Show TO SIMPLIFY GOVERNMENT The question of economy In government govern-ment confronts the peoplo of the United States and ought to be considered con-sidered by the people of Utah in their entrance upon the duties responsibilities responsibili-ties and expenses of statehood It cannot be denied that government is coming to be a very expensive article of necessity In ihis country The simplicity of primitive times in our national history has departed and lavish expenditures are Increasing in volume In public as well as In private circles This extends to every department depart-ment in local as well as national affairs If this disposition and tendency are not checked there will come a political cataclysm if not a veritable revolution revolu-tion There will have to be a cutting 3i down of the cost to the people of maintaining main-taining government and It will like charity have to begin at home Exorbitant Ex-orbitant salaries with attendant fees as perquisites must not continue The state should pay its public servants sufficient to secure efficient ability tout not to encourage parasites Fees ought to be turned into the public treasury No more offices should be created and none maintained but those which are essential to the public service In some parts of the country the proposition Is gaining ground to unite city and county governments under one system By extending the municipal munici-pal authority < to the county lines incases in-cases where the corporate limits include In-clude the greater part of the county population and much of its territory a great saving Is effected to the taxpayers tax-payers It has been tried in some places with excellent results Suppose the municipal government of Salt Lake city were extended to the I whole of Salt Lake county would not the probable result be beneficial In every respect We believe It would At any rate it is a matter worthy of serious thought Why should three men have the power to run the whole county into the serious financial difficulties diffi-culties that now confront us Why should we maintain a double set of officers and a dual system at great and needless cost S The union of the tax business to the extent of employing but one assessor and one collector for all the taxes in city and county works well md saves money Why should not the same principle be extended until It embraces the entire city and county affairs We firmly believe it would bring greater efficiency in government with considerable reduction of expenses which would mean reduced Instead of increased taxation An alarm will probably be raised at once that the city taxes would be levied on the whole county and that the rural districts would be compelled to bear part of the burdens that are Incident to city privileges But that Is not the intent and that could and would be guarded against by a graded system of taxes commensurate with the benefits received There would have to be a general tax throughout the whole county and special taxes within the limits of those populated portions where lighting and paving and sewerage and other local benefits I are received An adjustment of all those matters could be made on equitable principles and there need be no injustice or encroachment upon the rights and immunities of the people in any district dis-trict near to or remote from the seat of government In framing the constitution the privilege of Uniting the city and county government where desired might be secured in general terms to be regulated by the legislature and subject to the vote of the people A simple provision authorizing the legislature legis-lature to provide for such a system would be sufficient In the organic law A thorough municipal organization covering the whole county abolishing the county court and a number of county officers or of some of the city officers as might be deemed expedient but placing the management of affairs under the municipal head would in our opinion be found to extend better government to every part of the county and save the taxpayers considerable con-siderable expense Of course every district In the county would have to be represented in the municipal council as each city ward Is represented now There would be the advantage of the talent and experience ex-perience of the whole body and the executive ability of one set of officers all controlled from one headquarters and there need be no preponderance of city over county interests and no I cost to the outside precincts which properly belongs to the Inside wards Our system of government needs simplification our public expenditures need reduction Anything that tends In these directions should be encouraged encour-aged The disposition to create new offices increase their emoluments and multiply the burdens now weighing all too heavy on the taxpayers ought to I be opposed We suggest these considerations con-siderations to the delegates in convention conven-tion assembled and to the general public |