Evening star., 1897-02-04
JOSEPH L. RAWLINs CHOSEN.

United States senator Elected by the
Utah Legislature.
Joseph L. Rawifns was yesterday elected
United States senator by the Utah legis-
lature On the flfty-third ballot by the fol-
lowing vote: Rawlfns, 30: Thatcher, .;
Henderson, I, and Brown, /.
When the balloting began nearly a fourth
of the members made speeches explaining
their votes. Nearly all Of -rhatcher's friends
made open charges Of church influence
against their candidate. while his oppo-
nents were vehement in denial of such
charges.
Sloan, chairman of the democratic state
committee. and one of the Thatcher lead
ers. said he had In his possession letter
written by member of the legislature in
which he said he recognized a higher au-
thority than his duty to the state. Sloan
served notice that If a United States sena-
tor was elected by the vote of that member
he would contest his right to vote on the
question. When the roll-call was finished
1t appeared that Rawlins had thirty-one
votes, or within one of election, while
Thatcher had about twenty-four.
Several members changed to Thatcher
from other candidates until his vote was
brought up to twenty-nine. During the
time the changes were going on the excite
ment was intense. Finally Representative
Hansen, a republican who had voted for
Goodwin. changed to Rawlins, and his cleo
ton was officially announced.
Joseph L. Raw1ins of Salt Lake City,
Utah. was born in Salt Lake county, Utah.
March %. 1850; lived upon a farm until
eighteen years of age: completed a class
ical course in the University Of Indiana
but. having gone to Utah. did not return
for graduation; was professor in the Uni
versity of Deseret, at Salt Lake City, Utah,
for two years until 1876; was admitted to
the bar in that year and followed the pro-
fession of law until his election as delegate
in 1892: in politics has always been a demo-
crat; was elected to the Fifty-third Con-
gress as delegate, on the democratic ticket,
receiving 1921 votes against II. 405 votes
for frank j. Cannon, republican. and 6,9S8
votes for Clarence E. Allen, liberal. He
was defeated for the same Office two years
later by Cannon. He was delegate to the
last democratic national convention, and
was member of the committee on resolu-
tions- He Is at present a member of the
law firm of Rawlins & Critchlow Of Salt
Lake.
In the speech in which Mr.. Raw1ins was
put in nomination for the Senate his claims
for preferment were stated by his eulo-
giSt to be as follows: In his one short term
Utah. He had taken up the banner OF
statehood. which had been trailed in the
dust and carried it triumphantly through
Congress. In the enabling act the state of
Utah was given more land than any other
state that had been admitted up to that
time. He secured the act opening up the
Indian reservations, and the act returning
to the church the funds that had been
taken from it, He supported the bill for
trial by jury in contempt cases, a measure
dear to every laborin& man. His voice was
heard In Congress ia favor of the free and
unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio OF
10 to 1. He defeated the efforts of the
Colorado congressman to saddle the south
ern Utes upon Utah. The state govern
ment was the result, OF his ability and in
dustry. on