The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-27
MIR. cLARK's SPEECH.


Mr.. John Clark. the non bipartisan
committees candidate for mayor, made
his first campaign speech Monday
night. After dwelling on the city's
finances. its bis debt, heavy taxes, and
the Ike. he said;
no wonder that this owl club these
men who own millions of property.
should say that this condition should
not exist
This Indicates that Mr.. Clark is fully
imbued with the spirit Of the "owI
club" or non-partisan committee, that
/ the more money q man has the greater
his political rights.
Do these men who own millions of
property" pay any more taxes. accord
ins TO their means, than do other eiti-
Zens who are not so fortunately stu
ated rs regards wealth? Is not the
man whose income is $4,000 or 100000
I in much better condition TO discharge
his public burdens than the labortng
! man who works for years and years
that he may own a small cottage in
/ which to shelter his wife and babes?
/ Is there any fact better known or more
firmly established in the history of gov
eminent than that the poor man pays
| FAR more taxes in proportion to his
little holdings than do the ''mon who
hold millions of property?" The tax
| dodgers are notoriousIy the wealthy
men. But whether tax dodgers or not,
in the American system of government
| they have no greater political rights
than the humblest citizen in the land,
The theory that q mans political rights
are founded on prOperty fiourished for
centuries in England, but it has never
| found Judgment in the United States Of
America The non-partisans are trying
to introduce it into salt Lake City, but
they will hardly be successful.
Mr.. Clark. as the candidate of "these
men who own millions OF property"
says it is no wonder that they should
say that the present condition of things
should not exist. Some of these men
who own millions OF property" we're
active agents in bringing about the
very condition of things of which they
complain now; some have sat in the
city council in the near past and helped
to burden the city with the debt it
bears.
Mr.. Clark Judging from his remarks,
is of the opinion that the American
people live under q plutocracy instead
of democracy. He seems to think that
men who own millions of property"
have the right to say what shall and
what Shall not be; who shall and who
shah not he elected to public Office
They do not, though undoubtedly they
would like to- "These men who own
millions OF property" have exactly the
same rights that other citizens have;
no greater, no less. These men who
own millions OF property are posses
sed of the means to make themselves
better. in one respect. than their fellow
citizens. and that is by deYoting por-
ton Of their millions of property to
the benefit and advancement of their
fellow-men. 1t is within their power
TO found institutions OF learning; TO es-
tablish technical schools for the per-
fecting of the youth of the state in the
various arts and sciences that have to
do directly with the development of the
industries and resources of the state;
TO build hospitals where the sick. the
lame, the halt and the blind may re-
ceive proper care and attention, care
and attention which they cannot afford
TO purchase. But have any of these
men who own millions of property
sought to make themselves better by
doing any of these things? Not 30 far
as the people know.
Wealth is not to be despised and men
, who have achieved it are not to be
condemned because of it. but wealth
is not to be worshipped nor those who
possess it to be bowed down before
while all attempts on their part 10 ar
: rogate greater political powers to them
selves than are possessed by their fell
low citizens, should be resented. These
non-partisans. these men who owr
millions of property" are attempting
TO aTogate 10 themselves the powers
: of dictators.