The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-17
IT'S HYPOCRITICAL VENOM.

The scandalouS spectacle is seen i'm
! this city Of the concern which looted
the county treasury by making unlaw-
fuI and cXtortionntc charges FOR print
| ing tho delinquent tax list, assailing an
honest public official who is merely
/ doing the duty imposed ON him by law
of bringing suit to compel the restora'
lion of the stolen money
To bc sure, the grafting concern does
not make it's attack upon the honest
official openly for the reason stated,
but that is the real reason; the rca-
son given is n mere prctcnsc- If the
honest official would case mp on tho
graftcrs, this concern that stole the
public money would not only bc indif.
fcrent TO the charges against him
which il now brings forwards
but IT would be loud in its praise OF
him for doing the very things it now so
yiruIentIy assails him for doing
Ii viii be remembered that the
Smoot Mouth in publishing the
delinquent tax list last year, put in Il
charge FOR that publication five times
as large as the average cost for pub.
fishing this list in recent years, and
more than double the amount fixed per
description for such publication in the
law. Tho county treasurer protested.
not seeing any way to lawfully square
his books; he wrote TO the county com
missioncrs, who paid no attention to
his letters He was therefore com.
PEELED TO apply to the county attorney
for relief. The law makes it the duty
of the county attorney TO bring in
such a case, suit for restitution. Mr.,
Lyon. the county attorney, gave first
notice, calling on those implicated in
this graft, TO return the money unIaw
fully and dishonesty taken from the
county treasury. They ignored his de-
mand. and the law left him no alter
native thercupon; he was obliged IN.
der his oath TO bring the suit, and did
so.
The concern that benefited by the !
raid on the county treasury. |
the Smoot "Mouth,' dare not assail !
Mr. Lyon for doing his duty as 20 |
the suit as the law required |
him TO do; that would be altogether too |
raw, and Nindictivcncss would have !
earned lis due and just reward in
public contempt.
But the yindictiycucss is there Just !
the same; the felonous desire to get
back at the county attorney because
he was obliged under his oath and for
The public protection rs we'll as ms
Inc relief of a fellow official, the /
county treasurer TO bring the suit.
But that NlndictiVencss must find vent
,r "bust.' And so the occasion Of Mr..
lyon 5 treatment of The "rcd.light'
'ases was eagerly seized. as IN oppor-
unity for assailing Republican off
'ial by "thc official organ of the
party because he wouldn Z allow tho
{rafters to get away with their loot
Thc 'Mouth'' insists that Mr.. Lyon is
protecting The "wcst side resort, "
because nc IS proceeding. as lawyer,
With cascs involving that alleged re-
ort, according 10 law, not daring to
'aise "A direct issue with Mr. Lyon ON
he case that hurts il. assails him on
mother proceeding. in which he is in
10 way blamcworthy. his real offcnse
II the eyes of the graftcrs, being that
lc checks their stealing and proceeds
o compel them to disgorge
When the true animus of the Smoot
Mouth 's' assault upon County Attor.
ley Lyon is understood, it viii sink
ven deeper than before in the mirc of
pollution, and in the public estimation.
which Is saying a good deal for il
seemed to have reached the deepest
lcpths before.