Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-11
BRANsroKD AND DUMMY.

y. Dbl
In response to Mayor Bransford's at
tempt to remove the criminal element
of Commercial Street to the newly
created restricted district, the City at
torney announces that he will 9rosa-
cute these people If they obey the
Mayors order and remove to the quart
ers designated by him The attorney
says:
This office will fulfil the promise
made by us and the american party
before the election We will prosecute
everyone who attempts to conduct
the illegal business in the alleged red
light district"
We hold that the City cannot afford
to compromise With or to license
crime. The Mayor i've have no doubt,
believes that the course he has outlined
is the best. We do not agree on this,
but it Is clear chat the position of the!
City attorney, and also OF the
American party leaders as a whole,
is little short of the ridiculous.
This is not alone our opinion. AS our
reuders well know, we fully believe
that u great deception has been prttc
tised upon the majority of those who
have ever affiliated with what is; truly
the least American thing known in.
recent American politics-the so-called
american" party. Lest it should be
thought, however. that our views say
OF of the partisanship of mere onposi-i
tion, we shall quote from Il contempor
airy not always or altogether free from
American" Influences or sympathies.
1t very clearly sets forth the inconsist-
ency of tho City attorneys position
as follows: .a
"Obserpe the delicacy of the city at
| torney's position. He has been in office
quite 81 while, too long some critics
think, but he has never been moved to
prosecute the criminals who Piled and
Sill ply, their trades in the heart Of
the City, haunting vice before the eyes
of all observers, voting. the American
|atlcket with grca regularity until re-
Gently, and inviting the Disguised at
tention of every cttizen--exceptt the city
attorney. But tho mayor believes tho
criminal element should be moved to
a less conspicuous location and brought
under closer police supervision, where
upon Dininny promises to prosecute
them If they move. Are we TO
infer that continued residence in Com
mercial street Will secure immunity
from prosecution for the criminals at
the hands of the city attorney?'
The logic of our contemporaries
argument on this point is Irresistible.
Why this sudden and unexampled de-
cision to prosecute these classes? ? Not
for the purity of the City, TO be sure,
but simply to prove that the 'Ameri-t
can party" will fulfill the promises"
made before the election
Here, at last, is found out some use
for the City attorney and his Office
not to prosecute the violators OF the
law, but only these whom the "Arn-
erlcan" party designates, and only
| when and In such manner and to such
degree as the american leaders may
indicate,
That is the whole case against the
INSCRIPTIONS schemers who dictate
the policy of that party. They have
never shown, and apparently have
| never had, any special desire to enforce
the law as such. But when real or
pretended enforcement OF any statute
has tended to strengthen the organiza-
ton which they have called party,
they have proclaimed from the house
tops their desire and determination to
enforce 1.-THE law" And we are inclin-
ed 10 agree with the Herald when it
remarks that Mr.. Dininny's latest eff
fusion lis Of interest as a symptom of
the general breakdown that has over
taken the American party