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Show Sie Salt LakeTribune FRIDAY/July 25, 1997 Page A14 pinion OUR VIEW The Salt Lake Tribune’s Editorial Position No Short Cut The Salt Lake County Commission is poised to recombinetheoffices of county attorney and district attorney. The commission will offer various justifications for this reversal, but the real reason can be summed up in two words: DougShort. Short, the controversial county attorney, has been a thorn in the commission’s side since he waselected in 1994, but that’s not reason enough to recombine the two attorney’soffices that were separated onlythree years ago. From a policystandpoint, that separation made senseandstill does. For many years, a single elected county attorney was responsible for both criminal prosecutions and civil cases. In addition,he or she advised the county's governing bodies. In 1993, at the urging of then Salt Lake County Attorney David Yocom, the Legislature passed a lawthat effectively allowed countiesto split their legal departments into twooffices, a district attorney to prosecute criminal cases and a county attorney to handle the government'scivil affairs. There are several advantagesto this arrangement. For one,it allows the elected official supervising each office to specialize in either criminal orcivil matters. It also eliminates someconflicts of interest. For example, a single county attorney's office may be called upon to investigate a county leader, yet the sameattorney’s office may later defend that leaderand his agencyina civil suit. With a separate D.A.’s office, that would not happen. Salt Lake County opted to create a separate D.A.’s office. However,the organizational reform did not anticipate the advent of Doug Short, who took office as county attorney at the sametime. Short has viewedhis role as a check on the county commission. He has questioned some of its appropriations to non-profit institutions and its authority to grant redevelopment subsidies, among other things. The resulting ill will has caused the commission to hire its own attorney, cut Short’s salary and sue him. The commission’s final blow would beto eliminate Short's job by recombining the county attorney’s and D.A.’s offices. The commission has argued that part of the explanation for the Doug rT ZK tee aS Short phenomenonis that the county atmust create controversy as a platform forre-election. But the conflict between Short and the commissionis better explained by egos andpolitical philosohy, not organizational structure. Letters from The Tribune's readers Congress Should Fund the NEA TheRest of the Story Changing that structure now will not More U.S. History Not everyone believes Gordon B. Hinckley’s propaganda (Tribune, July 6) that the burning of a government supply train was “the work of a desperate people acting in a desperate way,” as he put it. Those who have extensively studied the history of the LDS faith are well aware that the majority of the faith’s It wasa significantlynostalgic event. Occurring on the country’s Eastern seaboard, one more voyage undersail for the U.S.S. Constitution last Monday deserves as respectful a salute as the recreated 1847 Mormon wagon train’s Tuesdayarrivalin the Salt Lake Valley. To the Constitution can be traced this nation’s capacity for defendingits shores with convincing sea power. Commissioned 200 years ago this year, the frigate known affectionately as “Old Ironsides” was among the fledgling United States’ first warrior ships, commandedand crewed ably enoughto sail repeatedly, successfullyinto battle flying the Americanflag. It was duringa brilliant victory over the British frigate Guerriere, a War of 1812 engagement,that the ship is said to have acquired its nickname. Although its hull was sheathed with copper — the work of Paul Revere — the Constitution was by no means iron. Rather,its sturdy oak paneling’s deflection of British shot prompted the Constitution’s crewmen to call their vessel “Old Ironsides.” Following several subsequent triumphs but overcome by advancing naval technology, Constitution was eventually sidelined and almost scrapped. Credit is accorded 19th century author Oliver Wendell Holmes and his 1830 poem,“Old Ironsides,’’ for alerting the public so funding was raised to permanently restore Constitution. Mooredin Boston Harbor, whereit was originally launched in July 1797, Constitution has attracted countless visitors as a tangible link to the nation’s origins. And last Mondayit sailed again, thefirst time in 116 years, from Marblehead, Mass., back to its Boston Harbor home. Fortunately, the U.S, Navy still trains people able to master a form of ship commandand seamanshipthat became obsolete shortly after Constitution’s last previous fully-rigged voyage. And just as fortunately, hearts and minds of all who witnessed Monday’s commemorative sailing display could bestirred by the magnificent spectacle. ANOTHER VIEW Summarized From The Chicago Tribune Right Joint Chiefs Chairman ‘The man President Clinton nominated to behis chief military adviser is a veteran GreenBeret, paratrooper and ‘snake- fromTailhook to Aberdeen. It was imper- ative, therefore, that the next chairman eater” — an unconventional soldier be squeaky clean as well as a superior military leader and intellect trained to survive off the land, deep be- Byall accounts, Gen. Shelton fills the hind enemylines. If confirmed by the Senate, his special background should serve him and the nation — wellas the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. But ArmyGen. Henry H. Sheltonalso is uniquely qualified because of some of the things he’s not. He’s not a “ring-knocker,” meaning he didn't graduate fromthe U.S. Military Academy. He's also not a Beltwaygeneral, meaning hehasn't spent years tied to a desk at the Pentagon. And, presumably, he's not an officer scandalized bypast sexual indiscretions. ‘Thelatteris important because the55year-old Shelton also wasn't the first bill. He's described as a manofsterling reputation, unquestioned integrity and deep compassion. After graduating from North Carolina State with a degree in textile engineering, he began a 32-year ca. reer in the Army, posting one command after another from Vietnam to the Persian Gulf. In 1994 he deftly handled the military operation in Haiti There's nothing wrong with a West Point education or customary commands, choice to replace Army Gen. John Shali- size, shape androle for its armed forces in anera oflimited resources. Meantime, was Air Force Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, the militaryis increasingly being asked to respond tosituations in places like Bos- kashvili, who's retiring. The No. 1 pick vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, but he took himself out of the running last month after acknowledging that he had an adulterous affair in the mid-1980s A reckless fling may not have disquali fied anyone for promotion a few years ago, but in the 1990s, the military has been rocked by a series of sexual scandals nia, Somalia and Haiti that are far short ofall-out war, Gen. Shelton understands the new era. He has experienced the challenges and strainsit has put on the forcesin the field. He looksto be the right man for the job, and the Senate should confirm him. The Salt Lake Tribune UTAH'S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1871 PUBLISHER PAST PUBLISHERS Dominic Welch John F. Fitepatriek (1924-1960) John W. Gallivan (1960-1983) Jerry O'Brien (1983-1994) problems were brought upon themselves. They have eventried to justify the Mountain Meadows Massacre by invent- ing “Missourians” in the party, a lie ex- posed by the monument at the site which lists not one person from thatstate. That party was blood-atoned in the mistaken belief that the people of Arkansas were guilty of the death of LDS apostle Parley E. Pratt in Arkansas by a man from Louisiana because Pratt was absconding with his wife. In Utah if a man seduced a Mormon’s wife, the family was considered justified in taking the miscreant’s life. Not so whenthe shoe was on the otherfoot. But President Buchanan even offered the LDSa pardon for that in his proclamation of April 6, 1858, if they would only “pause deliberately andreflect well,” before they rejected his “tender of peace and good will” (Comp. Hist. of the Church, Roberts, pp. 426-7, Vol.4). In addition to the Mormonterrorism of burning the wagontrain, Buchanan enumerated two pagesof the sins of “that misguided people”and their “‘determination to oppose the authority of the government.” He warned themthat “‘persis- tence in it will bring you to condign i to ruin and shame;forit is mere madness to supposethat, with your limited resource, you can successfully re- sist the force of this great and powerful nation.” He added that “the land you live upon was purchased by the United States and paid forout of their treasury. The proprietary right and title to it is in them and not in you,” and he reminded them that they should not“try to mislead others by propagating the idea that this is a crusade against your religion. “Every intelligent man among you knows very well that this government has neverdirectly or indirectly sought to moJest you in your worship,to control you in yourecclesiastical affairs, or even to in- EDITOR James Shelledy EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR Harry B, Fuller, Jr KEARNS-TRIBUNE CORPORATION, 143 §, MAIN ST, SALT LAKE CITY, MITT Where to Write i When submitting letters to the Public Forum,please includeyourfull name, sig- nature, address and daytime telephone numbers. Information other than your nameand the city in which you live are kept confidential. Keepit short. Concise letters developing a single themeare more likely to be published 1 Please type and double space. W Letters are condensed andedited. 1 Because of the volume of mail received, notall submissions are published. 1 Mail to Public Forum, The Salt Lake Tribune, P.O. Box 867, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110. 1 Our fax numberis (801) 237-2316. your legal duty; it is without just cause, withoutreason, without excuse.” As Paul Harvey says, ‘the rest of the story” is the real one. GRANT N. MILDENHALL American Fork o Kudos for Cook Utahns should applaud Rep. Merrill Cook for voting his conscience and representing his constituents on recent fiscal issues, Instead of caving into the pressures of the Utah delegation and the Republican leadership, Rep. Cook bravely departed from other party members to vote for the arts and the environment. Most impressive was Congressman Cook's co-sponsorship of the Porter/Kennedy/Kasich amendmentto the Interior Appropriations package, This amendmentsought to end taxpayer-subsidized timber-road construction in our nationalforests, In fiscal year 1995, taxpayers directly funded over $600,000 for timber-road construction in Utah's six national forests. In the end, national forests in Utah lost over $5.5 million from timbersales. Much to his credit, Rep, Cook recog- nized a taxpayer subsidy and moved to eliminate it. By voting for the environment and the taxpayer, Rep. Cook also spotlighted the real intentions of Reps. Chris Cannon and Jim Hansen. AMELIA JENKINS Ogden Wewere struck with grief after reading the front-page headline “House Votes to Kill the NEA” (Tribune, July 11). Over the last several years we have watched with anger, frustration and dismay as Congress has managedto politicize everything from education to health care for the poor — andnow,art. When our mother returned to college at age 47 to earn her bachelor’s degree, oneof her favorite courses was art histo~ ry. Dinner conversations began to focus around the works of Van Gogh, Degas and Monet, as well as the infamous Mapplethorpe exhibit that was so heavily debated atthat time. We questioned, together, the significanceofart in culture, what defines art, whogets to be called “artist” and myriad other issues : Amid all of this questioning, however, Won’t Vote for Bennett Having been an admirer of Wallace never wereweso shortsighted and uncivilized to assert that federal funding for the arts be eliminated. Our parents are active LDS with many Bennett, even during the years I resided outside the state of Utah, I was moved to conservative views and do not support everything the NEA funds. But they be- vote for his son to be our junior senator. Early on, we weretreated to the spectacle of our junior senator materially lieve, and taught us to believe, that you supporting that despicable ex-senator from Oregon, Robert Packwood. Then came our junior senator's short-lived threat to hold up the promotion of Lt. Gen. George Babbitt. Another treat came on C-Span's “Washington Journal”with the appearance of our junior senator and Sen. Charles Robb of Virginia. Robb’s comments throughout that segment of the showwerelucid and coherenton the subject at hand. Our junior senator's comments consisted of cliches in place of measuredanalysis on the subject at hand. Now, we have the campaign finance hearings! Our junior senator suggested that fund-raiser John Huang may have been China’s mole in the Clinton campaign. Goodgrief! I was, however, greatly heartened by don’t have to like everything someone doesin orderto like the person. Similarly, you don't haveto like and support everything the NEA does in order to support the NEA. This should not be about power. This should not be about politics and elections and whose dogma comes outon top. This is about people and experience. It's about giving people something to live for, something that makes them think and learn and feel — dangerous occupations in these times. We'veheard that you can learn whata person truly values by looking through her checkbook. Similarly, this country’s priorities are recognizable by observing how Congress appropriates our tax dollars. With enough money approved for the construction of B-2 bombers to fuiitl the NEA for 108 years, what this says about our country is terrifying. our junior senator’s demonstratedability Eliminating the NEAis a direct hit in Congress’ ongoing war on people. Con- vote again! and invest money in experiences to improve it. KRISTEN and MARY RIEDELBACH to create, or have created, signage. I missed that aspect of the junior senator's background whenI decided to vote for him. He will not get this Republican's AUBREY KEIF St. George fluence you in your religious opinions. ‘This rebellion is not merely a violation of but this just isn't the time for traditionbound, uninspired leadershipat the Pentagon, Years after the Cold War's end, Americais struggling to find the proper = THE PUBLIC FORUM torney hastoolittle to do and that he make Short go away, andin the long term it will not serve the people ofSalt Lake Countybetter. f) gress must quit wasting our money on bil> lion-dollar devices used to destroy life Q oO Salt Lake City ~ NEAFunds Help Spread the Arts to Utah’s Rural Communities ‘The continuing debate about funding the arts is crucial to small cities and towns. We wholive outside the Wasatch Front are as anxious for arts opportunities as those wholive in the populated areas, That means we are even more dependent of the support of the Utah Arts Council and the funds it receives from the National Endowmentfor the Arts. For that reason we are most concerned about the concerted campaign to smearthe federal funding ofthe arts. but they help our communities raise ott er private funds to make the arts available here, not just in the population centers. Citizens who attend any of these per- from southern Utah on the Utah Arts Council, appointed by the governor, The Arts Councilis the icy in Utah which disburses NEA funds in this state, We oversee some 500 small matching ts to artists, arts organizations, schools and communities throughout the state each year, Wehave never granted moneyto do formances know that indecent materialis not presented. Such alarmist claims lagk credibility. The arts are sometimes controversial but we assure the citizens Of Utah that we consider tax monies a nilitter of trust and we spend hundreds-of volunteer hours making sure that these funds are spent to benefit the citizens of this state from the most remote spots: the centers of population. yi We are lly anxious that children and people in isolated places have an opportunity to experience quallity art in the form of music,literature apa all visual arts, We try to help organizations in all of Utah's commi any of the things suggested by thecritics ties as well as the major perfo We serve as citizen representatives of the NEA whocite examples of blasphe- myand perversion. For example, in Washington County, grants are given to the Southwest Symphony, the St. George Musical Theater, the Dixie Invitational Art Show, Tuacahn Center for the Arts, Zion Arts in Springdale, the Celebrity Concert Series)the 0.C, Tanner Concert Series, Concerts in the Park and artists who visit in the schools. These funds are seed money and provide only a small portion of the cost, groups. Weknow that our congressional gation is informed about the of the arts activities in Utah. > q We ex; M Cook for their support in the face very loud alarmist campaign. DOUGLAS D. ALDER L'DEANE TRUBLOOD FLOYD RIGBY St. George POORCt |