Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-01-23
J.. FARMERS TO MAKE LAWS.
Ne.ssre, which Report. Say tho All

| once VIII support IA N"fth tafoints
\ recent Dispatch from Raleigh, N. C.,
TO The New York Times contains the
followingi
There arc iij members Of tho legisla-
turo who are also members Of the Farm.
ers' Alliance, and these men are all de
ternined on the passage Of % blu estab.
lishihg a railroad commission, with
power TO tx passenger fares and freight
rates. Bhls Of this character have been
defeated In every legislature during tho
past eight years. The demand Of the
Alliance Is for an ironclad commission to
regulate and fix passenger fares and
freight rates. and the strong possibility
Is that such m act will DO passed.
The Legislature will be called upon TO
find new subjects Of taxation 20 raise
$4,000. which has beon Withdrawn
from the state treasury by decisions of
the UnitcdS States circuit court declaring
the tax on commercial drummers aud on
the sale OF guano 10 be unconstitutional.
Tho guano tax went TO the support Of
tho agricultural department and tho
agricultural and mechanical school. This
school rs In tho nature OF manual train.
ing college, and is very popular among
the people Of the state, and there IL u
universal desire that the money be pro.
vided TO continue the school.
In order 10 rais, tho money needed Il
Is proposed to levy n tax Of Ell on every
ton of guano sold In this state either by
principal or agent, which would bring
In Sl5O,OlO. ana thus supply the deficit.
There Is n general demand fIr more
money for the free public schools. These
schools ARE not now kept open more than
two months In the year. and no teacher
receives mon, than so per month a. sal.
AIRY. "A ,ho law now stands, the school
fnnd Is divided pro rata according to tho
number of school children.
Tho pcnitontiary system Is becoming q
heavy burden TO the Taxpayers. There
arc now $500 conyicts Ia the peniten.
tiary near the city, 600 negroes and
300 whites. Tho expense. all told, TO
Keep up this system Ia 900. 900 per year.
The pooplo " the state arc opposed 20
tho pcnitcniiary because they believe
II does not decrease crime and because
IL + a heavy expense. In its place they
arr In favor Of 'lc old Mosaic punish.
ment Of nine.au lhirty lashes well laid
on the bare bac.a OF all offenders who
are not 90 bo Imprisoned for lite.
One u tho demands Of the Farmers
Alliance In this state IA largely increased
criminal jurisdiction for the justices of
the peace, NO that one.half Of tho cascs
which now cumber tho docl,ots OF the
superior courts would be triablo before
tho justices, with tho right Of appeal to
the superior court. Tho Alliance MON.
ber' ought TO be ablo 10 lgct such bill
tsrs- Oh at tho next session. but they will
meet with strong opposition from tho
lawyers. The enactment of such law
would reduce the criminal expenses OF
tho superior courts az least one-hali, tho
laws would be Just o. we'll administered,
and thcro would l'e no more crime than
there Is now. There "a a strong desire
for tho amendment of tho civil iurisdic.
ton Of tho justices, No ns 10 give them
tho right TO hear and determine all civil
matters whoro tho sum sued for does not
exceed $500 Tho limit ~ now 500.
The Alliance people arc also bitterly
opposed 10 the law which permits farm.
er- 10 execute lien on the crop TO DO
made. This law makes tho farmer or
renter. ~ the ease may be. both lazy
and oNirayagant-lazy because he gocs
TO town and buys guano instead Of draw.
ing on tho product Of his own farm. and
extravaganza because, having credit by
virtue Of bis lien. ho buys many things
that he docs not need. and would not
purchase IL he were obliged 10 pay cash.
Tho interest he pays for this indulgence
ranges FROM IS to 100 per cent A a
matter oi course this enormous charge.
coupled with several success live ycnrs Of
bad crops, brought almost oyery farncrin
debt 10 the landlords and merchants. Its
believed by tho Alliance people tina, the
repeal oi this law, 60 take effect Jan. I.
1892. would prove NJ great benefit to the
/ men who Till tho soil by forcing them n
pay cash. Tho repeal Of tho lien law
would also open tho way for tho invest.
ment OF the capital Of tho merchants
now used in tho commission and lien
| business In other channels. mch ~ cot.
4 N"h lANlNlt'a anu hllhllAt nhhulNckuflug
establishments
There Is also strong feeling against
the law OF contributory negligence on
the part OF tho employees Of railroad and
other corporations which prevents the
recovery u damages for any injury TO
cgivcd by the omployc while IN the ein.
ploy OF the corporation IL by his net he
contributed thereto. An effort will DO
made to repeal this law aud mako the
injury itself prima faeie evidence that
tho employee IL entitled to recover, loay.
ing only the question Of the amount ~
damages To DO found by tho jury. OF
course this innovation will be fought by
the various corporations, but tho opinion
prevails that tho opposition win not
avail 20 prevent tho amcrimen. Of the