The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-12-23
THE CAPITOL PETITION.


That is certainly II formidable pci
iion which i prepared 10 submit tc
the Capitol Commission in favor OF
Utah material so far rs it may be pos
sible TO use that material in the con.
/ structior Of the capitol. md OF Ctal
/ bidders for the work, The sieners
arc cntiticd not only 10 consideration
bnt 10 great respect. They represent
large interests. and the signers them
selves are persons OF responsibility and
standing in the community Their voice
! Is entitled TO be heard, and the taxes
| they pay cntitle them 10 wcighjy in.
| fluenco in public affairs. AZ the same
Umc, 1t mnst confessed that their pc
t!iion comes very late. The Capitol
Commission WAS, TO all appearances.
ready TO award the contract for the
construction Of the capitol building:
It has already awarded the contract for
The excavation. To yield now to the
desire OF these petitioners would re,
qulre a fresh start on new basis,
IT would also ilnpngn the good faith
OF the state in Its procedure hitherto
IN this matter, who're the Commission
called for open bids for the construc.
tion of the capitol ON plans and spcci-
fications fully matured and adopted
Whether it would be possible in fair
ness and Justice for the Capitol Com
mission TO halt in its procedure at this
4 4.
of the question. And certainly The bid
dcrs who on the invitation OF the State
have made their computations and sub
mittcd their building propositions
would he dcfraudcd of the chance OF
doing The work according TO the invi.
tatiou made by the State on the bids
as made and received, We do not see
how the State could afford at this late
date to throw over what has been done
ard begin anew; thus taking upon IL
self the stigma Of rcpudiating its own
invitations and yoidiug its own official
acts, when those acts have been pro-
ceeded upon by others in good faith.
and considerable expense incurred
thereon.
Besides, to reopen this whole qucs.
ton now would be TO incur the danger,
not only Of suits at law, such suits
in some cases being planted in the Fed.
eral courts. but would incur the double
danger as TO the location of the cap
itol; first as TO the present site and
second as to whether the capitol should
be built in this city. Beyond that, there
would bc the question of whether we
would at this time build capitol at
all The delay would inevitably bring
on fight royal in the Legislature. in
which the proposition to build a cap
itol at this time would be directly in
volved. AS is we'll known, there is
4 very strong sentiment throughout the
State against building capitol now,
those who desire postponement claim
ing that the money can much more
be spent at this time in con
structing roads and bridges throughout
the State than in building capitol
The whole matter, of course, is UP
10 the Commission for its decision;
but we do not SEQ how the Commission
IAN halt at this time, under all the cir
and under the obligations
resting upon It.. The bids for construc.
ion were openly advertised, and they
lid not carry the points called for in
his petition. Therefore, they would
al have to be voided; aud whether the
State is legally at liberty to make this
yoidarce at this late day may well be
questioned. /
II is unfortunate that this compli-
cation should arise at this time The
needless delays of tho past have been
annoying to those who have desired
10 see the State well housed in its |
business headquarters, and the ques-
ion settled for good and all. But now
.he proposition to begin anew as if
nothing had been done comes with
strength and force, although much be-
ated, that can hardly be ignored. We
10 not envy the Capitol Commission IN
,his crisis; but we can fairly say that |
The Commission has itself to blame
chiefly for the delay, and that this de-
ay tends greatly TO the disadvantage
IF Salt Lake City. as well as OF the
State itself, is evident TO all. Yet the
Commission, it seems 10 us, has . plain
duty TO perform, although it is diff
cult, in view Of this petition, 10 per
form it with the promptness and vigor
hat is required The plain duty OF
The Commission, as it seems to US. is
10 20 forward with its work of letting
The building contracts at once, under
pain, first OF all, Of Il decided taint
Of bad faith, and beyond that Of en-
the whole capitol proposition.
DESTROYS A PRETTY STORY.