The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-10-01

was against their principles to buy
one.
OF wit. there was enough and to
spare. Sometimes coarse kind.
sometimes biting and keen. Two OF
three Of the aldermen werc pleasant
TO listen to, for they always prepared
themselves for their efforts and were
very clear and terse In their state
ments. One OF them in particular
vas very happy in his way OF stating
a proposition. He never wasted
word. and when he was through the
council understood the situation ex.
actly. Others noundered painfully
about, knowing what they wanted. but
word.bound as to vocabulary and slow
In thinking on their feet Some Of
them were thorough parliamentarians.
and would remorselessly tangle up an
opponent to gain an advantage. The
helpless look Of a new alderman when
his motion, or order, or request was
side-tracked by means OF parliament.
airy rules, when he was Just going to
make or had just finished an impas.
stoned speech about it, was something
instructive; and unique.
There was always the ordeal OF
learning the ropes" for every incom.
ing alderman who had not served be-
fore in the council This meant finding
out about the regular order of bust.
ness, learning how TO draw and pre-
sent orders and ordinances. and In
general to get acquainted with the
councils method of carrying on its
business. II usually took an alderman
about a year to get himself familiar
with these things, so that his first
two-year term meant actually one
year which would be Of any public
value.
On any night when there was to be
hot contest over any particular or
dinance the galleries would be crowd.
ed, and police stationed there to pre-
vent disorder. The respective cham.
pions OF the different sides would be
aloft, and they would cheer wildly at
the speeches made for their various
sides. Sometimes II was necessary TO
clear the galleries on account of the
uproar, but usually a ferocious ham
mering of the mayors gavel, and a
threat TO clear, was enough 20 hold
the galleries In tolerable check There
were old-timers wh6 always came to
the council gallery. Just as people at
tend the theaters, for the excitement,
and to hear the speeches. These old
timers were usually on the alert for a
reformer, especially II he had the gift
of biting sarcasm, and fluent and So
norous oratory. When this was the
case the clans would gather and cheer
their champion on.
Under the mayors raised platform
the reading clerk and the city clerk
and his assistants sat, and below them
the newspaper men were ranged in a
half moon at the writing desks. The
pages came and went with messages
and papers, and the sergeant-atarms.
who had nothing at all in the world to
| do but Chew tobacco and draw a
| hundred dollars month" salary,
lounged easily around the outskirts.
To the right, and raised from the
council floor, was set OF reserved
seats placed there for visitors, par
ticularly ladies'. There was usually
something on hand that interested
them. the piece de resistance In my
time being a cigarette ordinance,
which came and went and was mauled
over and sent to committees and gen.
orally hopscotched and battledorei
and shuttle-cocked from one year to
another. But its lady champions were
always on hand, alert and determined
and apparently undiscouraged and In
discourageable.
There was such a thing as alder.
manic courtesy" both In the way the
aldermen addressed one another, and
in extending privileges TO each other
during the sessions Of the council
They never thought Of disgacing the
council chamber as the senate and
the house of representatives has oc
casionally disgraced itself. Personal
encounters were unknown, and never
even heard the word liar" exchanged
as ] have in the courtrooms and else