The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-07-06
UTAH'S COMMISSION
No Agreement Reached by the
Conference.
HOUSE CoNFEREEs STAND FIRM
The Arguments Over the Commission Not tx
tended-Agreement Reached on the Wo-
mans Christian Home Item
HERALD BrREAU.
Cor. 18th ana G SITS, n. W.,
WASHINGTON. d. c.. july 3.

No agreement was reached by the con
ference on the legislative appropriation bill
today regarding the Utah commission. The
Senate conferees insisted that the item
shall remain as it passed the Senate-that
is to say, that the five commissioners are
to be retained at salary of 81, 900 . year.
The two Democratic conferees on the part
Of the House-Dockery of Missouri and
Tourney OF Alabama, argued in favor Of
the House amendment
WHICH ABoLIsHEs THE COMMISSION
and substitutes therefore tribunal Of
three consisting of the governor, the secre-
tary and the chief justice of the territory,
who shall discharge the functions now ex-
ercised by the commission. AS neither
side was disposed to compromise it was
finally agreed that each, should report to
its respective house that it had failed TO
agree and ask for further Instructions.
There are other matters in dispute be-
sides the commission, but the latter is re-
garded as the moro important and upon
which there is the least probability Of q
compromise.
The argument over the commission was
not an extended one. Each side had pretty
clearly defined ideas as to what ought to be
done, and when this spirit was manifested
it was deemed useless TO wnste time dis
cussing the matter When the item was
taken up General Tourney said the House
would insist that it remain in the bill as it
came from the House. and intimated very
plainly that there was
NOTHING Further TO BE SAID
about it SO far as the House was concerned.
Mr.. Henderson of Iowa, the Republican
conferee on the part Of the House, took oc-
csslon to rcmark that neither OF the propo-
sitions was satisfactory to him. He be-
lieved that the commission ought to remain
as it has been for years Iast, without any
restriction OF their official powers or with
out any reduction Of the commissioners
salaries He opposed in strong terms the
Senate amendment, which provides that
vacancies on the board shall be filled from
citlzens Of the territory. He was more
opposed to that than he was to the reduc-
tions in the commissioners salaries. He
said 1t was contrary TO the spirit Of the
Edmunds Law, and that the Trainer Of that
law had always regarded it as one of the
strongest points of his bill that the work
of supervising the elections should be per-
formed by men who could act without per
songl or political bias.
Mr. Allison OF Iowa, the Republican
chairman of the Senate appropriations
committee, argued strongly against the
House proposition favoriug the abolition
Of the commission. He was satisfied, he
said, with the proposed reduction in salary,
but he would never agree to the abolition
of the board. Now, at least, he said, is not
the time to shorten its official existence
and he would never under any circum
stances consent to the position taken by
the House.
The other gentlemen present had but
little to say about the matter in controversy
and after Messrs. Tourney, Henderson and
Allison had made their several declarations
the conferees arose.
The expectation among the Senate con-
ferees is that the House will in the end re-
cede from its position and permit a con.
tinuance of the commission at a reduced
salary.
Judge Robinson. one of the members OF
the commission. arrived in the city this
afternoon. 1t is supposed that he has
come here to
LOBBY FOR THE RETENTION OF THE COM
MISSION.
The only matter relating to Utah upon
which the conferees today agreed was that
relating TO the Woman's Christian home
1t was decided to strike out the provision
regarding the home as adopted by the
House and leave it as it is at present.