Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-08-14
AN EXPLANATION.

Nearly everybody has heard the
story of the attorney who advised mo
son to resort to abuse as last desper-
ate attempt ho
"When the law is against you ne
said come out strong on the iae'a,
md argue that the law is unjust, ?"
the facts are against you, insist 'n"'
enc law must be upheld lho"gh "''
heavens fan ,,o,s
are both against me- asked u'e
neophyte, what shall l do theh
"Abuse the plaintiff or his attorney
replied the veteran.
That tells the story of the local anu
mormon" organ. 1t tries ihdus''i-
ousIv to conceal the weakness oil us
cause in a mass of falsehood' caiun'nY
and vituperation.
We do not care to notice all the
falsehoods the Salt Lake Tribune man
ufactures. Very few people whose
oninion is worth anything place rch-
once In any statement that appears III
mat paper, except when corroooratea
from other sources. And we know
whereof we speak. Some people are
afraid of the Tribune, as they womb
he of any slugger to whom heltiler
life nor property Is sacred. But very
few believe in its accusations ana
many hold it in utterly contempt IL
,s not necessary, therefore, to notice
Some lnN the
almost superstitious fear 1t has inspired
IN timid souls will vanish, ana the
community will turn against 1t. Then
It viii have to change heart or PERISH
one of the mendacious allegations OF
the Tribune which it hopes TO impress
mon It's dupes by strength of frequent
rcpetition Is this. that the News
has stigmatized tho American admin
istration as a gang of corrupt scouh-
drels plunderbund that individually
and collectively had earned the dis-
trust. contempt and decp-seated aver
sion of every decent citizen
THAT is a verbatim quotation from
the Tribune of Thursday morning.
But there is not a word of truth In IT,
We challenge anyone to show any
thing that has appeared In the News
by which the quotation can be even
approximately justified. The Tribune
lies. wilfully, and unscrupulously' We
fear. There is no other name for 1t,
The position of the Deseret News
was fully explained during the bond
campaign. We had no fault to IND
with Mayor Bransford, nor with some
councilmen, but we did maintain that
they should not be entrusted with
$500, 600 to spend, as long as the major
ity of the council obey the orders of
an irresponsible ring, working for the
furtherance of partisan purposes. And
this the council majority on several
occasions proved to be the case. We
did maintain that a council that has
no higher conception of it's duties than
to be a party machine, should not be
trusted with the disbursement of
money belonging to all the people. We
maintain now that public servants, no
matter by what party machinery they
may be elected, should cease TO be
partisans when they assume public
Office. From that time ON their duties
become wider than party interests.
AS public servants, maintained by all
the people, they cannot, logically. have
any other duty than looking after the
public welfare. In this respect the
numerical majority of the present
council have made miserable failure.
They have turned the Mayor down, at
the bidding, presumably, of party lead
ers, who arc under no oath and have
given no bonds and who have absolute
ly no right to dictate to the council.
our grievance is not against the So
called American administration, but
against the usurpers of power, the die
tators. who interfere with the admin
isralIon in the interest of their party.
Those dictators conceived the idea OF
forming a party for the un-American,
uncivllized. barharous, and dangerous
purpose Of making wan upon church.
They have carried ON their warfare
with all the means a demon could sug-
gest, And they propose to continue
that warfare. no matter what business
interests may suffer from the absence
OF unity and peace In the community
The policy of those dictators has been
ana Is, a curse TO the CITY We believe
now that II was mistake to borrow
money as long as that policy prevails
and We believe that, finally, the cltl-
zens generally VIII Do forced to admit
that tho News was right, Wait und
see