Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-24
CONSOLIDATION
FIGHT IS NOW ON
Bills introduced in Senate and
House Start Battle in
Earnest.
ISSUE LOOMING UP LARGE.
Revenue Measure That VIII Put Tax
alton Power In Hands Of Board
OF Equalization.

President Love called the senate to
order this afternoon promptly at
o'clock.
Park brought In the first new bill,
which ls OH the university's side or the
consolidation question. 1t proposes to
submit the consolidation question to
the people TO vote OH as constitution
al amendment. The proposed amend
ment Is not for absolute consolidation,
but for separate maintenance under one
board OF control and on one site, the
university including the Agricultural
college,
This bill is numbered and will off,
set Bullen's bills % and "a which pro-
vdes for separate maintenance on a
taxation fund basis.
s. b. 30, also by Park, chairman of
the education committee, provides
permanent tax for the consolidated COL
lege and university. The amount Is
fixed at mill and is to cover all uni
veitsity expresses. exclusive of the
branch normal school at Cedar City,
for which All additional tax of IL mill
collected in the same manner and at
the same time as the general taxes.
IMPORTANT REVENUE CHANGE.
Senator John Y. Smith is going to
devote his efforts during the Seventh
legislature to getting bill through on
state revenue.
In talking of his measure. which Is
almost ready to be submitted. Sena-
tor Smith said this afternoon that its
main provision would be to place in
the hands of the state board OF equal
ization the power to fix the tax levy
on railroads. mines, power companies
doing business in more than one coun-
ty. and on express companies.
THE inefficiency of the present sys-
tenn, he said rs clearly shown by the
different valuations placed on the prop
erty In one county by different asses
sors. l have in mind case where
diligent assessor raised the valuation
of property in his county from $4,000
to 100000 by diligently seeking out the
corporate property 1t is so easy to con-
ceal from the ordinary assessor.
LAS 1t Is now. the farmer who cannot
conceal his I<operty is fully taxed.
while many big corporations escape
through being able to conceal their
goods.
1T requires a body Of strong, inde-
pendent men with the powers OF a
state board to fully reach organizations
such as mining corporations, express
componies, and electric companies, and
to give such n central board this power
is the purpose of the bill l will submit"
IN THE HOUSE.
The big fight over the consolidation
of the University and Agricultural coll
lege begins to loom up. Peterson today
introduced two measures into the house.
prescribing the courses to be taught in
both Institutions. which are duplicates
of measures introduced in the senate
yesterday by Bullen. The idea Is to de-
fer the real question by compelling con-
erationtion of other measures relat-
ing to the same subject. To effect con-
solldation, the state constitution must
be amended, and the fact that 1t will
require a two-thirds vote of both houses
to submit such an amendment to the
people gives the ''antis" hope that no
action WIN be had on the question dur
ing the present session. Sparks are
expected to fly from this time on, and
the battle promises to furnish very
pretty sight.
NEW BILLS.
Bits were introduced as follows:
II. B. 3s. by Petersen. This measure
Is In all respects similar to senate bill
rs, introduced in the senate yesterday
by Bullen, and describes and limits the
courses OF instruction In the Agricul-
tural college Of Utah, and limits the
cost of maintaining the college.
III. B. 80, by Petersen, Is a replica of
senate bill "a. by Bullen, and contains
provisions prescribing and limiting the
courses OF instruction at the state uni
versity; also limiting the cost of main
tanning the university.
The effect of these $40 hive 'r ~ '"7-
vent the university from teaching agri-
culture. domestic science ana ais eek
cept In it's normal course), irrigation
engineering and commerce. which said
courses shall be included in the courses
at the Agricultural college
H. B. 40, by Tolton, relating to the
publishing OF annual statements OF
cities.
II. 3. Al, by Giles, provides for the
manner of creating new counties.