Show GOVERNOR THOMAS his message to the utah legislature he the legal rate of in bereit beins fied to six per cent he suggests the creation of a pardon board special to the J herewith we present some of the salient t eints of governor AL thomas message to the legislature PUBLIC institutions I 1 ibave advised of the deseret university and can therefore du no more than to bespeak for it your favorable consideration the board of directors of the insane asylum the trustees of the reform school and the agricultural College and the board of commissioners of the capitol grounds will submit detailed reports to the legislative assembly from which you will learn what has been done by them respectively during the past two years I 1 shall only refer to them in a general way the condition of the insane asylum is deplorable the inmates afflicted with the saddest type of human suffering are crowded together in the rooms dialls ante rooms and byways by ways of the institution the officers and attendants are compelled to perform their duties in premises illy provided for the purpose I 1 urge immediate action looking to the enlargement of the present building the asylum should be made the foremost benevolent beney institution of the territory the agricultural college is an institution that ought to prove valuable to alie agricultural class this important class of our population has derived but little benefit efrom public appropriations and if the college can be made of use and benefit to them it should be done you are the immediate representatives of the people and will have to dc cide how far you can go in supporting this important institution the beform school has been formally opened and is now in active operation the necessary appropriations should be made to enable it to be successfully conducted during the next two years the board of capitol commissioners have improved the grounds donat edby the city of salt lake to the territory upon which to erect the proposed capitol building I 1 believe it would be wise and prudent to appropriate a sufficient sum to erect a wing that will supply alio present needs of the territory and be glad to have the opportunity to cooperate w ith you in this matter the action of the last legislative assembly with reference to the selection of the directory of the deseret agricultural and manufacturing society has virtually made the association a territorial institution during the years 1888 and 1889 successful fairs were held and the exhibits made were in the highest degree creditable considering the limited means at the disposal of the directory these faira have been remarkably these annual fairs do much to bring the people together and encourage a friendly rivalry among the industrial classes the experience of the past two years has bbown that the present building is entirely too small for the purpose the building should be completed according to the original plans adopted by the board of Dir ectore and should be by other buildings which are much needed by exhibitors I 1 submit for your consideration the idea of establishing in tha exposition building a territorial museum where the many objects of interest which annually come to our notice in the territory may be preserved and where may be gathered a museum that will grow in interest with each succeeding year the territorial library as at present conducted practically nullifies the purpose of the law which created it it should be moved back to a central part of the city and sufficient appropriation pria tion be made for its maintenance and support including the of reports for purposes of exchange with other states and territories EATS OF INTEREST under the present law the legal rate of interest is loper cent the city of salt lake gand the territory of utah have been able to place their bonds at alie rate of five per cent under the circumstances it to me that the rate now fixed by law should be reduced to six per cent and I 1 so recommend assessment OF the revenue law provides that property other than shall be assessed at a fair cash valuation the fact is this requirement of the law has been practically t I 1 am of the opinion the fault is in the administration of the law by the local officers the assessors have made the assessment upon an arbitrary basis fixed by themselves or which they think will be about the standard fixed in other counties and thus the taxes are not laid upon the fair cash value of the property taxed nor is the assessment thereupon uniform and equal the law should be administered according to its terras and the power to determine the amount of revenue necessary should be left to the legislative assembly where it belongs whether justly or not I 1 am not prepared to pay but there exists among many the belief that the present law or the way in which it is enforced does not permit of a close and correct assessment of property that in the larger counties of the territory it is practicably impossible for one man to luiko a correct return cf all the taxable properly the assessor Aa sessor should be directed to appoint a deputy in each precinct persons of discretion intelligence and integrity acquainted with the residents ani familiar with the property of their respective precincts to alie of property and to the amount ehst never reach the tax at all is largely due the fact of the treasurer not being able to pay warrants whan they are presented to him an of all classes of properties at a fair valuation is the most practicable way of securing equalization iza tion there is also a belief that corporate i and accumulated wealth is not fairly assessed and therefore does not meet its just share of the public burdens I 1 suggest such amendments to the law as will secure a perfectly just and equit 1 able assessment and that in cities the h vve assessment be made by blocks and in townships by PARDON BOARD ADVISORY there are nearly one hundred and fifty applications for pardon pending before alie governor at alie present time these applications are supported by statements made by parties interest d in favorable action there being no other information furnished to him the governor as a rile must in his actions be governed by alie ex parte statements made I 1 believe it would be better for the public interests if alie governor should be authorized by law to appoint a board of three persons who should be authorized to meet once a month or as often as the legislature may determine to examine into the merits of all applications for pardon and to report thair conclusions to the governor for his information ARBOR DAY AXI FIRES in most of the states and territories a day has been designated by law as arbor day at which time trees are planted by the people generally in this arid region the value of trees cannot be overestimated and their planting should be encouraged I 1 the people would welcome an arbor day in this connection your attention is called to the forest fires which ravage our mountains in the summer season if sope provision could be made for extinguishing these fires if possible as soon as they are discovered it would save much valuable timber and help preserve the water supply |