The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-31
THOMAS IS SOLID.

We congratulate Mr.. Mathonihah
Thomas upon his election TO the presi'
dcncy of the State Teachers associa-
| tion. We believe that it is something
of new departure for the teachers to
90 outside of their own profession in
the selection of an officer of their State
] Association. Mr.. Thomas is n lawyer.
Any other lawyer, may, therefore, be
eligible 20 Office in the State Teachers
Association, But if lawyer may be
elected so may doctor be elected, or
a minister, an elder. or even an apos-
tie. All this unless it is held that Mr.,
Thomas IS membership in the Board OF
Education of this city qualities him in
the teachers profession But if il
qualities him. il also qualities the other
members OF the Board, Mr. Martin, Mr.,
Giauque, or even Mr.. Newman. How
ever, it is the teachers special business
whom they appoint, and we merely
started in TO congratulate Mr.. Thomas
upon obtaining this favor,
We commended Mr.. Thomas un-
reservedly last spring when he in
sisted upon the investigation of
certain frauds, gratis. and grabs
in connection with the admin
istration Of the school business of this
city. It presently appeared in that in
vestigation that there had been duplica-
tions in the pay rolls, and that the EN-.
ployecs of the Board were members of
one religious sect save only few that
could not readily be replaced by mem
bcrs of that sect, AS the investigation
proceeded, it was shown that one mem
Der of the Board had his sons on the
pay roll under assumed names, and that
in spite Of his denial Of nowledgc of
this fact he did know all about it. 1t
was a painful process TO get Mr.. Bird
WELL then superintendent of buildings,
to produce these rolls. First two of
them and then one were reported ms
"lost,' and il was only after long de-
lay and vigorous insistcnce that they
were produced. They had not been lost
at all, but were simply hid away 1t
appeared also that other members Of
the Board were engaged in furnishing
material and supplies for schools, con
trary to the express prohibition of the
law; and Mr.. Bridwell along towards
the last of the investigation began to
leak out some important facts on this
point, but was called sharply to silence
by one of the members.
In spite of the insistence of Mr..
Thomas. it began to be seen by the
public that the investigation would be
stopped. The question of stopping it
was never brought to direct vote, but
it was stopped Just the same. There
were enough members who feared the
investigation aud the disclosures Of Mr..
Bridwel TO vote against it, and so that
investigation was held up. Mr.. Thomas
was not able to get the Board 10. sus.
tain him in demanding that light should
be thrown upon all the transactions in
volved. He could not get the other
members to agree with him that the
investigation should he pushed TO its
proper end. 1t was dropped, smothered,
just when it began to get interesting.
Mr.. Thomas IS attitude throughout,
however, was absolutely correct, and in
the public interest The Tribune took
great pleasure in supporting him in his
efforts to purify the methods Of the
Board. But enough of the members of
the Board apparently did not wish their
methods purified They wished TO keep
on with the same old methods of Sc
crecy, graft, and grab So the investi-
CATION was squelched in spite of all
He recognized after q while that he
was powerless, and that II was useless
| for him to persist; he could not carry
his point, the Board was against him
What the idea was that caused the
Board to drop this investigation we
could not understand Surely the Board
could not think that the public Of this
city would he content with the dis.
closures made, especially as il was clear
that things far more interesting than
had ever been exposed were on the tapis
ready TO be aired Mr.. Thomas, as a
faithful servant of the public, wished
to do his duty and to throw all needed
light on the transactions either done
that he was outvoted and suppressed,
and opportunities for fraud continued
and so The Tribune again congratutes
him and extends TO him it's cordial
congratulations and most distinguished
consideration.