Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-12-13

to say that Ed Butler waded into poll
tics early In life. 1t afforded him
amusement at first His early oppoh-
ent In the old First ward In st. Louis,
now the Fifth was Tom Kelly, a prize
fighter. The ward included n hair mile
OF river front and was such turDu-
lent district as the Second ward mas
sometimes been In Kansas city. Butter
was not satisfied until he controlled the
ward and then 1t did not take him long
to find way TO make politics pay
There were half q dozen or more horse
car companies In st. Louis. They own
cd thousands Of mules. These mules
wore shoes that had TO be kept sharp
The companies would want favors from
the council at times. As soon az But
Ter could control councllmen the com
panies began to see that II was TO their
interest 10 have Butler do the horse
shoeing That was not exactly bribery
but Il was a move In that direction. TO
Buffers mind II was simply making use
of the opportunities given him.
The Cass avenue line was the first
to feel the need Of Buffers help In the
council. Negotiations resulted In But
Ter opening shop No. at Cass avenue
and Jefferson street, opposite the Cass
avenue car barn, with contract TO
do all the company's blaeksmlthing
work by the year.
Then the Scullin lines began to need
Butler and shop No. 3 was opened OPP
posite their car barn. Shop No and
shop No, came In due time and each
was moneymaker. This energetic,
forceful and sometimes daring Irish
man. whose power became greater at
every primary and showed solid growth
at every election, had early become a
factor that the state machine needed,
and his recommendation were OF great
value in making up the metropolitan
police force, No a policeman always re-
ceives consideration from a hackman,
and for reasons well understood by
both, and before IL was hardly clear to
some people why this should be, Butler
had q monopoly on the shoeing Of hack
horses. The brewers saw the drift OF
things and brought him their delivery
teams. Various considerations brought
other delivery steam to his shop doors,
and as the work was done at n ct,
there was no particular ground TO a'..i-
plain. But Butler knew that he he c the
control so long as his power in politics
was strong and devoted his odd hours
10 politics.
1t was during this period that Butler
built up his machine. His men In the
shops were all expected to help him
when there were primaries or on cleo
ton day.
Whatever Butler may lack, II Is not
knowledge Of men. He learned 10 know
the weak points of public officials
Money was the influence by which he
controlled some, threats OF future OPP
position and promises of future help
controlled others. He took the methods
that produced the results, The question
of the morality or immortality of the
act did not concern him, Many a man
has escaped justice and many a man
has been pardoned wrongfully because
Of Butle's power. But In fairness TO
him, the testimony OF O'Hearn that he
never stood for a thief" ought 10 be
repeated, OHearn. who grew up In
his household, asserts that In early
years no follower of Butler who was
caught stealing was ever protected by
the old man.
1t was after he had come to control
the horseshoeing of the street railway
lines that Butler secured what really
made him rich There was man in 81.
Louis by the name Of Goodenough who
invented peculiar pattern OF horse
shoe and named It for himself. He got
patent and he asked Butler to intro
duce the shoe by using II In his shop.
Butler had examined the shoe and
knew that II promoted properly II would
have big sale.
IN introduce the shoe on one condl-
ton" he said, 'and that is that shall
have the exclusive agency
Goodeonugh drew up contract and
signed II giving Butler the exclusive
control of the shoe as long as the pat
ent lasted Butler kept his promise |
about introducing the shoe.
II made $4,000 a year clear money