Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-01

| ton organized on existing, or hereafter
| organized or existing under the laws
| OF this State, may, instead Of electing
| It's entire board OF directors annually,
las now required by law, provide IN
| It's Articles OF Association or by amend
ment to IT'S Articles Of Association,
for the election OF ono-thlrd OF the
number Of It's directors for a term Of
one year, one-thrd thereof for q term
Of two years, and one third thereof for
n term OF three years, and thereafter
az each succeeding annual meeting Of
the stockholders, one-thrd thereof for
term Of three years"
Objections have been raised against
tho bill, two Of which we understand
are entertained by some OF the mem-
bers Of the Legislature. one Is that
Il differs In spirit and intent with the
policy OF the present State adminlstra-
ton I'm reference 10 the various boards
which are appointed by the Governor
by and with the advice and consent Of
the Senate, II In the intention 20 make
a change In the constitution and terms
Of office Of these respective boards, with
view to rendering them not entirely
partisan, but to make the majority In
them members Of the political party IN
power.
AS 10 the wisdom or otherwise OF
these contemplated changes we do not
care to say anything at present. They
form a subject for the careful consider
alton OF the Legislature, and the fact
should be kept in mind that the rule
now proposed may at some future
time, act IN the opposite direction from
that which Is now IN view. TT is
poor rule that win only work one way"
But what has this measure known as
II, d. "A, to do with any state board or
other public organlzatlon2 1t relates
only to private corporations, such as
railroad business and similar organiza-
lions, that have nothing to do with the
conduct OF public affairs, We under
stand that the change proposed as to
the election Of directors and officers Of
these private corporations Is desired by
a number OF those institutions, and we
can see no rational objection TO the
proposed measure. Whether II corre-
spends TO the plan projected for the or
ganzatlon OF state boards or not, that
has nothing TO do with this proposition
now before the Legislature.
Another objection, we are told, is that
the bin makes II mandatory upon prl-
vate corporations to follow the rule laid
down In the section which we have
quoted, But II Will be seen, or a critl-
cal examination Of It's language, that
II simply provides that such corpora
lions MAY elect their boards Of direc-
tors IN the manner prescribed. There
In nothing mandatory in the provision
1t Is simply permlssive, and II 50 APP
pears In the entire construction OF the
section IT, however, It Is feared by
any one that the term may" might
be construed to mean Shall" words
could be inserted after II sufficient to
remove all ambiguity, such as III so de-
sired by the stockholders" or some-
thing to that effect. We think II Is suf-
ficIently explicit as It stands, but It
could be easily made clearly permits
slyo IN the way we here suggest
There should be no factional or mar.
row or obstructive spirit In the franz
Ing Of laws for the government OF this
entire state. Nor should the Legls-
lature give way TO that feeling Of hos
tility to anything desired by cor
poratlons or other large business
concerns, which commonly provoke,
by the very greatness Of their aims
and enterprises, the opposition Of GER
tain class of agltators to be found in
every community We should be n
broad-mlnded people DESTROYS Of sup
porting everything that tends to build
up and enlarge the power and lnhu-
ence and welfare Of our growing noun