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Show THE Cl TIZEN 4 terion, making it appear that new men will be elected, many are entering the race for city commissioner. There is another angle to the numerous applicants out for office. It is reported that the friends of the ins are trying to induce as many new entries as possible in order to cinch the nomination of Mayor Neslen, T. T. Burton and Charles N. Fehr, who have the city machine behind them and who will control a big vote. The more opponents they have, the easier will be their nomination, a political trick which can always be worked under our present form of government. The vote of the people is divided among many candidates, while the machine vote goes solid. Much of the the time of the office holders and employes of the city from now on will be out hustling votes for their bosses and in that way office efficiency is decreased and the taxpayers are called upon to foot bills which ought to be paid personally by the office seekers. Those not holding office must pay their own bills and here again the commission form of government becomes unfair and makes it Among those talked of for mayor are 0. R. Dibblee, John F. Bowman, Milton E. Lipman, Malcolm A. Keyser, Leon B. Hampton, Jesse Sharp, and Joseph H. Rayburn. In connection with Rayburns name, the Salt Lake Tribune hints that he might be secured on the grounds that the present form of government be changed to that of managership and hand a life term plum to Mr. Rayburn. Its fine for Rayburn, but we dont believe in that kind of government or any other government which borders upon imperialism. This city has given Rayburn a handsome berth for several years, and we see no reason why the taxpayers of Salt Lake should create a $25,000 political job for Rayburn. We say this at this time because it has been in the cards for several years that we should change our present form of government to fit some certain individual. Rumors will out and there have been plenty of them. There has been too much monkey business in our political affairs as it is, and we would like to see government upon purely party lines. Those in the race for the nomination for city commissioner are Commission T. T. Burton of Public Safety and Charles N. Fehr, of Finance, who wish to succeed themselves, and L. C. Riter, Charles Cottrell, Jr., Marlow L. Cummings, B. D. Field, Ed. Crawford, J. Parley White, William T. Burton, Charlie Bengtzen, Jesse F. Cannon, Frank P. Walts, E. Hugh Miller, Mr. James H. Wolfe, John S. Corless, S. W. Tooke, and some of the Democrats are prompting Ben R. Harries. There are many others spoken of, but they are holding back their announcements. un-Americ- an. SMITH FAVORED. HORSE RACING POPULAR. -- .. The handling of wagers by the pari mutuel system at horse race tracks are legitimate at Lagoon, according to .the ruling of Judge George S. Barker, and probably the racing will continue without further interference from those who would like to close the track. Several months ago The Citizen called attention to the fact that when the Redd Racing Act was repealed, without amendment, that there was nothing on our stateute books which could stop betting via the pari mutuel machines at the track. Our supreme court has decided in favor of the machines, which decision was filed during the life of the Redd Act. When that act was repealed, it left the state without any racing regulation. Horse racing is always admissible, just as football or baseball or any other sport. The law only endeavors to regulate the betting end of the sport, which is called gambling. The law never did prevent horse racing, but racing is seldom held where betting is absolutely prohibited, owing to the big expense attached to the promotion end of the game. No better endorsement of horse racing can be had than was shown by the large attendance at the Lagoon race track on Labor Day. All the grandstands and byways were filled to overflowing, and hundreds of people asked permission to stand inside the track. No doubt it was the largest crowd that had ever gathered to see any sporting event in the history of the state. Manager William P. Kyne is giving the people good racing and the large crowds that go to the track clearly indicate the popularity of the sport. ' MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY. The wonder city that will be Washington in years to come is piictured in plans of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission which calls for an expenditure of many millions of dollars for new plazas, parks, parkways, recreational centers, airways, inner and outer boulevards, streets, monuments, public buildings, stadiums, underground garages, street widening and other improved transportation facilities. Tentative plans provide ultimately for the addition to Washingtons 228 miles of beautiful, shady asphalt streets of several hundred miles of new thoroughfares in the District of Columbia and adjacent territory in Maryland and Virginia. In respect to street improvement, the District of Columbia is only now beginning to come into its own again. Seventy-on- e streets are being improved with asphalt this summer, and several additional concrete and other type streets are to be resurfaced with asphalt. . While the Democrats in the east are consolidating their forces in behalf of the presidential candidacy of Governor Smith, there are evidences that his boom is making headway in the territory of his potential opponents. Marion L. Fox, executive secretary of the McAdoo campaign committee in 1924, is of the opinion that it would be party suicide for the Democrats to name any one else in 1928. He is thoroughly familiar with the temper of the Democratic voters in the west and south. Hence he believes that only a Democratic candidate who, like Governor Smith, has a strong following in the east and north, has a chance to succeed. Samuel W. Fordyce, chairman of the Democratic state committee of Missouri, likewise is impressed with the chances of Governor Smith. While he declares that Missouri will give its favorite son vote to Senator Jim Reed, he intimates that failure of Senator Reeds candidacy would throw Missouris vote to Governor Smith. These are indications of a drift of sentiment toward the Smith candidacy that is easly understandable. Many Democrats feel that, win or lose, he must have his chance. If he does not have a try at the presidency in 1928, he will be seeking it in 1932, and an effort to delay that chance might create an even more uncomfortable situation. ; . BUSSES. On January 1, 333 street railways were operating 7749 busses, as against 280 companies with only 5359 busses a year before. This year, the companies have set aside $15,410,000 for the purchase of new busses to extend their service as feeders for the existing car lines. Bus service will never equal the electric car for the handling of mass transportation. Electricity remains the premier power for the heavy traffic. But for lighter traffic, the bus is proving its usefulness in conjunction with the electric lines. .. CALAMITY HOWLERS. There is so much talk of agricultural depression that if is not only doing the country no good, but it is not the truth. On the other hand, farmers were never more prosperous than' they are today. They get much better prices for their products, resulting in building new homes, many of them modernly equipped ; purchase new automobiles for their families, and their farms are equipped with tractors and modern machinery which a few years ago could not even be thought or dreamed of. t .ti |