The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-10
IMPUpENT INTERFERENCE.

IMPUDENT INTERFERENCE.
As might have been expected, the.
feIteralI- officeholders' syndicate has
uunertaken to. interfere in the legisla-
ticn intended to secure a modern bust
ness city administration for Salt Lake
although the bill for this purpose has
been approved by the Salt Lake dele
cation, and no valid objection has been
urged against~it
In his capacity as chairman Of the
interference committee. f. II. Calls
ter. collector of internal revenue for
this district. visited the legislature on
Friday and called out for cloak room
conference certain members who are
supposedly subject 20 call by him. He
volunteered the opinion that the Cal
weston idea" as it is called, should not
be adopted for Salt Lakes city govern
nent. and i'm general terms declared it
would be inadvisable to pass the meas
uTe before the senate.
Callister knew. though he did not say
So that a large majority Of the resi-
dents here approve the plan; it is GER
tain the simplification of government
and concentration of authority in few
responsible hands would give the city
a better administration than is possible
under the present conditions. The only
opposition Of any kind, so far. has
come from folks like Callister, who
make politics a business and mix poll
tics with government business, greatly
TO the disadvantage OF. the public SER
vice.
One of the chief recommendation of
the Galveston plan is that it puts a
city's affairs in the hands of competent
business men, instead OF turning It over
TO incompetents who get office as a re-
ward for political service. The curse Of
every big city in the country is this
method Of paying political debts with
pubic funds and dividing responsible
ity-as well as authority among so many
offsce-holders that no one can fix the
blame for dishonesty or unftness.
Mr.. CalIister may have not intended
st. but his opposition furnished a very
good reason why this bill should pass
A large part OF his time which is paid
for out of public funds is devoted to
interfering with the petty politics of
the city, the more extended politics OF
the county and the still more complex
politics of the state. If he devoted al
his office hours. or what should be Of
fice hours. TO government business he
could reduce his Office expenses OF
increase the efficiency Of his position
immeasurably. Instead of that. he and
Marshal Spry and Mr.. Hull all seem
to think they are drawing government
salaries for the sole purpose of telling
legislators and councilmen and other
officials how to run the peoples bust.
ness.
Mr.. Callister and Mr.. Spry and Mr.
Hull may be particularly well qualified
10 say what bills should and whar
should not be passed by the Legislature
of Utah. though no one has ever dis
covered any special ability in either o.
them. and there is nothing in the rec
ord to justify any suspicion that they
the specially fitted for their self-as
sumed positions as directors of legis
lation. However that may be the peo
pie. not the federal appointees. have
chosen legislators, and those elected b.
Salt Lake agree that this business
measure is desirable in every way.
The interference OF federal office
holders. their constant and perniciou
activity i'm matters which are none 0
their concern. their impudent assump
ton OF right to dictate in Legislative,
affairs have gone so far that they nee,
admonishing. If the desired result can
not be attained by any other way, /
these government employees insist oil
neglecting their own duties TO defca
the wishes Of the people. the legislat
ors ought 70 gently but firmly get tn
offenders by the nape of the neck an'
slack OF the trousers the next time the.
appear as lobbyists extraordinary, an,
drop them down the elevator shaft L
expedite their departure.
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