Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-27
HEATED DEBATE
IN CITY COUNCIL.
over an Attempt to Appoint New
Clerk in Place OF
Wilkins.
lEoNARO STARTED TROUBLE.
His Course Bitterly Denounced by Man
Whom lie Wanted TO Displace--
Martin Took Hand In II.

An attempt on the part OF Chairman
7 eonard of the board Of public works
90 annoint new clerk Of the board in
,he Mace of w. w. Wllkins,a Democrat,
.nnointed during the last administra-
,t,p caused a very heated time In the
ci,v council meeting last night. 1t
olso caused somewhat Of q break In
,he solid American ranks and resulted
On the failure Of the project by two votes.
This will probably be cause for another
American caucus within day or two
as II win evidently need a few lashes
from the party whip to bring the rec
,eants back in line. During the discus
slon Clerk wilkins was given the floor
and bitterly denounced the tactics OF
chairman Leonard, which he termed
underhanded and unprlncipled. He also
characterized the chairman's communl-
,atjon Ia the council as false. Council
man Martin made some very uncompH-
,ncntory remarks about Mr., wilkins
nhnn, he said did not have manhood
.nough TO resign from his position as
ouv appolntivd officers should have
done under the circumstances. Carter
,otad against the action of Chairman
I sonnrd and Ferry was excused from
yofing on the matter at all hence the
pnpoIntment of a new clerk failed
SAID STATEMENT WAS FALSE.
The matter came up by Il communica-
zion from Chairman Leonard appoint
mo Il r. Christensen az clerk of the
b,,rd ia become effective ON April !.
Tho communication stated that the APP
rointment was made by the board to fill
n vacancy caused by the resignation OF
clerk wilkins, dated Feb, II, which
had been accepted. AS soon ms the
communication was read Clerk wilkins
asked the privilege of the floor which
WAS granted him.
81 don't believe said Mr. wilkins,
chat there Is Il man within the sound
nj nv voice who does not know That
the statement Of the chairman OF the
hoard of public works Is false. My
resignation was in the hands Of Mr..
I eonard for a fraction of day, ana
tbeu withdrawn. II was withdrawn
both by word of mouth and In writing
and for good and sufficient reasons.
4 told Mr.. Leonard that had recon-
sdered my action I'm resigning az the
time | handed him the second letter.
The action I'm presenting one-half OF
This matter to the council Is not fair To
mo There Is nothing here for the
council to act upon, anyway rms
communication saws that the board or
hubble works has done this. ] want to
saw that the board cannot me6 with
out a clerk, and that ii has not met
Then. too, the ordinance gave the
chairman the power to appoint ana
the board cannot appoint as IS at
tempt to he done here.
"Now as to this resignation. which Is
spoken Of here My resignation was
asked for after had been assured by
Mr.. Leonard that he wanted my SER
vices | had rendered II once before
and It had been refused. Then Mr..
Leonard came to me and said he would
have to reconsider his action, | then
gave him my resignation but two
hours later I learned that politics was
being played by certain parties to fur
Their their own ends, and ! Withdrew 1t.
UNDER NO OBLIGATIONS.
prior TO last November the board
had no clerk, the city recorder being
ex.oinco clerk. An ordinance was
then passed by the council repeating
the chairman of the board should APP
point clerk for term Of two years.
This ordinance was passed by Repub-
Leans and Democrats aud approved by
II Democratic mayor | was then hon
ored by the appointment as clerk for a
period OF two years by a Democratic
chairman, and do not consider myself
under any obligations to any political
party ! am a Democrat and | am
proud of It,
THE American party found me I'm
ollice--a Democrat--and Judge Hles,
J understand, has given an opinion To
a committee of the council to the ef-
iect that the ordinance under which |
was appointed Is good and valid, and
that my term of office runs for two
years from the time | was appointed.
Inc chairman. I'm this undetermined,
dishonest and unprlncipled way. is try
lng TO get you To perform an Illegal act.
That is all | have to say, and thank
You"
MARTIN BECAME BITTER.
During the roll call ON the confrma-
Hon ot the appointment, Carter was the
irsl to break loose from the American
majority. He voted against the an
lontment and made no explanation of
s vote. Ferry was the next one To
.aiL He said that he was not thor.
lughly posted on the matter and asked
p be excused from voting. The council
granted HIS request.
Holiday said that he thought at the
me the ordinance was passed last fall
NAT II was simply a scheme to max.
nt appointment hold good for two
cars, but he was assured to the con-
rary then. Now It has come out lust
~ ne expected It would and hence ne
'oIed IN favor of the appointment.
Martin was very bitter In his denun-
'latlon of Clerk Wilkins. He said thai
ne whole scheme had been concocted
w Clerk wilkins just to hold himself
W once, and he thought that there wa,
Niger in the woodpile" when the
ordnance was passed. Wilkins. he
,al1. did not have enough manhood TO
eslgn as the members OF the old board
'ad done, and now he comes before the
.ouhcll and calls the chairman OF the
pr ara ana all the other members OF The
'uard liars He could not see why the
euhcil should retain Wilkins after nc
,el abused the board In such man.
MulYey said that he would have voted
'salhst the confirmation had II moi
'een Tor Clerk Wilkins talk. He
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