The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-22
Appropriation For the Salt Palace
Goes Out.
1T IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
PRIVATE ENTERPRISE, AND
CANNOT RECEIVE STATE AID.
The Eight-hour Act and Public Print
ing Bills Also Vetoed-Five
Meaures Receive Executive APP
proval-Reasons As Set Out By
the Governor.

Governor Wells yesterday vetoed the
clause in the general appropriation bill
appropriating $4,000 for the Salt Palace.
He also vetoed the eight-hour act and
Jackson's bill requiring execution of
contracts for state. city and county
printing, binding and stationery work
within each respective district.
Five bills were transmitted to the
secretary Of state with executive ap-
prevail
In explanation of his action vetoing
the Salt Palace appropriation item, the
governor has the following to say in
his letter to Secretary Hammond:
Il have the honor to file in your
office, with my approval, senate bill
No. "a, An act making appropriations
Tor general purposes except the item,
to aid the Salt Palace association of
Utah TO establish and maintain an in
termountain exposition in Salt Lake
City during the year 1899, on condition
that the Salt Palace association shall
raise, by private subscription, the sum
of $4,000 before any portion of this APP
preparation shall be available; provided,
that the money herein appropriated
shall only be drawn on the approval of
the state board of examiners $4,000,
WHICH, Is ulSdJDIOkSQ 1OI luG 4OliOWlllS
reasons:
GOVERNORS REASONS.
From the prospectus of the associa-
ton in aid of which this appropriation
is made it is learned that it is an asso
citation of individuals who have perfect
ed. an organization with the ultimate
purpose of Incorporating under the
laws o. the state; that officers have
been elected and an organizing COM
mittee selected. 1t also appears that
the capital stock of the association has
been fixed at $4,000, in shares of 81
each, and that careful estimates give
good reason to believe that the stock
holders will receive back their money
invested.
while it is stated that the purpose
of erecting the Salt Palace is to attract
attention to Utah and Salt Lake City
in particular, it is also equally clear
that the association in charge thereof
expects TO derive a profit therefrom-an
enterprise for private gain and of a
private character. Assuming such to
be the facts, the item in question would
be in direct violation of section q. ar
ticle OF the constitution. which pro-
vides: The legislature shall not au-
thorize the state, or any county, CITY,
town, township, district or other politi
cal subdivision of the state to lend its
credit or subscribe to stock or bonds
in aid of any railroad, telegraph or
other private, individual or corporate
enterprise or undertaking.
Il therefore regard this appropr1a-
ton as an unwarrantable and unconsti-
tutionaI diversion Of the public funds
EIGHT-ROUR LAW.
The governors veto of the labor bill
is as follows:
To the Secretary of State:
Sir: l have the honor to file in your
Office, without approval, senate bill No.
29. being IAN act to amend section
1886, chapter 2, title So, of the revised
statutes of Utah of 1898, relating to Ia
bor," with my objections thereto, as
follows:
The bill provides that in all contracts
in which the state or county or munich
pal subdivision thereof is a party, it
shall be stipulated that no laborer.
workman or mechanic, in the employ Of
the contractor or Sub-contractor, shall
be required or permitted to work more
than eight hours in one calendar day,
except in extraordinary emergency,
and that such contract shall stipulate
a penalty of $40 fer each violation Of
the stipulation therein contained.
The third section provides that any
person violating any of its provisions
shall be guilty Of a misdemeanor. The
evident purpose of the act is to make
it a criminal offense for any person in
the employment of the state. county or
any municipal subdivision thereof. 10
work longer than eight hours in any
one calendar day. Another purpose of
the act is to prohibit the laboring man
from working more than eight hours in
the same day, even though he desires
and his necessities require him TO do so.
These provisions are not only of doubt
full constitutionality, but seem TO be
an unwarrantable and unreasonable in
reference with the natural rights of
persons as enumerated in section l of
article 1 of the constitution. 1t seems
to me, to provide that a man shall
not labor more than eight hours in each
calendar day, Notwithstanding his own
necessities or the necessities of those
dependent upon him might render 1t
absolutely necessary for him to do 50.
would be an interference with the nat
ural rights that every man has, to la
Dor for the support of himself and fam
lily or for the purpose of acquiring,
possessing and protecting property.
The effect of the law would be to pre-
clude a labOrer from working more
than eight hours, even though he might
receive extra compensation for the adj
ditional time. Not only this, but if he
should do so, he becomes amenable to
a criminal prosecution for a misde-
meanor.
If the character of the employment
was such that the purpose of the law
could be based upon the grounds of
health and safety of laborers, as is the
purpose of the law in force prescribing
an eight-hour day for laborers in mines
and smelters (the constitutionality Of
which has been sustained by the su-
prene court of the United States) there
would be justification for the compul-
sorry feature of this bill, but it is not
believed that any sanitary or police
necessity can be urged in this case.
Aside from the question of unconsti-
tutionality, the policy proposed by this
act is not warranted by the industrial
conditions which exist at present in
this state. believe the act, If it should
become a law. would result, not only
in great inconvenience in many cases,
but would prove positive detriment
to the interests of the laboring classes
Very respectfully,
HEBER NJ. WELLS, Governor.
PRINTING BILL VETO.
The governors reasons for disap-
proving of Jacksons public printing
bill are as follows:
To the Secretary of State:
Dear Sir-I have the honor to file
herewith in your office, without my ap-
proval, house bill No. 152, entitled. An
act providing that the state, county
and municipal printing, binding and
stationery work for the several coun-
ties and municipalities throughout the
state shall be executed within the
state county or municipality for which
the work is done" Section provides
that municipal printing. binding and
stationery work shall be executed with
in the municipality for which the work
IS done when there are practicable IA