The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-10-16
HONOR TO WHOM HONOR IS DUE.

About ten years ago the people of Salt Lake got
ready for public improvements Prosperity had come
to the land consequence of Republican mastery
of the affairs of the nation Utah had shared in that
prosperity. The spirit of betterment walked in our
people, just it does in every community, all over
the world. They wanted their homes to look better.
They wanted better paving of streets, better side
walks, better sewers-and a general improvement of
the appearance of the city.
AS the laws then stood, as they stand at the be-
ginning in every state streets could be paved in pub
lie and consecutive extent only by the property
ers having the work done, and paying the price in
cash to the contractor. To many of our people, as
many of the residents of every other city, that
impossible. Without amendment of the laws grant
the city the right to accept scrip of the people,
which should stand lien against the real estate,
and which could be paid off in ten annual INSTALL
ments, the paving would not be done. The sidewalks
could not be constructed. The sewers could not be
laid.
So the legislature of 1901 with strong Republican
majority enacted the first of the public Improvement
laws in Utah. There was not one member of the
American party legislature for that party had
not then been organized.
Two years later amendment made to that
law, making improvement still more easy. And again
in 1905 a second amendment was enacted. The laws
then they Whole districts of the
city were paved because the property owners could
petition for improvement, and the city would take
charge of the work accepting the scrip of the people
instead of the total actual cash, and finishing the
work.
To prepare for a general scheme of municipal i'm
provement the people in 1905 in the same year when
the last amendment to the law made, voted a
million dollars be spent by the city in conjunction
with the payments be made privately by each in
dividual property owner benefited by the work.
The American party did cause that million dol
Republican party in a majority in the state the
county and the city. There was no party even then
claiming the of American
After the people had decided to improve their
streets, and had voted the money with which the
city'g part the could done and had amend
ed their laws that time would be given for pay
ment-then the American party came into power and
grabbed the city purse.
Since that time they have spent the million dollars
They have asked for and received an additional six
hundred thousand dollars in bonds have sold those
bonds, and have spent that money, too. They have
collected more than million dollars year additional
for the four they have had control Of Salt Lake
City, have spent every dollar of it, have an empty
money chest-and a limitless and uncomputed amount
Of dscredted city warrants to be in the
future
Now, the credit for the improvement in Salt Lake
lies with the Republican party. There was no party
Of the name American when the work began, when
the million dollars were voted nor when the laws
were so changed to make the improvements posi-
bic to the people.
The Republican party is responsible for the i'm
prOvement. 1t is the party Of progress everywhere
Its friends believe in advancement, in a beautiful
city, in every betterment that can be made by the
people.
And if successful at the polls in the coming city
election, there will be diminuton of improvement
the civ That is certain is DOtf he RI OF
Republicans to stop improvement. The good work
will go precisely fast as the people are able
and willing to have it CO.
That is the reasonable and the fair view to take
of the case. Give honor to whom honor is due. And
treat with the partisan bOasting of the Ameri
party bosses that they are entitled to the credit
for work that was begun before they were born.