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Show KOTUINO UKB TRUTH. The Chamber or Commerce Is Hot iu the Lobbying Business. Yestenby morning the Herald printed a dispatch i'rom its Washington correspondent corres-pondent relating to the mission of Governor Gov-ernor Thomas and ex-Governor West to the national capital, it which it was stated that oue of these gentlemen had been seen in conversation with. Mr. Baskin. In commenting editorially upon this dispatch the Herald implies that the chamber of commerce has been guilty of a misappropriation of its funds iu sending these gentlemen to Washington Washing-ton on a political mission. . A Times' representative, desirous of arriving at a full and correct understanding under-standing of the situation, this morning saw Mr. J. W. Donnellan, who said substantially: sub-stantially: "The mission of Governor Thomas to Washington has nothing to do with the presence of ex-Governor West in that city. Governor Thomas was sent to Washington by the chamber of commerce com-merce to look after the bill, then pending pend-ing before the Senate, making an appropriation ap-propriation for government buildings in Salt Lake; and it was also resolved by tho chamber that at tho same time Governor Thomas should endeavor to induco the government to improve and beautify the public grounds included within tho Fort Doughis reservation. "Subsequent to this action of tho chamber ex-Governor West was selected select-ed by a number of tho real estate dealers in Salt Lako to go to Washington Washing-ton for a purpose similar in its scope to this latter portion of Governor Thomas' nistrticLons, and also to secure the establishment es-tablishment at one of tho resorts iu this vicinity of tho annual encampment of United States troops in this military department, and these gentlemen contributed con-tributed from their private means a sum of money sufficient to bear tho expenses ex-penses of tho ex-governor. With this movement tho chamber of commerco had nothiug whatever to do." Mr. Simons, tho vice-president of the chamber of commerce, was also seen, and that gentleman affirmed every word uttered by Mr. Donellan. Mr. Gillespie, the secretary of the chamber, was even more emphatic than either Mr. Donnellan or Mr. Simons in his denial de-nial that that the chamber of commerce had anything to do with the mission of ex-Governor West to Washington. In view of these facts, it does not appear ap-pear plausible that a body composed, as is the chamber, of men of all parties and creeds would send delegates to Washington to lobby in tho interests of any particular political body or against any particular religious faith. The following communication has been handed in at The Times office for publication: THE CHAMBER OK COMMERCE. Upon an unfounded rumor, an attempt at-tempt is being niado to connect tho work of the chamber of commerce with such political moves as arise from time to time between the different political factions of this territory. The management of 'the chamber desires de-sires to state , that the organization organi-zation of the chamber is absolutely ab-solutely neutral in all its dealings deal-ings and work with and for tho public. This course has been pursued from the day tho institution was inaugurated, and is to this day the mainstay and foundation of the organization. Tho board of directors will opposo any all attempts to injure tho chamber of commerce by any insinuations of this character, may they come from any source whatsoever. The mission of tho governor of this territory iu Washington is to see that the public building appropriation, for which tho chamber of commerce had worked so energetically and effectiv ely fore the senate, should be passed finally for $500,000, if possible. It was only at the urgent request, and after having been fully discussed at a meeting of tho board, that Governor Thomas was prevailed pre-vailed upon to undertake this mission. At that meetiug it was also decided that an effort should be made to obtain an appropriation for tho purpose of parking the Fort Douglas reservation. lor tins purpose tho real estate men procured the necessary means to send Governor West also to" Washington. The chamber of commerce shall continue con-tinue to stand upon neutral ground, irrespective ir-respective of creed or party, and do its work only in the interest of the building build-ing up of this city, and for the gooil of this territory. FkEU Simons, T, Acting President. Irank K. Gellkspik, Secretary. |