The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-02-16
MAYOR IS Up IN ARMS
Provo's Chief Executive Fixes Blame
and Responsibility on City
Council.
Especial to The Republican,

Especial to The Herald-Republican)
Provo, Feb. 15.-Mayor Ray and the city
council have not been able to agree on
the matter of appointments. Some of the
minor officers appointed by the mayor
have been confirmed, but those OF CITY
marshal, superintendent of WaterWorhS
and sewers, street supervisor ana water
master, for which the following are Mayor
Rays appOintees: w. (. Olson, city mar
shall; W. J. Burgess, superintendent Oh
waterwOrks; George I. Peary, Jr', street
supervisor, and John W. strong, water
master. These appointments have not Deeh
confirmed. The officers from the last au-
minstration are holding over. The IalluIe
of the council to confirm Mayor Kay D
appointments has called torth the 4Ol-
lowing statement from the mayor:
There seems to be a great zeal Oh
criticism Just now of the conditions eA-
| isting at the present time IN our city anu
! l believe the criticism is justly deserved
| Therefore, take this means OF explain
| ing to the public my position IN the MAJ
| ter. The law giving TO the mayor INC
right of appointing and hOldlnS MN &c
/ sponsibe for the appointments OF Ger
/ tain officers of the city is very similar
| to the laws comforting the same rlghts
and duties upon the President OF the
! United States and the Governor Of the
/ state of Utah. / have given TINS Ques-
/ ton considerable study, ana IAN 70 IN ~
an instance where the Senate or thS
! United States, or the Senate OF Utah, mas
refused to confirm the appointments OL
such officials because OF polItlcal uiIIeI-
! ences, and l believe the precedent eslaD-
Hshed by the greater bodies ShOulu gov
| ern the actions of the lesser legislative
bodies, in our case the local city cOunCll.
! Il feel, as the executive head Of TINS
city that the responsibility OF seeing IlIdt
all the laws and ordinances OF the cry De
enforced to the letter, and that all Vlo-
IIations Of the same shall be punlsheu' Is
a responsibility now devOlvlng upon me,
and if there be laws the rigid enforcement NJ
of which will work a hardship upon the
community then it rests with the leSlsia-
tive branch of the government the CITY
council, to repeal such laws.
/ Now l have named for certain Offices
men whom l believe are reputable Gu
zens and amply qualified TO perform tHt
duties of the respective offices TO WnlCI
| I have named them in an honorable anC
efficient manner. The city council Ma
refused to confirm these men, for no otnel
reason than political differences I'M
leaves me without the association IN IIl'
a1-acrtive branch of the city government
of men who would be accountable 10 ms
for the discharge of their duties. L there
fore refuse to assume the respohsi1IlIl
for the existing conditions: Inc OiT'il4
J must lie with the city council, Wnlch aIon
is responsible, since they have made IN
ordinances and by their conduct nave as
f sumed the enforcement OF the same
I | 81 am for a greater Provo; l am Tor IN
/ betteTment and upuIJln5 OF the mo- az -
e the Provo citizens. If the couhcu VII
t | confirm the men L have named, L pIOLhls
Y the public that the laws will be enforced
f or We shall know the reason why: Bu
/ I certainly cannot be blamed for the &c
S tions OF men whom 1 have had no XOlc
a in naming, nor power to remove; ne
J. the city council is ready to confirm III
{ amendments 1 shall gladly assume IN
r responsibility for the enforcement OF IN
laws and ordinances of our city.
VERY respectfully,
Wv. H. RAY, Mayor.
NTavor Raw was elected by the Indeper
= dent Citizens ticket, on a platform tavol
| ing licensing the saloons under strict req
Iiafions. Only one of the councilmen o
the Citizens ticket was elected