The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-25
BITTER SATIRE ON
OGDEN OFFICERS
Rev. N. S. Elderkin Deals With
Relations of Public Officials
With Vice in That City.

Rev. Noble Strong Elderkin cut close 20
city and county officials in his sermon
last evening. 1t was addressed to the
legislature and demanded that no oaths
be required OF officials and that no du-
ties be imposed upon them In opening
Mr.. Elderkin said:
THE situation in Ogden is so peculiar.
1t demands special consideration at your
hands. We have earnestly urged you
to repeal ali ant-gambling and anti-so-
cisl evil laws. In their stead we wish
such laws as will place these boosted
main Industries Of ours upon a sound le-
gal footing. If our representatives ask
for more stringent laws so that our Of
ficials may~the more efficiently deal with
these evils, they in no way speak for
You viii not need their inCOheTent NUT
terings. But If member OF your body
who is now in the employ of the Ma
tional Liquor Dealers association at
about $50 a month and whose fondest
/ hope Is the passage Of good strict pro-
hibitory law so that his clients viii be
put out of commission. proposes q law by
which the business of Ogden queen
will be legally recognized, you may be
sure that he speaks for US, whether he
that he will pass that bill. Pass it Og
den wants it, And thus we confidently
hope the insult heaped upon US by Salt
Lake when it checked the phiianthTOpic
enterprise of our leading lady" will be
avenged. She will then be queen of the
south as well of the north. Salt Lake
will be hers. as we are. And our ancient
rivalry Will melt away, for we shall both
look to a common master. It is a con-
summation devoutly to be wished for"
Referring to the demand for the repeal
of Chapters 81 and 50 of the state laws,
Mr.. Elderkin said:
How the Game Works.
Laws upon our state and city books
expressly command that gambling and
the social evil shall be suppressed. The
l h.
the city and county shall see to the en-
/ forcement of these laws. OF course this
/ is a pTeposteTous requisition on the face
of it. AT least that seems to be the sen
timent of our officials. I have been at
pains to find some official who would
openly assume the responsibility for pro-
I teCted law breaking. So far all have
been troubled with a peculiar and ma
I lignant disease of the thumb. You go
| to the police and breach this matter. and
/ the thumb goes out. IL points 10 the
mayor. The MAYORS thumb works the
same way 1t slips around toward tHe
! county attorney. The county attorney
saws he'll see the mayor. SO it goes
Some thumbs point toward Judge Muir
ply. The voices behind the thumbs say
you may take one of these cases to the
municipal court seven times day and
/ be thrown down each time
After pointing out how DRINKS. vass and
gamblers. den keepers and saloon keep
| ers go free, Mr.. Elderkin tried to locate
1 the blame for this state of things In
! this connection ne said;
Protection of Gamblers.
The law says. Mr.. Brewer, that YOU
shall see that the laws are faithfully exc
cuted. 1t gives you no option. You are
not expected to see that public opinion
is faithfully executed. That ought not to
I worry YOU. On Jan. %, 1909, someone in
authority (and 7 don't think it was the
{ city recorder guaranteed immunity from
police intervention to the following while
they conducted gambling houses:
| 'Creighbaum & Peterson,
/ j. T. Smith & Co.
Wv J. Powers.
"On Jan q dast Thursday Brother Gus
Hutchfield entered the circle.of powerful
I citizens. These each paid the city S2g9
/ for the privilege of running gambling
ION Jan. % d. W. Colts and A. Ives
paid sfO0 each and will be free for the
next thirty days to conduct poker under
| the protection of the city.
/ What ogden wishes to know is. Who
has the authority to grant immunity from
/ punishment to these particular gentle
/ men2 I have looked through the books
and ! cannot find that anyone is thus
I empowered"
/ Following this Mr. Elderkin quotes the
various statutes covering gambling and
| pointing out how gamblers are to be pun
] from the city ordinances and the respoil-
I sibility for uOn-eHfOrcement is clearly
/ fixed upon the various city and county
| officials
Protection OF Lawbreakers.
1 Continuing the speaker said we are
facing a crisis today. With men every