The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-07
THE SALTAIR GRAB.

0 It is expected that at tonight s meet
q ing Of the City Council, the application
j OF the Saltair management for fifty
year franchise to run ears over the
street railway track on upper Mair
street and on one or two streets west
ward therefrom, will come up for hnaI
action.
AS The Tribune has said heretofore
il is impossible for us TO see any Jus.
tice in this sort OF an application. First
of all, City years is altogether too long
for any franchise 10 be granted This
is growing city, and what might seem
possible now, or even plausible, will
probably he altogether out of the ques.
tion IN ten or fifteen years, TO say moth
ing about fifty years; to say moth
ing of improvements that may be IN
vented in power and transportation in
that time. The idea of giving one con
ccrn franchise TO run over the rails
of another is good deal of an imposi-
tion any way but when that is fastened
on as proposition for fifty years, there
is nothing buslness-ike or even de-
Gently possible about it.
In ell these matters it is the public
interest that ought to be guarded and
receive the first consideration. There is
absolutely no public demand for any
thing of this kind. 1t is simply selfish
attempt on the part OF the Saltair man
agement to utilize the public easement
and the property of others for its own
pin1 ol O, ho CIV IA ~
the franchise, it Is understood that the
Saltair concern is ready to issue $780,
900 or 100000 in bonds based on moth
ing but this franchise; and yet, if it
were asked TO pay taxes on this amount
of money on this account, it would raise
up its hands TO heaven and protest in
horror. But if this franchise is worth
that amount of money to the Saltair
people, it should be represented on the |
tax ROLL or in some other way, to the |
advantage Of the public. Why should |
the people Of this city grant to that |
management simply on its request, n
half million dollars or more? If the
franchise sought is worth that amount
of money TO the Saltair people, as it
would be, why should not
the people of this city be paid that
amount for ito
There appears to be curious sort
Of by-play In connection with this that
the church is opposed to the granting
Of this franchise. There have been
indicating that. And yet,
the common understanding is that Jo-
'eph +. Smith, president Of the church.
s in favor of granting the franchise in
order that his son-in-law, who is the
most active spirit in the management
If Saltair, will receive the benefit which
he Saltair people are asking. There
seems to be conflict between what
The church wants and what Joseph T.
Smith wants; but we do not believe
hat there is any such conflict. We ]
10 not believe it, first of all, because /:
Joseph +. Smith is supreme, and the
hurch could not possibly oppose any {
hing that he personally, or as president {
# that church, desires. Second, we do /
lot believe that the church is opposed {
o it, because if it were, Fernstrcm |
would also be opposed to it; but he is |
n favor Of granting the Saltair fran I
hise. This is proof positive that the
hurch is for it. Fernstrom, it will be
ecollected, was beaten in his own
'arty convention for the Council but
he man who was nominated over him l
7as compelled to refuse the nomination, 1
nd then his party committee put Fern I
from on the ticket, the church being Il
he potent factor in bringing this about.
% imagine that Fernstrom, or others 1
{ the church. controlled influence in the u
would for one moment favor v
his franchise if the church were op- u
osed to it, is an altogether idle prop
sition The fact that the opposition "
ectaries are for this franchise, is proof S
ositiye that the church is for it, and D
hat Joseph F. Smith has conveyed to b
hem his will, expecting them to act in II
with his desire. ii
There is no doubt of the damage that c
1e granting of this franchise would do n
/, the public interests of this city, the n
icubus that would fasten upon the a
-avcl of upper Main street and the p
reefs leading west therefrom, and the n
that it would be from the n
rst. an increasing irritart and pest as t,
le years go by, 1t is clear case that b
le Council should consult the public 81
ish and interest in this matter, and in b
, doing it would undoubtedly refuse h
lis greedy, selfish demand of the Salt CT
r management. o.