The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-09-20
out FOR THE PIE.

In the American" party's municipal
conventions which named candidates
for the council the first public declara-
ton Of party policy was made by resO-
luton. In effect it is a pie-biters' plat
form of the simplest kind, a pledge that
no man, however good, will be appoint
ed to or retained in city office who does
not belong to the pie-biters' syndicate.
Here is the text of the pledge, as
adopted in the Second municipal ward,
following the general principle adopted
in all the wards:
I'VE, the delegates of the American
party of the Second municipal ward of
Salt Lake City, in convention assem-
bled. emphatically protest against the
appointment of any person to any off,
cial position unless he be capable of fill
ing such position and be I'm accord with
the American party organization and
in hearty sympathy with the party
principles. We favor and urge that all
officials under the administration who
are not Americans be removed and
americans appointed to the stations
so vacated.
ITO the end that in the future the
party be held strictly accountable for
the conduct of it's officials and not be
handicapped by the acts of men who
are the party's antagonists. be it
Resolved, That we pledge the nomi-
nees of this convention to a strict OBJ
seFvance of this sentiment: The
American" party of Salt Lake City is
chargeable with the conduct of its Of
ficials. There is no municipal station
which an American" cannot fill with
ability and integrity. American" par
ty principles will triumph only through
American" party administration by
American" party officials in every de-
partment of government
Organized as a party for the purifca-
ton of politics. the institution of an
ideal system of city government COM
posed solely of patriots bent on un-
selfish redemption of the city and state.
the Americans" now stand confessed
lyfor the spoils system in its most ag-
gravated form. OF course they have
stood there all along, but they have
never thought it wise before to make
ii known officially.
Not only does the pledge mean that
every competent public employee who is
Of another party will be discharged. but
it means that civic employment will he
restricted entirely to men of non-Mor-
mon faith, that nearly half of the pop
uiation of the city is to be debarred
from city work of any kind If the
Americans win in this campaign.
One conspicuous case illustrates what
will happen if the design of the reso-
luton is approved by a majority of
the voters. and If the pledge is carried
out. John Burbidge, present captain
of police, has been IN the department
for good many years; he has served
through all the varying administrations
during his term with entire satisfaction
to the general public; he has been en-
ergetic, discreet, upright, and he has
kept his official position out of poll
tics. If the Americans win. the serv-
ices or this man, his long experience
and his high character Will be lost IN
the city.
Similarly, every man in the police
and fire departments who is not OPENLY
and ardently identified with the
American" party would be slated for
retirement in order to give his Job to
some american" In every branch of
the city administration, in all posi-
tions. important or unimportant, the
rule would apply. The older the term
of service the quicker the employe
would have to go-unless he happened
TO be an American"
1t requires no argument to show the
Generalization in the public service
that will follow if the Americans"
are elected on this platform. The up
heaval that such a policy would entail |
would mean a grave loss in dollars and
cents to the city, to say nothing of the |
injury to public service by the retire |