The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-10
JUST WHITE CHIPS.

y
1t was extremely thoughtless, not
to say unkind, in the political puri-
fiers of the American party to ig-
more their own councilmen when they
were deciding on a mayor for Salt
Lake in succession to Thompson. Here
were Black and Crabtree and Martin
and their associates in the council to
select from, and the purifiers didn't
even ask them into the conference on
the succession. The councilmen had a
fool notion that they would have to
elect mayor since the law provides
something to that effect, but the puri-
fiers thought otherwise. Not only did
they think otherwise-they told the
oouncilmen to get into line and do as
they were told or suffer the conse-
quences.
What if the people had elected the
councilmen? What if the purifiers
had elected themselves all by their
own lonesomes to run the government
without a charter from anybody but
themselves? Isn't this reform gov
eminent; and does anything here
abouts need reforming quite as much
as the American" party? And could
any bunch of patriots on earth be
quite as well qualified to reform things
as the self-elected purifiers?
In democratic government it is
common to suppose that the officials
chosen by the electors are the real
agents of the people, the only ones
qualified to make laws. administer
public affairs and, in this case. fill
vacancies. But the American" party
is superior to all traditions and en-
tirely above any common constitu-
tiOnal laws. In a great crisis of this
kind, as an eminent statesman once
remarked, what is the constitution be-
tween friends, anyway?
The Indignation of Black and Crab
tree and Martin is easily understood.
1t is only human for them to feel some
chagrin at being passed over by the
real city government and instructed
to vote as they are told whether they
like il or not. Almost any patriot
would be aggTieved at being stacked
up with the white chips in such sum-
mary fashion: and Black in particular
has had such an exalted opinion of
his qualifications for the mayoralty
that he must be as sore as a mashed
thumb After being the whole works
no one would enjoy being fifth wheel
in trailer; and that's about where
the purifiers have put Black.
Still, come to think about il. the sit
uatiOn has its humorous aspects for
an outsider. After having reformed"
Salt Lake, abolished crime and exalted
virtue. the administration party has
TO confess that it hasn't a single mem
Der of the council who is fit to be
mayor. The men who make laws, con-
troll committees, spend the citys
money and in reality appoint it's en-
ployes are good enough for their pres
ent jobs. but they are not to be trust
ed with the mayors power. They will
be permitted TO exercise their legal
right to vote for a mayor selected by
men who hold no official position. but
they must not presume to do any
or voting without the sanction
Of the publication committee.
To the ordinary citizen the situation
sheds considerable light on the regard
in which the dominating counciImen
are held by their own party dictators:
and 1t will occur to the public natural
~ that a party which cannot trust its
own cffice-hOlders, named and elected
by it after due elaboration, supported
in all their actions by it-untn this
WEEKS probably unfit in its entire
TO be trusted with further
power in the affairs OF Salt Lake CITY.