A RESURRECTION.
Nva ia Iaad