Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-03-19
A BILL TO PREVENT ELECTION
FRAUDS, VETOED.

A BILL TO PREVENT ELECTION
FRAUDS, VETOED.
To-Day we publish the text OF
another bill passed by the Legisla-
ture and vetoed by Governor Thomas.
1t was opposed and ridiculed in adj
vance OF its passage by the Govern
or's organ and adviser, and there
fore its doom might have been an
ticipated. But il was 50 necessary
and reasonable a measure, and the
ignorance Of the Tribune as to its
meaning and merits was so palpabie,
that it was thought the Governor
would not be influenced by such
senseless attacks. However, the
bill, If allowed 10 become law, would
have had the effect of preventing in
future the shameful things which
disgraced tie last municipal regis
tration and election, and this would
not have suited certain portion Of
the ''Liberal'' element. and 50 the
measure is dead.
Read it, citizens who desire hon
esty in elections, and point out, if
YOU can, anything in it that is
wrong, or unreasonable, or partizan,
or likely to do anything except
guard the rights Of voters and secure
fairness and prevent fraud at the
polls.
We also publish the text Of the
Governors veto. Read that and
discover, If you can, any rational.
legal or defensiJle objection TO the
bill it assassinates.
1t should be understood that the |
bin was only designed as an ameud- |
ing act. It was not to repeal ex-
listing laws. 1t was not to interfere |
in any way with the powers of the |
Utah Commission, as pretended, or /
rather insinuatsd, by the:Governor. |
II did not intend 70 fill any office:
either for registration or election,
therefore the Act Of Congress which
specially provides that law Of this
Territory for the filing OF such Off
ces must be approved by Congress
before it becomes operative, does not
apply TO this measure. The Governor
il his inference that it does, exhibits
either Lack Of understanding or a
desire to misinterpret.
The power OF Congress to disan.
prove any act Of the Territorial
Legislature is not interfered with
or disputed il this bill. 1t is com.
mon, ami always has been, 10 desig-
nate in an act Of the Legislature
when it shall go into effect. Moth
ing unusual is attempted in this
biz in that respect. The Governor
intimati0n TO the contrary Is chilli
ish and insinceTe. He knows bet
ter, ami should have been ashamed
to put his name to the mas Of
puerile generalities. by whomsoevcr
prepared, with which his veto Of this
bill is accompanied.
In stating what the bin contains
he does not point OFT 4 single thing J
that Is not requisite and proper. In
one sentence he complains Of
changes in the law, without show
ing they are wrong; in the next h..
complains that the change is not
sweeping enough without showing
that would be right.
The "double set Of reristralio, p
officers" TO which he alludes is an
o. the Utah Commits.
sion's. The Legislature did not b
wish to interfere with II. The l.
election law provides that tn. As +.
SCISSOR shall be the registration off, q
GER aud that his deputies, for whom y
re is responsible, may assist. When =
he Commission came into power Ia
hey appointed a registration officer G
md number Of deputy registrars h,
md put the responsible WORK upon II
he latter, leaving the former office 81
sinecure. That was not the fault ,
( the law but OF the Commission - -
his bill was framed 50 as not TO 50
Interfere with the authority Of the
Commission, rightly or wrongly OF
Exercised, because it was well
nown that the Governor would
ave seized such an interference rs "a
pretext for killing the bill. Of
The provision for board OF three II
ersons to act judicially on obiec- IN u,
ons to voters, was designed to pre- 20
snt a repetition of-the infamies Of
srPetrated at the recent city cleo ms
On by the deputy registrars sitting s. 8,
Judgment on their own acts. The rer
W under which the Commission for
e required to act makes no provi- go
on for such a tribunal as they 'e
bitrarily appointed. The revis-
alton officers were not to ACT in 7
is judicial capacity. The justices the
the peace, being judicial officers ing
lder bonds for the faithful per- in 1
OF their duties, and from rui
hose judgments there is ALWAYS tw'
appeal, were the officers to hear
iections. The Commission an
inted deputy registrars TO act in IN,
Is judicial capacity who are no. cou
cicial officers, who are not under froI
nds, and from whose dicta there
no appeal. To put the blame of \,
Is outrage upon the law Of which Iisi,
is a plain violation, is worthy Of is
3 other misrepresentation which roa'
aract-rize the Governors veto. per
We DO not believeany fair-mindsd =
lien would object to the CHANGE wes
a board Of three responsible Der wis
Is, not all OF the same political senl
rty, to hear and decide objections .ner
voters IN lieu OF one irresponsible suit
iividual who has already acted on one
ne at least Of the questions brought quit
fore him, and who has a personal
partizan interest in the Who'll. r.,
tier at issue. We can understand 30
y the manipulators OF the lat,. Gin,
ction deviltries 10 not want such peg
hange. The reasons that actuated
Governor may he in,.g;ra,l