The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-21
An Object Lesson For Salt Lake
Taxpayers.
FINE BUSINESS METHODS
SAVED THE CITY $40, 900 IN TWO
YEARS.
Work of One Democratic Official, as
Compared With That of His Re
publican Predecessor-Also Re
dnced the Expenses of His Office
Lannan Charges Fall Flat.

The charges of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
against the Democratic officials made
in Colonel Lannan's platform are not
borne out By the record. The books
of City Treasurer Morris office. which
are as open to inspection by the Ian
nan committee as to any other citizens
VIII show beyond a doubt that Mr.
Norris has saved thousands of dollars
10 the city by a close enforcement of
collections.
He has done this, too, at saving in
Office help of something like $1,000. The
charge has been made that the increase
IN collections is due to improved bust
ness conditions. That this is erroneous
is shown by the fact that such well
known business as Auerbach & Bro,
Z. c. NJ. J., Walker Brothers and 9TH
ers are today paying the same tariff for
doing business that they paid six years
ago, and by the further fact that there
was no noticeable business improve
ment during the war year of 1898.
Increase In Revenues.
As evidenced by Mr.. Morris books,
he collected just SIS, 904.0S more in 1898
than his Republican predecessor. J. l..
May, gathered in in 1897. The subdi-
visions of this increase make an in
teresting study. More than one-third
of the gain was in miscellaneous Ii
censes, a fact that more than anything
else shows the close watch that has
been kept on this department.
While the gain here was larger than
in any other department, the liquor IL
cenSe increase runs the other a close
race. There is also a, comfortable gain
in merchants licenses, although this is
not so large by half as in the other de-
Liquor 49, S 7451 "a
Miscellaneous licenses =. :. :. 1854 IS
Merchants licenses =. :. :. :. 9,S17 50
Total net gain 49,. =. ..S1S. s04 OS
The total collections made by May
during the last year of his administra-
ton were SIG 1890, while during 1898
Mr.. Morris collected $1S5,95l9S. The
same ratio is being maintained during
1899. The heaviest months of the year
are yet TO come, and the treasurer con-
tidentiy expects to exceed his own rec
ord by several thousand dollars.
Saving to Taxpayers.
Thus in two years of Democratic adj
ninistration of this one department the
city is the gamer by upwards Of SO, GEO.
This, 100, with less help that Mr.. May
had. and With greater system IN TIE
general conduct of the business.
a sample of the vigilance exercised
in this office is shown by a letter that
was received there yesterday. IL was
from William h. E'ellis, secretary and
general manager Of the Railway Of
1icials & Employees Accident asSocia-
ton. This company has no Office in
Salt Lake, but it has been doing busi-
ness here without paying any license.
Mr.. Morris, through his efficient IL
cense inspector, John Halvorssn, be-
came cognizant of the fact The local
agent, r. L. Willard was informed that
it was the policy OF the treasurers
office to treat all corners alike. He was
informed that it was not considered
fair to Salt Lake citizens who have
their homes and their properly here
and who pay licenses regularly, to al
low a foreign corporation to come in
and do business without contributing
something to the city treasury.
The company very promptly saw the
justice of the treaSurer'S position, and
forwarded a check yesterday for SIS TO
cover the amount of its license. This
is small matter, but there have been
hundreds Of such instances that were
overlooked by the Republican admin
istration- It is a straw that shows just
how closely even the small things have
been watched and, better than any
thing else, proves that in addition to
looking out for collections, it has been
the policy of the Democratic treasurer
to see to it that the business men of
the city have had no unfair outside