Bisbee daily review., 1907-09-07
WARM POLITICS
 0F SALT LAKE CITY
The Utah City Always Has the Issue of Religion to Con-
 tend With.

Because religion figures either di. rectly or indirectly in all her politics ! Salt Lake City is, in that respect, in class by herself. The reading pub lie has long since been familiar with the political situation in Utah, par. ticurlarly since the Roberts and Shoot i investigations, and affairs in Salt Lake do not differ from those of the state further than that there the op, position between MOrmons and non. l MormOns Is more open and organiza' | tion more complete.
 The present controversy begun in | September. 1906, and resulting in the resignation of the mayor and chief of police. will. doubtless influence the fall elections, both of the state and city.
 For two years the city government has been in control of the American party, a local organization. the chief purpose of which is to combat Nor mon church influence in politics
 An excellent opening was given the church faction and other enemies of the AmeriGans, last fall when two ScUtchmen, passing through the city, were fleeced of $10OOG in z card game, George A. Sheets chief of pO- lice. was accused of protecting the confidence men and also of accepting a bribe of S1SOO In connection with this he has been four times arl 2steG. Of the first three charges he was aC- quilted. but is now on trial for the bribery charge.
 Ezra Thompson, the mayor. was op- posed to the resignation of Sheets, unless the latter was proven guilty. While Thompson assigned i'll health as the reason for his resignation. it is thought that the Sheets affair in fiuenced him, especially since ThOmp- sons resignation was rendered only a few days after that of Sheets.
 John S BransfOrd a native of Mis- souri and a democrat. was chosen mayor for the mexpired term He has never before been identified with politics in his state ROderiCk McKen- zies. a personal friend of BransfOrd. is now chief of police. He is an American party man, but he, too, has taken no part in politics before and has never been connected with the police force in any way.
 Sheets, the retired chief has been d llitU1BtT OI LilG DOllC6 Ol Salt Lax since 1892 and is one of the best known detectives and police workers in the west Thompson has served two previous terms as mayor He is a prominent mining man.
 William and Alexander McWhirter. the two Scotchmen who were buncoed are now engaged in a prosperous bus mess in Salt Lake. The gamblers who relieved them of their money have all been tried and convicted, each of them making a confession i'm plicating~ Sheets.
 The McWhirters also give evidence, that while not conclusive. is yet dam aging to Sheets. However, in the three previous trials the prosecution has failed to produce corrobative evi, denCe enough to convict the former chief The outcome of the present trial may not be known soon as the defense is endeavoring to secure a stay of proceedings.
 The affair has been the occasion of heated controversies between the church organ, the oldest paper in Utah. and the American party organ, one of the leading papers of the city The later paper is owned principally by former United States Senator Thomas Kearns Other local papers have not neglected to make the most Of every feature of the case.