Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-09-01
IMPORTANT PROPOSITIONS.

It IL very important that the voting
citizens OF Utah shall become acquaint-
ed with the propositions to change the
state Constitution. which are to be
submitted for their decision az the
November election. this year.
Tinkerlng with the fundamental law
is to be avoided as much as possible
Only when necessity requires, should
amendments TO 1t be adopted. IL Is
admitted that constitutions. both State
and national are not perfect, being OF
human composition, and that the
growth Of the body polite may require
corresponding growth In the Supreme
law. But anything OF this nature that
Is proposed should be carefully exam
lned and lts extent be fully compre-
hended by the people, before any in
noyatlon IL permitted to prevail
In O Republic like ours Il is to be ex-
peoted that would-be reformers will be
plentiful, and propositions 10 introduce
their ideas and embody them in our
governmental affairs viii be numerous
Heretofore the good sense Of our leg
islators and Of the majority Of the
citizens, has been sufficient to exclude
measures that would materially inter-
fere with the integrity or the progress
OF the nation, or either limit the llber-
ties Of the masses or weaken the au-
thority properly vested IN the powers
that be. It IL TO be hoped that this
spirit Of conservatism Will continue TO
prevail both in national and in state
affairs.
At the election In November next,
three propositions to amend the Const-
tuition Of Utah win be submitted 20
the voting citizens The first may be
stated in a few words, 1t IS simply TO
add 20 section three OF article thirteen,
this sentence.
Provided further. that the taxes Of
the INDECENT poor may be RENTED or
sbatel at such time and In such man
ner as may be provided by law"
This appears TO US very wise and
necessary provision. II had a place in
the legislation OF Utah In some form,
almost from the beginning OF the Ter
ritory. Il is strange that It was not
Incorporated IN the State Constitution.
II is well known that there are poor
widows and other INDECENT persons pos
sessed Of small properties who are
entirely unable TO pay taxes thereon
Some OF them have lost their little
homes and become dependent upon
charity. Discretionary power ought 90
be vested In the proper boards TO give
such persons reasonable relief As the
whole matter Is to be regulated by leg
islation. proper restrictions can be i'm
posed so that the authority to abate or
remit will not be abused. The amend
ment 10 necessary change, and we
hope It will be supported by the votes
Of the people.
The next proposition Is that section
six OF article ten, Of the Constitution OF
the sta'e Of Utah, shall be amended to
read as follows:
Sec G. In cities OF the first and sec.
ond class the public school system shall
be controlled by the board OF edr"ation
Of such cities. separate and apart from
the counties in which such cities are To-
Gated.
This is the scheme that was defeated
by popular vote at a previous election
II merely omits the word maintained
from the section as It now stands II Is
designed 10 make the taxpayers OF Salt
Lake and ogden cities pay taxes, not
only for the support Of the schools In
those cities. but also help TO maintain
the schools In the county districts. Tn
der the ruling Of the courts, the Con-
sutution as It now stands allows tho
schools in those cities under the board
OF education. to be maintained" that
is supported by the taxes collected for
that purpose, while the schools In the
county districts are supported by the
taxes collected outside OF the city. But
there are number Of persons who
want the city taxpayers 70 contribute
TO the support OF the county district
schools, as well as maintain their own.
That this Is manifestly unfair win be
readily seen by persons who are not
Immediately and pecunlarily interested.
II the argument IS good that the
wealthy cities should help support the
poorer school districts In the county
then. by the same rule, the richer coun-
ties must be called upon TO help the
poorer counties. and thus the burden
would be Increased 10 an insufterable
extent The State tax for the support
Of schools Is imposed, for the purpose Of
giving aid In this way 20 a reasonable
extent, ana the limit Is wisely fixed.
The attempt To fasien this additional
requirement upon our State Consti-
tuition should be resisted by voting
mo ON the proposition.
The third resolution To be submitted
requires careful reading and thought
il IS that section one OF article six Of
the Constitution be amended to read as
follows
Section J. The legislative power Of
the State shall be vested
J. In Senate and House or Repre-
sentatiyes. which shall be designated
the Legislature OF the State OF Utah,
q In the people of the state Of Utah,
as hereinafter stated: