The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-05

Arranged For.
Once more the house resolved itself
into committee of the whole yesterday
and spent the afternoon considering
committee reports. The militia re-
organization bill occupied all but about
an hour Of the afternoon and only
about a third of it was gone through
when it was forced to give way to
other business. The bill in its present
condition meets the united opposition
of a large contingent of the house
membership who hold that some of its
provisions are pernicious in the ex-
IRENE. For example, the first section
provides that every male GnhabitanD
of the state over the age of Is and
under As shall be subject to enrolment
in the militia, thus bringing aliens
within the bounds of it's jurisdiction.
Other sections provide that members of
the militia may be tried by court mar
tial for attractions of military law, the
power being vested in the court to
impose punishment by fine or i'm
prisonment. Still other provisions re-
pose arbitrary powers in the officers in
command, all of which are strongly
objected to by many of the members
and unless they are modified the bill
can, from the present. temper OF the
house, hardly be expected to pass.
The committee of the whole passed
upon several other bills, among them
H. B. No 81, requiring that suits to be
tried in the district courts, must be
filed in the county in which they are
to be tried. When the committee arose
the rules were suspended and the bill
passed.
Very little else was done except
wrangle over unimportant matters.
Dispute after dispute arose which, be-
fore adjournment was reached, became
so tiresome that many members with
drew and went home. The hearing of
the Utah election contests which was
to have been had last evening was
postponed until next Friday evening,
being set as a special order at 1880.
THE PROCEEDINGS.
At the opening of the house session
the members were informed by a mes
sage from the senate of the approval
by the governor of S. B. No. 80, pro-
hibiting blacklisting, S. B. No. A. di-
recting the manner of organizing the
supreme court, S. B. No. 81, providing
for the appointment of notaries public.
DR. Condor asked the federal rela-
lions committee what had become of
S. J. NJ. No. s, demanding the recall of
Ambassador Bayard. Critchlow was
about to make the same request but
had deferred until the chairman Of the
20, At IL. NT1,I,-
ker was absent there was no reply to
the query.
ELECTION CONTEST.
Mansfield submitted the report of the
minority of the committee on elections
relative to the Utah election contests,
amended to conform with instructions
received from the house when the re-
ports of the committee were previously
before the house.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
Stevens moved that the house go
into committee of the whole to con-
slider the militia. bill and other bust
ness. The motion prevailed and Mr..
Lennon was called to the chair,
Stevens at once moved that H B. 80
be taken up. Critchlow amended to
make it II. 3. No. 81 but was voted
down and the militia bill came at last
before the committee of the whole.
The bill was considered by sections
Harris amendment to that section re-
quiring all able bodied men to serve in
the militia making membership volun-
tary, was lost.
Curtis wanted to exempt laborers
and lawyers, when Nebeker of Rich
inquired sarcastically why the lawyers
should not be killed off. Curtis
amendment was lost. An amendment
by Lewis making the enrolment in
clude all male inhabitants was adopted
Thus if the bill passed as amended
aliens will have to serve in the Utah
militia.
Gushing moved to amend by striking
out subdivision of section 2 exempt
ing ministers. The motion was pro-
ductive of considerable amusement and
found numerous advocates who could
not understand why ministers should
be exempt from service any more than
a lawyer. The motion was, however,
lost. Curtis moved to strike out sec
ton 10 giving the commander-in-chief
power to require active membership
of any male inhabitant Of Utah whose
name is on the enrolment The mo-
ton was lost as was also his subse-
! quent motion to strike out section Is.
\ imposing q AlllS VI S4OV VI 1lHpIlSOn-
( ment for sixty days for refusal of
any citizen to respond to a call from
/ the commanders n-chief
I Section % provides that court mar
! tial may try any infraction Of mill
| tary law and be empowered to i'm
( pose a fine or imprisonment. Critchlow
! looked upon it as a. vicious provision
and spoke earnestly against it after
moving to strike the section out His
motion was lost and an amendment
striking out the provision concerning
J the punishment by fine or imprison-
ment was adopted. The consideration
of the bill occupied two hours time
and had provoked much debate which
grew tiresome in the extreme, when
| Critchlow moved that further con-
sideration be postponed and other mat
tiers taken UP. The motion prevailed
and a motion that the committee.
when it arise, report progress was
carried.
FILING OF SUITS.
H b No 81, requiring suits to be
! filed in the same county in which they
are to be tried, was recommended for
/ passage.
S. J. r. No. 8, substituted for H. B.
No. 10 by the senate provoked pro-
| tracted wrangle over the question as
to whether counties or the state should
bear the expense of furnishing district
courts with dockets, etc. The country
members got much the better of the