Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-03-13
VETO MESSAGES.
The Reasons Of Governor Thomas For
Killing the School Bill.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE

J throughout Utah Territory, The
!, act seems to be carefully drawn. is
81 quite full and explicit in its details
: anu from a casual examination nj
4 lis principal features appears in
Y many respects well adapted for the
u purpose Intended. Some OF the pro.
visions, however, are in direct con-
hlet with the well settled policy Of
Congress respecting the right to vote
ana to hold office in the Territory.
e and other provisions relate to mat
4 ters which, properly speaking. have
1 no place in the school law.
, oectlon OF article / provides for
the distribution Of the Territorial
/ TAX 70 the several counties on the
oasis OF the number Of children in
2 eacn between the ages Of six and
eighteen years. This method of
distribution has been much criticised
win and apparent reason. Cpcer
us operation some of the most popu-
lols and wealthy counties have paid
10 the Territorial school fund a les
amount than they receive. Ii the
only inequality IL affected arose from
the difference in the number of chill
dren compared with the amount Of
assessablel property the objection 10
IL would not be 80 serious. for In
such 4 case, as to the Territory, il
would merely make the Territory a
tax district for schooling all the
children, but there is reason TO be-
leve that IN many cases the in |
equality between counties arise |
from unequal assessments and the |
want OF methods and means 10 equal |
lze the assessments. 4 law reduir-
ing assessments to be made at the
fuil cash value Of the property is an
insufficient remedy, unless all the
assessors act upon it and have the
same ideas Of value. AS a rule all
laws require assessment at full value
and Yet inequalities exist. When
the tax district is small enough 80
that the taxpayers and their local
boards have the means of comparins-
the assessments, a nearer APPROACH
70 equality is obtained. In the alb
sence OF equality in the assessments
between the counties, | suggest that
section :, Of Article /, be amended .
so as 10 provide in substance that
no county having a population Of
i0,OOO or over, as shown by the
National census to he taken in June
next shall receive in the apportion- (
ment Of the Territorial school fund .
a larger amount than has been raised
and paid by said county, and that
AFTER an appropriation is made. the
amounts remaining Of such Terri
torial school fund undistributed =
snail be returned to the several coun- !
tles by which the excess was maid,
IN Que proportion thereof. and such :
payments shall be made to the y
treasurers of the several counties I
entitled thereto, and by such trea- :
surers paid to the school superin- u
tendeDts, and by them apportioned 1
annually to the several school dis p
tricts Of the county, in the same
manner and on the same basis as {,
other school funds. s.
Section S, article ., relating 10 a
county superintendent, should pro-
vlde that before entering upon his e
duties a superintendent of district Q.
schools must be commissioned by the e
Governor. p'
Section 70, of the same article. Il
should provide that the deputy SUI M
perintendent, If appointed, must be a
4 registered voter. In
Section 81, of article 3, provides
for county board of examiners.
The section should provide that no
person shall be eligible TO serve as
examiner who is not n registered II
voter.
Section 20 Of article S contains
This provision:
Livery male person Of the age of
years or over, who has Of
been resident of the school dis n
-rict for ninty days Immediately 81,
preceding the day OF election, aud -,
who is the parent of a child Of
school age residing in the district, or Sc
Sho paid a Territorial or county ca
school tax in any such district dur an
ing the preceding year in which any ~,
such election is held, shall be en- -
ltied TO vote at any school district VI
slection.o in!
Under the existinH school law 1t 4.
s provided ''there shall be elected by r,.
he registered voters of the district.
.hTee school trustees for each school
district, etc" This law was In force il
II the time OF the passage by Con- raj
yress OF what is popularity termed -
he ''Edmunds Act, The act ~
before me would, if approved, tn'
weep away the restrictions M
which Congress has deemed it nee ulT
sssary TO place upon the exercise Of lie
he franchise at these elections. | IN
10 not believe that the time has 10
,ome for such action on the part Of jew
he Governor and Legislative As !
emily, and, therefore. suggest that the
ONE provision be made for chaI-
enges at school elections, and re- me
Iuiring that person to be eligible lie
S trustee must be a registered tor
'oter. apI
Section 80 Of the same article ne,
houh provide that 10 entitle a per the
on to vote he must have been a $40
esideut of the Territory for six yo'
months, and of the school district for yo'
hlrty days further suggest that SIN
his section be placed at the end Of yo'
he article. Section 20 Of Arti- Pr'
lie II seems to embrace a gen yo'
RAJ revenue act, and provide gay
or the general Territorial and Coun- lee
y tax, as well as for tax for school VIII
/ cannot see why an act ain
establish school system should Is {
ontain general revenue law. 1t ous
GEMS to me to be mOre appropriate !
D leave out OF this act ali OF such a
rovisiOns, aud to provide for only too
pecial school taxes in the various tru
istricts, and leave 4 general rev. ind
nue. act 20 be considered on its own fest
lerits. exh
This change in Section 1imay re- gra
lire suitable changes in Section 81 per
the same article. me
Section So, Article II. relates 10 trie
re special school tax. The first VIII
ineteen lines of this section, except ruli
} far as they relate to the rate OF tion
x to be levied, are fully covered rigt
: Section SO OF Article 5, and has
lould, with the exception stated, maj
: stricken out. Z"
[ suggest that section I0l of article shal
J, relating to schools in cities. be plea
AIDE to provide that the election mint
all he held on the day Of the gen. Ter
nj election, the first Monday OF teOu
ugust, annually. This will obviate at y
c necessity for two elections with labo
thirty days. This viii require not
al section l02 be amended so as to so
divide for notice Of election, ETC., effol
for the general election, and suit hav,
lie changes in section I0s. bret
Section los of the same article for
ould provide that the officers to gift.
elected by the board shall be it, +
yistered voters. view
Section lI3 of the same article the
ould provide that the Examining that
,mmittee shall he registered voters.
section ia Of the same article
DIVIDES that the hoard of school