The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-11-11
NEWSPAPER DECISIONS VAIN.

NEWSPAPER DECISIONS VAIN.
With respect TO the proposed Mulvey
i suit TO test the validity of the law
which undertook to force a commission
form of government upon this city with
out reference to tho peoples desires
The Tribune wishes TO reinforce what II
said yesterday in the way Of urging a
! speedy determination OF the case. We
wish also TO add that. since such grave
| questions have arisen with respect 10
| The validity of that law. II is clearly
! to the advantage of the city and of the
tions speedily settled: and if they can
be settled before the time comes for this
new administration to take office, II
will be all the better.
Mr.. Barrettc, one of the attorneys
who has expressed his opinion on the
general features OF this case. put thc
matter very clearly and plainly when
he said that important financial consid.
erations were involved. a possible issue
of bonds, certainty OF issues OF war
rants, any of which might be challenged
at any time through the raising of the
question Of the power of those who
sign these financial issues on the part
of the city, of their legal right TO do
so. The questions as stated by Mr..
Barrette are very grave, and they are
liable at any day to become very press
ing. Mr., Mulvey has raised the qucs-
tlons, but it was inevitable that they
would be raised, and it is Just as well,
speaking from the public standpoint, to
have him raise them as anybody, The
questions are there for solution, some
of the most eminent attorneys in the
city have declared their importance and
the doubtful nature Of the points raised
under hem. Tt is clear that it is TO the
advantage of the city and of the new
administration TO have these questions
settled, and settled without delay.
We do not see, either, any advantage
IN the following of this case or in the
discussion of 1t. TO have pretended set
Elements and adiudications of the full
matter in the newspaper press. The Des.
eret News on Thursday evening took up
the whole matter and discussed it quite
in the same vein that it used to discuss
decisions of the Supreme Court Of the
United States. refuting them with ease
and in its own opinion bearing off the
palm of victorious argument. And still.
singular as it NAV seem, the decisions
of the Supreme Court were, in fact. the
law, whereas the newspaper argument
was mere froth, and died away with
out notice, cas- weak as foam on the
sands.' The Smoot paper yesterday
morning undertook to settle the mat
ter In the same way, and announced as
a settled proposition on which there
could be no dispute, and from which
there could be no appeal, that Mulvey,
IN bringing this suit, is without leg
TO stand on.'
All that is mere froth and nonsense.
The issues as explained by Mr.. Barrette
by Judge Dickson, and by others, are
large and clear. To wrangle about the
form in which A suit should be brought.
or TO undertake before the decision Of
the court to fix in the public mind
settled conviction which the court may
perhaps wholly overturn, tends neither
TO sensible community concord, nor 10
the actual adjustment of the case. The |
questions are up; the attorneys in the
case have announced their determine
lion TO seek judicial Interpretation the |
issues arc so important that they can.
not be cvaded; and there is but one way
IN which they can be settled, that is,
IN the courts. Why not leave them |
there, without undertaking 10 stir I'D |
further animosity and indulging in |
iagrant and vicious political wranglinr
about question which ought 10 be, and
n fact is, wholly a legal question, 10
oe decided iudiciaIIy, and not by igno.
.ant and stupid clamor?