Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-14
CONFUSED IDEAS.

Or. c. N. Walter, a health officer OF
Fan Jose, Cal. visited salt Lake re-
Gently, and, on his return home, ia
vored the snn Jose Mercury with his
Impressions Of this city
Among these Impressions we find
this
II was told that previous to three
years ago, when the Mormons were at
the head of the city government, there
was practically little done to beautity
the city Three years ago the people
elected a gentle mayor and majority
of the city council We're Americans
the two parties being designated as
Mormon and American. As soon as the
Americans took hold of the city ini-
provemcnts began The city Is well
laid out everything radiating from the
Temple which Is In the center. Ihe
streets are wide and well shaded with
poplar trees
This shows what kind of "inforna-
ton visitors are given by some Of the
defamers of Salt Lake. Previous to
three years ago, practically little"was
done TO beautify the city. Just mag
Inc what has been done in the brief
space of three years. Even the wide
and well shaded streets must have been
laid out during the last three years.
But the Doctor pays his compliments
to the street department. as follows:
Now, great deal has been said
and much kicking raised because OF
our streets. Let me say right here
that some of our very worst streets
are bouieyards compared with some OF
the thoroughfares of Salt Lake. Doz-
ems of the streets In their best residence
sections are not even graded
This Impression the doctor did not
have OH hearsay, but ON his own obser-
vations. And yet our administration
has performed miracles during the
last three years!
The health department, too. receives
the compliments OF our late visitor. He
says:
"The Health Department is conf
posed. as / said before, of the Mayor,
ex-oficio chairman, and four physi-
clans n clerk. chemist and bacterloio-
Eist Inspector of provisions, sanitary
Inspector, quarantine Inspector ana
plumbing Inspector Salt Lake has
population of $4,000 TO sO.OO0-apout
double that of San Jose. We have
three paid men. and until recently
only two. Salt Lake City has ten pald
men and for real effective WORK ottil
Joses Board of Health has outdis-
tanced them.'
Three paid men in san Jose have
outdistancod ten in Salt Lake! This.
too, the Doctor saw with his own eyes.
is Il not rather strange that the adj
ministration which is given all the
credit for the beautifying of the city
has made such Il bad showing in street
improvements and health regulations?
Something is the matter with the doc
tors diagnosis. He is confused in his
impressions"
But does not this demonstrate the
absurdity of keeping up the strife here
for which certain class of anti
''Mormons'-and small class at that
lis responsible? Visitors come here,
They hear conflicting stories and many
of them leave with wrong Impressions.
Salt Lake is continually given black
name abroad. If the spirit of harmony
We're dominant in this city, visitors
would return to their respective homes
unanimous in their reports that there
is no more desirable spot to live in
than this. What would that mean to
the city? let the citizens wake up
over the absurdity of maintaining strife
and organs OF strife.
Mormon" enterprise, whether from a
private or public point of view, does
not suffer from any comparison that
can be made The entire state is a
monument to that enterprise. And the
foundations were not laid by builders
who borrowed money and squandered
half OF It on themselves, either. 1t has
been left 10 others, who build on the
solid foundations already laid, to run
communities into bottomless debt, add
load upon load TO the burdens Of tax
alton, and drive homeseekers away.
This Is not Mormon" enterprise.