American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1921-07-09

with the law, which requires that this
statement must be presented to the
public through a newspaper. At that
time. and afterwards - repeatedly
The Sun pointed out to this all as
81 ming monitor OF the boards affairs
that the inadequate summary as print
I'd was not what the law demanded,
and on repeated refusals to go fur
Their. and insistence that the publ
cation already made was sufficient. the
manager OF The Sun Instituted man.
damus proceeding before the Seventh
Judicial District court at Price to
compel the board to comply with the
law. These columns have heretofore
carried the story Of the result OF this
action in which Judge Dilworth Wooley
handed down a decision unfolding The
Suns contention. and In which ne
declared that the board has mot COM
piled with the law''--that the state
ment, as published, IL so wholly In
sufficient that II does not ut all COM
ply with the law. and therefore Is no
statement at all" From this decision
the board Of education appealed. and
TIE supreme court OF Utah on Tues
day last rendered r. decision unanim-
ously concerning, the document being
written by Hon. f. Il. Corfman. chief
Justice. and signed also by Hon. Joseph
", Frick. Hon. A. J. Weber. Hon Val
entine Gibeon and Hon. 8. X. Thur
man. associate justices. The law un-
der which this whole matter Is
brought up is so plain and direct, and
its. purpose Of having the finances
OF the school board placed before the
taxpayers Is 80 clear and the opinions
Of 80 many well informed people with
whom The Sun has had discussion on
the matter. have been SO absolutely
that the statement should
be published as outlined by the law.
and the legislative intent. purpose
and idea that the money paid for such
would be more economy
than would be effected by failing to
publish Is so potent that II seems al
most incredible that an open dis
regard Of the required legal formal
tiles would be held to even by high
handed clerk of the board.
Judge wooley Emphatic
Judge Dilworth wooiey was very
emphatic in his declarations on the
matter In the decision he rendered last
spring, but the supreme court goes
even further than did the district
Judge In giving expression to thoughts
that can mean only that this report
should have been prepared by the
clerk as Is directed by law without
my indirection. That a mere saving
0: the cost OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
with perhaps. a disinclination for the
labor involved In the preparation
D; a rather extensive report are the
only considerations In the clerks
mind. and that there Is no Interior
reason for wishing to suppress any
hing In this connection is the old and
,ommon plea of people In such po-
litions the country over The law In
question IL one of many years stand
ng on rtah's statute books. and no
Gult has been found with it's provis-
ems or the Practicability OF their OPP
'ration. Similar laws are In opera
Ion In many other states and just
he past winter several legislatures
rave passed measures In which pub |
&c oficials are inundated In the pub
fishing OF statements showing how
,ublic funds are handled. No evading |
lea OF economy should hold the in |
from the taxpayers. and no |
safeguard Of public funds is TO be
10 the light OF open publi- /
,ty. The publication Of the report OF
clerk who handles the boards at
airs should be welcomed by all who
ne worthy to hold such a situation.
Had this position been taken by the
Jerk in Carbon district In previous
ears there would have been saved
considerable effort on the part OF ev-
rybody concerned. the public would
ave been given their rights In the
natter and enough money have been
aved to the school treasury In legal
eryices alone TO pay for the printing
{ quite number OF annual reports,
'hich must now he published any