Show CAN WJE LIFT lIEn The efforts of THE HEKALD to induce the beginning of public improvements I by the city is unquestionably endorsed by the public They are endorsed by Som prominent city officials also Yet one of these speaking of the subject sub-ject said Keep up your work but you cinuot lift her This is an unfortunate un-fortunate sentiment for a prominent municipal official It is unfortunate because he evidently lacks the faith necessary to work for that which he would like to see accomplished We do not care for the reputation which maybe may-be obtained by inducing a sentiment that will compel the inauguration of I public improvements It is a clear business proposition On this we rely The Council is composed of business busi-ness men who are property owners It is presumable they are acquainted with the great amount of money that has found its way into this city within the last six months They are certainly acquainted with the most astonishing increase in the valua of realty an increase which was not only unexpected unex-pected but which is not the result of deliberate investment Many almost poor in a financial sense have in a month and without any effort on their part found themselves comparatively affluent This is not confined to one or two cases It goes into hundreds and it is a fact that every owner of real estate in the city has without any especial effort on his part found himself him-self richer because of his realty not only by 50 per cent but ranging up to hundreds There is a market for every foot of land in Salt Lake City and a market too at rates the most sanguine dared not dream as possible A man can sell or not as he wills and it is no injustice to those who do not sell to insist that they contribute of their new found wealth for the better appearance of the city A tax honestly expended is a good investment for the taxpayer I There is no absolute basis for a continuation con-tinuation of the present feeling of prosperity pros-perity Any warm afternoon the sunny side of our business streets are darkened with idle men There is no true prosperity in such a condition It is true that one might scatter the entire 1 en-tire crowd by offering them work But it Is also true that a HERALD advertisement calling for an engineer is answered by between thirty and fifty applicants eager for work This is not a good showing This single instance is illustrative of many in various directions di-rections The evidence of prosperity is found in the obtaining of employment by all willing to work All willing hands cannot find employment today But this can be changed One hundred hun-dred men could be put at work for a year at a living wage and if taxes are assessed at anything like the value that obtains today the payment of these men woald never be felt In olden times in fact in our own times in this city prudence has dictated the wisdom of keeping I those who are involuntarily idly em ployed and paying them out of the j public funds for work that was not even I necessary In our own case the work of public improvement is imperatively demanded It demanded if there were no boom It is demanded because of our growing grow-ing prosperity It is demanded that citizens may not be ashamed of the place they boast asa as-a home Itis absolutely demanded by the interest inter-est of every taxpayer that values maybe may-be maintained and improved and that the present hope for material advancement advance-ment may ripen and bear fruit and not ba permitted to wither and die It is a question of money It is a question of patriotism We are great at talk It is time we I did something No be er time is afforded af-forded than the pree mt There is no money in idle men A It hurts the city > It is an injury to all Why then cannot the council be I lifted Why these things not be ommen d and now I The old Council was equal to its day If t je new is equal to this day some 1 t img w 1 be accomplished We are confident that there was deep bitterness in the remark of one party who said tnat the present Council would be found more opposed to public expenditures than the old and intimated inti-mated that personal parsimony would be the guiding principle The opinion was shared by others It cannot can-not be well founded for the reason that the Council in the main is composed of successful business men and success is indicative of broad views Action of an early day looking toward decidec improvements will demonstrate that the new Council will carry out the sentiment sen-timent which raised the members to the trust reposed in them The sentiment under which the new officers were elected was that the city was about to undertake extensive improvements and that business men should be elected to tee that these public improvements should be conducted by business men and with broad business liberality THE HERALD says she will be lifted All we desire ia that it should begin early at once |