The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-13
STATUS OF LEGISLATION.

Today will be the sixtyfourth day
of the sixty.dny session of the Utah
legislature. 4 good deal of important
work remains yet to be done; in fact,
much Of the really urgent work which
the legislature was expected to do is
yet ahead,
The liquor law, first of all was IN
n way expected, but is quite unneces.
sary 1t is fixed up nicely in An un-
constitutional way. so that the object
of the Republican State platform will
be kept to the car aud broken to the
hope. This is quite as we'll also, since
no liquor legislation was in the least
needed,
The appropriation bill is yet III en-
bryo, the house whers il should have
originated, not having yet fully con.
sidered it, There is an astonishing
tendency since the receipt of the Harrl-
man inheritance tax TO go beyond all
precedent in making appropriations,
aonarently in the hope that some rich
people Will die. and that the State will
get good sum out Of their estates,
But this hope is liable to be fallacious,
and the legislature would DO much bet
ter to con6ne its appropriations to the
revenues that are known TO be avail
able. But the Appropriation bill Is
vastly important measure, that ought
to have been reported to the House
a good many days ago.
The apporrionment bill is one Of
very great Importance TO the people in
their rights of representation. The bill
appears to be asleep in the Senate, and
there is curious reluctance, appar-
entity, to pass any bill! that will give
proper regard at once to the colstitu-
tional rights of the counties, and TO the
representative rights of the people. a
bill like this ought To have been passed
long ago. As it is now, four days at
ter the session has legally terminated
but while it is yet being kept alive
under fiction, it is a poor time in
which TO take up this vastly important
measure. But to fail to take il up and
pass it, giving Just play to constitu
tional rights and to the rights of popu-
lation TO legislative representation,
would he TO perpetrate such an out
rage upon the people and their rep
rcsentatiye rights, as would bring con
demnation and storm of obloquy upon
the Legislature.
Another matter involved is the pass
age of measure allowing the issue Of
S250,00O in State bonds for road and
bridge purposes. This measure is right
in its general features, but it has a
killing restriction, which rules Salt
Lake county out from any benefits
from The money TO bc derived from this
bond issue, II thing which we believe
would invalidate the issue, and which
would clearly be an injustice to this
county. which in the long run. will
pay about siXty-fve per cent, both of
the principal and interest, on these
bonds
\ number of other measures of i'm
portancc are pending in the legisla-
ture awaiting action, on this sixty
fourth day of the sixty day session. We
presume that the session will be pro-
longed for the remainder Of this week,
making il, in fact, seventyday ses.
sion. But. as the legislators are now
getting no pay, and those who do not
live in town are here at Il daily ex-
pense, we presume the anxiety will be
TO get through as soon as possible.
And yet. if adjournment is had with
cut passing the apportionment bill, we
think it would he clearly the duty of
the Governor To call an extra session
for the purpose of making just ap.
nortionWent that would give to popu-
laiion lis riChtfnl representation in the