The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-14
SPEAKER JOSEPH AGAIN.

&FEANEh JOSEF1 A1AiNs
In all the records of the legislatures
of Utah no such shameful abuse of
power has ever been shown as Speaker
Joseph of the house exhibited yester-
day when an effort was made to secure
consideration of the Galveston bills.
Those measures had been laid on the
table by a snap vote and parliament
airy trick executed by the speaker for
the purpose OF preventing discussion
of the bills. Then when an attempt
was made to take them from the table
he avoided a vote until compelled to
show his hands. His vote and one
other prevented consideration. Finally
when yesterdays motion was made he
called for a viva voce vote, announced
that the motion had lost, although the
accuracy of the decision was in grave
doubt, and refused to permit either
standing vote or a rollcall. In other
words, the speaker was too cowardly
70 grant the plainest rights TO the
members of the house and prostituted
his position to stifie expression on
measures of the greatest Importance
TO Salt Lake City.
Those who know Joseph, know that
his refusal to permit record vote was
due to his certain knowledge that the
bills would pass if they ever came to
an honest. open test II he had been
sure of their defeat he would not have
hesitated to grant the simple parlia-
mentary rights which the rules pro-
vide. The conclusion is obvious that
the speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives has over-fiden a majority Of
the house, defied the wishes of the men
and women who elected him and placed
himself beyond the pale of decent poll
itics. if he ever was within the pale.
What was Joseph's purpose? Since
he has never advanced any argument
against the bills which might ex-
plain his motives. there is no explana-
ton except his servile. abject SUBJ
mission to the commands of Spry and
caIlister and Anderson and Hull, the
federal offieeholders' syndicate which
dictated his election and then dictated
his course of action for him. No one
of these men was elected to represent
the people, either of Utah or of Salt
Lake Cisy:. not one of them cares a
Whit for the future welfare of the city
when it might conflict with the adj
vaneement of his own political for
tunes. Like Joseph. they have no re-
gard for the wishes of the people or
for TIE means used to defeat the popu-
lar win if the end is attained.
These men. with Joseph. are bent
only upon maintaining and extending
their political power. They see in a
possible reform of Salt Lakes city gov
eminent the end OF the petty political
system on which they have thrived
and grown fat. They fear the adop-
ton of modern business methods in
city government here would mean the
abolition If the political trickery and
trading and jobs on which such men
as they build up political machines.
Rather than lose an opportunity for
political spoils they laugh derisivelv at
the appeal for a betterment in Salt
Lakes system of city administration.
subvert the usages of established par.
liamentary law. override any attempt
TO secure fair. honest, decent consid-
Grafton of important public measures
and relegate this city 10 further loss
and incompetency and decentralization
IN the management of its public at
fairs.
To the credit of some members of the
Republican party be it said that there
are Republicans who loath such meth
DDS and condemn them openly. o. ].
Salisbury. chairman OF the party; SEN
ator Sutherland. one of the two men
honored with theS states highest Of
fees, the members OF the state senate.
and others not in Office, all these have
supported the Galveston bills. Neither
Joseph nor Spry nor Callfster nor An
derson nor Hull compares with any
of the men mentioned in prominence or
services rendered within the party
They are guerillas scouting for the
spells, and they see their trade threat
ened by this movement for efficient.
honest government No other explana-