Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-27

Attorney-General Breeder sent the
following 10 the News today with
the request chat It be published:
There IL misrepresentation, and
consequently many misstatements, az
to the intention OF the trainers OF our
constitution, respecting the salaries Of
state officers and the power Of the
legislature TO raise OF lower them dur
Ing the terms for which they were
elected. The people ought TO know the
facts Conclusions hastily formed are
often erroneous Therefore without
discussing or giving my opinion Of the
legal effect Of the constitutional pros
vision affecting state officers aalafes,
which has furnished such abundant
food for the newspaper writer's and art
lists OF the city
II Will present the Views which
seemed TO prevail, concerning this sub
sect, among the members Of the con-
ventlOn It's whole tenor was IN favor
Of adjusting small salaries TO begin
with for fear that large or even rea-
sunable salaries would scare the people
and possibly result IN the defeat Of the
constitution. In order TO correctly ar
rive at the Intention OF the members of
the constitutional convention, resort
must be had 90 the proceedings of the
convention When the question OF the
salary Of the governor was being dis
cussed, Mr. Squlres made the following
remarks:
IN THE CONVENTION.
Mr. Chalrman | want to call the
attention " the convention aud espcc-
tally Mr.. Hart 10 the fact that the COM
pensation now provided win only be
during the pleasure Of the legislature,
The first legislature may change IT,
These Ggires arc pat IN here for the
first tenn II might not last more than
one term at .ha figures named
No one win question The ability and
democracy If JurRo Thurman In dis
GUSHING the salary Of the attorney gem
eral he said among other things "rhls
article (NlD also provides that the sal
aries fixed here shall continue such uR-
til otherwise provided by law. If the
leglslat ure imposes other duties upon
him, the same legislature. II they fluid
In their judgment that fifteen hundred
dollars Is not enough, In consideration
Of the extra duties they are Imposing
upon him, II win be their duty 70 raise
the salary IN accordance With the
duties that are imposed on the officer
by law"-Page 1923, Proc. Con. CUnv.
IN the further discussion of the sal
airy Of the attorney general Mr. Varian
said, inter ALA, In speaking OF one who
might be elected outside OF Salt Lake
city, ''he would certainly have 10 de-
pend alone on his salary for his FIRST
term, Now II the legislature should inn
pose additional duties upon him. stu
that legislature cannot increase his
compensation during the term for
which he shall De elected. because you
prohibit that I'm this Constitution, that
* the intention, as ! understand II, to
prohibit the increasing or diminishing
Of his salary during the term OF the in
cumbent; all Of those things ought TO
be considered Of course" Page 1929
Proc. Con. Conv.
Mr.. Thurman said: IN view OF the
suggestion made by the gentlemen,
which had not occurred to me before,
that a salary could not be changed,
would II not be better I'm this conyen-
ton 10 provide an exception In the case
Of the first officers. and permit the
Legislature to fix il In accordance with
the Increased duties that they may Inn
pose?"
Mr.. Varian "Well, I do not know,
Mr.. Chairman, II occurs 10 me"
The Chair: "That ~ not before the
committee any way" Id.
Mr. Maloney, another sound lawyer,
deep-dyed Democrat, said: 81 say the
whole matter ought TO be fixed as low
as possible. then let the Legislature fix
the salaries Page 1881. Proc. Con.
Cony.
In discussing the salary for superin-
tendent Of public instruction, Mr. Farr
said, among other things; 81 think one