The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-11

At yesterdays session of the senate,
words and not deeds were the order Of
the day. Nothing was done which will
rebound TO the credit Of the members
or be conducive of good to the people
It is possible that a perusal of the de-
bate may promulgate some new ideas
on elocution and rhetoric, but that is
taught in the schools.
The revenue bill, that lengthy meas
IRE reported by the ways and means
committee and fixed as a special order
for yesterday, was the principal sub
ject. As usual, members at once set
about TO amend il. Debate took a wide
range. Sometimes debate became
slightly bitter and acrid. Senators ac-
cused senators Of being there in the
interest of corporate rights while other
senators implied that other senators
were not endowed with a Christian
spirit. 1t was a real nice time, al
together considered. A typographical
diagram of the proceedings viii strong
ly resemble the following.
THE BATTLE OPENS.
Chaplain Lowell OF Fort Douglas
opened the senate with prayer. Des-
pite the fact that the spirit of peace
was invoked upon the assembly, the
spirit aforesaid did not intervene. This
was doubtless no fault of the chaplain.
Booth and Sutherland were the first
to enter the arena and grappIe on the
bloody sands Of debate. It was pref
" fight. The sentences which they
shot at each other were like bright
steel shafts. SinUous and Wormy. They
cooled around the other fellow and
made lots of demonstration, but did
no particular damage. 1t was case
where language was used to disguise
thought sure enough, although one
would not dare make the assertion on
the floor of the senate lest he be ac-
cused Of questioning the motives of
members; something which must not
be done under any circumstances, even
when the member states his motive.
Section II of the original draft of the
bin provided that 1.-The franchise, road
way, rOadbed, railroads, rails and roll
ing stock of all railroads operated in
more than one county of this state
must be assessed by the state board Of
equalization as hereinafter provided"
Sutherland moved to strike out all
down to the word county and insert
in lieu thereof the following: "Au
property ana franchises owned by rail
roads, railway depot, telegraph and
telephone companies"
This was objected TO by Booth. who
argued that the state board of equali-
zauon should not assess property of
the character mentioned, where the
same was located entirely in one coun-
~ 1t was improper to provide that a
street railway in this city, owned ex-
clusively in this city and county,
should be taxed by the state board.
The creation of a state board was for
The purpose of equalizing the taxes of
a corporation which owned lines of
railway and telegraph in several coun-
ties of the state. This law prevails
IN neighboring states, especially Mon
Sana and California
Sutherland objected to taking the
laws of Utah from Montana and ar
gued in favor Of enactiEg statutes
which should be governed in construc-
ton by past experience.
This is where Booth trod on the pet
corn of Sutherland. He remarked that
he was glad the senator had outlined
his position. He expected corporate
interests would interfere-that they
would be heard FROM
Sutherland has been engaged in suits
as corporation attorney, and this
'riled" him. When he replied. by ask
ing a question, he was as hot as a
July guest at q Florida hotel. Does
the gentleman mean to infer that I
am here in the interest of CORPORA
tions?' he inquired in tones slightly
fortissino and staccato.
Booths reply was delivered with
hesitation which one might be induced /
TO believe implied, You are correct in !
your premises, but I do not want to !
make the charge direct" He did not
say so, however, but contented him
self with remarking: Not exactly. |
but you are talking from a corporate |
standpoint"
Does the gentleman mean to say |
that ali previous legislation in Utah |
has been in the interests of corpora /
tions?" pursued Sutherland
This is where he got a Roland for |
his Oliver. I mean TO say there was
too much of this kind OF legislation. |
whether all Of it was Of the character
mentioned or not"
President Cannon, who had installed
Allison in his place while he took a
whirl at the bill, came to Sutherland's
rescue at this juncture by citing a
statement made by VIII Lynch, the
county assessor Of this county, to the
effect that railroad companies pre-
ferred to have their assessments made
by the county officials rather than the
state board. For that reason he Can
nom was in favor OF the amendment
offered by Sutherland
Sutherlands amendment prevailed
without further division or discussion.
THE EXEMPTION CLAUSE.
Sutherland and Snow then combined
DO offer an amendment to the exemp-
Fion clause. AS the bill was introduced
IT provided the municipalities of the
state should be exempt from taxation
on their property, Of a real nature,
but Sutherland cited an instance
where the town of Springville owned
q pasture lot, on which cows were
permitted to Craze at a certain figure
per Craze, the proceeds of which were
turned into the city treasury. He
cited an instance where similar pas
ture located nearby and owned by a
private party, had TO pay a tax. This
RVas not right. He moved to insert
an amendment which does not exempt
property owned by a city or town,
where the same is used to provide
revenue. Snow suggested g. small ad-
dition and the same was adopted with
a rush. OF course there was some de-
bate OH the same, but as it referred
principally TO the pasture and nothing
else, an extended report of the same
will be omitted.
In the list of personal property which
must be filed by private bankers and ]
brokers', lenders of money, etc. was
the following: The amount of bonds Il
and stocks Of every kind, except Uni
ted States bends and shares of capital