The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-02-02
A GOVERNORS WISDOM.


=. estinc and instructive things from th'
western viewpoint Not the least val
uablc of his suggestions was one made
in ms speech AT the first dinner OF th'
Bonneville club Hc said.
Heretofore the Rocky mountain
states have not acted in harmony. II
the house our representation has beer
so small that we could not hope to dc
much. Our strength is in the senate
but in tho past we have not beer
agreed on questions affecting the vita
welfare Of our intermountain country
and we have not presented solid front
in seeking the benefits which all our
states should share.
After pointing out the good that
would come from the recent convention
of governors in Salt Lake City. he in
dicatcd that senators of the intermoun'
tain states soon would hold a similar
meeting for the purpose OF unrfying
western policy and action in the United
States senate. These conventions of
governors and senators mark the be-
ginning Of western solidarity and CO.
operation which are destined TO be Of
lasting benefit 20 the mountain states
H. 81, oS y
guardianship established over this sec
tiop OF the country by the east
The adoption of a western policy
need not be antagonistic to the national
, policy. Indeed. the idea would be TO
make the western policy part of the ma
rional policy. The eastern policy is
now and has been for many years a
part of the governments S policy; but it
r. was conceived in ignorance and carried
4, out Tor the most part by men who had
not the taintcst knowledge OF western
needs. The keynote of the intermoun.
2 tain policy was suggested by Governor
Ammons when he said:
- We ask the right 10 use the water
within our states. the right to use the
laud and the right TO tax the property.
These rights which belong to MS NAV be
secured onlv through unity of effort -
One fourth OF Colorado is national do
+ main which may not be taxed by the
state for the support of state institu-
tious. vast portion of Utah is owned
bv the government and may not bc put
to uses which would develop and en-
rich tho state.
The western policy does not mean
: that tho people OF this region will op-
pose the expenditure of government
4. money to advance eastern interests. II
docs not mean that We shall oppose ap-
y, propriatious for eastern rivers and bar.
bors, although millions have been vast
cd in that direction. The eastern peo-
pie have been lavish in the expenditure
of government funds for their own ben
efit and very penurious when il came
10 spending money for the west. When
the irrigation policy was established
y The government providcd-aud IL was a
: very proper and Just provision-that
the settlers should repay the govern.
ment for reclamation. In the OUTLAY of
money for rivers and harbors IL never
4 has been thought necessary that the
. government should be repaid. nor even
that the states and the localities should
permanently benefit. but merely that
federal money should be used 10 supply
contractors and laborcrs with work 10
help build fences for congressman and
senators.
This is not said in a spirit Of an.
iipatbv TO the east. but merely TO point
out that the west docs not need cast.
+, eru guardianship. The east wasted is
own heritage and in H. old age has nc
como such an austere moralist that !,
does not want its children Of the west
to use their resources hbcrslly They
ase afraid that VIC will become spend
thTifts just as the eastern people were
in their youth.
The solid front proposed by Governor
, Ammons is essential to western devol.
3 opment. The western people should be
united. at least on the great issues that
effect their welfare. Petty interests can
be ignored
& Unity of sentiment and policy among
tho governors is important, but mas.
much 80 the senators come IN coutsc,