The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-19
Legislature Leaves Behind 1t
Many Acts of Drastic
Character.
PROVISION FOR CAPITOL
ONE REDEEMING FEATURE
Long Struggle on Liquor Ques-
tion Responsible for Many
Weeks Delay.

After sixty. nine days of work the
Ninth legislative assembly dissolved
Saturday at noon. More bills were con
sidered and more passed by the Ninth
legislature than by any other in the
history Of the state with the single ex-
ception of the First state legislature.
The legislature did practically moth
ing during the first fifty days of the
session and an immense amount Of labor
was crowded into the last two weeks
Most of the important legislation was
enacted after the sixtieth day of the
session, the legal day of adjournment
The legislature continued in session
period by the fiction of stopping the
clock
The close of the legislature came
quietly at noon on Saturday. There
had been some rather tunultuous
scenes in both houses during the session,
but they were not repeated on the clos
ing day. The members of both houses
were tired from the morning. noon and
night sessions that had been the rule
for the past week and they took little
interest in the closing. Indeed. it was
difficult to keep quorum in either
house during the routine incident to the
close of the session.
Practically all Of the work had been
completed by both houses of the legis-
lature on Friday and all that remained
was the routine of receiving bills from
the committees on engressing, signing
them and transmitting them to the gov
ernor. After this hail been completed
the gavels of the president of the sen
ate and the speaker of the house fell
AT almost precisely the same moment
and the legislature was adjourned with
out dav.
The Ninth legislature not only passed
more laws than any other, but it also
passed more measures changing pres
ent conditions than any other legIs-
lature. Because of several drastic and
revolutionary measures passed the legis-
lature will come in for much adverse
criticism. more or less deservedly.
! Capitol Monument to Legislature.
| However. the legislature Will have as
a monument TO its work during the pres
ent session a beautiful new state capitol
building. The legislation making pos
sible the construction of the new state
bonse is unanimously agreed to be
great step forward for the state. BY
Some this is declared to be the only
meritorious legislation enacted, and by
many it is taken as an atonement for
what is regarded by them to be retro
gressive and vicious legislation.
The capitol bills have been signed by
the governor who has announced that
the construction of the building VIII
proceed as rapidly as is consistent with
the careful preparations that Will be
necessary in order to secure beautlful
and substantial edifice that VIII serve
the state as au official home for years
to come The capitol Will be built ON
the crest of the beautiful Capitol Hill
in Salt Lake, one of the prettiest sites
| in America. =,
In line with the progressive legisla-
tion for the construction or q new state
capitol are the measures providing for
the erection of 100000 main build
ing for the state university, for the
building OF a new state armory. for the
building of $4,000 gymnasium for
the Agricultural college, for the build
ing of a $4,000 power plant in Logan
canyon, for the construction of a $780,
600 bridge across the Grand river TO
make accessible the oil fields of San
Juan county. and for the appropriation
of nearly 100000 for the lmprovemenS
and construction of system OF good
roads throughout the entire state
Interpreting the Platform.
The members of the state legisla'
ture spent the greater part of the time
of the session trying to figure out what
the Republican state platform meant
F'iftv-four of the sixty-three members
of the state legislature were Repub
Iicans The Democrats had two mem
bers in the senate and seven In the
house. The Democrats were elected on
a platform declaring for state-w wide
prohibition. They easily fulfilled their
party pledges by introducing state
wide prohibition measures and voting
for them when the Republicans killed
them by voting against the Republican
hauor bill which passed by strict
party vote.
The Republicans had harder time
trying TO live up to their platform.
ranged from IA wideopen policy to
statewide prohibition, They were
agreed that the platform pledged the
legislature TO enact some sort of local
option. lust what kind they did not
appear to know.
After various committees. and Joint
committees had wrestled with the ques-
ton and were promptly thrown the
senate and the house appointed a joint
committee To draft liquor measure.
The committee did so and after several
weeks of work presented il to the legls-
lature, which consumed ten days In
considering. and amending 1t. When 1T
finally satisfied the members it was
passed and sent TO the engrossing com
mittee. preparatory TO being sent to
the governor.
However, the bill passed by the legis
aturo displcased the Republican party
leaders and co-incident with the hurried
departure from Washington for Salt
Lake OF United States Senator Reed
Smoot, the legislature caucused with