The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-16
AN ESTABLISHED PRINCIPLE.

PEOPLE ruin themselves by issuing
ponds, but no people have ever ruined
themselves in the United States that
way that would not have been just as
badly ruined had there Sbeen no
bonds"
That is a sentence from Tribune
editorial in favor of the plonstrous
proposition of the Republicans in the
constitutional convention, to permit
the state and every county and city
Of the state to loan it's credit in aid of
private corporations. 1t is specimen
Of the logic peculiar to that paper and
Our contemporary still declares the
action Of the convention taken by the
solid Democratic vote and enough
Republican votes to make majority
was a mistake, and that ''the more
the people think Of it the more they
will be convinced of that fact"
We are perfectly willing that the
people of Utah shall decide as to the
merits of the case. Our opinion is that
they viii be convinced that the deter
mined action of the Democratic party
saved the state of Utah from being
overwhelmed with debts IN aid of pri-
waite interests.
We have explained what is meant
by the people doing as they pleased
with their own point which our
neighbor continually repeats to mis-
lead the public. We have quoted from
d decision of the supreme court of the
United States TO the effect that taxes
can only be levied for public pur-
nose, and that law authorizing
town to issue bonds in aid of an en-
terprise not strictly public, is void,
because when collected it is a trans
fer of the property of individuals to
aid in the profit of others, and the
principle is altogether wrong and con-
trary to a fundamental rule as to the
power of taxation.
Our contemporary does not dispute
that this is good law, but rambles
around it without touching it and en-
tirely evades the principle which it
enunciates. 1t makes no difference if
a majority of the people of a city or
county vote for the issuing of bonds
to aid private enterprise. The rights
of the minority are sacred before the
law. If the tax was for a lawful pur-
pose, the majority would rule. When
it is for an unlawful purpose, such
as the use of public funds
or the public credit for the private
profit of individuals or corporations,
that is an unlawful purpose and if
there is but one taxpayer who pro-
tests against it and carries his case
to the courts, the tax cannot be col
lected if the decision of the supreme
court of the United States is permit
ted to govern.
Apart from that decision, the gen
eral welfare of the state cries out
against the loading up on its shoulders
of debts in aid of private enterprises.
The action of the Democratic mem
bers, aided by a few sensible Repub-
icans who valued the good of the
state above the interest of party. have
saved this state from an incubus
which would have overwhelmed it.
The Democrats can go before the peo-
pie of Utah with the fullest confidence
on their record in the constitutional
convention.
If the Republicans can afford to
maintain the doctrine that the credit
of the state ought to be pledged for
the benefit of private concerns. for
the fattening of obese corporations.
for the pandering to the greed of the
money power we are perfectly will
ing to meet the issue. Let the facts
be understood, and we have no fears
as to what the verdict of the people
will be.