The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-11
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

| ionG, ana though largely dcNoted II
routine. there are some suggestion!
made therein of very great importanc,
to the people of the State.
The Governor opens his recommends
tions by asking the enactment of the
| liquor plank of the Republican plat
| form into law, AS it is now, VIC have
license with regulation in the cities
local option in fact generally pro
hibition) throughout the State The
proposed enactment would require pro
hihtion in the rural districts and coun
ties, and allow of license with regula
tion in the cities. But as that is
| what we have now in practice, it is
hard TO sec the advantage of enactine
| this kind of legislation. Besides it is
| doubtful if n law of that kind. propos
ing one sort of law for the rural dis.
tricts and another for the cities, would
be sustained by the courts. 1t is all well
enough to get up political platforms
but the enactment of statutes is diff
ferent thing. A legislative enactment
rs subject to review IN the courts,
very often with disastrous results TO
the enactment 1t is hard to see any
advantare IN such proposition.
Next the Governor desires to have
our tax and revenue system entirely
overhauIcd, This would require amend
ments to the constitution that would
make material changes, as he thinks for
the better. We agree with the Gov
crnor that our taxing system is about
as bad as could be devised And there
is great need of improvement. but un-
less a more enlightened spirit enters
into the formulation Of the new system
than has heretofore prevailed we
should not build too much hope upon
any amendment in this particular Still
the inequalities pointed out BY Governor
Spry arc as surprising as they arc in,
congruous. AS 10 his recommendation
that the tax shall be made colcctible
semi annually, we doubt very much
whether the people would approve of
it, 1t is bad enough to have this sort
Of pinch once year, and we believe
that the people would rather have il
come once than twice, even if the
pinch is harder for the one time. An
instructive commentary upon our gen
eral system of revenue and expenditure
is pointed out by the Governor. where
he shows that the estimates in the diff
ferent departments run very largely
above the possible revenues; and even
then large number of desirable pro-
visions arc not taken into account
In education the Governor commends
the general system, praises the Uni
verslty and Agricultural College, as
we'll as the school for the deaf.
dumb, and blind. and the State In
dustriaI school, He justly condemns a
practice which he has discovered in
some of the school districts where the
State apportionment furnishes them
more money than they need, and they
hoard it instead of paying it back to
the treasury. where it belongs, for an
equitable distribution among the
schools.
The Governor has good words for the
State Mental Hospital, for the State
Prison, for the workshop for the blind,
commencing these to the favorable
consideration of the Legislature, and
approving the management.
The State Fair Association is com
mended for its good results, and the
needs of its work are put before the
Legislature.
The Governor commends the different
State officials, and explains the sup.
port that they will need from the
Legislature. The Bureau of Statistics,
the State Fish and Game Commissioner,
the State Dairy and Food Bureau, the
State Engineer, the State Chemist. the
State Coal Mine Inspector, the State
Veterinarian. the State Horticulture
Commissioner. the State Insurance
Commissioner, the state Board Of HEALTH,
the State Board of Land Commission
ers (whcre he might justly place
some wcll-mcrited criticism), the
State Board of Sheep Commissioners,
the State Road Commission, the
Library Gymnasium Commission (Which
he wishes tcrminated), the State
Conservation Commission, arc all
brought into review and generally
commended
The National Guard is ndorsed, and
fhc request of the Adiutant General
for appropriation TO maintain the
guard and provide an armory is ap
proved
The Juvenile Court is mentioned
briefly, and an appropriation is asked
for its support
Uniform legislation is recommended
on various matters with a view of Sc
curing identical laws on various sub
lccts among the several States.
The Indian War Records Commits
sion has registered 25,063 persons as
participants in the Indian wars of the
State. The Governor considers that the
work of this commission is done, and