The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-13
HAVE THEY CHANGED THEIR
MINDS7


will a reformer stay put?'
A little while ago certain gentlemen
of this city were very angry about the
stoCkade. They condemned it with the
strongest speech Of which they were
capable. They demanded its extinction,
and the police turned deaf ear to
them. They proclaimed the badness
of it, and the mayor begged to differ
with them. He held the stockade to be
a good thing. The gentlemen opposed
10 the stockade were called reformers;
and did not disown the title. They
clamOred in every ward of the city.
They held meetings. They raised mon
ey and hired lawyers. They prepared
petitions, and many Of their followers
openly threatened the use OF dynamite
IN the destruction Of that stockade
which the police defended. and the may
the city in a turmoil
Because of their fight against the
stockade the community was so aroused
that the sheriff and the county COM
missioners responded to the demand for
the enforcement Of the law. There was
no hope for law enforcement from the
police, because the mayor was the adj
vocate OF the unlawful thing. And the
mayor would not permit his policemen
10 enforce civilizations ediCt against
The abomination.
For the first time in the history OF
"a T.
the whole history Of any state, the
county authorities responded to the loud
and constant demand Of the reformers,
and did the work the police refused to
do. Sheriff and county commissioners
devoted themselves 10 enforcing the law
IN the city. The county spent money.
The reformers helped them. Men OF
high character and clean morals bought
beer for bad women, and prepared evil
dence that could be used IN the de-
strucrions Of the stockade.
And now some of the very leaders Of
that reform movement are out I'm IN
qualified Endorsement OF John Brans-
ford for mayor-THE FATHER OF
THE STOCKADE! Wherefore the ques-
ton:
How long will > reforner stay putt"
Have they changed their minds? Do
they now believe right what they be-
lieved wrong a year ago? Were they
mistaken when they filled the courts
with litigation?
Was Mayor Bransford right when he
bounced honest Tom Pitt because he
would not disobey and defy the law?
Was he right when he chose another
chief whose one qualification was that
he held the commands Of the mayor
above the law of the land?
If so, then the gentlemen who were
so strong against the stockade IN 1903
should go to the logical conclusion, and
publish as broadly their present senti-
ments as they published them then.
They should tell to the world that they
were mistaken; that the stockade is a
right thing; that they regretted having
accepted the money Of the citizens who
didn't want a stockade; that they apol-
ogize for filling the courts with vain
and unnecessary contention; that they
had no warrant for setting the citizens
in contention; and that they unite with
all friends OF the stockade plan in an
invitation for the Belle of ogden to re-
turn and resume her sway.
For they have boldly announced their
approval Of John Bransford as a can
didate for mayor, and he surely has
never repented. He thinks of the stock
ade Just what he did year ago. His
views are just what they were when
he went to California at the time of the
reception to Admiral Evans and the
war fleet, and boldly announced in an
interview that he approved the stock
sde plan. And if his hands were free
tomorrow he would put the stockade
right back in business-from which 1t
was driven alone by the Republicans,
and the papes Of their party.
A man has a right to any opinion his
judgment approves. The only point on
which the public may properly insist
IS that they know where to find him
who seeks TO take control of public af-
fairs. Society has a right to know If
the men who fought the stoekade last
year are in favor OF It this year-and
for the future. And if they are not,
why are they indorsing for mayor tire
very man who as mayor established the
stockade, defended it, guarded It with
his policemen, and guaranteed the cash
returns by the exercise Of his power?
Mr.. Bransford is a plain-s2oken and
a careful man. He doesn't declare
himself till he has thought Of the mat
ter, and decided that a certain course
is right. And then he doesn't change
with the changing seasons. He stays
put.
How about the men who fought him
and his plan year ago. and are declar-
ing him their choice for mayor today?
Shall we look for them to reverse them
selves with every new moon? Why don't
they stay put?