The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-01-14
TO THE LEGISLATORS.

The oath Of Office of legislator COM
preheuds an abstenton from undesira.
bic legislation quite as emphstically as
a direction TO vote for such laws as may
be required for the public good The
consciousness of this fact will be sig
nfcant aid in the forthcoming session.
! Of the three great propositions which
will be brought before the Legislature,
TWO Of them should be relegated to
limbo.
The three are the very inopportune
| and selfish demand FOR railway COM
mission; the partisan and personal re-
quest for a FIRE and police commission
| for Salt Lake; and the amalgama tion
Of the Agricultural College and the
State University--or the establishment
of some plan for the conduct of these
two institutions within the proper pur-
pose of the higher education and within
the proper limitations upon public ex-
penditure.
OF the three, the last will be the most
difficult, because the usual guiding inau-
once upon the Legislature is itself in
some mental difficulty concerning this
question. 1t is understood that the HE"
rarchs have not yet concluded which
plan they desire shall be adopted. Upon
one hand is willingness TO deal
death. blow to the University of Utah,
which has never been popular with
President Joseph T. Smith: and this
would be accomplished by sending the
University To Logan TO he merged into
the Agricultural College in that city. On
the other hand is the desire to have the
Agricultural College buildings for the
church university at Logan; and this
would be accomplished by sending the
Agricultural COLLEGE, itself 70 Salt Lake
10 be merged into the State University.
difficulties will only be magnifed by
postponement of decision. The demands
of the two institutions are today beyond
the purse OF the people of Utah. Their
duplication of work, as has been pointed
out, is not only a double expense to the
State. but is absolutely injurious in
many particulars beyond the financial
cost-for some Of the classes are so
small in the two institutions that they
cannot perform effective work
The second of the great propositions,
which emanates from hierarchical
source, TO establish a police and fire
commission for Salt Lake. has an addi-
tlonal merit in the eyes of the church
leaders because il is violative Of the
express letter and the spirit of the Con-
stitution of this State. Therefore, as it
possesses intrinsic qualities which com.
mend it TO their favor and is fragrant
notification of the Constitution, they
will doubtless urge it to the extent of
their power. The legislators Of Utah
will be called upon, in this matter, to
decide whether they will plunge the
State into long and costly litigation
and whether they will spread bad
name for Utah, by compelling a con
troversy entirely unnecessary as we'll as
undesirable from every viewpoint of
good citizenship. The mon who consti-
tute the House and Senate should bear
in mind that the example of evil legisla.
Iion is one which is too often followed,
and that If they shall choose to ignore
the Constitution and enact a statute
which is evil in its method as well as
in its purpose, the State Will suffer
for an indefinite period.
The Tribune has repeatedly expressed
itself concerping the first of these three
propositions-the creation OF railway
commission with power 10 fix rates and
to conduct the railway business-and
again invokes the good sense and the
patriotism of the legislators who are to
act during the forthcoming session,
After years of waiting Utah is being
supplied with ample railway facilities
for her business. Regions heretofore
mote from shipping points, are being
brought under agricultural cultivation
and mineral development. Competitive
lines reach both east and west and are
projected to the north and northwest.
Large iron and coal fields await the in.
coming OF transportation lines. AT the
same time the labors of the Federal
Government and the effort Of the rail
way companies themselves, already in
operation, are combined to correct many
of the abuses against which the people
have rightfully murmured. OF all hours
in the history Of the State this would
seem the most Inopportune for the crea-
ton Of railway commission; for such
a step would be deterrent in a marked
degree upon the establishment of new
lines and would be n serious complied
ton when brought into competition
with the existing remedial efforts. The
legislators Of Utah should bear in mind
that this State needs railway building
and operation. above all other things,
for the development of IFS natural re-
sources; and the constituents Of law
makers are likely to hold them RESPONSE.
BILE if through ill-considered, selfish or
partisan action-inHuenced by enmities
to the State-they shall prevent the
consummatlon Of Utah S desire and
need
In the main. the present Utah Legis-