The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-25
THE DECISION IN TIE PRATT
CASE.

The supreme court has decided that
Mr. Arthur Pratt is chief of police OF
this city, and this being the court OF
last resort its Interpretation of the law
IS absolute and final; hence all law
abiding citizens must accept Of and
obey the courts mandate.
The Herald has honestly opp 9sed Mr..
Pratt IN his effort to obtain possession
+ of this Office. because we believe the
( public good demands a change, and we
still think so. The courts decision only
deals with the cold facts and defines
the meaning OF the law: it does not in
still into Mr.. Pratt amended qualifica-
lions or endow him with the confidence
Of the people. Public confidence in this
instance is beyond the control of a
court decision. The courts decision
only gives Ar. Pratt a legal right TO
the office; it does not confer moral
right, which most people like to enjoy
/ when they assume TO discharge the du-
ties of a public Office.
Mr.. Pratt has made a most persistent
effort to retain this Office. When
charges We're preferred before the fire
and police commission, and the case
was in progress, one of the commits
sioners-Air. congratulated to sit
ana hear the case, and Mr.. Pratt. tax
Ing advantage OF the law which gave
him the right 70 a hearing before a
fun board, refused to proceed, and the
case was hung up. And because he was
suspended and never tried proved to be
matter OF great advantage to him, as
evidenced by the supreme court decis-
ion wherein it says: Whether the sus-
pension in the first instance was mer-
tied we have no means Of knowing.
and because of the total failure of the
suspending power to provide for hear
ing we would not be justified in assum-
ing that it was So"
Thus ne see that. in effect. the whole
matter rested upon the failure of the
fire and police commissioners to hear
and determine the charges against Mr..
Pratt last summer. The failure of the
commission to properly suspend Mr..
Pratt. in the opinion of the court, en-
titles 1Ir. Trait to the salary of the
office.
It was not the fault of a majority
Of the commission that Mr. Pratt was
not tried last summer Mr. Kenyon.
Mr.. traits particular friend. refused
10 sit, and DIR. Pratt refused tc be tried
unless Mir. Kenyon would sit and hear
the charges. With the judicial facts be
core them it was proper for the supreme
court Judges TO instance the fact Of the
total failure Of the suspending power
to provide a hearing" for Mir. Pratt.
This would convey the impression to
most people that Nr. Pratt was anxious
Tor hearing, when the reverse is true.
II must make Mr.. Pratt and his
friends FEEL peculiar 20 read the decision
Of the supreme court and realize that
MS case has been, in a great measure.
aFParenty determined on. the theory
that he was the aggrieved party, when
the commission failed to proceed with
his case last summer.
The supreme court gives Mr. Pratt
the Office because he was never legally
removed, and the salary because he was
never legally suspended. Thus does he
PROM b. the fact thar Mr. Kenyon de-
clined To do mis- sworn duty a duty
which he shi-ked in an illegal manner:
and because of this unlawful act of Mr..
Kenyon. Mr.. Pratrs friend Mr.. Pratt
retains possession of an office against
the VIII Of the great majority of the
people Of this city
The Herald has, as has been said be-
fore, opposed Bir. Pratt on the grounds
of Iublic policy and for political rea-
sons; there have been no personal rea-
Sons for our opposition, and when he
shall be reiHstated as chief of police
We viii render him every assistance
possible in the discharge Of his strictly
legal duties. yet al the same time we
sEaI hold to the opinion formerly en-
tertained, an opinion which is held by
the great majority Of the people of Salt
Lake City, and that is. that the best
good of the city and the efficiency of
the police force would be best served if !
some good man other than Mr.. Frat
were chief of police