The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-05

When the senate convened yesterday
it was greeted with the following veto
message from the governor:
To the President and Gentlemen of
the Senate:
1 respectfully return herewith with
out approval 5. B. No. rs, IAN act pre-
scribing the powers and duties of the
state auditor and fixing the amount of
his bond" with the following sugges-
tons for your consideration:
Subdivision of section L requires the
auditor to keep a register of warrants
showing, among other things, when
the liability accrued I am quite sure
that it will be impossible in many
cases for the auditor to inform him
self as to when the liability accrued,
and deem it injudicious to exact i'm
possible things of an officer. there
fore suggest that the words be stricken
out
In subdivision II of the same section
it is required that every warrant drawn
by the auditor must specify also
when the liability accrued" For
reasons already stated I suggest that
the same words be stricken out here
also.
In the same subdivision it is pro-
Vided that: mo warrant must be
drawn unless authorized by law, and
upon an unexhausted specific appro
priation provided by law to meet the
same" While the intent of this pro-
vision is praiSeWorthy, and in most
instances could be carried out, the fact
that no exceptions are provided for
would enlbarass the the auditor in
cases where payments are authorized
by law but no specific appropriation is
made therefor. The following may be
cited as instances in point
Warrants drawn for apportionment
of school funds in favor of county
treasurers upon the order of the SUI
perintendent of public instruction.
Warrants drawn in payment of
bounties on wild animals.
Warrants in payment of gratuities
to discharged convicts.
Warrants drawn to defray expense
of returning fugitives from justice.
Warrants drawn in payment of costs
of court, awarded in cases Of which
the state is a party.
Subdivision IS of the same section
requires the auditor ''to furnish the
state treasurer with a list of warrants
drawn upon the treasury, and specify
the amount and number of each war
rant, and the name of the person in
whose favor it is drawn" but it is not
stated when or how, or how frequently
such list is to be furnished-Whether
daily, weekly, monthly or yearly. If
it is for the purpose of authenticating
the warrants, or for affording the
treasurer informa ton as to the amount
of outstanding warrants, then the list
should be furnished daily, or whenever
warrants are drawn.
Section provides chat the auditor
shall be eX-officio sealer of weights and
measures. and discharge all the duties
conferred upon and required
of the sealer of weights and measures,
as provided by sections 30-43, both in
elusive, compiled laws of Utah, 1888.
Vol. I. and he shall charge and collect
in advance for his services the same
fees as therein provided 1t is pro-
vided in sections go, 40 and Al of the
compiled laws. Vol. I, that deputy
Sealers of weights and measures may
be appointed in each county, and that
they may demand and collect certain
fees for their services. Under the eX-
listing law the fees SO collected would
necessarily have to be paid into the
state treasury. Then, the question
arises. how would the deputies be COM
pensated for their services? Certainly
not out of the salary Of the state au
ditor. as his compensation is meagre
enough already. If it is argued that
he need not appoint these deputies, an
answer to that would be that if the
functions of the state sealer are de-
volved upon the auditor, it will be an
imperative necessity that deputies be
appointed, as the auditor is the chief
financial officer of the state, and his
duties are exceedingly onerous, re-
ouiring his constant presence in his
Office While I applaud the spirit of
economy which suggested combining
these two offices in one, because of
the saving it would be to the state, 1
am impressed that the suggested COM
bination is an unfortunate one, in that
the duties of the auditor are all inside
the office and those of the sealer all
outside the office. With proper atten-
ton of a competent incumbent of the
office of state sealer of weights and
nea sures. I am convinced that the
fees that will be derived for inspection
and testing of scales and measures
could be made to yield a revenue con-
siderably in excess Of the expense IN
volved. It is my suggestion, then, that
the whole of section s be stricken out
and that the duties of the state sealer
he moi devolved upon the auditor. 1
shall be pleased to approve the bill II
amended in these particulars. Very
The message was referred to the |
committee on judiciary.
SENATE ROUTINE.
PRAYER was offered by Senator Nc
Ty,a chair announced the critical |
condition of Senator John r. Barnes
II his home. Senator Allison was ex- |
,used on account of an important suit !
n court. Senators Candland and War
UNI by reason of sickness in the fam
VARIOUS PETITIONS.
Senator Chambers, by request, pre-
ented the following petitions:
From John r Wilson. asking that |
he state purchase the estate Table, |
or the sum of $500. Sutherland sug-
;ested this LAY on the table"
Booth raised a laugh by inquiring
which table?
The petition was referred to the
ommittee on appropriations and
laims.
Petition No. 2 was from residents of
he county of Summit and set up that
he bailiwick was suffering from an
verbose of squirrels. There are too
many squirrels by far Sleepers are
.ept awake by the barking of these
nimals Schools are broken up by
roops of squirrels. There are squirrels
nd squirrels and squirrels. Petition
rs want squirrels abolished and pray
or a bounty on the pests. Referred
o the committee on counties and mu-
icipal corporations.