Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-10-09


munities.
self-defense should tell all such TO
avoid the bummcrs. the ward heelcrs'
the professional politician the adyen-
turer the transient man, the one
without anything at stake. the one
who is in politics from whit there is
in 1t, for the spoils Of Office and Nv
ing at the public crib; for none of
these classes care anything for the
future. Salt Lake city is no more to
them than Buffalo or Seattle. save for
the profit 1t can bring TO them. The
saloon element is too strong in this
city; when the owners or keepers of
these places boast that they can con-
troll so many votes, there ought to be
inquiry as to the status of those votes,
and If the qualification is not what 1t
should be. let there be a revision as
soon as practicable.
At certain convention recently
held here. the principal speaker un-
consciously hefogged his audience
most completely: not but what the
speech was good from par
tisan standpoint, and at some
other place and time might
have been considered a master
piece; but the welfare of this
city, its dellverance from political
place-hunting sharks and cormorants,
the necessity for strict economy and
reduced taxation, and the deliverance
of its poor were pnthought of in the
verbiage of questions which, while of
national Importance, We're altogether
out of place when municipal well-being
should have confined the speaker to
the issue then on hand. Strangely
enough yet not strange) this har-
angue colored and permeated the en-
tire convention. CaPdidates were com
mendcd because they belonged to
the party" others because they had
worked for "the party" and some rec.
ognition was their legitimate due.
Is it not time that an intelligent
community freed themselves from this
bumbuggery and nonsense, and that
known men should be elected because
of their experience and their interest
in public affairs? Then, outside of
this. 1t was a discredit to the conven-
ton to nominate an individual for the
chief officer of this city whose record
is but of yesterday, one who until
very lately has not paid dollar of
taxes into the public treasury.
The business of our municipal SER
wants is not to legislate on the tariff,
on lead, or silver. or any other ma
nh
troverted. What is needed is home
men to work for home interest,to do
this not for the stipend, but for the
honor thereof; and If those are elected
who will do this, no good citizen will
ever ask their politics. because to be
a believer in one or another confers
no special qualification for any purely
local office.
Under present conditions an alliance
with one of the great parties seems in
dispensable in the councils of the ma
ton; but some day perchance intelli-
gent representative men will gather
with enough mental pliability to be
moved upon by argument. logic, statis-
tics, observation and experience, par
| ticularly in regard to great and grave
questions which must come up for
some time. vet in a nation which in
many things is only feeling it's way
a new nation. so to speak. developing
on untried lines in finance, jurispru-
dence, national comfy and many
other directions which are not ger
name to the present thought.
The thinkers of this city are in no
mood today for the caiolery of poll
| ticians. They will not thank any man
who by instrumentation may seek
to divert the attention of the people
! from matters of Importance to the va
carries of politics. They will listen
to the primitive Pioneer of these val
! lies when he asks for peace, for
economy. for union. for consistency,
for reflection. Nevertheless If this ad-
vice is UNDECIDED. for years to come
the solemn warning. "the last words
win ring in the hearts and well IN
| in the aspirations of the best men and
women of the state, irrespective OF
party. religion. political. financial or
social, for they are the words Of a
friend. Of n father in Israel, of a pa
triot and of n Prophet of God.
Taxes and bonds are a lien on every
niece Of propertv in this city. The in
| do,,tod,oss &c 9, practical ,nortrore and