The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-12

prevent faVorftiSm in the letting OF
contracts to a low bidder and then
giving him extra compensation in or
der to allow him to have a profit. The
provision would make equality be-
tween all the citizens
Van Horn objected to the part Of
the section making it impossible to
pay claims not authorized by law. He
said this was an unnecessary limita-
ton on the legislature. He said also
that If a contractor or officer did work
he should have compensation.
There was a colloquy between Rich
ards, Van Horn and Button. in which
the former showed no injustice would
be worked TO contractor or officer by
the provision.
KimbaH, of Weber, moved All
amendment striking out that part
prohibiting the payment of unauthor-
lied claims.
After some further discussion the
house refused to strike out that part
of the section by very close vote
and the section was inserted by
vote of 81 to 46, in which both party
lines were broken. There was some
applause when the result was made
known.
Roberts Tries Again.
Roberts offered the following addl-
tional section:
Neither the state of Utah nor any
political subdivision thereof, shall be-
come a stakeholder in or loan its
credit to, nor make any appropriation
for the benefit of any person, COM
pany, association or corporation I'M
less two-thirds of the qualified voters,
at a regular election TO be held, snail
assent thereto.
He said he expected the same rate
as had been melted out to the other
amendments would be meted out to
his. The other side would not limit
the powers of the legislature, yet the
power was so important that it should
be held by a good majority of the peo-
ple Interested The majority on the
floor were willing to have the consti-
tuition silent, as they regarded such
silence as an affirmation OF the right
of the legislature to grant bountfes
and loan its credit for private institu-
tons.
The Fight for Liberty.
The taxing power is the highest evil
dence of Sovereignty. When sover-
eigns were absolute there was no limit
on it. All the fight for liberty has
beer. on the line of reducing that pow
er. The final victory for no taxation
without representation was settled on
our own shores. Since then the fight
has been waged as to the purposes for
which the power may be used, and it
has become an, established principle
that there is no justice in taxation eX-
.cept for public purposes.
The other side, however, believed
that the sovereign taxing power O. the
government could be used for the aid
Of private enterprises and the building
up Of private fortunes. He believed
this was not sound in doctrine. He
5nb Of Of Trrz
tice Miller of the United States su-
preme court, in the famous Topeka
bond case, in which that eminent
Judge showed what an immense power
there is in taxation, so that it can be
used to destroy or to build up one
class at the expense Of another.
Republicans Were Scared.
The Republicans began to idget
around. They saw that the speech of
Roberts was to be rather warm for
them. Anderson, of Beaver. raised
the point of order that Roberts had
spoken as long as he could under the
rules. A dozen members were on their
feet giving time to Roberts.
Kicks raised the point that no mem
Der could. speak more than five min
utes at a time whether he was yielded
more time or not. Squires, in the
chair, promptly overruled him, and he
took an appeal.
The matter was discussed a short
while, and then Kicks was sat down
on by an overwhelming vote. Roberts
was given enough time to allow him to
speak all day if he so desired.
To Feed Their Fortunes.
The theory of government is well
laid down in the Declaration of indie
pendence. Governments are instituted
70 nrfy cx,;+
of happiness. When that is done there
is no further necessity or right in the
government. There is no right to de-
part from fundamental principles and
engage in partisanship with the favor
ed few so as to make the masses feed
their fortunes.
He had been in the state of Tennes-
see and had seen the effect of law
allowing the state and subdivisions
thereof to grant aid to corporations
AT length an article, Of which his
amendment was copy, was placed in
the constitution. This was effectual
in its action, because two-thirds Of the
people could seldom be persuaded to
give their consent to such PROPOSE
tions. Yet it was too late In 1888
the governor sent a message saying
the state. with all its great resources,
was falling behind its sisters. Then
came Reputation. The vast debt of
s43.000,00O was scaled down to s21. OOO.-
600, and the state is still struggling
with its burden. Everywhere the pow
er has been given to cities. counties
or states to loan their credit for build
Ing up private fortunes it's use mas
been followed with disaster.
Disaster Always Follows.
He quoted examples from Missouri,
Illinois and other states, and said these
SnOnl6 q fvocr - +I,1
state of Utah. It's future will be bright
If wisdom is exercised, but if the state
loans its credit to private institutions
disaster must follow. He con-
tended that the sections re-
ported by the minority would
be for the best interests of the
new state. What is more. they were
upheld by the decisions of the courts
of the country
He read again from the decision of
Chief Justice Miller, in the Topeka
case. and said it was upheld by the
courts of the country. They upheld the
doctrine that there is no justice in tax
ing people for anything but public pur-
poses. Yet the majority had voted down
an amendment which would have met
this injustice. If they were determined
to leave the power to appropriate taxes
for private purposes. let them give it
to two-thirds of those who must bear
the burden.
There was only one course to follow
in building up the new state make all
the people equal before the law, by
declaring that no class of people of
the state shall be favored above the
others. In the early days Of the nation
there were those who would have put
God into the constitution" But it was
found there were so many different
sects that not one could be picked out,
and so the constitution guaranteed re-
1ipi01s liberty