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

plished very little. It INDUCED in it's
favorite pastime, that of sitting in
committee of the whole to consider
is resorted to every time there is a
ghost of an opportunity, and one
which was long ago relegated to the
past as an obsolete custom, a sort of
a sponge to soak up valuable time.
But the house apparently revels in
having its time soaked up for no day
goes by but some gentleman is given
the opportunity to preside temporarily
as chairman even if there is but one
report to consider and that recon-
mends the passage of bill without
change from the printed copy. No one
seems to favor the course of merely
adopting or rejecting committee re-
ports by the house upon the order of
Consideration of committee reports"
Notwithstanding that it is practiced in
the senate which has not resolved it
self into committee of the whole since
the session opened and where much
more business has been transacted to
date than has been disposed of by
the house and it is chiefly due to the
fact that so much time has been spent
in committee of the whole that the
house has not accomplished more. 1t
being possible with no previous ques-
ton" for two or three members to
occupy a whole days session if they
are so disposed.
Only four committee reports were
considered by the committee Of the
whole during all of yesterdays session
and the primary object for which the
ci4 hoo f1l1c aH
On Friday the committee of the whole
took up the militia bill and when it
arose reported progress and asked
leave to sit again for further con-
sideration of the bill but as stated the
other reports came up and consumed
the day.
THE PROCEEDINGS.
At the opening of the session com>
munication from the senate officially
notified the members of the passage of
S. B. No. s, the fire and police COM
mission bill.
The judiciary committee rendered re-
ports on house bills 81, "a, 81, so and 66
which were received and upon motion
of Stevens the house went into COM
mittee of the whole to continue the con-
sideration of the report on II. B. So,
the militia bill and the other reports
mentioned, with Snedeker in the chair.
To act upon the militia bill was the
purpose direct but Mr.. Stevens was
overlooked in the shuttle and the
customary courtesy in such cases was
forgotten with the result that instead
of the purpose of his motion being full
filled his pet measure had to go over,
the consideration of the other reports
consuming the entire time of the ses-
sion.
Raddatz's H. B. No. so, to enable
school districts to levy and collect
taxes for the year 1895 which failed to
do so during that year, was first taken
up. The committee recommended its
passage.
H. B. "a, to punish cattle stealing
was next considered, resulting in the
adoption of the live stock committees
report and a recommendation that the
bill pass. There was considerable dis
cussion on the measure, Gibbs wanting
the offense made a misdemeanor in
stead of a felony and Harris opposing
the bill on the ground that it conflict
ed with and its provisions We're cover
ed by the grand larceny law but the
wishes of neither gentlemen pre-
vailed
H. B. 81, changing Arbor day from
April 1St to the 18th and designating
OSA~SA
to engage the attention of the
committee. The committee ON agri-
culture reported on the bill recon-
mending that Labor DAY be included
and that the bill as amended pass.
Morrison thought April 18th was too
late for Arbor day and moved to amend
by making it March 18th. Gibbs and
other rural members thought if the
amendment prevailed that people
would go about planting their trees in
the snow in many portions Of the state
provided they observed Arbor day.
MorrisOn's motion was lost, the com
mittee report adopted and the bill re-
commended for passage.
Critchlow bethought himself of the
fact that the day previous the house
had sat in committee of the whole to
consider the militia bill and that the
present sitting was in compliance with
the report made at that time when the
committee reported progress and asked
leave to further consider the bill. He
then moved to postpone further con-
sheraton of the judiciary committee
reports and that the militia hill he |
taken up. His motion was lost how
ever and H. B. No &c became the next
subject for consideration It proved a
hard nut to crack and occl1nied tha |
remainder of the day.
The bill. which extends the time of
exemption under sale for taxes was
reported favorably by the judiciary |
committee. It did not. however. sat |
lsfy the wishes Of all of the mem bers. |
Curtis moved to reduce the penalty |
from IS per cert per annum to 10 per
cent, but gave way to Morrison. whose |
amendment placed it at u Der cent
This precipitated the discussion in
which the tax title shark figured |
throughout. CritchIow
wanted the bill referred to the com |
mittee on ways and means before anv
such amendments were attached. but |
his suggestion was not listened to ca |
he proceeded to oppose the amend |
ment. assisted by Lewis. Nye and sew
eral others. Harris and Morrison load !
ing the advocacy of it, DR.. Condor |
took the floor to briefly say he thought |
the majority of those who fail to nav
their taxes are people of small means |
and he thought Goods DOOR, should |
be the paramount consideration He |
gave way later, however under. fine |
stress Of the opposition to the amend |
ment and sided with its opponents.
Critchlow thought it was not the |
poor people who failed to paw their |
taxes so much as the well-to-do, and in |
any event the interests of the state !
should be considered before those of |
her poor inhabitants. To reduce the |
penalty would put a premium upon al |
lowing taxes to go unpaid, and the |
state would be unable to raise neces
Sary revenues. The tax title shark. too. |
would be driven out of business. for |
ne would not take the risk of advanc-
ing money on tax titles at a less rate
IF interest than IL per cent He was
an evil, but his money was needed
when taxes were unpaid. and he was
therefore g. necessary one. Critchlow's
views We're reflected bv Nve. Lewis