Show THE GOVERNORS PRESENT AND PROPOSED POWERS power is already vested in the man who holds the office of governor of utah he lays before the legislature a message which is presumed to indicate all the important legislation which the territory requires this message is divided up among the committees of the assembly who report upon their portions portion t it in due time by bill or otherwise thus thua the governor introduces all or most of the import important aj bills of the sension session or at least the subject matter of them then by a judicious use of the absolute veto power he may coerce the assembly into such amendments to any bill as will cause it to conform to his bis views or wishes on OB pain of depriving the people of legislation which they may mav greatly great need or by an unscrupulous use of that same power be may kill way any bill he may ehouse choo seand and his caprice may nullify any portion of the I labore of the Legi legislature mature the Gover ifor hag haft the nominating of all territorial officers subject to confirmation by the council but should alib ih council fall fail him he may appoint ad inter interim nl notwithstanding its objections the command of such a patronage alone makes the office one of great power and in view of modern political customs not unknown in utah ise demay n av add profit the governor may pardon any criminal convicted of a violation of any territorial law ja he is also presumed to exercise in a legitimate way nn influence upon congressional legislation and the policy of the various departments respecting the territory by means of his annual report to the secretary of the interior which is supposed to contain statistical and other information of a reliable character and good faith recommendations as to the territory Terri torys needs made Yby its chief executive in addition to all this he has all the authority usual to the flame office in other territories and the states Is 18 not this enough power for one man to wield Is it not a strain upon american principles and institutions to vest so much in one olie individual ia no state governor in the united states approaches approach ts in the extent of his power and patronage the governor of utah population considered not a single official known to the laws of the union or any state thereof is vest vested edwith with such ox extensive aut authority bority the existence beneath stripes 1 of an office bearing such a close resemblance to an old world despotism is a discredit to our country but it is coolly proposed to make of governor an autocrat of powers enormously increased beyond those he already wields the stone bill of which we have already briefly treated aims to make him the secretary of the territory and the president ot of the legislative council successors to the utah commission As we have explained pla ined this would vo uld virtu virtually aby be to transfer the powers of the latter to the governor areat i still as our readers we are aware another measure now pending in the senate ate proposes to give the governor power to appoint au all the important county district and precinct officers at ut present elective senator paddock to 13 credited with being the principal prin apal advocate of the latter scheme it will be remembered ahat hb and the present executive of utah were on the utah commission together when doubtless the ties were formed which ex plains the senators interest in the aggrandizement of the governor Sei seriously loy is adnot it not time ilme to call a halt in these endeavors to enlarge the already kingly powers of I 1 governor what need edisto hertt here of a man clothed with such might na more than exists in way any other territory or state there is 18 no reason why the institutions of russia supplant those of america in the territory of utah the representations of scheming 1 ambitious and unscrupulous politician to the contrary notwithstanding |