The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-02
S. Richards.I. r. Walker. jr. f. c.

F. S. Richards.-J. r. Walker. jr.., c.
Gentsch, James Sharp.
Over their signatures these gentlemen
made the following statement:
I'm 1890 the aggregate of taxation
in Salt Lake City was II mills; in
1897 it was 271a mills. Even this
enormous figure will not cover cur
rent expenses at their present vol
ume; and when to this is added that
the valuation on which this assess
ment is made is in many instances
greater than the property is actually
worth, there viii be none to dispute
that Salt Lake City bears a burden
heavier than almost any city in the
land. Depreciation in values since
1890 has gone hand in hand with in
crease in expenses; the ease with
which public money has been expen-
ded is only to be compared with the
difficulty the people have had in sup
plying it. All things considered, the
statement is fairly susceptible Of
proof that taxes have increased
more than 200 per cent during the
seven years. while the prevailing de-
preston has many times multiplied
the difficulties of the taxpayers"
According to the gentlemen above
named, the increase Of taxes. of debts,
of office expenses. of wastefulness and
official extravaganza between 1890 and
1898 were unbearable. In the same sign
ed address progressive Latter-day
Saints" were Informed by Messrs. Lam
nan. Goodwin, Dolly. Salisbury and
Mccormick that the administration of
public affairs. from the time the Nor
mons were in complete control of the
city, had degenerated into a condition
too awful TO contemplate. The non-par
tisan address said further:
'.The load thus placed upon the
small wage-earner and home owner
has been and is grievous to be borne;
among the poorer classes it has in
many cases amounted to virtual con-
fiscation. Public improvements
which, under a more conservative
policy, might have been prosecuted,
and thus furnished employment to
many people, have had to be post
poned. Nor have the poorer classes
been the only sufferers. Investment
has been discouraged because prop
erty, even where favorably situated,
is able to return little more than the
amount of the taxes; capital, natur-
ally have felt to the utmost ex-
with favor; and business men gener-
tent the voracity of the tax monster
which consumed so much of the pro-
fits of their enterprise and toll"
Messrs. Lannan. Goodwin, Dooly ct |
al. elected their candidate for mayor |
upon that representation. Having |
drawn that picture two years ago it |
was somewhat surprising TO read in the |
Tribune of yesterday the following de-
scription of Mormon rule when taxation |
was only II mills and office expenses
were low:
Not one foot of sewage, not one foot of /
any grading. a water system so defec-
tive that not half the city was properly |
supplied. Practically no fire department.
Not one school house in the city fit to
herd sheep in. A death rate equal per
capita to tropical New Orleans, though !
nature with springs. lake. mountain, val
ley and perfectly pure air. had given all |
the needed attachments to make this one
of the healthiest spots on earth. The
taxes were collected and spent, no one
knew for what. City officers appropri-
atel valuable franchises There were from
time 10 time most serious defalcations.
and never a prosecution or the return of
the steal. The police were more a terror
to decent citizens than TO rogueS. There
was unequal taxation according TO the
religious faiths of the taxpayers. These
and other features of the same kind.
forty years. Our Democratic friends have
nominated a ticket for the express pur-
pose. apparently, of restoring that rule.
How do progressive Latter-day Saints like
Il? Is it that kind of economy that they
desire TO see restored?
How do progressive Latter-day Saints
know what Messrs. Lannan, Goodwin,
Dooly ct al. want? Is it the non-pro-
yressive economy which they commend
ed two years ago, or the 27ls mills pro-
yress between 1890 and 1897 switch these
gentlemen condemned two years ago?
By the way, how do progressive
Latter-day Saints" like Heber NJ. Wells
and George NJ. Cannon admire the pic
-ure the Republican organ draws of the
lays when they and their kinsmen held
Ill the city Offices? How do men like
George A. Smith relish the dose their
party organ makes them swallow every
mixture of abuse and mis-
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