The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-10-27
THE M ETALS.
COMPARE THE CANDIDATES.

In the choice of a general manager
for the city's business affairs, the vot-
ers have three candidates to select
from this Year,. P. Morris, John S.
Bransford and Dr. c. G. Plummer.
Fortunately for the city, all of them
are men Of good character, so there is
no occasion for comparison on that
point But there is need for compari-
son as 10 experience in public affairs
and familiarity with the business of the
mayors office.
In this most essential particular the
Democratic candidate is far and away
the best candidate. He has been city
treasurer and mayor, and he has made
a record in those offices of which his
party is srightfully proud. No problem
relating to city finances, the needs of
the public and the best means of carry
ing on the city government is unfa-
miliar TO him. If elected he will be in
position to handle all the affairs in his
Jurisdiction as one knowing the bust
ness.
What the policy OF MI Morris would
be as mayor is known both by his rec
ord and by his declarations. He is In
favor of continuing the policy of pub
lie improvements which characterized
his first administration; he would make
Improvements as rapidly and extern
sively as the financial resources of the
city justify. He would not involve the
city in financial embarrassment, nor
would he permit the issuance of war
rants in excess Of the debt limit and in
violation OF the statute. He would
surround himself with the best men OBJ
tainable for public Office. and he would
discriminate neither for nor against
men because of their religious affilia-
tions OF belief
:: x
The American" candidate, Mr..
Bransford, is an amiable, public-spirit-
ed business man of large means, who
has occupied the mayors chair some
three months. in succession to Ezra
Thompson, who quit the job in dis
gust. In his best attributes Mr.. Brans-
ford is not in accord with the men who
run his party; and in his worst handi-
caps he is compelled by political ex-
igency TO follow the dictates of those
men. He does not believe in the pO-
liticaI and social war which has been
maintained by his own party; and yet
he expects to be the beneficiary of that
war.
II is an untenable position, probably
distasIeful to him and certainly uneX-
plainable 10 the voters who believe as
Mr.. Bransford does on this subject. A
man of his belief. one who has no SYM
pathy with the methods of the Amer
leans" and who is Democratic by ma
ture and long service in the party. stul-
tines himself when he accepts nomina-
ton at the hands Of Americans" and
agrees to accept the conditions i'm
posed by the party managers.
Primary among those conditions is
the party obligation to employ no
Mormon IN any public capacity, to dis
place such members of the Mormon
church as are now in public employ
and to maintain a proscriptive cam
paign against a very large number of
citizens who happen TO have political
or religious belief. Although Mr.
Bransford is not in sympathy with this
policy he could only escape it by re-
signing now-and he Will not resign.
X X
Further. the present mayors tempo
rsry incumbency has shown that he
lacks familiarity with the city's af-
fairs, a lack he confesses for himself
He is confronted with large deficit in
the treasury, and makes no effort to stop