The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-09-23
THE MUCH MIXED PLATFORM.

In a vain attempt TO crafty the
Smoot organ S spite against the Salt
Lake City Commission, which NEGLECTED
to consult the bunch in its appointment
of a chief of police, the Republican
legislative convention inserted plank
in its platform pledging its candidatei
to Iegislate for the recall Of city com
missioners.
In the very fact that tho platform
makes no reference to county commits
sioners, and does not favor the recall
Of any other officials of tho State OF
county, the purpose is plain. It is ia
carry to It's logical conclusion the hate
OF the Smoot organ as expressed
from time to time in its editorial col
umns and manifested in the coloring of
every news story relating to the work
of the city commission.
Nothing is said about the recall Of
sheriff for playing politics at pub
lie expense, nor Of a county commits
sioner who sees that all good roads
built by taxpayers lead to his home,
nor of State officials who place pub
lie funds where they will do the most
good to the officials personally. The
abuse Of public confidence and the mis-
direction Of public money on illegal
advertising and other questionable
contracts, are not the evils the franz
ers OF that platform sought to curb.
What they evidently desire to punish
is the letting Of advertising and other
contracts Of the city to the lowest bid
ders, the collection Of interest on public
funds for the benefit of the taxpayer.
For whatever mistakes the city COM
mission has made, and whatever may
be the limitations Of the individual
commissioners, no one denies, unless
he has some personal grievance, that
the business of the city is on bust
ness basis, that graft and favoritlsm
are not and have not been features,
and that an earnest effort is being
made to rid the city Of the vicious and
to close the haunts Of vice.
Even the Smoot organ considers this
pledge of the platform an error which
its well-known hatred of the present
and all the ingenuity of
Is skilled sophistry cannot Justify. II
sven calls attention to the fact that
'the State convention Of the party, by
/ staggering, overwhelming vote," re-
used to indorse the fsllacy. There
ore the county legislative candidates
IN the Republican ticket are pledged
o policy which is contrary to the
,olicy Of the Republicans Of the State,
IS expressed in their State conven-
Ion, and is actually repudiated as a
angerous fad by their party paper
Though it sympathizes with its vici-
us purpose,
The Smoot organ, after repeated at
empts to stir up discord and opposi.
ion to the city commission, is in a
osition to show what it is talking
bout when 1T says:
alt Lake since January l. there would
ave been half a dozen city elections by
lls time Every dtsgruntled politician
ith money enough to have employed
Nouiu nave a
all election.
And that is one of the evils of the
ecall system. An unscrupulous news.
aper or a disgruntled politician can
eep the community in an nproar and
,volve it in endless expense until that
aper or politician gets what it wants
ther in the appointment of a police
hieftain or the letting of advertis-
~ at fancy figure.
If the people don t like the COM
ission form of government let them
SIX for the repeal of the law, and not
ngle ont certain public officials for
'call because they happen to be the
1ly ones now holding office not
ected at the instigation of the Fed.
al bunch The Tribune was not in
lvor of this form of city govern
ent, and is not now: but it has tried
} be fair and give the commission
lanee, rather than 10 begin CRITICS
Z and condemnlng it from the day il I
as installed. i