The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-29
ATTACK" ON THE BUREAU.

On Sunday The Tribune pointed out
that the Commercial Club S traffic bu
reau has we'll defined, special duties;
that it has attended to those duties in
admirable style, and that there are yet
organization and proper effort to keep
it employed for some time TO come.
In the same connection VIC pointed out
that it was unjust to the traffic
bureau to undertake 10 unload upon it
something for which it had not been
formed, for which it had made no
preparation, and on which 1T had no
ammunition TO make fight. That is,
the traffic bureau was not organized TO
| fight trusts or combines or to regulate
prices of commodities, coal, dry goods,
groceries, meats, or anything else; that
| its duties are well defined, specific, and
| ample TO keep it busy. that it's fight for
relief from unjust railroad rates Is we'll
made so far as it has gone, but that its
battle is yet by no means over
With childish pctulance and ridicul-
Gus pervcrsion. the Smoot organ sees In
this an "attack' on the traffic bureau.
Quito the reverse is the fact Those
who would impose upon the traffic bu
reau labors that it was not organized
to perform, who demand Of it ser
vice not delegated TO If, and for which
it is not prepared, are the ones who arc
attacking'' the traffic bureau. The
surest way Vo break up the effective
work of this or any body such as
the traffic bureau is. is TO load it down
with work not in its field and that has
nothing to do with the purpose or
method of its organization or work. If
the railroads could devise subtle
means of breaking down the traffic bu
reau and of rendering its work abb
solutcly nugatory, nothing better
adapted to such railroad purpose could
be devised than to switch the traffic
bureau Of from its legitimate work to
the undertaking, of other work which
is foreign to its purpose and alien to
its endeavors.
If there were such thing as the
railroads undertaking to break up the
Commercial Club traffic bureau, We
could imagine nothing better adapted
TO that line of attack than to have all
the troubles of the community shifted
onto the shoulders of this traffic bureau
with the demand and expectation that
this bureau should carry them all and
solve every question that is troubling
the people.
The only way TO get results is to
work through appropriate and explicit
means. It is idle to undertake to bave
one bureau or one organization do
everything. The Commercial Club did
excellent service TO the community in
organizing the traffic bureau. and that
bureau has done splendid work for the
community in its fight for the reduc-
tiop Of railroad rates. Now If the Com
mercial Club wants TO fight the trusts
and monopolics, and wishes TO make Il
definite move against the high prices
prevailing, and particularly against the
arbitrary and unjust raise in the price
!, OF coal. let il organize bureau of pub
| lie service or committee of public
, service, with the specific aim aud pur,
pose of dealing with definite questions
| submitted to it, such az the arbitrary
{ aud exorbitant raise in the price of
coal. This is an age of specislties, No
, longer do we expect scientific man to
! be an expert In every line of science
: in every field OF eudeavor. We do not
expect doctors To be surveyors, nor
? hydraulic engineers TO be thcologians