The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-02-08
TRYING To HELP
The MAYOR OUT
One Faction of City Council
confers With Politicians.
CHIEF HILTON A SIDE ISSUE
REBELLIoUs coUNcILMEN RE
VILED BY SORE COLLEAGUES.

II RoNT SEATS were at a premium
+ last night at the conference of
the Republican city committee
with the members OF the city council
who are endeavoring to uphold the
| hands Of Mayor Thompson in his effort
to Gust Chief of Police Hilton from Of
| fee. 1t Was the second move in the pro-
/ ceedings instituted by the party's man
ayers in the hope Of arranging for the
withdrawal of the opposition Of the
! four Republican councilmen to the
/ mayors plans of recognizing the po-
/ lice department. Only a harmonious
I meeting was expected, but before the
/ conference was half over the warning
! elements broke loose Then there was
( enough to excite the interest OF the
most passive politician.
J Some one tried, it was inSinuated, to
/ induce several of the committeeman 10
remain away from the meeting. The
/ hour was late before a quorum of the
committee appeared. Committeeman
| Preece of the Second precinct. who was
vouched for as always heretofore faith
full in the discharge of his political du-
4 ties. was absent without excuse and 50
! also was Alma D. KatZ of the fifth.
/ Arthur Pratt was among the absentees
for the reason. as stated by Chairman
! Eichaor, that he felt a delicacy about
taking part in the proposed conference
on account of the probable considera-
! ton OF his name with others by the
mayor to I'll the position of chief of
police.
The six. Republican councilmen who
have steadfastly voted with the mayor
to remove Chief Hilton were present
according 10. appointment. They were
Hewlett, Thomas, Vigus, Sharp. Dave
Ter and RObArtson. Davis, who IS in the
east, was absent. but the assurance
was given that he can be counted on
to stand with the mayor
The meeting commenced as solemn
conclave and WaXed warmer until It
almost broke up in a row. But for all
that the conservative members of the
Republican committee expressed the
opinion that something had been &C
complished and more would be at
tanned in winning over the stubborn
cOuncilmen.
The Deputy Mayor Presides.i
Chairman Eichnor explained that the
| city committee had decided TO confer
/ with the faction in the council on the
mayors side and then with the other
hope of removing the strained rela-
tions which seem to exist IN the city
| council" He added that the COM
lmittee's purpose was not TO dictate
The chairman further stated that in
| rendering its services to bring peace
and harmony to the administration,
the committee believed with all good
I Republicans that the contest ought TO
/ be settled in some way for the welfare
of the party, to whose interest It IS
that all personal feeling, pique and al
legged feelings of injury be suppressed
He suggested that the matters be
talked over by those present as Re
publican citizens.
Councilman Thomas was called
upon first for an expression He said
he had voted to support the mayor be
cause he believed that Chief Hutton IS
incompetent to be at the head OF the
police department, conviction which
he had formed during the time he
served on the council committee on
police in the former council Thomas
added that he believed it good politics
and good pOlity to remove Hilton, who,
if the welfare of the entire city had
been properly conserved, would nave
I been put cut long ago.
Would Solve Difficulty.
Chairman Eichnor suggested that
the merits of the question be not AK
pIored. What he wanted was a sug-
gestion of how 70 solve the difficulty
1 confronting the mayor. Thomas then
replied that ali he could suggest would
be 10 get the Republican cOuncllmen
and the mayor together.
! Hewlett enlightened the meeting by
saving he had the assurance from
Mayor Thompson that the fact that
Chief Hilton being Mormon had moth
ing to do with his removal and that
the only objection tn . executive had to
him is he lacks the executive ability
TO properly manage the affairs Of the
police department
The solution offered by Hewlett was
that each side should give and take a
little. Quoting from one Of the in
surgent cOuncilmen, Hewlett said all
that is necessary would be tor the
mayor to yield just a tiny little bit.
and this he thought could be done
without any sacrifice Of prerOgatiVe
or official dignity, and like the governor
and the president sometimes have TO
do.
No Religious Distinction.
Robertson asked if Hewlett meant by
this that the mayor should yield TO the
extent of letting them dictate the ap-
pointment Of the new chief. To this
the reply was in the negative, because
the mayor must have the assurance in
advance that the name he will submit
for appointment viii be confirmed.
Chairman EichnOr broke in with the
assurance that no question of religious
distinctions forms any part Of the may
Or's motives in insisting upon the re-
moval of Chief Hilton and the reor-
ganizatiOn Of the police force.
Disclaiming that he even knew Chief
Hilton and that he believed neither
religion nor politics entered into the
question, Vigus said he had stood by
the mayor because he believed he is
right in demanding d change in the
police chieftaincy-
Trying to Force the Mayor.
Evidently referring to the effort Of
friends Of Arthur Pratt TO induce the
mayor TO appoint the former chief 10
succeed Chief Hilton, Chairman Eich-
nor asked Sharp if it were not true
when he had d conference with Mayor
Thompson the latter said some Of the
Republican cOuncilmen were trying to
force him 70 a certain position. "
Sharp's reply was in the affirmative.
supplemented by Hewlett saying the
mayor had declared he would not be
forced TO appoint any certain one.
UnquestiOnably some Of the coun-
cilmen on the Republican side are open
to this charge" was Thomas observa-
ton
Daveler didn't see any solution so
long as the four councilmen continued
voting with the four Democrats 10 tie
the mayors hands
With the remark that he had no
apologies or excuses to offer for Is