The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-31
HIS Y | E W s
(. ON ST A [ E
CAPITOL,
sPRY SAYS THE WHOLE STATE
SHOULD CONTRIBUTE.
Asserts That Location of Capitol is
Fixed, Making O9den's Propo-
sltion Irrelevant.

Governor William Spry yesterday
rave out to the press the following
statement with respect to the ap-
preaching election on the proposition
10 increase the state levy l mill to
provide for state capitol:
"On June s there will be submitted
to the people of the state question
which / regard as one of the most VI
tai business Importance; Shall the
state proceed to erect a capitol build
ing?
"The question is one into which
partisanship does not enter, in which
politics is not factor, and into which
factionalism should not be interjected
II Is strictly and solely a business
proposition submitted to the states
stockholderS-the property owners
involving a question as to- whether
they desire TO continue to transact the
affairs OF the state as tenants In com
mon with the local governments oil
Salt Lake and county, and numerous
owners of Salt Lake business blocks
at enormous yearly rentalS-with mca-
ger and absolutely inadequate accom-
modations, or, whether, in keeping
with the practice of other states OF
The union, they will provide quarters
for the various branches OF state gov
eminent, for the dignified and eXpe-
ditious transaction OF the states busi-
ness
"The action in a certain quarter for
the removal OF the state capital at
this time is irrelevant, unjust and un
fair. The location of the capital of
Utah Is definitely and finally settled.
Section of the Enabling Act OF
July 16, 1894, provides: That upon
admission Of the said state (Utah) TO
the union, In accordance with the pro
Visions of this act. one hundred sec
tions of the unappropriated lands
within the said state, to be selected
and located In subdivisions as pro-
vided in section 6 of this act, shall
be, and are hereby granted to said
state for the purpose Of erecting pub
lie buildings at the capital Of the state
when permanently located. for legisla-
tive. executive and judicial purposes
The question of the location of the
state capitol was exhaustively discus
sed IN the constitutional convention
and was definitely and finally settled
under the provisions of section 3. of
article 10, of the constitution, which
permanently located the seat Of gov
ernment at Salt Lake City.
Section / of article 90 OF the con-
stltution further provides: All lands
OF the state that may have been, OF
may hereafter be granted to the state
BY congress, and all lands acquired by
gift grant or devise. from any person
or corporation, or that may be other
wise acquired, are hereby excepted
and declared to be the public lands OF
the state, and shall be held In trust
for the people, TO be disposed of as
may be provided by law. for the re-
spectlve purposes for which they have
been or may be granted. donated, de-
ysed or otherwise acquired The
constitutional convention fixed the
capitol site permanently at Salt Lake
City.
Doing this they complied with the
condition of the land grant of the En-
ibling act, and already the state has
selected Of the 1000 acres granted by
congress 62,736 acres.
THE argument that Salt Lake coun-
Y exhibits a voraclous disposition in
The matter Of appropriations at the
hands of the legislature is without
foundation of truth. AS matter of
Information | may state, eliminating
the assessed valuation OF railroads
telegraph, telephone. express and car
companies and net proceeds OF mines,
the total assessed valuation OF the
state outside Of Salt Lake county was
assessed on It's real estate improve
ments and personal property. exclu-
siye of railroad property, etc, approx
imately S67,495,023, or about 63 per
cent as much as the entire state. out
side of Salt Lake.
ION a like comparative statement,
the next largest county In point Of as
sessment paid on basis of about 10
per cent Of the entire assessed valua-
ton OF the state, and Notwithstanding
this fact, this same county received ap-
proximately Is per cent of the total