The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-14

rosy for an early adjournment, nov
fade away like unto the vain hallucin
atoms of an image. The last shocl
to the lawmakers of the senate cam'
late last night, when the gubernator
ial veto descended upon the code bill
This caused the whole senatorial
clockworlI to stand still. 1t swept aside
the labor of toilsome days and grue
some nights and gave prophecy of e
still greater increase in the longevity
of the present session.
While waiting to SWoop down on the
general appropriation bill, which Is
now held in the firm clutch of the
lower house, the senate yesterday al
most cleared up the bills that were
high-heaved on Reading Clerk Jack
sons desk.
Last night the senate completed its
siege of the appropriations bill and
the senate will today bring its artillery
to bear on the measure. With the
successful disposition of that, the long
parliament viii be ready TO be dis
solved.
The governors condemnation of the
code bill proposes amendment for sew
eral of its main features. 1t says:
THE VETO COMMUNICATION.
To the Senate:
I have the honor to return herewith
senate bill No. II. entitled, AN act to
revise, amend and codify the statutes
of Utah." without my approval, but
with suggestion for amendment in sew
eral particulars.
It is only a cursory examination that
] have been able to give the code be-
cause of the late hour at which it
was received; and while it is with
some trepidation that 1 do so, because
of the haSty manner in which Of Heces-
sity I have been obliged to consider it.
by reason of the immense advantages
that will accrue from having our laws
revised, codified and published in a
compact form, I am willing to give
the bill my approval if these correc-
lions are made.
NO FIRE AND POLICE COMMITS
SION.
desire to call your attention to the
fact that the code contains no law upon
the subject of police and fire commits
sioners. The effect of this would be
that the present law on that subject
would remain in force until the first
of next January, when it would be re-
pealed, and thereafter no legislation
upon this important subject would be
in existence in this state. The law
has been in force and applied to cities
VI 1-sOVV VI lllO1G lOI dOOQl
three years, and while the administra-
ton of the law has not operated with
the beneficial results which it was in
tended to be produced by its trainers, in
my opinion. it is a distinct step for
ward in municipal government. The
object of the change from conditions
prevailing before the enactment of the
law was obviously to increase the eff
cheney of the fire and police depart
nized fact throughout this republic that
the best results in discipline and eff
cheney of men cannot be obtained where
the positions of both officers and men
are dependent upon the caprice of pol
itics and each whirl OF the political
wheel produces a change of adminis-
tration and consequent removal of po-
lice and firenen, no matter what their
/ therefore suggest that the
law at present in force be inserted in
the code, unless it is your intention to
enact a better one separately before
your final judgment
On page ISL under chapter 5, it is
provided that the county treasurer
shall take office at Il o'clock merid-
ian on the first Monday in July next,
after the date of his election. This pro-
vision is in conflict with the constitu-
ton. which provides that the terms
Of all officers elected at any general
election shall commence on the. first
in January next following the
date of their election.
EIGHT-HOUR LAW.
On page AS, chapter 2, under the /
heading. "Eight-hour law" it is pro-
yided that eight hours shall constitute 1
4 days work on all works or under /
takings carried on or aided by the /
state, county or municipal government. |
This is the language of the constitu-
ion, and here, in my opinion. the sec
ion should end. but it goes on to pro-
tide that the section shall be appii
able to sill employees of the state and
III counties and municipal govern
nents thereof. I am not sure but that (
his provision has found its way into
he code enormously as 1 have knowl-
.dge that a similar provision was re-
ected by the legislature a few days
lgo. I earnestly hope that you will eX-
lunge it here, as it is manifest that in
ear from now when the code. if
,assed, is to go into effect, such pro-
-fsion would be more beneficial than if
nacted at once. and this you have re-
used to do. 1 do not believe that any
are being inflicted at the
'resens time upon these employees,
nd if there are individual cases, it is
ny belief that they may be corrected
more easily and effectively by addi-
sonal compensation than by a sweep
ne law that inf1icts a far greater
ardship upon the taxpayers; because
is a foregone conclusion that in all
ablic institutions such as the state
rison and the insane asylum the ex-
enses for guard service under the
peration of this provision must of se-
essity be increased one-third There
no escaping from this conclusion At
ne state prison there are now employed
guards, working Il hours per day
ach. If this law should take effect, it
ill require u men working eight
ours per dav each. In this institu-
on alone the additional expense would ,
e more than $4,000 per year without
ny attendant advantages. If the
ealth of the guards were being UNDER
lined. or f it would contribute to
leir safety in any way. the taxpayers :
{ the state might be induced to ap-
rove of such 2 measure: but under
resent conditions they will fail to see
Their economy or wisdom in the con- +
.nplated change.
NATIONAL GUARD AFFAIRS.
On page 500 B, the salary of the ad-
Itant-g general is reduced from $500 per
anam to $3.50 l apprehend it is the
tention to make no change in the 7
larry of the present incumbent, as TO
so would infringe the constitution:
1t that the reduction is TO apply at
e end Of his term. When that time 2
'rives, in my opinion, the services of
e adjutant-general of the national
lard Of this state will be worth double
stead Of half the present compensa-
Hv76 hof ca a nv he r