The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1918-11-02
THE MINE AMENDMENT

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THE MINE AMENDMENT
That part Of the official ballot on the
proposed mine amendment is important
to all taxpayers. For some time the mat
ter has been aired in the Salt Lake. pa
pers. the Tribune and Herald voicing
q strong opposition to its passage. The
Deseret News has withheld Judgment
while at the same time has maintained
IN "Open Forum" where the proposed
amendment has been discussed from both
sides. Taxpayers have therefore been
privileged to get somewhat Of an idea as
70 its merits.
This is an important matter both from
',ndpoint Of revenue, but above all
standpoint of JUSTICE, as no cit
# the state wants to be party to
ice, and especially when it comes
ting INJUSTICE into the consti-
I'll ! of the state.
u. The various discussions it is charged
that the mines are anxious to evade tax
alton. If such is the case sufficient laws
should be passed to prevent such condi-
ton, but these laws should be plain and
based solely upon Justice. In the case at
hand it is evident that nearly all the at
tOrneys that have examined the matter
claim the amendment is unjust, un-Am-
erican, and further, is unconstitutional.
Along with this is the claim that these
attorneys have been bought by the
mines" Such charge is silly. It may
be true that such men as Judge Varian,
.sIadge Dixon. Ogden Hiles, E. C. Ashton
and others have been paid FOR looking up,
the case and giving legal opinions, but no
sane person can charge either of these
attorneys Of being guilty Of writing an
opinion that is not based on facts. 1t is
fair to them, and fair to all men to as
sumo that if they have found adversely
against it that they have done so in ac-
cOrdance with the evidence, and not be-
cause Of the desires of the mines. Their
standing and record in the past will not
justify such a charge. On the other hand
the Attorney General has given out
favorable opinion. It is Of course possible
that his opinion may be right, while the
opinion Of the gentlemen above named
may be wrong, but If the Hon. Attorney
General is not any nearer the right con-
Btruction Of the law in this matter than
1lc Wt1S al tllC SC1CuA0tSu OeCAlC OOu1Aty
salary case (and we are informed he gave
an opinion in this matter) his opinion
will not get very far in the courts. If
legal opinions count for anything taxpay-
iers had better be governed by opinions
of Varion, and Dixon, and Hiles, for
they are the best in the land.
! It is further argued that the newspa-
pers represent the mines. 1t is possible
that the Tribune and the Herald may be
owned more or less by men who are heav-
lily interested in mines, but even that is
not sufficient warrant that these papers
would be against just law. How about
the Deseret News? It is not owned by
mining men and the most the News has
done is to maintain an open forum. It
has not seen its way clear to advise that
the amendment be approved, on the 9TH
err hand it has said: IF it does not mean
what it says it should be rejected" Evil
IDENTIFY the News believes the amendment
faulty. Further, even its sponsors have
refused to come to its rescue. It failed
to get endorsement by the Democratic,
convention, and great many Of its
former adherents are in stew over it.
Therefore care should be exercised.
L d true great many people, prin-
cipally among the school men, are favor
inr it The cratic John N. Mills Is shout
Ing himsek hCarse for It. He did the