Show AN ELECTION LAW NEEDED FUR eight years past matters pertaining to elections have been in an anomalous condition in this territory five men who have no permanent interests he herland here reaud and who ho have art not even the be right to vote in any precinct in the territory are vested with the control of all general anti and municipal elections in it the creation of the utah commission by congress in 1882 was a temporary expedient designed to bridge over an interim which was expected to terminate at the next session of the legislature as it was supposed that the assembly at its first session would pass pam an election law which would render readar ae 4 further furi her existence of that body useless all this is plainly apparent from section 9 of the ed created the commission and is confirmed by section 24 23 of the edmunds tucker law with the proviso that legislation by the territorial assembly designed to supplant the utah commission must be approved by congress before taking effect two election bills have been introduced trod in the council the second includes the first and is known as brians bill it is designed to be a complete election code and to contain cintrin all necessary provisions relative to the qualifications of electors and office holders holde re the registration of voters the management of elections and the n making of returns it is substantially similar to the present law but is more specific in some of it provisions particularly in relation to registration and challenges at the polls this bill ought to pass with such amendments as a critical examination of it may show to be necessary but it is time the anticipations of congress were met by the governor Jo vernor and legislative assembly of the territory of utah that the expense to the national treasury of maintaining the utah commission may be terminated however it Is like hoping against hope to expect that any election measure would travel any further on the road toward the point of becoming a law in fact and effect than the legislative assembly there is too ton evident a disposition elsewhere re to nurse and perpetuate the imported body entrusted with the manipulation tion of election matters |