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Show I Olson's Invitation j Under the abovo heading the Salt Lake Tribune sheds some light! on tho methods adopted by the, present legislature. Tho Trlbuno's treatment of tho caso Is exactly In' haVniony with tho statements of members of tho legislature A senator told us yesterday that Senator Olson had tho nervo to Inform tho committee that ho was going to report this bill fa vorably oven though It had not boon acted upon formally by tho committee. commit-tee. Because tho democratic caucus decided upon It, because tho party steering committee approved it, the people be damned, it must pass. The Tribune says: "In letters of invitation sent out by Culbert L. Olson, chairman of tho judiciary committee of the Benate, he announced that tho committee would hear all persons desiring to be heard on tho senato public utilities bill. "The chairman did not simply Invito the public to come, ho dared them. K In the following words he told them Just what they might talk about and what was barred: " 'No arguments will be hoard on tho question of policy in passing an act of this nature, that question having been dotsrmlnod by tho people peo-ple in party convention and at tho polls. Only arguments as to details of tho bills will bo heard.' "Having sentenced Utah to oxocu- a tlon ho summons tho. Jury to choso rg- M tho form of oxecution. 'Which will ' T, you havo,' ho Inquires, politely. 'hanging or shooting?' " 'Itlght or wrong tun state is going go-ing to havo a public utilities bill," says tho Judicial chairman of tho Judlcjary committee in effect. 'Tho public hearing is merely to discuss tho details.' "Of what interest is it to tho pub-, pub-, lie, of -what avail to discuss tho do- tails of a bill that is wholly vicious? "Tho really convincing arguments nro those directed against any public pub-lic utilities law for Utnh at this Unto. Tho Tribuno has outlined theso arguments ar-guments tlmo and again, nut Sena . tor Olson would debar tho public from employing tho crucial arguments argu-ments and limit them to a dls.?us-' dls.?us-' Bion of details, j "Wo havo contended all along that Utah would bo injured, as Idaho has been injured, by a public utUIUo3 law; that thero is a wide distinction between eastern and western states In this matter; that our prosperity can be and will be impaired by attempts at-tempts to cripple our dovoloplng business Interests, and wo have mado so bold ns to urgo tho legislators to 'let well enough alono.' "Moreover, tho absurdity of railway rail-way regulations by forty-eight different differ-ent states la just beginning to bo understood. In one state cuspidors are required by law; In another stato tho cuspidors must be locked out -of sight. In one stato cars of certain length must be used; In an adjoining adjoin-ing stato cars of another length must bo supplied. In ono state cars must havo platforms at a certain width; in anothor stato the width must be different. Tho regulations aro getting to bo a joke, but a tragic joko. Tho tlmo has como when tho fed-oral fed-oral government should govern all tho interstate roads of the country according to uniform regulations, for only by such means can tho railroads rail-roads earn sufficient money to make Improvements and provide extensions. exten-sions. Utah needs development, but cannot develop If it shackles its public pub-lic sorvlco corporations. Idaho and California havo tried the oxpsrlmont and. have suffered. If wo aro wlsf wo can nvoid tho samo abyss. Hut Senator Olson Invites us to Jump into in-to tho abyss and discuss tho details when wo hit bottom. |