The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-03
THE ADVERTISING BILLS.

The explanation attempted to be made
in the matter of the graft involved in
the publication of the delinquent tax
list last December, by the Smoot
Mouth did not reach the case by a
long shot. That graft was clearly H.
legal, was forbidden by the plain stat
ute; and the violation was not alone OF
the law, but of tho reason for the law,
and of the spirit Of legislation generally,
as we'll as Of the moral law against
theft. The ''Mouth,' therefore, is not
only on the wrong track in undertak-
ing to make such an explanation, but
1T ia dishonest, and its explanations are
dishonest and mendacious throughout.
But let us examine into the facts in
regard to this matter Of the charge that
The Tribune has been so much bene-
fitted by heavy charges for city ad
vertising. Let us see what the records
show as TO this. During the year Just
closed, July |, 1908, 10 Juno 80, 1909,
inclusive, The Tribune received from
the city on advertising account
$3S73.53; The Telegram received
$403 10; Goodwin s Weekly received
S56S.25; The Herald received $63.60;
Inter Mountain Republican received
$330,30; the Deserct News received
5000; the Engineering Record re-
ceived $l740; making a total of
S5262 Is paid to all the newspapers in
this city for municipal advertising for
the whole year.
The total for advertising Of the city
was $5262.1S. us stated. Therefore, the
Inter Mountain Republican received on
tho one account for publishing the de-
linquent tax list, 1862 more than all
of the city's advertising for the year
paid to all of the newspapers as 1T was
paid $5727.50 for that one Job. Here is
an enormous graft, utterly Inexcusable
on any basis, clearly illegal, robbing
steal which compels the prompt-paying
taxpayers. those who have nothing to
do with the dclinqucncics, TO pay H.
legally, unlawfuliy and fraudulently.
upwards of $4,000 more than allowed by
the law as the maximum for the publ
cation of delinquent tax list.
That one charge for the one delin-
qucnt tax list publication, amounted to
more in that one item paid to the
Month than The publications of the
delinquent tax list for all the five years
preceding. 1t was the most monu-
mental, the boldest, and the most brazeu
piece of affrontery ever seen in this
region in the way of advertising graft.
Instead of the $5727.5O actually paid,
fraudulently and in defiance Of the law
for the publication Of that tax list last
been complied with and bids had been
solicited, the amount paid would not
have exceeded $1,000 at the outside, so
that the taxpayers were robbed out Of
$4,000 on this account by the Smoot
newspaper, "the organ of the Republi-
can party"
For that ono publication as much
was charged last December as for the
delinquent publications OF the five
years before. and more than the whole
cost of the whole of the city's ad
vertsing for the fiscal year Just ended,
DN FaOO.O- i ue cldtpS WIS IL DOlu
fraud upon the public. and in utter con.
tempt of the law. IT was unjust, Il
piece of party favoritism and an enor-
nous loot of the county treasury, for
the publication. fraudulently and H.
legally, amounting to far more than the
cost Of the whole city's advertising for
the entire year Just ended. And all to
sustain the party organ.
What folly it is, therefore, for the
Smoot "Mouth' to make reply that
il did not charge more than The Trib-
une and other papers charge for public
advertising! The facts refute it. The
law forbade it. 1t is a grating robbeT
without conscience. without morals and
without the least regard for the public
interests or for the rights of the tax
payers.
THE BUYING OF GOLD.