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


by all the candidates on the Republican
ticket except the candidate for record
er, police justice, attorney and auditor.
Here it is:
I'VE, the undersigned. candidates on
the Republican ticket for the offices of
mayor and city councilmen. have care
fully investigated the financial affairs
of the city, and we find that While the
present city council has made great
strides toward effective economy, yet
we believe thar necessity demands and
present conditions warrant q reduction
of the taxes from 80 to SO per cent and
we hereby pledge ourselves, If elected,
TO reduce the amount of taxes col
lected from the people, not less than 40
per cent"
The article was intended as a cam
paign boom for the signerS. but it had
decidedly the opposite effect. Repub-
licans and Democrats alike denounced
it, many of them eharacteriZing it as
absolutely silly and the worst kind of
a political blUnder. An amusing fea-
ture of the document is that five OF the
signers have been in the city council
for the past two years and yet have
never seen fit TO make the great reduc-
ton.
A Herald reporter called on H C
Wardleigh, president of the council,
and found that gentleman mournfuiiy
checking over a poll list with Council
man Hin. Mr. Hin said he thought
just what Mr. War1leigh thought, and
Mr.. Wardleigh said they both thought
more than they would tell.
DO you really believe such q reduc-
ton can be made and the interests of
the city subserVed?" he was asked.
certainly. it's very simple. We have
il all figured out
Would you mind telling how it is to
be done?"
'Not much, young man, we are not
giving such Information away II We
explained how it could be done the
Democrats would at once promise TO
do it and then We would get left. After
election we viii explain. Until then
the people must take it on faith We
have promised to do it. Just elect US
and We Will do the rest"
Atr, Wardleigh took up a small bit Of
foolScap and waved it about ulysteri-
ousiy, pointing TO some red figures
thereon and saying that the whole
scheme was outlined thereon and that
was the only copy in existence. He
had been made keeper OF it ard no one
except a privileged few could see it
until after election. as it would be kept
in his safe securely guarded.
Other people, however, investigated
fee and found them about as follows:
Receipts for 1886 $14S,9S4 OF this
sum $l6.SSS WAS properly receipted Ior
previous years, held back by Collector
Huriburt by reason Of being in dispute,
ard So. 900 was a warrant given preYi-
ously to the Rio Grande Railway COM
pany and held in escrow uill returned
in 1896. Hence the legitimate revenue
of 1886 was Sl22. 1876.
In 1898 the revenues of the city win
be Sl2000 less by reason of the reduced
valuation and by reason of the levy
being mill less than last year.
This will leave the revenue of 1888
S1l0,496
Now, these wise men propose TO re-
duce that not less than 80 per cent
and hint at 90 per cent. However. say
20 per cent. That is a reduction OF
$4,000 from the revenue, leaving 500, 1876
as revenues Of the city for 1888. For
1886 the expenditures were few cents
less than S120,000- The five candidates
for election on the Republican ticket
have consulted with their candidate for
mayor and their fellow candidates and
have discovered that they can cut that
to 500, 496 for 1898 and consequently
might have saved the city $50, 5o4 if they
had thought of it in time.
The above figures may be verified by
anyone at the city auditors office. but
Of course Mr.. Ward1eigh and his fellow
scramblers for Office have dark nys-
FERROUS plan TO be diNuiged after cleo
ton that viii make it possible to do all
these things The average voter VIII
look upon the scheme as clumsy
bunco game and few Of them will be
taken in by ii.
CONDEMNED BY REPUBLICANS.
II seems, however, that there are
many intelligent Republicans who see
L. Q -.
condemn it. The words OF some of
them are given below:
Hon. NJ. X Breeder, eS-speaker Of
the Republican Senate and prominent
candidate for city attorney in the last
convention, said. It's all nonsense.
It's absurd 10 think OF il. II can't be
done"
L H Whipple- Republican city at
torney and formerly chairman of the
city committee: There should be some
guardians appointed. The proposition
is absurd If the reduction is so feas-
ible. Why did not those five candidates
who are also signers Of that pledge see
that N WAS made before. or at least
raise their voices for it Look at our
streets nov They are worse than those
of most eastern country towns and do
more 10 scare capital away than bur
densome taxation"
William G. Wilson, Republican, and
eS-eounty commissioner; ITS -
nonsense. no man under heaven can
gauge public expenditures down so fine
as that The best they can do is TO
promise To 90 the very best they can.
and then deal with matters as econom-
ically as II is wise to do when they
come Such stuff makes me tired"
r. Il. Anderson. candidate for city re-
corder: Il did not sign that statement
because did not want to. I wish it
were Nov 2 right now
William Driver candidate for mayor.
said in regard 10 the statement that
men who were posted had told him such
a reduction could be made and he be
heyed it. he would not specify on
what lines expenses could be curtailed
to such an extent. but said lots of
money had been wasted in street work
on the bench, and although he signed
the statement, he was moi oath hound
and ali he would promise Wag To re-
duce taxes as much as he could.
Miles l. Jones, candidate for re-eIec-
ton from the Third ward said he was
not present when the paper was signed
but had he been. would have urged
that the proposed reductions be gut at
less. TIC did not Understand how such
a sweeping reduction conld he made
but still he signed the Statement after
the others had. and beoaueA thav had
done So Whichever wav hbie state
mene IS locked at the showi4 lg is bad