The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-01-14
GOVERNOR WELLS MESSAGE.

WE BELIEVE it was BENJAMIN
" Franklin who apologized to a
friend for writing an extraordinarily
long letter. excusing himself on the
ground that he didn't have time to
write a shore one. Governor Wells
might with all propriety, have made a
similar apology to the fifth Utah leg
islature. His message is unusually
long. and the critical may be pardoned
if they believe he might have said just
as much in considerably less space.
However. The Herald is not disposed
to find fault with the executive on this
score. Those who care to read his
words 20 the legislature win find in
them many suggestions of value. His
first recommendation is. in the judg-
ment Of many of the states best
friends, the best of all. He advises the
legislature not to pass too many laws.
Paraphrasing a Rooseveltism, he says:
1T has been aptly said that while pros
perity may be destroyed by mischiev-
Gus enactments, it can never itself be
created by law alone" Coming down
to the message proper, the executive
first suggests the adoption of a vigor-
Gus statute against anarchy.
on general principles this recon-
mendation is sound. Governor Wells
does not point out any course for the
legislators to follow in this regard, con-
tenting himself merely with calling at
tentlon to the assassination Of Presi-
dent Mckinley and advocating the pas
.F -s.4sr
ties for attempts to assassinate a pres
ident of the United States or an official
in line of succession. Such a law
would, however, properly come under
the control of congress.
The governors recommendation that
an Inspector be appointed for all mines
within the state will be received with
approval. At present the coal mines
only come under the control, except in
very general way, of any state Off
ciaL If tt is proper to protect the coal
miners. it is proper also to protect the
men who work in the gold, copper, sill
yer and lead mines.
AS the governor grows older he seems
To realize more fully the soundness of
the Democratic doctrine which de-
mands the election OF United States
senators by direct vote. In this par
ticular he differs from most of his par
" leaders, but recent events in Utah
and the shadows which coming events
have cast before them amply justify
The governors position.
Governor Wells favors such addi-
tions to and alterations Of the existing
laws as will straighten out the tangles
which so frequently arise over water
rights. Every legislature since state
hood has tinkered with this PROPOSE
ton. and the result to date has been
chaos. Careful revision is necessary in
order to prepare for national irriga-
ton. but the work must be done now
IN q wOrkmanlike manner.
OF no little importance is the execu-
tive's suggestion that a liberal appro-
priation be made for a Utah building
and exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase
exposition in st. Louis next year. The
advantages when this commonwealth
viii derive from a creditable repre-
sentation there are too numerous 20
point out at this time. The legislature
cannot afford to be niggardly. It
would be better to have no representa-
ton at all than to have one which
would not rebound to the states ever
lasting credit
If, in his recommendation for an in
crease in the pay of the district judges
and the justices of the supreme court.
Governor Wells means that the in
crease should be effective in the cases
OF the present iHcumbents. then The
Herald enphatically does notagree with
him. An OF the present judges were
elected with a thorough knowledge OF
what the emoluments OF their positions
would be. and to give them more money
would be to rob the taxpayers without
reason and lower the standing of our
judiciary at the same time.
There are many other suggestions in
the message which viii doubtless be
incorporated into bills later on by
members of the legislature. II such
action is taken in every case the law
makers will have plenty az matter with
which to occupy their time and their
attention throughout the session.