The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-11-03
MAKING A CHOICE.

u He CITY CAMPAIGN ended practically last
right and the issues have been defined, so that
4 fair summary of the situation is possible
The main question Is one of business methods IN
the selection CT staff OF city employees mayor
treasurer city attorney auditor and counclmen are to
be chosen to manage the corporation of Salt Lake City
for two years Some of the Republican candidates be
fore the people have been in office for Two years. Have
they been so careful economical etheIent that they
should be retained Have they executed the laws faith
fully and impartally! Have they given contracts for
mportant public work to the lowest bidder, and com
PEELED contractors to perform the work honestly and
according to agreements
Democrats believe that not of these questions
concerning Ezra Thompson and his associate candl-
dates can be answered IN the affirmative. On the CON
trarv they believe that Mayor Thompson has allowed
political considerations determine city appointments
with disastrous results to the public service They be
leve the revenue from taxes and licenses has been
spent fooshy and extravaganty; that the water bond
fund has been used private crib for the fattenlng
of favored contractors; a word, they think the
Thompson administration has proved beyond a doubt
its inability give the taxpayers efficient service at
reasonable cost.
organzstions-the Sunday closing and wheelmens
committees As Sunday closing the candidates have
all taken the same p0stiOn-On paper Mr.. Leary, the
Democratic candidate, has publicly and IN
equvocally declared his intention of en-
forcing the law Mayor Thompson has yet
to make his position equally plain He has not en-
dorsed his party platform, and his friends have
assured leaders on both sides of the Sunday movement
that Thompson IS with them. He let the saloons run
open on Sunday for twenty-five months of his first two
years service without effort to close them. As be-
tween Leary and Thompson, the saloonmen ought to
have an easy choice and so should the Sunday closing
voters.
The wheel episode IS interesting as an incident but
difficult to estimate factor In the final result. Mayor
ThOmpsOns committee has promised the wheelmen
everything they ask but conditions that never
be fulfilled Mr. Leary has assured the bcycss of his
friendly interest and exertiOn in behalf of legitimate
improvements to which they justly entitled, He
makes no impossible promises and evades nothing.
The campaign has been commercially clean and
free from unpleasant personalities. The only objec-
tiOnabe feature has been the effort make it appear
that Mayor ThompsOn's very considerable wealth in
taxable property entities him to be classed as better
citizen than the Democratic candidate whose compare
lively modest business property in the socyards just
outside the city limits though his residence is in the
test, 80 per cent of Salt Lakes citizens could never
aspire to public Office. The truth IS that neither wealth
lack of wealth has proper place in the discus
sion of candidates. Mr. Leary has been an actively
good citizen, pubc-spired and ready to devote his
time to the public good without hope of reward He
would make good mayor and that is all voters care
about. 1t Is not matter of Democrats Republicans
but of employing to handle the city's bust
ness and if 1t Is considered such by the voters they
viii certainly vote for the Democratic candidates be
IL them there is hope of economy and efficiency
In city affairs