The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-14

of constitutional requirements and leg
islative procedure. The matter under
consideration was of considerable i'm
portance and public interest, in view
of the recent decision of the supreme
court in the election case, affirming the
power of the courts to examine the
legislative journals for evidence of the
validity of the laws.
The question at issue was whether,
under the constitutional requirements
that all bills shall be read three times,
in full, the first reading may, under
suspension of the rules, be by title only.
After an irregular discussion, entertain
ing if not profound, the house decided
that. the first reading must be in full.
Various members, however, insisted
that this action affects solely the pend
ing measure, and does not establish a
rule for future guidance.
This decision is of especial import
ance, in view of the report of the code
commission, which, it is held, must be
presented and considered in the form of
a bill. AS this report embraces all of
the statutes, civil and criminal, and
is of extreme length, it will not be
practicable, nor hardly possible, to give
it three readings in full and the law
yers of the house are somewhat puz-
zled by the problem that cOnfronts
them
A great part of the remaining time
of the session was occupied by stir
ring debate upon the constitutionality
and the prOpriety of providing the
members with postage stamps, the
house finally voting-3O to 14-that
postage is a perquisite both constitu-
tional and proper
BILLS INTRODUCED.
But four bills were introduced during
the session, but after the appointment
of the committees, which will be an
nounced today, it is expected that a
large number of measures viii be re-
leased.
The introduction of bills was as fol-
lows:
BY Kenner of Salt Lake-House bill
No. ., relating to capital crimes and
Dunishments.
BY Kenner-House bill No. 8, relat-
ing to the payment of obligations.
BY Thompson of Salt Lake-House
bill No. 4, comforting upon voters in
cities the power of legislating by direct
vote. This is the first measure pro-
ceeding from the Populist statesmen in
the house. 1t is of extreme length and
its full reading taxed the patience of
those members who desire TO dispatch
the business the session anu dCCOIn-
plish an early adjournment.
After the clerk had proceeded with
the reading for 20 minutes, Robinson
of Kane interrupted, and desired to
know whether there was much more
of it.
About six pages responded the
clerk.
Robinson therefore moved that the
bill be considered as read, and pro-
cd ,f,,-r lace cfa Of iv1n
After a protest from the author of
the BILL the motion was ruled out of
order, but the question of dispensing
with the first reading soon returned |
and continued to veX the house.
By Kimball OF Cache-House bill No. !
), defining the rights and powers of |
railroad corporations. This is a meas |
ure similar TO that introduced in the |
senate on the previous day and is de- /
signed to so, amend the present law /
as to enable the Oregon Short Line /
company to reorganiZe under the laws |
Of this state.
FIRST READING OF BILLS.
A motion by Murdoch, to suspend |
he rules and read the bill by title only, /
raised a question in the settlement of |
which consumed the time of the mem
Oers for an hour.
Kenner called attention to the con-
requirement that every bill
De read in full three times before its
passage. He admitted that the house
night suspend its rules, but insisted
hat it could not suspend the cOnsJi-
ution. For this reason he raised the
point of order that the motion was out
IF order.
Murdoch pointed to the precedent
established by the last legislature
which. drew forth from Kenner a fiery
protest against an adoption of the slip
hod methods pursued by that body.
The late legislatures carelessness had
.ost the people dearly, and he did not
hink it right nor proper to presume
hat by a mere viva voce vote the
house could suspend a constitutional
provision.
Robinson suggested that the bills
night be read three times at some
stage of consideration.
Kenner insisted that it would be I'M
wise to refer a bill 30 committee prior
o full information as to its contents.
This would give a committee power to
triangle a meritorious measure without
he knowledge of the house.
Murdoch held aloft Part One of the
eport of the code commission q large
olume of several hundred pages. This
eport must be adopted in the form
f a bill and to read it three times
VOulC consume greater part OF the
eSSiOn-
Kenner accused his opponents of kin
ergarten tactics, and Sloan appealed
o the house to start off right. He was
pposed to any reading of bills until
he various committees had been ap-
ointed.
Calls, Gibson, Thoreson. Kimbal of
ache and others engaged in tbs de-
ate, pleading, on the one side, for an
observance of the constitutional re-
uirements, and on the other for the
ispatch of business without needless
elay.
The speaker overruled Kenner's
oint of order, deciding that the mo-
on to dispense with the first reading
l full was in order, but Kenner aD-
called from the decision and the house,
Y a vote of Is to 49, decided against
ne ruling.
The effect of this vote is that the
rst reading of all bills must be in
Ill.
POSTAGE FOR MEMBERS. =
Robinson of Kane introduced house
)ncurrent resolution No. g directing 4
embers with the postage stamps and /
ewspaper wrappers required for the |
ansmission of documents and cores =
)ndence relating TO public business.
The house was proceeding to con-
deration of the measure, under a sus- L
ension of the rules, when the watch
j kenner again detected an assault +
pom the constitution and sprang to l