The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-03

tice TO such members OF the last session
as Foresman of Nez Perce. Bangs OF
Custer. McBirney and McCracken OF Ada.
and other sober citizens whom the big
men OF Idaho, regardless OF politics, Ike
TO meet In Idaho law-making bodies,
Clags tone shows the fraudulent side oi
his nature by his extreme attitude on the
local option question. THIS Is totally al
variance with his habits and hence bears
the indelible stamp OF a move only Tor
political effect May IT not be better to
elect TO office man charged with max
for greater political power TO himself as
sumcs a hydrophobic roll and trades of
everything In sight for place and for
Idaho responding to interviews favoring
local option or prohibition or what
not to induce the peoplo TO take him
he is giving banqucts TO his close friends
In the grills and boxes OF the cities of
Idaho and buying such drinks as may
serve to tickle the palate OF those whom
he would be pleased TO impress favor
ably.
That Idaho needs bigger, broader and
better men In either branch OF her laSis,
matter, they cannot be too sober Tor
the Job. The issues to be presented to
them as a basis for legislation Wiil re
quire brains, and the state Is e1tit'eh m csc 90
seats seats next winter
Here are q few things for considera-
ton Of the legislature which appear on
the surface now:
A change OF our state revenue system
so as to provide for such an equalization
of taxes as will require assessors TO place
n full cash valuation on the property OF
the state, that lower levy may be made
in the various counties.
Legislation regarding many peculiar.
troublesome and unpopular acts OF the
state university board and OF its fac
ulty,
The consideration OF relief OF some
people In Idaho entitled TO change in
county lines and boundaries, PROBABLY
the creation OF some new counties.
Such a change in the. game and hSh
laws OF the state as will put y stop TO
the nepotism and kindred favoritism
practiced at the expense OF profession tI
the birds. wild animals and fish of tho
forests and streams of Idaho.
Consideration Of repeal of the law
fixing the indetermlnate sentence system
Of prisoners sent TO our state peniten-
tlary by the various district judges OF
the state.
A probable amendment to the so called
state antitrust law.
Consideration OF the creation OF a state
railway commission and the enactment
of a public utility bill
Compulsory good roads legislation and
a compulsory drainage law
But these important questions might
have the consideration OF seventysiX OF
the bralniest men in Idaho and yet an
evil stronger than intemperance or In
might again arise TO cloS the
of this branch OF our state
government; and that Is the officious In
OF the executive with the al
fairs or the legislative branch of our
state government This is intended as
general criticism applicable TO past state
tions. since the state was an
Organization. II applies as well to DEM
ocrdtic as to Republican governors.
The active influence OF the executive
Is usually oXerted over a legislative as
sembly. He must be consulted as to
speaker, chief clerk, chairman and con-
may be able to shape or throttle legis-
lation at will, His appointments are
usually held back as trading stock" and
during all the terrible sixty days or
office seekers throng the capitol halls
and the hotel Hobbies, for the influence
Of this member or Of that senator TO be
exerted with the governor for the sr9u-
hcation Of his peculiar ambition. The
OF the executives OF the past
all of them-has been TO hold In reserve
this herd OF hungry pie counter pirates
and use them as trading stock for legis.
ation he may wish to defeat or pass. II
two votes are required, in the house. for
instance. and two members names may
be lndorsed on a petition OF some man
for an appointive office, the governor
goes out to the candidate corral lassoes
Ills hopeful, takes him In to the office
and tells him TO line up his two devoted
friends for such and such a bill and he
will be Immediately appointed to the
place he covets. The deal is made and
thus is our representative form Of gov
ernment defeated In point Of fact.
This is the one egregious error made
by executives. 1t is a gross perverslon OF
the spirit of our state government; 1t
should be promptly and effectively
brushed aside as a system foreign TO the
BREADTH height and depth OF our citizen
shIp. Executives practice 1t only by suf-
ference OF tolerant, and ofttimes, an ig-
norant constituency, too busy with the
cares and duties of empire building TO
pause TO lnterject opposition to such
perniclous system
The tone of the state should demand
a better order OF action on the part OF an
executives!
To intermingle the executive and lesis-
lative branches OF the government Is as
wrong as TO involve, with either, the ju-
dicial. This brings to mind an incident
OF some years gone by, The legislature
established a session of the supreme
court OF the state at Pocateilo. The
judges OF the court entered the arena
and opposed the measure; but 1t passed.
created a certain code commission. CIV
ing to the governor the privilege OF ap-
pointing his commission OF course. he
would name on this commission his close
friends. some lllSgaIly, dIScoNeTeu diter
the legislature adjourned, attached 10
the code commission bill and this made
trading stock for a game. The supreme
court bill was vetoed by the governor
and the code commission Dill held legal
by the supreme court
There is no question but the three
branches OF our state government should
be run on an entirely independent plane,
A legislator who Will allow personal up
pointments to be the gauge Of his vote
in the enactment OF laws TO govern
people should be imprisoned. A Judge
who will receive advice as 10 the political
effect of a decision In case pending or
likely TO pend before him should he dis
barred from the profession. A governor
who will overstcp the executive and reach
out In an attempt to control either the
Legislative of the judicial function OF
state government should be ousted from
office and ostracised from respectable So
ciety.
A GNn..a1,an.a CALI