The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-08-04
the old toughs, including Geronimo
have died off.
CORRUPTION IN THE STATE.

We notice that the Ogdeu obanuaro,
whose editor has been hand In glove
and cheek by jowl with the Federal
bunch bosses In this State for years
past, speaks from the plenitude OF his
knowledge of some disgraceful things
which he evidently has some knowledge
Of In the affairs Of this State He claims
that the people want to know about tax
alton, why the big corporations escape
their just share of taxes, and how "thc
immense sums collected from the poor
people are squandered; and he al
firms that the people "want to know
how the State funds are handled, and
who are the beneficiaries Of the pres
ent system" By virtue of the Stand
ard editors connection with the Fed
eral bunch heretofore, he ought to be
able to give this information, and 1T is
clearly his duty to do so.
The Standard wants also to know
what was done with the land grants,
how the lands were sold, and how many
actual settlers were allowed to part1cl'
pate in the passing out of the hundreds
Of thousands Of acres. He affirms also
that the people "want to know more
il regard to certain scandals in State
affairs which havo been hushed up, one
in particular, the shortage OF funds np'
propriated for an exhibit at the Port
land World g Fair The Standard is
quite correct in stating that the peo-
pie want to know about all this; and
since the Standard editor has sprung
this question they would like to have
him pursue the subject and tell all
about it.
The Standard continues its hints by
saying that "the people want to know
tho forces at work which make possible
the suppression of these scandals which
should be thoroughly aired in order
that the taxpayers may measure Alright
the men who are in our public offices" "
Sure enough. And now let the Stand.
ard tell all about these forces and about
the suppressions which it affirma have
been made. AS a good citizen, its ed
itor is bound to do his full duty in
these points.
Finally. the Standard declares that
"the people want to know the relations
of our Senators to the fbig interests,
whether our Senators and Congressman
are representing the people or the big
corporations7 This evidently refers
to the letter which Apostle Smoot wrote
some three years ago when the prohib,-
tion fight was on, to President Smith Of
the Mormon church, asking him to
quiet the agitation and showing that
Smoot owes the retention of his seat
in the Senate to these big interests, of
which the liquor interests are a prom
inent part. Such has been alleged to be
substantially the contents of that letter,
by those who claim to have heard it read
1t has been publicly stated many times
that this was the tenure Of that letter.
Evidently the Standard is now referrinc
TO the rumored contents of that letter
in its rasping comment last quoted
Surely, as that letter so closely CON
Germs the people of this State in their
public capacity, it ought to be given
out for publication.
This is year of reckoning in Utah
politics. The infamous liquor deal that
was put into effect, joining the liquor
interests with the church interests in
the campaign of 1908, is yet unatoned
for. That and the scandals so point
edly limited at by the editor of the
Ogden Standard, who was on the inside
and doubtless knows all about the mat
ters that he brings forward, should all
be aired in the present years cam
Paign, and when they are thoroughly
aired, many an inflated windbag will be
punctured.