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Show SO THE PEOPLE T1Y IffiOlV AS yet the current session of the Utah legislature has done nothing noth-ing to justify its existence. With more than half of the session ses-sion gone it stands as a monument to the stupidity of the electorate. A' For a week or so the antics of some of its members were amusing, but even vaudeville becomes tiresome, if prolonged. Now the public laugh is gone! The people writhe" under the asinJne"Troposalsandcaper9ofmenwho should"1epossessedof wisdom and dignity. The Democrats chuckle as they turn their eyes toward the next election. People of other states take measure of our intelligence by the legislative standard and sooff at us. They smile as some distinguished Utahn rises to the serious import of cigarettes and high heel shoes. They laugh aloud when they read his sermon and reflect on the discomfiture of the average citizen. Then they thank their lucky stars that they live elsewhere. As an advertisement for Utah the present legislature registers about forty below xero. There are many good men in the legislature, but they seem to be in the minority. It is unfortunate for them as well as for the state that such a condition must exist. The tax problem, together with all the- other weighty issues, raised in the recent campaign, are forgotten while some of the gentlemen gen-tlemen from various sections of the state rise to paint lurid pictures of hell fire and damnation. Finance and reorganisation flounders, while radical solons spend days discussing nicotine and maligning the state. Nothing is sacred in the wake of this discussion. Our university is painted aj place of ill repute, where cigarette cigar-ette smoking is the leading accomplishment. The purity of our women is imputed as the lie of 3000 smoking women is held up to the view and scorn of the legislature. God forbid that the morals of humanity gjver be entrusted to the care of hypocrites who can repeat re-peat these lies as a symbol of good. Is it any wonder that the neighboring states hold us up to ridicule? Is it surprising that Colorado Colo-rado shouV Hevote a cartoon to our spiritual welfare, under this caption: Tf "Colorado is a nice place to live." It is not too late for the 1921 session of the Utah legislature to redeem itself. The days are short before the adjournment, but there is yet time for a vindication of the promises of last f aJL The law- - makers can yet dump the freaks and the fads, into yawning waste baskets and start anew with a determination to serve the state m an intelligent and wholesome manner. There is yet time for the legislature to relieve the belief that the public is damned and must be forever damned in the course of legislation for salvation. It is all up to the members of the two houses of the legislature. legisla-ture. They can proceed as they have started, leaving behind them scorn and ridicule and a tower of regrets for duties undone. Or they can turn about, consign freakish and asinine measures to oblivion, and devote their energies to the purposes of their election. The dignity dig-nity and intelligence of the state is on trial. |