The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-17
MR.. JEFFERY'S CURTNEss.

We are surprised that President
Jeffery. of the Western Pacific should
reject so curtly the celebration and fe
licitations proifered by citizens of Salt
Lake, in iubilation at the completion OF
the Western Pacific railroad between
this city and San Francisco, and The
completion Of the joint depot Of thai
road and the Denver Il Rio Grandc, in
this city. The proifer sprang from abun.
dant good will and good feeling at the
completion and opening of this new
road between here and the coast. There
does not seem to be any sufficient rca-
son for President Jefrory's rejection
of this prefer of felicitation and good
will.
The reason intimated by President
Jeffory is that the Commercial Club S
Traffic Bureau in it's Bulletins has re-
ferred in critical way to the courtesy
of the road extended TO members Of the
Legislature of 1909, in trip westward
from this city TO Wendover. We arc
sure, however, that President JefTcry
takes that reference too seriously, 1t
may have been unwisc for the Traffic
Burenu to mako that reference; perhaps
it was. But that affords no reason for
rejecting the proifer Of the good will
of the people of this city toward the
road on its completion and opening. and
on tho finishing Of its fine new joint
depot.
The one thing which President Jefrery
might be justified in taking seriously
is tho move that is on here for the re-
duction in coal rates Of tho Denver &
Rio Grande road from the mines III
Carbon county to this city. We hold
that the people here have q perfect
right to agitate for and TO obtain re-
lief in this direction, as they sec fit;
and the road rs not justified in resenting
such agitation. The road is justified,
to be sure. in presenting every reason
BIT can bring forward against the pro
posed reduction. 1t is justified IN max
ing showing in every detail why such
reduction should not he made; that IS
it's business. and no one would have the
least right to find fault with the road
for making its defense in such way
as it may see fit. But when that move
ment on the part of the business men
here is made the occasion for spurning
the fluctuations of this community on
the opening Of this now road to the
coast. then tho public has right to
feel offended, and to blame Mr.. Jcf'cry
for curt rejection, on an improper
basis, Of its good Will. That rejection
is placed on n ground that is wholly
aside from the question. Tho real
ground Of Ill feeling on President JEFF
fcry's part is doubtless on account of
the agitation for reduced coal rates,
something entirely foreign to this cello
bratioD.
But if President Jei'ery is Of the
opinion that the Commercial Club s
over trip Of last winter is wcighty
enough to cause his rejection Of Salt
Lakes good will and cheer, Of course
he is entitled to that opinion. 1t seems
to us, however, that he has made an
unjustifable repuIsc of Salt Lake City's
good feeling in this matter; and If his
real animus is on account Of the agi-
tatiou for reduced coal rates, he surely
should have said so. But, of course,
to have said that would have been to
deny the right Of the people to move
for a redress Of what they consider
grievance. Yet it would have been
more creditable to President JcGery to
have put that as the reason, if, in fact,
it was the reason, for Il frigid, if not
contemptuous, letter. The reason which
he suggests, however, is both inappll-
cable and trivial; and he makes bad
mistake in resting his rejection of Salt
Lakes good viii on a basis so weak.