The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-07-14

Of DEVINE IS
TURNED DOWN
Americans" in Council Vote
as Unit Against Choice of
"American" Mayor.
FERNSTROM ASSAILS
ATTITUDE OF MAJORITY
DEMOCRATS VOTE SoLIpLY FOR
TRANSPORTS APPOINTMENT
DAVIS is ABSENT.

BY vote of to the council last
evening refused to confirm Mayor
Bransford's appointment of James De-
vine as chief of the fire department.
Herded and driven by the narty lash.
the eight American" councilmen voted
as unit against the appointment.
Councilman Fernstrom said: 1T was the
most cowardly demonstration Of abject
partisan subsection that / have seen in
the eleven years have beer In the coun-
ell"
The vote was strictly on party lines,
the Americans" voting against the
American mayor and the Democrats
voting solidly for the choice OF John 8.
Bransford. The vote follows:
For NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., HolIey,
Hall. Cowburn. Hodgson. Murdoch-s.
Against confirmation-Black, Ferry,
Reedall. Martin, ODonnell. Raybuld.
Wood, Stewards
Acknowledgement Davis-1
Martin is the man who first suggested
Devine's name and up to late yesterday
afternoon declared in loud and emphatic
terms that he would not be bossed by
the persuaders.
agitation over the Devine appointment
has declared that he would stand by
the mayor"
Ferry, personal friend of the mayor
and an alleged independent like the
others was whipped into line.
Raybould. too, was thought to be in
dependent OF the 'persuaders" until last
evening in a piping voice he said No"
Wood and Stewart. O'Donnell was not
bound by a pledge. as he was not in the
city at the time the appointment was
agreed upon.
Fernstrom Scores Majority.
read not a member of the majority moved
that IL be confirmed and this task was
left to Fernstrom. who delivered a most
scathing rebuke to the americans
THE mayor and the majority of the
council" he said. agreed to this APP
pointment- The party organ also was
satisfied The Americans in this coun-
Gil gave the mayor their word OF honor
that they would stand by him. Now
you are turning down your mayor and
are bowling TO the will of the county COM
mittee, ward heelers and other political
shysters. Something has happened du-
ring the last week. The American hier-
arch has secured control OF a majority
of this council and has raked them over
the Goals. These supposed leaders have
taken you into room, lambasted you
and driven you out here to do as they
please. The mayor has been honest with
you and you are trying to belittle him."
In explaining his vote in favor of De-
vines confirmation. Councilman Hall paid
a tribute TO the sturdy stand taken by
Mayor Bransford.
Il respect the mayor" he said, "a good
deal more since his stand in this mat
ter than / ever did before. | was afraid
that when he ousted Captain Burbdge
from the police department that he was
controlled by the dominant element in the
party, but 1 see now that he is not. In
the interest of the franchise OF every cit
izen who voted for the mayor / vote for
the confirmation of James Devine. The
people voted by an overwhelming ma
jority that John S. Bransford should be
mayor He is trying to be mayor, and
il seems that another element in the party
is endeavoring to thwart the wish of the
people expressed by their ballots last
November. When the mayor must bow
to the will OF this crowd IL Is time for
decent people TO leave the American
party"
Nuts for Persuaders.
Both the Fernstrom and Hall speeches
were applauded generously by the audi
ence present, especially when the mayor
was lauded for his stand.
During the whole affair not one OF the
Americans said O word and even Fer
ry, when the time came to vote. said
meekly NO"
The meeting was attended by the per
suaders in a body and as soon as the
vote was taken the bunch retired gloating
over their victory over the mayor.
Mayor Bransford also left Immediately.
He said he had nothing TO give out and
would defer any comment until a later
date.
The mayor seemed agitated during the
progress of the vote-taking and seemed
TO feel keenly the attitude of the .Ameri-
cans" who had given him their word OF
honor to support Devine.