Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-03-18

Members OF the Council ther
waited on the Governor, and after
very lengthy conversation learnet
verbally his alleged objections t.
the bill. They were chiefly in re
Iation TO the new registration pro
visions. He took the ground thai
under the Edmunds Act the Legs
l..ture could not change the law in
/ these respects. When Informed
that the Chief Justice, the Commits
sion and learned counsel on the
ssLibera.'' side took the opposite
view. he had to waive that point in
argument. But rs he still objected
to the changes, every section in
relation to them was stricken out.
| The Governor was well acquainted.
by actual observation, with some
Of the fragrant frauds at the Ogden
City election which these sections
were designed to guard against.
Yet he strongly opposed them, snd
10 save the bill in its main features
and stop the litigation likely to con-
/ tinue, unless some definite provi-
sions were made for the purpose,
everything the Governor objected
to in conversation was expunged
from the bill and it was sent to him
in the form in which it is now print
ed in another part Of this paper.
Thereupon the Council received
the annexed communication.
Hon. T. S. Richards. President Of the
Council:
SRI return herewith C. F. No. So,
entitled IAN act providing for the
Classification and Government OF
Cities"
The purpose Of the act is 20 clear the
antiquities which exist in the present
law. and which purpose has my hearty
sympathy.
l enclose a substitute bill which
will, believe, meet the case and will
approve it il adopted by the Legisla-
ture.
lam very respectfully,
ARTHUR L. THOMAS,
Governor.
This was late on Saturday after
noon, when everybody was utterly
wearied by three night sessions
and the Governor knew his ''substi-
tute'' could not receive proper con-
sideration. We publish its full text
in another column. The principal
objections to its purpose are: That it
very cunningly makes an additional
tax Of five mills on the dollar in
cities before they re-incorporate.
without saying SO in terms; that it
gives the veto power to mayors
which the Legislature had already
voted down; and that it takes away
the power Of the county courts 10
appoint or regulate election precincts
within city limits.
These provisions were not ger
name to the bill, and the objection
as to repeats and antiquities alleged
against the Council bill is much
greater in the ''substitute'' as will
he seen when it is examined care
fully.
The failure of this important
legislation is chargeable to the
Executive. The responsibility for
the litigation and frauds that may
be repeated in consequence Of that
failure will lie on his shoulders. He
feared to do what he knew was
right. because Of the pressure
brought upon him by his illadvisers
whose influence appears to control
his acts.
All the talk which his organ in
dulges in about Church pressure is
the vilest falsehood and baldest alb
surdigy, and the evidence is over
whelming that influences are exer-
cised on the Observation-Disclosures
limit its free exercise and which are
far more potent than anything stu
pidly charged and constantly re-
peated by his infamous organ.
The spectacle of a Governor hold
ing the absolute veto and welding
it with supreme autocratic power
over thirty-six representatives of
the people, and then actually
usurping their functions by prepar-
ing measures for them to pass at his
dictation, has been reserved for
Utah, in the great American repub-
lie, and in the enlightened and lib
erty developing nineteenth century.