The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-07-08
AN AMERICAN CONTRAST.

| metropolitan city Of Salt Lake, that
both phases OF the opposition are busy
assailing 1t and making various and
| fruitlesS charges against it In the hope
of politically influencing the public
mind. But the people understand very
well what the real situation is, and
realize the benefits they are receiving
from the progressive administration
which the American party Is giving 10
this city.
The chief organ OF the discreditcd
Morris admnistration has just come to
! bad cropper IN It's attempt TO ride the
| police department into the ditch. 1t
even descended TO the level OF making
| absolutely false statements, slanderous
| and libclous. against Chief Sheets. II
| Is all the time dccrying the suppress
| sion OF the deadfall gambling joints in
/ this city which liourshed so luxurious
! ly during the Norris administration, 1t
| Is continually carping at the Danish
ment of the hold-ups, thugs, and rob-
bers who lourished without molesta-
ton during the city administration
| which ii is SO fond of defending, 1t
| bewails the absence from the city OF the
! thieves, surc-thing gamblers, and bunco
steerers that were such q firm reli-
ance and SO potent allies OF the Norris
administration. 1t Is dismayed at the
| exposure Of tho incompetence OF the
| Morris administration in the matter or
| the conduit, the bad engineering work
| In laying 1t out. and the inefficiency OF
| the specifications under which the work
| was 10 proceed, 1t gnashed its teeth
when expert conclusion demonstrated
that the plastering Of the conduit was
necessary TO conserve the water. and
has had a continual grumble ever since
on the letting OF the public work, ig-
! noring the fact that the work has all
been let openly, after due public notice.
and to the very best advantage Of tho
| taxpayers.
On the other hand, the apologists for
the incompetent, reckless and wastefuI
county administration are endeavorinA
| to create a diversion from the evils OF
the county control by assailing the
American municipal government. The
shameful transaction whereby Jones. a
confessed embezzler Of county prop
erty, was allowed to go at large with
out bail and without prosecution, are
| fresh In the public mind, The jobbing
| deal whereby eX-Commissioner Ander-
son bought an alleged new site for tho
County Inflrmary which is now shown
to be not worth half what he caused
! the county to pay for It. cannot be
forgotten, The petty graft OF the
County Commissioners on their alleged
mileage and expenses is also q subject
which the public VIII do well to keep
in mind-a petty, shameful little steal
that even a beggar ought to be
ashamed OF. Still more recently is re-
called the incompetence and secret job
of the County Commissioners in the
sale of the new bonds for the refundinA
OF the old expired bonds TO the amount
OF $3.50. 900. In this transaction. through
the conceit. arrogance. and incompe-
| tence OF the Commissioners. the tax
payers or this county are wronged to
the extent of $4,000.
But the apologists for all these
wrongs and for others that might be
enumerated. think to square the trans
actions with the voters. by assailinA
the progressive administration of this
city. which is doing so much for the
public. which is giving active employ
ment to so many laborers at fair wages.
and which is making the city the mo-
tropolis Of this whole mid-mountain re-
gion. as nature designed 1t to be.
The contrast between the progressive.
modern. capable and enterprisins spirit
| displayed by the American administra-
tfon OF this city stands out In bright
contrast with the city administration
which preceded it, and with the graft
Ing Incompetent. reckless and improvi-
dent county administration which now
exists and which existed for the two
years prior to the present term Of Of
fee which the incompetents are serv.
ing,
The people Of this city and county
understand fuS we'll the animus which
is at the bottom OF tho scurrilous. un-
founded, and abusive attacks which
are made upon the American officials
and the American city administration.
They understand full we'll that these
are made simply as blind to hide tho
wrongs above referred to; that the peo,
Pile are being well served by the pres-
ent city administration; and they Will
move upon the enemy's works with cn-
thusiaStic power at the coming cleo
ton next November to clean out tho
ancient rookeries OF Incompetence ana
graft which have heretofore prevailed
in county and city. and which now co1..
trolls this county and puts its intelligent
taxpayers to bitter shame and to need
less cost.