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

Ill
Bent on making political capital out
of the bond proposal. the Republican
and American newspapers of the
city discuss The Heraid's attitude with
a most flattering. albeit inaccurate,
gravity. Neither side states the situa-
ton exactly.
From the time the bonds were first
proposed, The Herald insisted that the
people could not vote on the proposal
intelligently unless they were furnished
with a complete and truthful statement
OF the citys financial affairs; and that
unless this statement was Forthcoming,
the vote would be against the bonds.
The statement which was furnished
and was published on Sunday showed
conclusively that the taxpayers had a
choice OF only two alternatives either
they must decide TO beat the bonds and
stand an enormous raise in the tax
rate. or they must authorize bonds as
an escape from confiscatory taxation.
Any business man who faced such a
situation would. il Seems 60 us, prefer
to feat bonds rather than to meet such
a heavy draft on his resources in one
year. II is a question of expediency
not OF politics; and. believing the bond
issue preferable to high taxation. The
Herald advised the voters TO approve
the bonds.
Such advice as a matter of business
is in no sense an endorsement of the
municipal administration which mas
made extraordinary measures neces-
sary. The very admission of the ad-
ministration that il must add to the
burdens of the people by one means
or the other is confession OF incom-
petent management. BY their own fig
ures the Americans" have spent more
money than they had any legal right
10 spend; they undertook public works
beyond their means. not knowing where
the money for settlement was 10 come
from. On June 30th the city's over
draft was s467 900, according to the Of
fetal statement. BY December 30th
OF this year IL is estimated that
the deficit would run over 500. OOO
school boy could figure for
himself the problem before the tax
payer: and a school boy would realize
that in the absence of bonds the rate
would inevitably be so large as to
frighten foreign investors and discour-
age local property owners.
y
The Republicans object to entrusting
the present administration with so
large a sum as 100000. Bless their
grileless brains. how are they going
TO help it? II the administration doesn't
get the money from the sale of bonds
IT will get II from taxes. 1t is not a
question of trusting them. because they
have the power TO do as they please
The taxpayer is much in the position
of man who Is offered his choice of
being hit with a baseball bat or kicked
by a mule, and the discriminating voter
will choose the baseball bat in the
shape OF bonds rather than take a
chance on the fatal mules kick in the
form of unbearable taxes.
X X
So far as the political phase of the
issue is concerned, the Americans" are
welcome 10 such comfort as they can
get out of their dilemma. They have
been claiming credit for able admin
istration of the city's affairs: now they
are driven TO admit they have hungled
the most vital thing in the city's bust
ness. namely the administration of its
finances. They have spent money like
Coal Oil Johnny and are compelled
to call for help to save them from
practical bankruptcy. They admit
openly. what they were unwilling to
admit before. that 100000 of the bond
money will be used 10 replace funds
disbursed for work completed. or I'M
der contract. They have abandoned
their contention that the city finances
are ''in better condition than ever be-
fore and by their plea for bonds prove
.heir unfitness for the proper manage
.ment of the city. II they had TO de-
pend upon their record for continuance
in power they wouldn't last fifteen min
utes after the taxpayers had chance
TO express their opinions at the polls.
Happily for them there is no such
chance on this question: they have put
thu city-in the. hcis and blandly admit
II. The. only option they offer is the
baseball bat or the mules kick.