The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-02-22
THE CLOSING SCENE.
The Last Hours of The Assembly.
Lively Discussion on Deficiency
Bills.
Which Results in a Refusal By Inc
Assembly TO Pay ArrearageS
Contracted by the Courts.

se The Legislative assembly has az
as journed. The scene the last day WI
nc bat little different from others, unit
II the final hours. Throughout Frids
the House continued tho delibera
consideration of bills, with the intro
duction of new ones, as though II
session had but commenced. Tn
ri. first night session held by the Hous
If was on Friday night, and commence
at z o'clock: The business trans
acted after that was brief, crisp an
ne with little discussion, with long rest
D. between, until the joint session, a fe'
lie minutes after s. At the dissolu
ton of the joint session, the tim
l. dragged along, the business transacte
i being additions made to the appro
le pristion bill by the committee on ap
i propristions, which were voted OF
il lightly, and even the passage OF the
% bill brought out only few spasmodi(
q arguments. The members were NOV
ing around out of their seats, al
d waiting and all wearing a waiting
3 look, that had the appearance o
: being constitutional. A few desul
] tory motions we're made and the com.
Q mittee on enrolment submitted AL
occasional report, az the many busy
s clerks engaged in enrolling the bills
] that had been crowded through at the
9 end finished their l2bors. As soon as
G the appropriation bill had been sent
in to the Council the members strung
= out to get something to eat, and the
House chamber was nearly deserted.
During the time the bill was in the
Council the members were engaged
, 10 packing up or gathered in groups
discussing the various subjects
that suggested themselves. Many
were in the Council chamber,
listening to the discussion on
the appropriation bill there, which
was being very freely amended, and
from sundTy remarks that would &C.
csssionally tall, it was evident that a
determined resistance might be an
tioipa!ed. the appropriation bill had
no sooner been returned to the House
than that body warmed up and re-
fused to give in. The principal bone
of contention was the insertion by the
Council of an item OF 500, 1850 for
deficiency fees due jurors and wit
nesses for the two years past. The
House members we're opposed to this
almost in body, it being held that
while the amount was Justly due the
poor witnesses and jurors. these def
cheney appropriations had been made
long enough, and as they were con-
tinually increasing, they believed the
House might az well take a stand OF
once against paying any more defc
ienceg. at the conclusion of an
argument by Mr.. FAIR in support of
the item. Mr.. Jesse N. Smith, who
had evidently been quiet as long as be
could, aroae and made a speech, OF
which the following is the substance:
Mr.. Speaker:-I have a few words
to say on this question, and in sup.
port OF view that [ think has not
yet been taken. It has been asserted
here that this Legislature made the
law compelling these jurors 10 attend !
the courts; and 1t seems that's studied |
attempt hGs bean made to force this |
opinion upon the Hcnse, though it |
may have been without intention to |
mlslead. We did no. make this law;
it was forced upon US without our
cor sent, and we have been made
to suffer its burdens. We may |
discuss the proposition as We will; we
may try to put it of; we may try to
avert the trouble; but an inevitable
time will come when we will be |
forced to take a stand on this ques-
ton, and it may as well be done now
as a. any other time. It is claimed
that we are responsible for this state
of things. This Law was made for
us; they did not risk us with this
question. The federal law, popu-
larry called the Poland bill, was
passed over our hesds. Under IFS
provisions, these jurors with whom
We sympathize so much have been
called from their homes, at their own
expense, and why trust to this Assem-
bly, for their remuneration? The
other speakers have assured US that
We owe them compensation for this
1t is not q question
of compensation it becomes a
question of life or death with
the taxpayers of this territory.
We have all seen how, in private lie,
a man in business may become un-
able to meet his obligations; for such,
the law provides the bankrupt act.
Upon this question, sir, this territory |
stands face 10 face with bankruptcy.
As a private citizen, I have never
sympathized with p man who has |
taken advantage of the bankrupt act;
but we mus. view this question from a
higher place. Our revenues are
limited; our people are poor; we can
only appropriate for judicial expenses
a certain proportion. When the duty
of sustaining the courts was laid upon |
us by the Poland law, we freely res
pended to the extent of our ability; |
nay, more, when a deficiency bill |
was presented, holding out the olive |
branch ofpesce to our judicial rulers,
We extended the slender remenant Of |
our revenue. What followed Was |
there any economy in court eE-
penses ? No, sir; Jurors and
witnesses were recklessly sum-
moned with as great zeal as
before. Expense was added to expense
without thought OF economy ; and,
sir, we have found 10 our cost that
so long as We pass deficiency bills, SO
long will ne be subject to this per-
petual drain upon our revenue. II
my memory serves me, six years ago
some $4,000 covered the deficiency
in Judicial expenses; two years later,
We were ssked to appropriate de-
fciency of $4,000; last session S18,-
600; and DOW, deducting, as We are
supposed to have done, the amount
charged for the services of clerks of
the district courts, We have q de-
fciency OF over 500, 1000. Mr.. Speaker,
where will this end 2 While we are
not morally responsible for this state
of things, it may be urged that We are
legally responsible. Can gentlemen
upon this floor be compelled to vote
revenue against their conscience /?
Legislators are beyond the reach Of
force; it is their calling to be the
guardians of the public money, and
history shows that sufficient force
can never be brought to compel
them, upon any cause, to vio-
late their conscience in the dis
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