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Show A Real Issue Wilkinson s Ledger? If Ernest L. Wilkinson were not running for U.S. Senator from Utah, we could gladly ignore his financial finan-cial ledger and let him enjoy the privileges of living as any other citizen of our free enterprise system. But Republican Wilkinson does not want to be just any other citizen. He wants to represent us in Washington. Wash-ington. If he is truly going to represent our interests, don't we have the right to know what his interests are? If, as the Democrats charge, Wilkinson has invested in-vested several million dollars in a Houston, Texas, apartment house, and if Wilkinson has mortgaged that apartment house through a Texas bank, then we might conceivably choose soma better representative represent-ative of Utah's interests. If the charges are false, why hasn't Wilkinson answered an-swered them? Why does he continue to ignore the challenge chal-lenge to reveal his financial interests? If there is no conflict of interest, and if Wilkinson's investments do represent an interest in Utah, why doesn't he release a complete financial statement? The four national candidates have listed their holdings hold-ings and sources of income. Senator Frank E. Moss, Wilkinson's opponent, released his private financial ledger in April. It seems ironic that Wilkinson continually initiates the question of money in relation to Moss, but remains conspicuously silent in relation to himself. him-self. Moss has, to our mind, fully answered the charges made against him. His vote for a federal pay raise was based on the fact that the increase covered all federal employes, including 22,000 in Utah. And Moss did vote against the amendment that raised his own pay. Certainly Wilkinson has had sufficient opportunity opportu-nity to answer Democratic charges. At the candidates' recent appearance in the Union Ballroom, Moss challenged chal-lenged Wilkinson to reveal his financial involvements. There was no answer. There has never been an adequate answer. Yes, we have heard that Wilkinson had humble beginnings in Ogdenbut does this mean he looks to a humble service in the U.S. Senate? Yes, we have heard that, as a lawyer, Wilkinson never turned away a client who could not pay but does this mean he has worked for no money throughout his life? Yes, we have heard that Wilkinson served as President Presi-dent of Brigham Young University for 13 years without with-out pay but does this mean that he had no source of income during that time? Yes, we have heard that Wilkinson has made large investments in Utah property but does this erase the alleged Texas investment? Yes, we have heard that the majority of Wilkinson's Wil-kinson's money (all but $200,000, whatever that means) was willed to scholarships for BYUbut does this show where Wilkinson's assets are, or does it really prove his interest in all of Utah, even all of Utah's students? Wilkinson has not answered any of these questions. ques-tions. We can only conclude that he does not trust his financial records to public scrutiny. |
