The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-10-17
THE PARTY OF PROGRESS.

II any one four years ago had asked
what was the matter with Salt Lake
| City, why il was so dead, why so many
people were leaving it, why there were
so many Vacant houses the answer
necessarily would have been that the
trouble was too much ccclesiasticism
too. rigorous hierarchic rule.
Similarly, if any one should ask now
what has made such n magical change,
what has brought Salt Lake City to the
front in such a splendid manner, what
has put ic at the head of American
cities in values OF building both last
year and this, tho candid. honest an
Swcr must necessarily be. The bcnc-
fetal administration of the American
party
1t is n matter of personal knowledge
to all those who have lived i'll this city
during lhc time mentioned. that the
facts as referred 10 here are and were
precisely as stated There is no doubt
i'm the world but that the continuance
Of the hicrarchic rule would have
meant the continuance Of decay, con.
tiuucd depression, and continued set
back 10 The city.
Equally there is no doubt in the
world that upon the announcement IN
November, 1905, that the American
party had triumphod and redeemed this
city from ecclesiastical clutches, the
news thrilled the country, and turned
The ewes of cntcrPrisinG people toward
this city. by the thousands. The lrlb-
une received handfuls Of teIegraphlc
congratulations upon the splendid tri-
umph Of that time.
At once there was 4 reawakenIng'
Tho tide turned in favor of the city
instead of against If. Business re-
vlvod. New population hockcd IN,
bringing good money. Building opera
tions revived, and the revival has been
the phenomenon of tho time. going on
with accelerated ratio year by year.
Activity began in 1906, the first year
of the American administration, Jhe
growth lost under the successive church
administrations was almost recovered
cided advance upon that recovery Last
wear, 1908, VIC had vcritablc boom
in building, and an extent OF energy
in construction never before known III
the city. This year, even that mag
nificcmt record has been so far over
passed that we arc justified i'll prcsum-
ing that this years building permits
Will be practically double those of last
year.
These are simple, straightforward
matters Of fact There is no way to
eyadc their force or blunt their keen,
ness, 1t is idlc TO argue against things
snow accomplished. They stand, and
can be seen of every one who cares to
look
What is the sense in asking for
something better than that which is
ten.fold better than the old re-
gimc could possibly show! How
ridiculous it is for that old para
living influence 10 SIT up and claim
now that it could do better than the
party is doing which redeemed the city
from the ruin and the death which
those paralyzing influences inflicted
upon il up TO four years ago. The OPP
position s claim in this IS absolutely
prcposterous
The American position IS impreg-
nablc It was the American control
that gave the city its new growth. It's
renewed vitality, its splendid progress.
1t was American busincSslike methods
in the municipal administration that
put Salt Lake City at the head of all
American cities in the percentage OF
building and construction last year
and this year. The record is there;
everybody can sec Just what it is, and
better than all else, everybody can see
the buildings that have been put mp,
and that are now going up. The rec
ord is not only in the books, but on
the ground. and the American party
without the least question, is entitled
to The credit of these trlumpbs.
Therefore the people of this city,
well content with what the American
party has done, and confident IN the
security that it will continue to do
everything possible for the advance
ment and glory of Salt Lake City, will
at the election of November second,
give it another lease of power to do
vet further service in building up Salt
Lake City to the great metropolitan
re-eminence that is hers Of Just right,
and which was intended for her by
nature in her splendid location in the
midst of a wide area such as no other
city in the world can command, in
riches and in extent