The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-09


eide it better to repeal the society's
charter entirely. and establish instead
a state board of agriculture, having
the powers mentioned and others OF a
similar nature, such action would have
my hearty approval.
I recommend in any event, an ap-
preparation of $1,000 to assist in paying
premiums for a fair in 1896, and 5000
for the expenses of the society or
board.
IDter-NIountain Fair.
On the 24th of July. 1897, half CEN
fury will have elapsed since the pIo-
neers entered this valley. The event
is of such Importance as to be Wor-
thy of fitting commemoration- rec
ommend that the board Of directors of
the Deseret Agricultural and Manu-
featuring society, or such other au-
thority' as you may constitute, be di-
rected to consider the advisability OF
holding am inter-mountain fair in 1897.
In case the project should be deter
mined upon, recommend that no state
fair be held in 1896, but that all our
energies and funds be reserved for the
inter-mountain fair, which, If properly
managed. would prove Of great advan-
tage to the state.
Education.
An efficient system Of public school
education is one of the safeguards to
a prosperous commonwealth. No peo-
pie can for a long time maintain their
liberties or a free government when
ignorance ana incapacity prevail
among them 1t cannot, therefore, be
said too often, nor advocated too fire.
quently before those who hold the right
of suffrage, and who have the present
and future welfare of the state at
heart, that our public schools, when
conducted with efficiency are indeed
the bulwarks of our free institutions.
The constitution of the state is am
pie in it's fundamental provision for
liberal legislation ON the subject or
popular education. With reasonable
care, therefore, in directing, through
appropriate enactments, the favorable
public sentiment that exists among the
people for liberal education, we should
build up a public school system not
to be excelled anywhere. The conSt1-
tuition provides for a complete system
of public instruction, from the kinder
garten to the university. 1t is hoped
that YOU may find it possible, without
burdensome taxation, to provide Tor
the maintenance of a course OF study,
extending through the entire system,
free of charge for tuition to every
child of the state.
Besides adjusting the present school
YOU will need to provide, i'm some safe
and definite way, to secure the oene-
fits of the constitutional provision for
the establishment and growth of per-
petual and inviolable school fund. 10
secure confidence in our system OF
public schools, there must be behind 1t
the means of permanent and uniform
support and efficient administration.
The state school fund should ever be
an object of jealous care and guarded
with deepest concern.
The school lands accruing to the
state from the general government for
the benefit of schools as designated IN
kinds and grades, should be so con-
trolled by wise legislation as to secure,
without delay or loss, the purposes
designated in the grant.
Election Law.
For nearly fourteen years the cleo
ton machinery of Utah has been OPP
, Grated by a commission appointed by
, the president of the United States
During that period great progress has
been made in many of the states in
perfecting their election laws. Titan
is, therefore, lamentably behind the
times in this important particular The
perpetuity of a republican form of gov
eminent is dependent upon the purity
of the source from which 1t springs.
That source is the will of the governed.
The ballot box is the means by which
that will is expressed. Therefore the
protection of the purity of the elective
franchise is of primary Importance
The universally favorable reports upon
the advantages derived from the Aus
! tralian ballot system strongly COM
. mend it as worthy your careful con-
} sideration. The notifications and I'M
provements to the system adopted
within the past two years by several
of the states, should be carefully in
} vestigated to the end that we may
/. profit by the experience of others and
avoid their mistakes.
Irrigation.
Utah is reported to be, and probably
is, the pioneer user of water for trri-
cation in the United States. We are,
therefore, looked to, not only for the
most perfect system of irrigation, but
i for the most approved laws on the sub
ject. The question should receive the
careful consideration of those of your
members best qualified to act on this
important subject. The utmost care
j should be exercised that the rights of
the original appropriations of water
. should not be interfered with. The law
shuld include provisions on the follow
ing subjects, at least:
For uniform system of measuring
. water; for the filing and recording of
rights already acquired through APP
preparation and use of water; for the
manner of acquiring the right to use
unappropriated water; for the eco
nomic use and systematic apportion-
ment of the water among the rightful
users thereof; for the right of way over
state lands, and the condemnation of
private lands for canals and other dis
, tribution works, and for reservoir
! sites; for establishing the rights, of
canal or other companies who furnish
consumers with water, and defining
: the relations of t1e former to the
latter.
I also believe great advantage would
result from the creation of the office
Of state engineer, charged with the
duty of attending to the irrigation in
terests of the state.
/ Forest Protection.
; The disastrous results that have fol-
lowed the denuding of our mountain
districts, in many parts of the state,
! of their timber through wanton spolia-
, ton and forest fires, calls for some
l effective legislation to arrest such de-
struction.
The conservative influence of forests
on the water supply for irrigation,
makes their preservation a matter OF
imperative necessity.
trust you will give this subject the
e attention its Importance demands
s Reclamation of Arid Lands.
) Section of the federal sundry civil
! act of 1894 prescribes the manner in
which 100000 acres of desert land
may pass under the ownership and con.
troll of those states desiring to avail
themselves of the gift. The purpose