The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-06-09

The taxpayers of the state at the special
election yesterday voted against the levy
ing of a 1-mill tax for the purpose Of
erecting a state capitol building The
proposition was defeated by a majority of
about 2,SO0. Salt Lake county voted in
favor Of the tax levy, but almost every
other county in the state voted against
it.
One of the principal reasons for the de
feat of the proposition was the lack Of
strong campaign in favor Of it. In Salt
Lake City only a very small per cent Of
the taxpayers voted at all. Throughout
the state the vote was about 10 per cent
of what it was last fall. A strong fac
tor that initiated against the proposition
to build a new capitol was an active
campaign against the move by the people
Of Ogden and Weber county. The people
of Weber county apparently felt that if
the move to levy tax assessment for a
new capitol were defeated there would be
an opportunity to secure the state capitol
for Ogden. As a result the people Of
Weber county voted almost unanimously
against the measure.
Federal Bunch Rebuked.
The returns of the election throughout
the state are SAID TO reflect the personal
unDopularity of the machine politicians.
with whom Governor Spry has sur
rounded himself. The proposition to build
a new capitol was pet measure of the
governor and of his political COLLEAGUES.
The returns showed that there were those
who voted against the measure merely
because they did not wish to glorify
those now in power That there mas
have been some justification for the open
opposition to the glOrifieation of these
persons, even though this would have
been the lesser of the two evils, is evil
denced by the fact that already through
the official organ the political ring had
begun to take credit to itself for the
proposed erection of a new state capitol.
Though the returns from the different
counties which were almost all against
the proposition were a surprise the real
blame for the defeat of the measure
must rest with the people of Salt Lake
county. The lethargy on the part of the
taxpayers can only be explained by the
fact that there was no organized move
IN the county favOring the proposition
With q little energy 1000O votes could
have heen must sTsi for the proposition n
the county, which would have given a
handsome majority for the capitol
Party Workers Indifferent.
Less than one-fourth of the persons en-
titled to vote for the capitol went to the
polls. In every precinct of the city and
those who did vote voted for the move
ment. The proposition TO increase the tax
/ levy carried in every precinct of the city
and county, but there were so few votes
cast that the majority Of 1900 for the
capitol In Salt Lake county did not offset
the majority Of about 5000 against the
proposition in the rest of the state.
In Salt Lake all parties favored the
movement, and American and Demo-
cratic party leaders offered their services
to the Republicans to assist in carrying
the elections Since the proposition orig
mated with Republican governor and a
Republican legislature. it was felt that
the Republican party organization which
proved so effective last fall in causing a
Republican landslide in Salt Lake county
should take the initiative. For some un-
explained reason the Republican organiza-
ton appeared to be strangely inactive.
No campaign subscriptions were raised.
No work was done and the offers of as
sistsnce from other parties were un-
needed The result showed that three
day vigorous campaign would have won
| the election
Spry KeenIy Disappointed.
| Governor Spry was greatly disappointed
I last night when the returns indicated be
| yond any doubt that the capitol building
proposition had been lost at yesterday S
election. When asked to make a state
ment of his opinion to why the prop
1 osition had failed to carry he said
L do not wish to discuss the matter at
I this time further than to express my
great disappointment at the result I re-
[ greet that the people of Utah did not see
/ their way clear to vote for the building
/ Of a state canitoi a this tina I am