The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-12-23
IT'S PIE.CouNTER souEAL..

The extraordinarily morbid appetite
for the pic-couutcr displayed by the
Smoot organ these days is something
TO be pitied. 1t fills its columns daily
with walls because the Federal bunch
does not control the new municipal ap-
poiutmeuts, and spitefully remarks
about those who do. and those who arc
recipients Of appointments by the new.
Neglected commissioners. It takes
pains to parade the alleged or assumed
party affiliations of the appointees.
and its mind is given over TO anguish
because it does not find the samc pulu.
Der of Federal bunch Republicans III
office that it finds amoug the preferred
belonging TO the membership of other
parties,
We cannot but think that there is
sort of political emotional insanity
firmly and deeply seated in the mind
OF our contemporary in regard TO this
matter What difference docs il make
to 4 commission which WAS elected
strictly on noupartisan basis, having
no relations whatever to any party,
what party a man belongs 10, provided
be is found 10 DC qualified, fit, aud
acceptable? On what basis would the
new commissioners Justify themselves
IN drawing political lipesg What is
there In the makeup OF this commis-
sion in the campaign which carried
them into office. or in their own dec.
laratious. that would Justify any claim
that they arc bound TO consider pollti.
cal affiliations in making their aP.
pointments? On what basis could the
new commissioners consistently draw
party lines Is it not the truth that pre-.
cisely the contrary was their strength
and the earnest proicstatiou of their
supporters in the recent election Did
we not hear on every hand that the
commission was entirely free from po-
Iitical bias or obligations; that it would
not conduct the city government on q
political basis that ii would have no
party debts to pay; and that 1T would
consider only the public interests and
the qualifications Of the appointees
All this the public Of Salt Lake City
knows. and the knowledge is so recent
that no one can be excused in forget.
ting it,
Whv. then, this iusistcnt and crazy
succession OF yells about the appoint.
mcnts of the new commissioners? What
sense is there in arraiguing them on
party lines! What docs all that sort
of thing amount to in view Of the facts
and the record? II any ono wishes to
hold the commissioners 10 any politi-
cal accountability in this matter. on
what basis shall he proceed! lie will
not find that the commissioners them
selves have at any time, acknowledged
any political fcalty in their official
capacities. They have. indeed, abso.
lutely repudiatcd anything Of the kind,
| and the Smoot organ is certainly ar
raiGning them on basis not only false,
but incxcusably vicious, when il makes
such an outcry because Dcmomcrat
| or. an American has been appointed to
office. and not a Republican or "ma.
| chine man. The Commissioners plat.
| form expressly committed them TO the
nourecoGnitiou of any. of these party
tics or obligations.
Why, then. should any ono I'm lcrtakc
TO hold them 10 such partisan tics nj
| this time! There can be only one au-
swer to that. This answer is. that the
mind of the person thus undertaking To
deal with the commissioners is so alb
solutely bcSottci with party politics
and bigotry that IT is wholly unable
| TO think about the public interest
aside from political pap; that it fails
| 10 comprehend how any one else can
| view the matter in different light
| Party advantage and party spoils cou.
stitute the whole creed OF the Smoot
organ, AMI it is absolutely bcwiIdcrc i
and nonplussed at the idea that any
one else can look upon the public scrv.
| ice IN any other light than as n politi-
cal Job. For itself il looks upon the
public interests as partisan prey. and is
cnragcd that all do not take the same
| Wow. With ii, the interests of the pub
| lie service count for nothing.