The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-06-28
POLITICIANS TO RULE.

POLITICIANS TO RULE.
We call the attention of thoughtful
people, Democrats, Republicans,
Americans" and those of all political
beliefs. TO these paragraphs in a reso-
luton adopted at a meeting of Amer
lean" politicians Friday night
THAT we respectfully request the
mayor not to appoint James Devine TO
the Office of chief of the Salt Lake fire
department, nor any other person to
that or any other office or position who
is not before such appointment vouched
for by the city committee and the
chairman of the election district as
aforesaid.
THAT We respectfully request the
American party members of the city
council of this city to refuse to con-
firm any appointment made by the
mayor or the head of any other depart
ment of the city government unless
such appointee is vouched for as afore-
said.
THAT it is the sense OF this conven-
ton that it is the duty of the mayor
and the heads of all other departments
of the city government of this city, be-
fore they appoint any subordinate to
any office or position. to require from
such proposed appointee or applicant
for appointment a certificate in writing
from the chairman of the city commit
tee and the chairman of the election
district in which such person resides
that he is a member of the American
party of the state of Utah in good and
regular standing"
The resolutions, which contain good
deal more of the same kind of matter,
were introduced by H. J. Dininny, city
attorney. While nothing better could
have been expected from a man of Mr..
Dinninnys calibTe. it is, nevertheless.
disappointing that one holding so i'm
portant and so dignifed position
should so demean himself We cannot
imagine such resolutions emanating
from Judge Ogden Hiles, from Judge
&c. c. Dey, Frank B. stephens, Judge
w. c. Hall or any of the other distin-
sguished and able men who have held
the office of city attorney. Any of
them would be far above the methods
of the ward politician. And we submit
that the public will be pardoned If it
lacks confidence in the legal learning
and opinions of a city attorney who
would descend to such proceedings.
BY the terms of these resolutions the
appointing power is taken from the
men TO whom the law has delegated it
and placed in the hands OF inner cir
cles. of ward and district bosses, of
small bore politicians who think more
of the party to which they profess a
passing allegiance than of the city
their elected officials have solemnly
sworn to serve TO the best of their abil-
ity. If the mayor and council allow
themselves to be bullied and bulldozed
and inundated by that crowd they
do not deserve the support of the gen
eral public.
Devine is merely an incident in this
matter According to the morning
American" organ he made an excel
lent chief of the fire department, one
OF the best we are told by that au-
thority, the city has ever had. We are
by no means interested In his appoint
ment at this time because, in our
Judgment. there are others just as ca
pable of filling the position as is De-
vine The big point is that when the
American" party goes on record as
against the true American spirit of
tolerance and fair play and square
deaIing-though we dislike to charac-
terize Fridays gathering as "the
American party'-the organization
departs from all the principles it has
professed and on which it has won vic
tories in this city.
We submit too. that efficient service
cannot be expected from city depart
ments controlled by petty politicians.
Men who are responsible TO a ward or
a district leader rather than TO the
chief of their department men who
know that as long as they are faithful
to their party they can retain their po-
sitions. regardless of their individual
qualifications, cannot. in the very ma
ture of the case. give good service.
And this is the party that is asking
the voters of salt Lake City TO charge
themselves with a debt OF 10000 for
public improvements. Really. the stu
alton is almost laughable,