The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-11

make it answer as personal communi-
cation to the Legislature. What dis
sertation on Mormonism has to do with
the rghtfulness of an appropriation
will be as difficult to understand as how
the assertion of Murray's love, affection
and sympathy for the people of Utah
an assertion which his acts deny and
disprove-can legitimately cut figure
in veto message. The veto is based
upon the assumption that two Terrific
rial officers, tie Auditor of Public Ac-
counts and the Treasurer, are holding
their places without authority oflaw;
that as the money appropriated would
have to pass through the hands OF those
officers, there should be no doubt as to
the legality of the officials titles All
that part of the message which does
more than state this ground of objec-
ton is buncombe, intended for the ears
of Congress and of the American
people outside of Utah. 1t is designed
to intensity the already raging anti
Mormon feeling and thus aid in bring
ing upon the afflicted Territory more
trouble. For this the Governor is to
further be despised than formerly by
good men.
We are not going to discuss The
legality of the Governors claim that
the Auditor and Treasurer are not
ghtfully exercising the functions of
their offices. The question is one for
the courts to decide; and this brings US
to the point of asking His Excellency
why the courts have not been appealed
10 in the premises? Fifteen or more
years ago, the Executive assumed the
position which Murray takes IN regard
to these officials, and every Governor
since has held as the present Executive
holds; Murray himself has been Cover
nor for six years, during all which time
the same Auditor and same Treasurer
have held their Offices by the titles I'M
der which they hold to-day. If the title
has heen bad all these years, why has
not the fact been established in the
only way in which it can be? The say
ing by Murray that they are not the
officers de jure does not make it so. His
Excellency has no more authority to
turn these gentlemen out, than has the
ordinary citizen, and the officials can
not go while they are under bonds to
keep a sacred trust with which
they have been charged. There
has been no time since this
dispute arose when the officials
would not have su omitted to the decree
of a competent court, after their
rights had been tested. If the present
Auditor and Treasurer are not legally
in possession of their respective offices,
the fact is due to tie negligence OF
those other officials whose privilege and
duty it was to test the question Of tide
which they had raised.
The veto is an act of notification and
suggestion of anarchy. In some com
munities it would produce anarchy, in
that it would deprive the government
of the means of maintaining itself. By
his signature Murray
says that no Territorial officer shall
be paid for his services, or be allowed
the means for maintaining his Office;
that no jury or witness in the District
Courts for the next two years, shall re-
ceive any compensation for the time or
service which he is compelled to sur
render to the commonwealth; that no
improvements of a Territorial character
shall be made; indeed, it is not clear
that the veto is not equivalent to saying
that no Territorial tax shall be
collected, for if there can be no
expenditure of money. there can be
no occasion for the collection
of money; taxation is. based upon the
necessities of the government, and with
out necessities for money it is doubted
bhnb SIOAC OdAA NC toAdbAOA. IL HOulQ -
deplorable state of affairs that the
veto would produce were it not for the
predominating good sens, and wisdom
of the people. The community is safe.
There is no fear that disorder will come,
that anarchy will prevail, or that
anything disastrous will follow
the Withholding of the funds
requisite to the carrying on of the gov
eminent. Meantime, it is hoped that
through the appropriate representations
by the Legislature, Congress will step
in to avert the disaster which Murray
seems so anxious TO bring upon the Ter
ritory.
1t has been suggested that the appro-
priation bill be passed by concurrent
resolution of the two houses of the As
sembly, but we hardly think it possible
that such a course will be pur-
e1.d Tho opIv ;noa,L;vo - 49,