Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-12-30
WHAT is TO BE DoNEe

The resolution introduced in the city
Council on Monday evening, by Mr..
Ternstrom representing the majority OF
The committee on police and prison de-
partment, failed OF adoption because OF
imperfect understanding Of its purport
b. some Of the members of the council.
II does not matter very much. The
facts ii contained have been presented
in opposition to the flctions that have
gone forth to the public about the moral
conditions Of this city, and the report
OF the committee concerning them, was
not disputed by those who voted
against the adoption OF the resolution
It should be understood that the
statements OF the committee were made
"after thorough and careful investI-
cation" into the matters under consid-
GRAFTON. They are not mere opinion
and hearsay. The gentlemen who
signed the report had tested the aecu-
iacy Of certain newspaper stories and
found them 10 be unreliable because Of
their gross exaggerations, and In some
Instances to be rejected because OF their
total untruth.
The report does not attack the news
papers Of this city, las enormously
imagined" by some of the opponents OF
the resolution. II was only those news
papers that had given publicity to sem
sational and untruthful stories, con-
corning matters that are not unduy
paraded with benefit to the public, that
were alluded to in the communication
OF the committee. Nor would the
adoption Of the resolution have had thu
effect, as argued, Of giving greater pu,J-
llcity to those stories; 1t would p,ob-
ably have aided in their suppression.
We believe that II some members OF
the council had been fully acquainted
with the facts in the report, they would
have supported the resolution accom-
panying It. II may be, however, that
there Is no need for a special grand
Jury to investigate moral conditions
here. Inquiries can be instituted, 1t is
true without such an official body. But
Their inquisitlon would have settled the
truth or fsIsehood of the highly colored
stories that have been published, and
Il may be that such an official in
vestlgatlon viii be had. after all.
The propriety Of stirring this un-
savory matter before the public is open
to serious question. No good has come,
TO date, from pointing out TO thousands
who knew nothing about II, the exact
locality where certain vile dens are
situated, nor in telling the boys Of this
city that numbers OF their companions
go there for base and shameful pur-
poses. Even If the story was true
and careful Investigations show 1t was
motifs public relation did not help af-
fairs at all, and we fear that The en-
deavors now being made to hold the
miserable details up to the general
gaze and to public comment, however
well-intentioned they may be, win &C.
complish nothing practical In the re-
moval of the evils that exist.
We are in favor OF a close and un.
biased inquiry Into criminal conditions
end the prevalence OF vice in this city,
and the causes thereof. We would have
tie blame placed where It belongs. We
would support any rational measure for
the most complete restriction possible
OF all the wickedness talked about. But
we do not believe that this viii be ac-
compllshed by shrieking, and gestIcu-
lating and resoluting against them, nor
hy advertising them at home or abroad
nor by charging ineiilciency or apathy
upon public officers who are doing all
That Is in their power to execute the
ordinances that relate to such matters
The question is, what can be done. not
simply what can be said, against the
crimes and vices that exist and that
nay be restricted to a minimum? That
10 the momentous query,