The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-03-02
Wrestling OF JUDGMENT.

The Smoot organ had another hyster-
ical wall yesterday morning upon the
dismissal Of Captain Hcmpel from the
police force, 1t reiterated It's stale and
false charges that The Tribune dictated
the appointment OF the City Recorder
and the Chief of Police. We have re-
peatedly denied this, and again enter
denial. There ism t the shadow of rea-
son for any such charge.
The Smoot organ makes the charge
again that The Tribune had something
to do with the discharge Of Captain
Hempel, and It even goes to the length
Of stating that The Tribune called for
or dictated the dismissal Of Captain
Hempel. There is not one word Of
truth in either proposition. The Trib,
une had nothing whatever to do with
Hempel's discharge, and knew nothing
about it until after the dismissal had
been ordered.
The organ says that as to the reason
for Hempel's dismissal cit has not vet
been given by the Chief of Police or the
members Of the City Commission We
had read the matter somewhat differ.
emily. 1t seems to us that we saw that
the dismissal of Captain Hempel had
been made "for the good Of the serv-
ice;" and since the Chief moved in
that dismissal and Hempel's dismissal
was concurred in by tho FIVE city com
missioners unanimously, there would
seem to be fair prima facie case that
the good Of the service demanded Cap
tain Hempel's dismissal.
The Smoot organ is very insistent on
the proposition that there is some uI.
terror reason for the dismissal, and that
this hidden reason should be given to
the public. There is not, however. any
necessary implication that there Is a
hidden reason. The reason given is suf-
hcient, and there is no occasion for
seeking for any other. But there is
reason for asking why the Smoot or
gan is so Tremendously exercised about
the dismissal of n former American
party member Of the police force. As
candid proposition, what interest has !
the Smoot organ in former American |
party ofiicial9 Has it not shown its
vindictiveness TO the American party |
and everyone connected with iti And |
does not this establish the fact that un. |
less there is some reason directly con-
nected with its own interest involved in |
the case, 1t would take no account what. |
ever of an American party officials dis |
missal? Now what is that interest of |
the Smoot organ in tho Hempel caseY
Why does it make such an uproar about
his dismissal1 What had it to gain nv
keeping him on the force7 In what way
would his presence on the force be ad
vantageous to the Smoot organ7 These
are questions that the public will nat.
urally ask, since the organ is 80 tremen-
dously exercised about Hempel's dis.
mlssal' The protestations made and the
anguish manifested by the organ are
a complete give-away that it had some
hidden reason for desiring the con.
tinued presence Of Captain Hempel on
the police force. What was that rea-
sonf Let us get to the bottom of this
matter, and let the organ state wbv il
Is 80 hurt ut the dismissal Of Cantain
Hempel. Every ono knows that the or.
gan Is IN no position to claim anything q
like altruistic motives or anything but
the most interested, sordid concern in
matter Of this kind. What was thai