The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-01-26
KILL TRUTH OUT
OF VICE REPORT
Continued from Page II

the committee made no personal inves-
tigation OF conditions in Victoria al
ley so far as L know. The report was
represented to be fair one and was
signed by myself and other members
OF the committee.
Frank B. Stephens made no per-
sonal investigation of Victoria alley,
and so far as I know no other member
of the committee did, excepting Mr..
Simpkin. Mr.. Hansen of the Deseret
News drew up the report He SAID
one of his reporters had made an IN
vestigation and reported TO him there
were no boys in the alley or in the re-
sorts. He seemed to be so positive
as to the conditions existing that final
~ the report was adopted, after some
slight notifications.
Mayor Is Cross-hobbled.
1.-THE mayor of Salt Lake City is not
only hobbled, but is cross hobbled, eX-
claimed Mayor Ezra Thompson yes
terday with an impatient gesture as ne
| lice administration by the w. g. /. u
special vice committee
The city's chief magistrate made his
statement with the air of a man VINO
knows what hobbling is in all its toy
tuous and tOrturing methods of ap-
plicatiOn, and who appreciates the dis
/ tinctiOn between the simple and the
As a horseman who extracts more
keen pleasure out of driving spirited
nag than he experiences in running a
! city, the mayor was able to speak as
an expert. And he spoke as if, like
/ horse which had been subjected TO the
indignity of effective cross-hobbling, he
! didn't like it a little bit What he
would do if the leather bracelets and
connecting chains were loosed from
his ankles and wrists the executive did
not say. but he let the inference flow
! forth majestically that ne would do
mighty deeds.
1T is the statute which in effect
| takes away from the mayor the power
OF administering police affairs in detail
/ which ties the executive hand and
foot" continued Mayor Thompson. pur-
suing his illustration. why / haven't
even the power of discharging patrol
man. True, I appoint the chief. but
/ the appointment must be confirmed by
the city council, and the chief is not
responsible to the mayor alone. but TO
the city council as well.
Powerless to Execute.
"All the mayor can do is to instruct
| the chief of police what to do He can
not make the chief follow those in
structions. or act himself as the chief
| in directing the movements of the p0-
lice force under those instructions.
II have repeatedly told the chief of
4 police to close the saloons on Sundays
and suppress gambling. The w. c. I.
/ U. committee says this has not been
done. My information is that practi-
/ cally all the saloons are kept closed
on Sundays. As am not running the
police force, 1 do not know the exact
situation, but from all L can learn and
! observe, l should say that the Sunday
closing law is being pretty generally
enforced.
My information with respect to
gambling is that it is not being entire
~ suppressed, but the difficulties in the
way of the police enforcing the law
| against gamblers are, realize very
great. l have told the chief of police,
again and again, that the law against
! gambling must be enforced. and that
is all l can do. As 1 said before, I
am hohbled and cross hobbled, and
haven't it in my power under the pres
| ent restrictive statutes to enforce the
! law as L should were l more free to
act -
Needs No More Restrictions.
What do you think of. the recon-
mendation by the vice committee that
legislation be passed which would in
effect keep messenger boys away from
! vile resorts?' the mayor was asked
The boys simply go there to deliver
messages and go right away again"
said he Il do not think any harm
comes of it. OF course. a general ordi-
nance or law applying to youths would
| nave the effect of keeping the messen-
! gers away
How about the recommends ton
that saloons be closed at 1:30 o. m. or
at midnight, instead of being allowed
to run all night?"
good
Would it not tend TO reduce law
lessness. as is suggested?''
Il don't think it would make any
difference"
/ rs the vice committee telling the
truth when it says that word from
those in authority would be sufficient
to close gambling houses and Sunday
salOons?''
The committee has no excuse for
making any such statement" snapped
the mayor Il can only speak for nv
self, and / know that l have given
the word of authority time and again
and yet the committee does not seem
TO be satisfied My hands are so tied
and hobbled that | can do no more
than to give the word of Instruction
and that have done repeatedly, and
my information is that the results
have been good, such as ought to sat
lsfy even w. G. T. u. vice commit
| tee
W. C. T. U. "Ungentlemanly.D
Chief Paul was found yesterday aft
ernoon at his livery stable on West
Temple street, between South Temple
ana First South streets. After telling
one of his employees that his COACH
men need not wear their silk hats
while the weather was so threatening
a privilege which the men received
! with evident glee, he applied himself
| TO the discussion of the vice commit
| tees manifesto.
The W. c. T. u. has treated me in
a very ungentlemanly manner-very
ungentlemanly manner" said the chief
graveiy. Not the remotest suggestion
of smile illumined his features
They have said some very ungentIe-
manly things.
Must Tolerate Vice.
Every practical man knows that the
saloons in this town are nearly all kept
closed on Sunday, and that the Sunday
closing law is enforced as we'll as it
can be. Substantially the same is true
of gambling If a man has a strong
thirst. he viii hunt till he finds a
means for satisfying it. The same is
-cs II