Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-10-25

Councilman Hall Is gentleman IN
whose word all place implicit conn
dence. Ills knowledge Of municipal
nffairs is very extensive and there IS
no doubt as to his integrity.
Mr.. Hall in his public addresses to
The citizens, has stated the reasons
why he believes the Interests OF THIS
city demand change from party 10 a
business government These reasons
are summed up in one word IN
competency.
Mr.. Hall tells as that the auditors
books arc In such a shape as to make
Il utterly impossible for anybody to
find out Just what the assets and la
bllitics OF tho City arc. And this
can well be believed. for when Messrs.
Lippman and Christensen undertook to
solve the puzzle. they arrived at the
conclusion that the City was spending
100000 a year over and above its In
come from all sources. And not only
are the books in bad condition but
the financial report Is never given to
the public as required by law. This
item alone il one the Importance Of
which the business men can appreciate.
A manager OF any large business
would not hold his position long with
out accurate bookkeeping.
Councilman Hall tells us that the
City keeps a force OF clerks unneces-
sarily large. lie says that for every
little payment a number OF warrants
are made out, sometimes as many as
80, and the entire amount may not
exceed s. cents One warrant would
be enough in any business run on
business principles. hut the City null
tiplies work In every department so
that political debts can be paid out OF
the city treasury by those handling the
money. How long would any bust
ness man tolerate that kind of man
agement OF his own business7
Mr.. Han points out that the en-
cheering department is incompetent in
the highest degree. as evidenced by
some Of tho work done. owing TO the
fact that workingmen are accepted
only because OF their affliation with
tho American" party and not because
OF fitness, the City has lost immense
sums. Mr. Hall tells OF an inspector
who permitted the men to lay down
sewer pipes and Join together the
wrong ends. When the pipes had ID.
be dug up tho trouble was found
Would any business employ men so
incompetent, II his own business was
Mt stake?
graphically told by Mr.. Hall. We had
In this City two competent men to
nh the position OF chief, Bywater and
Divine. But neither could be appoint
ed. though they are well known, and
competent men. IL seems that the men
who govern the mayor promised him
that he could appoint Divine. and that
he did SO But when the name vas
sent In II WAS found that the men In
charge OF the city over the head OF
the mayor, had instructed the "Ameri-
con" councilmen 10 turn Divine down
The party organ that had iauded
Divine as the best hre chief the city
ever had. took Il all back. and the
mayor was compelled to swallow the
pin and go back on his word.
Is this the kind OF an admlnistra-
zion the decent business men OF this
city are satisfied with? II not. vote
II down and give US a business adj
ministration.
The Tribune depends upon the under
world for It's victory in the election.
Let the business men, tho property
owners and tax payers generally stand
together against the denizens OF the
dons. For the contest Is between those
two forces.