The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-19

Giving Mayors of Cities Power to
Veto One Portion of an ApprOpri-
alton List and Approve the Bal
ance--Law of Libel Passes as
Amended BY the HOuse-Free In
teIIigence Offices Knocked Out
County Clerks, City Recorders
and Clerks of Boards of Educa-
ton Must Certify All Warrants
General Business of the Senate.
A lengthy discussion resulted in the
senate yesterday when the resolution
providing for the furnishing of dock
cts to the several districts came up
for consideration. This resolution was
sent to the house some time ago and
there amended to provide that the sec
rotary of state should furnish the
dockets, and in cases where the same
had already been purchased the state
was to reimburse the county for the
amount so expended.
This amendment was placed in the
resolution Sy the house members, who,
heve the state should pay the expenses
of the district courts and in turn all
fees from the clerks of counties re-
ceiVed from district court work should
be paid into the treasury of the state
A number of the members Of both
houses have argued that there are
many counties in the state where the
expenses of criminal prosecutions VIII
be so great as to practically bankrupt
~, 1;,11r f1on
of anything happening in the nature
of a long continued murder case. They
claim the state should bear the bur
dens; that the conviction of a criminal
is a matter in which the state is in
terested, not the county particularly.
So when the resolution came from
the house yesterday, with the provi-
sion mentioned, the members engaged
in the preliminary skirmish to the reg
ular battle which will come UP later
on. The affirmative side of the ques-
ton was a victory, too, although Suth-
erland was keen enough to secure a
reference to the committee on appro-
priations and claims ere a final vote
was taken, an act which placed Chi
dester in a state of trepidation, from
which he had not recovered at the
hour of adjournment.
But one bill was introduced yeSter-
day. Glen Miller being the author 1t
is intended to benefit the mayors and
city councils of cities by permitting
the executive to approve of certain
items on an appropriation list, while
at the same time he may diSapprove OF
others. At present disapproval of one
item vetoes the entire list. This bill
will become a law without opposition,
as there is a unanimity Of sentiment
in its favor.
The members of the senate are
working harder than they have been
wont. Committee sessions were held
Monday night until 10 o'clock, and
there were several meetings last night.
This morning the land commission
bill will come up in committee of both
houses. The committee is wondering
which is best, to appoint board of
commissioners separate and apart from
TIE state officers, or to allow the COVER
nor, secretary of state and attorney
general to do the work. The general
opinion is that a separate board ought
to be constituted, composed of the
best and most able men which can be
obtained
PRELIMINARY SKIRMISH.
Under the regular order, senate joint
resolution No. 8, providing for the
furnishing of district courts with dock
cts, as amended by the house, came up
for discussion. The house amendment
provides that where counties have pur-
chased dockets they shall be refm-
bursed for the same by the secretary
Of state.
Mr.. Allison objected to the house
amendment The county should buy it's
own dockets. He inferred from the
language used in committee that an
idea prevailed to the effect that dis
trict court clerks We're state officers and
it would follow that all fees collected
should be paid into the state treasury.
This was q wrong policy and should
not be permitted to obtain. 1t would
be wrong for Salt Lake and Weber
county to ask the state to purchase it's
books and equally wrong to compel
these counties to pay their fees into the
state treasury.
Mr.. Sutherland took the same posi-
ton as did Mr. Allison, adding that if
the indicated policy was carried out a
system of paternalism would be foist-
ed upon the state.
Evans held that the fees of district
clerks should be paid into the state
treasury. This was but justice. Coun-
ties have had forced upon them the
courts; something which did not exist
before. There are counties in this
state which have criminals t. pro e.
cut. But if the fa s; the costs of
such prosecutions have to be paid by
these counties, they will be bankrupt
ed. The state must assist in these
prosecutions or the criminals must be
turned loose. He believed the probate
fees should be paid the county treas
urer while district court fees should go
t. the state.
Senator Evans maintained that the
state ought to pay the county clerks
part of their salaries; in the proper
uoa as they do state and county
work. The state pays the judges. He
was in favor of the state bearing it's
part of the expenses of government
Booth opposed the measure and it's
policy on the same grounds as advanc-
ed by Sutherland and Allison and then
Chichester of Garfield arose and argued
with Mr.. Evans.
Chichester talked reciprocity. If the
densely populated counties would pay
their fees into the state treasury the
outside counties would materially as
sist them.
How much will you give u.s." said
Miller, of Salt Lake.
''Oh, equally as much as You will pay
us in proportion to population" was
the retort.
Snow, while not so radical as Evans,
maintained that the state should pay
the expenses of criminal courts He
did not favor paying county officers
from the state fund as advocated by
copoto,- ,Fr-O,7, TTto3,