The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-13
FAITH AND BROKEN FAITH.

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uous in demanding the keeping of
pledges by the American city admin
istration, which is right, and we Join
it in the demand We wish that it could
likewise Join us in the demand that the
church leaders should keep faithfully
their pledges to the country, made in
order to obtain Statehood. We wished
during tho Morris administration that
the church organ would Join us in de-
nouncing the pledge breaking of the
Morris administration that was so open
and fragrant But the church organ re-
fused to do so, though it was perfectly
aware Of that pledge breaking, as every
one interested in the subject was aware
Of il.
We really cannot understand what the
News expects 10 gain by raising this
question of pledge breaking in conncc-
! tion with the vote Of the million-dollar
bonds. against the American party 1t
was not the American party that made
pledges; il was not the American party
or administration that broke pledges
on that account, for it had made none;
! ii was the Morris administration that
made those pledges and that broke
them.
To he specific: Tho Morris administra.
ton pledged TO the city the use Of
water from Big Cottonwood canyon, in
exchange for Utah Lake water. But it
got no water, that could be brought TO
b, .it n,, h, Iof
American party the legacy of doubt
ful law suit TO condemn the Knudsen
water right, without which right the
city could get no water TO run into the
conduit The News itself argued against
the probability Of tho success Of any
suit to condemn and appropriate a
water right. II was the American party
that got that right for the city at a
reasonable cost
The Morris administration pledged it.
self TO do certain work AT Utah Lake.
and TO repair and strengthen the canal.
II did neither
The Morris administration bought
East Jordan canal stock at n fancy
figure, when no such expenditure was
contemplated in It's address TO the
voters, and when the estimates and
pledges of expenditures as pledged TO
the people fully took all the money
which the bonds voted would provide.
This was an application of a big sum
OF money TO purpose not embraced in
The schedules of pledges and was a clear
hraa oh Of Tpf |, IL
has been a costly piece of business ever
since, 10 no practical advantage to the |
city, aud is never likely to be of any |
advantage save after the expenditure |
of much more money.
The Morris administration let the ,
conduit contract hurricdIy and with |
imperfect specifications al n figure that
on its face showed impcrfoctious. This
had to be corrected. at n cost in the
aggregate, greater than would have
been the cost Of properly planned
conduit in the first place. The Amcri.
can party saved this work from impcr
lection. TO the just advantage Of the
city. II could have done better. of
course, if it had had the letting
of tho contract in the first place. and
not been handicapped with the hasfv
and defective contract let by It's prede-
cessor
The Morris administration pledged
the voters that it would give them
valuable water power at the DISCHARGE
point of the conduit, in the drop from
4 la IpuJpht a.,
canyon reservoir. But il afterwards
betrayed the people on this point bv
putting in the franchise Of the Utah
Light and Railway Company. a clause
sgreeing that the city would not use
that water power for fifty years. 1t is
the American party that has restored
this right of use TO the city,
II was the Morris administration that
let contract for sewer construction for |
upwards of $2l3,000 when the sewer
money available on the million dollar
bond votes was but Sl50,00o. and that
excess of $4,000, with the impractical !
bic plans on which the contract was !
let, has been a thorn in the side Of all
the administrations since. 1t was n !
distinct breach of pledge to thus cx. ,
,eed the amount voted, the more SO q
as there did not appear to be any way /
whereby the deficient money could be
'aised >
All the broken pledges, all this +
bad faith. was Morris administration ,
,reachery to the people. In no part Of r
{ did the American party have any s
land, or play any part, not an instance Y
IF bad faith can with any sort Of can a
Tor OF fairness be charged upon the t
American party. and it is waste of h
words for the church organ to attempt {
t. In fact, the absolute ridiculous 4
ness Of such allegations against the o
American party is so evident that cit G
s to laugh when they arc put forward. S
fhe News will have uphill work in e
making its readers, those who read no Il
'thcr paper and are therefore its dupes C