Utah

In Utah climatic conditions vary by altitude as well as by latitude. In the lower valleys of the Great Basin the summer heat is often disagreeably high. Moderate summer temperature is found in the mountains and on the plateaux. Precipitation also varies with the altitude from 42 in. at Silver lake in Brighton to 5 or i o in. in the lowlands, and to 4.9 in. at Salduro in the deserts. The higher plateaux and mountain ranges bear forests of fir, spruce and pine, and the lower slopes are dotted with pilion, juniper and scrub cedar. Willows and cotton-woods grow along the streams. Sagebrush is characteristic of the desert areas, and on the hill sides bunch-grass affords valuable pasturage. Bird life is prolific in Utah. Besides the usual varieties found in the Rocky moun tains, white pelicans have established a rookery on Hat island, so named from being shaped like a cowboy's hat, now known as Bird island, where vast members of pelicans, blue herons and sea-gulls live happily together. Large numbers of geese (snow, Canada, black brant and others) thrive about the lake. Bird sanctuaries are being provided by law.

Population.—Utah's first census, taken in 1850, gave a popu lation of 11,380. In 1930 it was nearly 45 times as much or 507,847. The increase between 1900 and 1910 was 34.9% and between 1910 and 1920 20.4% and between 1920 and 1930 was 13.0%. The density per square mile increased from 3.4 in 1900 to 4.5 in 1910 and 5.5 in 1920; in 1930 it was 6.2. In 1930 there were 495,955 whites, 'Jog negroes, 2,869 Indians (as opposed to 3,123 in 1910, 342 Chinese and 3,269 Japanese. Foreign born made up 19.4% of the population in 1900 and 9.5% in 1930. Of the 43,772 foreign-born whites 14,200 were from the British Isles, 10,970 from the Scandinavian countries, from Germany, 2,814 from Italy, 2,325 from Holland, and 2,197 from Greece. No other group exceeded 2,000. It is partly because of the proselytizing of the Mormons, their zealous work for new settlers and their judicious treatment of immigrant bands that Utah has such a variety of nationalities. In very early days Brigham Young received whole communities from the coun tries of the Old World and planned systematic settlements for them in the many fertile valleys of the State. The numbers of males and females are more nearly equal in Utah than in other western mountain States. In 1930 62.8% of the females and 59.9% of the males over 15 years of age were married. In 1934 births numbered 12,636 and deaths 4,841. The birth rate per r,000 was 24.6, a figure exceeded only by New Mexico with a rate of 31.8 per 1,o0o. The infant mortality rate of 49 deaths per L000 in fants under one year was the fifth lowest in the United States.

The urban and the rural population are nearly balanced, the figures in 1930 showing 52.4% urban and 47.6% rural. In 1910 the

percentage had been 46.3 urban and 53.7 rural. The rate of shift from the country to the city was probably accelerated after 1920 by the farm depression. Approximately half of the total popula tion are Mormons or Latter Day Saints. Next in strength are the Catholics. The Methodists and Presbyterians are the leading Protestant denominations. Salt Lake City, the capital and largest city, had a population of 140,267 in 1930 and Ogden, the next largest city, had 40,272.

Government.

The Constitution of Utah was formed by a convention at Salt Lake City, March 4-8, 1895, submitted to the people on Nov. 5 and ratified by a vote of 31,305 to 7,687. It came into effect Jan. 4, 1896, the day Utah was admitted to the Union. It provides that no law can be passed restricting the free dom of the press or the establishment of religious sects. There is no imprisonment for debts unless the debtor absconds. Males and females enjoy equal privileges in civil, political and religious rights. One provision, which guarantees religious freedom, for bids sectarian control of public schools, prohibits polygamy and defines the relation of the State to the public lands of the United States, is irrevocable unless with the consent of the U.S. Govern ment. All citizens of the United States who have lived in Utah a year, in the county four months and in the precinct 6o days have the right of suffrage. Only those who have paid a property tax the year before may vote in elections levying a special tax creating indebtedness or increasing the State rate of taxation.

The powers of Government are divided into three distinct de partments, the legislative, executive and judicial. The legislative power is vested in (1) a senate and a house of representatives, and (2) the legal voters, who are given the power of initiating desirable legislation and of referendum on all laws not passed by a two-thirds vote of both houses. No person is eligible for office in the legislature who is not a citizen of the United States, 25 years of age or more, a qualified voter in the district from which he is chosen, and a resident of Utah for three years or of his district for one year. Regular sessions of the legislature are held in odd numbered years, opening on the 2nd Monday in January. They cannot last more than 6o days except to try cases of impeachment. Representatives are elected for two years; senators for a four year term, one half the number retiring every two years. The number of senators must not exceed 3o and the representative body must be at least twice as large as the senate. In 1937 there were 23 senators and 6o representatives.