The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-09-27
Address to the Voters
of the Farming Districts
of the State
of the State.

For some years the farmers of our
state have been complaining of legislation
as being oppressive and unjust to their
class. We are inclined to believe that
there is much foundation for this COM
plant.
The cattle men found that the great
est pest they had to contend with was
the meat Inspector, hence they immedi-
ately set to work and had the meat in
spection law repealed.
The bee-keepers soon learned that the
bee inspectors were of no benefit to the
bee industry and in many cases became
a nuisance, hence they brought about
such amendment to the bee inspection
law as to enable them to procure for in
spectors good, efficient and practical
men.
The sheep men soon learned that the
laws under which flock inspectors oper-
ate were so defective as to be oppressive,
SO got the law repealed.
We hold that under the inadequate and
inefficient horticultural laws now upon
our statute books the fruit tree inspect
orS cannot do effective work; this must
pecessari1y be true regardless of the abN-
ity and fitness for the position which in
spectors may possess. Besides, the law.
practically precludes the possibility of
securing for these positions efficient men.
AT the time the present law was hang
ing in the balance, q strong committee
from our state society waited upon the
governor and made a vigorous protest
against it. The governor seemed TO be
much in the same position as was that
ancient Biblical king we read of, when
he said, Paul, almost thou persuadest
me So" and in this emergency and per-
picked state Of mind, for relief he turned
to the encouragement, and asked him
for an Interpretation Of the act as 1t mad
passed the legislature. The attorney
general, after some elaboration in his
mind, replied that this act attempted to
create a state board of horticulture, with
out providing any authority for calling
a meeting and transacting business,
which rendered the law practically null,
and that the only official function that
could be performed by the state inspector
was to draw his salary.
State Fair.-We desire also to call at
tention to the fact that there should be
some immediate legislation looking to-
ward the permanent organization OF a
state board of agriculture, which should
have in hand the matter of an annual
state fair.
In the past three years there has been
appropriated to what is known upon our
statute books and to the public as the
D. A. & NJ. society $40, 1875 by our legis-
lature for agricultural fairs, during
which time there has been held but one
fair, which was but a side-show in the
attempt at a fair. But one conclusion
can be drawn, that is that this is due to the
inexcusable neglect and lack of interest
on the part of the managers OF this as
ISOLATION.
Taxes.-We have repeatedly called at
tention to what seems to US to be an I'M
lust distribution of the taxes, and have
held and now hold that the farmers are
obliged to pay much more than their pro
portion of the revenue. The board OF
equalization reased the taxes this year,
on the merchandise of all the leading
commercial counties, from to % per
cent; we think the merchants are still
paying less than their proper share of
the taxes. We most heartily commend
the action of equalization, not for show
ing any favor to the farming commun-
tiles, but for beginning to right the
wrong of long standing.
already there is more or less concerted
action to have passed at the next leglsla-
ture the obnoxious house bill winch was
introduced in the closing days of the last
session.
The farmers we'll know that legislation
as a rule has been more or less directed
against their interests. This Will go on
lust as long as they will allow 1t, and
will only stop when they rise up ana by
the ballot protest against II.
It is our opinion that if every leglslat1Ve
district in the state, in which agricultural
interests predominant, will SEND TO the
legislature next winter q. good represen-
tative farmer whether he be Democrat,
Republican Populist or what not, that at
least some of the injusticeS Of the past
NAV be remedied.
We believe this good work can be best
started by electing a legislature which
will revoke the charter of the u. A. & Nj.
society and establish in its stead regu-
larly constituted board of agriculture
which will have charge of the agricul-
ture fair and ali interest pertaining 10
agriculture and horticulture throughout
Executive Committee.
P. A. DIX, President
Secretary.