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Show POLITICO-PERSONAL III all of the political history of the city and state, there has probably never been a funnier meeting held than that of those styling themselves them-selves the Progressive Republican League, the members of which foregathered at the offices of tho'Western Publicity Association (whatever that is,) in the Boyd Park building on Wednesday night. It was not so much what occurred at the meeting that excited the risibilities of those who read the stories of the proceedings, as the personnel of the choice cluster of politicians, comprising for the most part all of the disgruntled, dis-gruntled, has-been, down-and-out, and would-oe heelers, ringsters, pap-cravlng political derelicts within the hearing of the clarion call of those self-sacrificing souls who are willing to devote their precious time to the work of redemption in our sorely afflicted city and state. Before remarking on the matter further, it would be well to mention a few of "those present" In order or-der that the breathless voters may fully appreciate appreci-ate the kind of politicians who will essay to lead them through the jungles to a victory that will mean political purity. The list Included F. I. Sefrlt, A. F. Phillips, Charles Mostyn Owen, C. J. Crabtree, James De-vlne, De-vlne, John Hopfenback, William Glasmann, W. M. Wantland and others. Among the others, we note with surprise the names of Parley P. Jen-son Jen-son and George Wilson, but probably they attended at-tended the meeting under a misapprehension and were surprised when they found the compan-they compan-they were in. Can't you hear Garge whisperln' to Parley, "Wot t 11 you doin' here, Parley?" And Parley hissing back, "Damfino, Garge. What-eryou?" What-eryou?" But to revert to the others, It seems that a Mr. Glassman of Ogden, that political mountebank mounte-bank and boss liar of the universe, was the leading spirit, and we have got to hand It to Bill for the distinction. Think of being chosen on account of his aforesaid natural abilities and other similar attributes too numerous to mention, men-tion, out of a gang like that! It would swell tho ego in any man to the point of bursting, and the only reason that no spontaneous combustion com-bustion of this kind occurred In Bill was probably prob-ably because during the past twenty years he has become used to the burden of the medals pinned on him for his peerless abilities, and personal -grace. Then we note that dear old Frank Sefrlt was there, and Is reported to have stated that the American party as it is now constituted does not meet with his full endorsement. That is sad, indeed, but "does Mr. Sefrlt realize how many more people now endorse the American party than before he severed his connection with it. Of course, there is a possibility that a thought of that kind would never occur to him, and in fact it would not be surprising If he was still under un-der the impression that there are thousands of voters in the American party who loVe every bone in his head. Then, of course, as Mr. Sefrlt was present, his man "Friday,"' Mr. Phillips, was also there, as well as his partner, Charles Mostyn Owen, that prime paid prier who is conceded a life position In the portfolio of inspection of private domestic relations. James Devine could not resist re-sist the temptation to again assert that he was a perfectly good Republican, and Mr. Crabtree was also present and it was proper that he should be, for his stainless record as a racehorse man, politician, and keeper of a pure food emporium in the basement of Walker's bank makes htm eligible for leadership in a movement for politi-pal politi-pal .reform. "Wanty" was there also, raising his voice a bul 'k of strength with an endorsement endorse-ment of the move, the while punctuating his ut- teiances with his well known questions as to "What's new?" "What do you know?" It is a crying shame that the gathering was not complete. All that was necessary to make it so would have been the presence of the members mem-bers of the last legislature. It would then have been a sight and sound for the gods, though it is doubtful if even they could have withstood the I strain. I The town has been laughing for a week over the suit filed by "Cuiley" Callister and "Pussy Jimmy" against Mayor Bransford, they alleging that their characteis have been damaged in the sum of $50,000 each. It would seem that they rl are taking a great deal upon themselves In making a personal estimate as to the intrinsic value of said characters, for politically, at least, if they could lose them it would be the making of them. It is certainly fierce when such men as those included in the Federal bunch are saddled on a ' community to the extent of running it politically, but there does not seem to be much help for it. So far as the libel suit goes, it is an amusing bluff in an attempt to extricate themselves from the uncomfortable position the Mayor has placed them in by calling the Morning Redlight to account, ac-count, the paper in the conduct of which they are instrumental in blackening the name of the city and state and hundreds of decent men. It the characters of "Fussy Jimmy" and "Curley" are worth $50,000 apiece, think how many new multi-millionaiies there could be in the world. Governor William Spry and Senator Reed Smoot have been named at the ad of the committee com-mittee which will entertain Pm dent Taft during dur-ing his sojourn in this city. That is as it should be, for their positions entitle them to the places of honor among the men chosen to "welcome the chief executive. But right here it is not too early""to say that Senator Smoot's position does not entitle him to monopolize the President as he did upon his former visit, when he took him -in charge soon after entering the state and never let him out of his sight until he had departed. From the time he reached Provo until he continued his journey after visiting Salt Lake and Ogden, Smoot stuck to him like a plaster, intruding where he was not wanted or expected, presenting a bulwark I of defense if anyone not closely allied to him politically got within ear-shot of Mr. Taft, making a side-show of him in the tabernacle and monopolizing monop-olizing him to the exclusion of everyone else Whenever and wherever he could. There is no question but that it was annoying annoy-ing to the President, who t'hrough the Smoot attentions was placed more than once in an embarrassing em-barrassing position. The remarks at one time of the Piesident's aide, Captain Butt, were en- IT ough to convey the impression that it would II have been just as well if the senator from Utah was not so persistent, and it is to be hoped that uron the coming occasion he will know enough to show the President every courtesy but at the same time have consideration enough, both for the distinguished guest and the people, to curb his strenuous endeavors to a certain extent. Upon the President's former visit the newspapers, ot course, refrained from comment on the ac tions of Senator Smoot, but is sincerely hope that there will be no occasion during the coming visit for them to strain themselves in refraining from calling the gentleman unless he behaves himself. Difficult as it is to believe anything appearing appear-ing in the Morning Redlight, there are many of those familiar with Brother Dininny's mode orK-pression orK-pression who cannot refrain from the belief that much that that journal attributed to him was said by him, and his own communication the day following fol-lowing was sufficient evidence of the fact that ho had let his chatter, as usual, run wild in discussing civic purity with one of the representatives represen-tatives of the paper. There is little comment to be made regarding the rotten method the Red-light Red-light used in playing the story up, giving the public the impression that it was an article written writ-ten and signed iby the city attorney. But even if its usual blackguard system of display was resorted to, Dininny had no business granting the interview, for he is over seven years old, even -if his stuff sometimes gives him away, and he must have known full well what use the Redlight would make of any expression of his, and no matter mat-ter how conservative it might have been, he knew that it would be distorted. Those who have heard him at private meetings meet-ings and elsewhere were not particularly edified by his weak attempt to justify what he had done. His constantly reoccurring denunciation denuncia-tion of moral conditions, particularly in regard to West Side matters, is tending to give some people the impression that his campaign is not actuated solely by a desire to purify the city. The thing for Mr. Dininny to do is to join the forces of the Morning Redlight. On so many occasions oc-casions he has manifested his disapproval of the conduct of the city government that he ought to align himself with those political and newspaper news-paper interests which are doing all theT can to discredit Salt Lake in the eyes of outsiders. The American party would be much better off without Brother Dininny. If he wants to make a terrific hit with every loyal member of the party he could accomplish it by resigning his job. In that way he would also remove any bar to a prospective invitation to become the "contributing "contrib-uting editor" of the Redlight. |
