The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-02

Inc vino out OF the sails OF the nom
partisan croakers who raised howl,
through the columns of the Tribune and
the News. against the recently-passed
house bill No. 1f2, empowering Salt
Lake City and ogden to reOrganize the
fire and police departments on an econ
onlical and consistent basis, or, more
properly speaking, against the date
when the proposed law is to become
effective. The explanations made by
the representative convinced his col
leagues, If an assurance were needed,
that the bill had not been passed
through any misrepresentation whatever,
for at The conclusion Of his speech the
committee on enrolment was directed
to have the bin speedily engrossed for
transmittal to the governor.
The subject was brought TO the atten-
ton of the house of representatives at
the morning session by Representative
CalIister, who cited the criticisms of
the News and the Tribune claiming
that the wrong substitute bill had been
passed either through misapprehension
or design, and he believed 1T was due
to the house that Representative Lloyd
should say something in reputation of
the newspapers insinuations.
Mr.. Lloyd was not present till the
afternoon assembly, but at the earliest
opportunity the gentleman from Salt
Lake, who was chairman Of the special
committee which presented the amend
ed substitute bill and recommended its
passage. made a statement under d
question Of personal privilege.
Representative Lloyd proceeded to
show that neither the house nor the
senate had been buncoed into passing
the wrong bill. The bill that passed
was the one agreed to by the special
committee, and it differed from the pre-
vious substitute only in the time when
it should become effective, namely, the
first Monday in January, 1900, instead
of within ten days after its passage,
and in the section which was drawn
TO meet the directions as to tenure of
Dffice of firemen and policemen, as set
Forth in the decisions of the supreme
court in the several trials for illegal
removals of the police chief and subor-
0inates. All these matters MIR. Lloyd
said, he had explained previous to the
passage of the measure. The intent Of
the bill as passed, with only one dis
senting vote, was to leave no doubt
about the law. that there should be no
holding over no succession.
There is no good reason, said Mr..
Lloyd, why the new law should not
become effective with the incoming of
the new administrations in Salt Lake
and Ogden, unless some sinister mo-
tive apparent but well disguised,
prompted the advocates of the imInedl-
ate effective date.
MAYOR CLARKS LOBBY.
Non-partisan city officials who were
lobbying for the defeat of this bill, I'M
less it carried the clause making it inn
8ediately operative, claimed that
money would be saved the taxpayers
for double and unearned salaries by
following their directions, but in refu-
tation of this plea it need only be
pointed out that only one case of this
kind is pending, that Of four removed
firemen, and their ousting, as shown by
decisions of the supreme court in paral-
lei cases, was clearly legal. and no re-
covery of salaries can be had. In
support of this contention, Mr.. Lloyd
quoted from the decisions at hand.
If these non-partisans were sincere
in their pretentions and wanted to save
Salt Lake City the money that was
thrown away, why, Mr.. Lloyd wanted
to know, did they not refuse to allow
Chief Pratt last May TO Illegally re-
move nine policemen whose recovered
salaries for six months amounted to
So S72. These same officials throw up
their hands in holy horror at the buga-
boo prospect of having to pay back
salaries to the four removed flremen.
whose dismissal. according 10 the law
relating TO the fire department organi-
cation as distinguished in - statutes
from the police department orGanfza-
ton and also according to the supreme
court opinions; was clearly valid and
binding act.
Again. for legislative effect, evident
". Mayor Clark and his aides are
strangely and inconsistency feigning
the belief that the four legally dismiss
ed firemen viii recover back salaries,
but at the same time these uon-parti-
san officials have taken no steps, if
their protestatiOns were well meant, TO
direct the treasurer to stop paying sal
aries TO the four new appointees pend
ing another decision from the supreme
court.
AS to the Tribune's contention that
the city would be without valid fire
and police departments. officers and
men, Immediately after the dawn OF the
new year, there was nothing sensible
or neritorious IN the plea. In the bill
that the nOn-partis5an officials are lob
living for. such a possibility would exist
for so days, but under the bill as pass
ed if the mayor and the council per-
form their sworn duty in enacting the
required ordinance. the police and fire
departments can and Will be properly
reorganiZed in accordance with the de-
sires of the majority of all classes of
citizens the long suffering taxpayers,
even without an hours delay and with
out any possibility whatever of the
municipality being bereft of police and
fire pr0tection for minute when the
new administration assumes control
Concluding, Representative Lloyd
said:
substitutes. the latter in printed form,
and the various explanations heretofore
made from time to time, and especially
what 7 said day before yesterday when
the bill came up for passage, and what
] have now. said, | leave the matter
with You, fellow members, to say if
you have been buncoed by me.
TIRE FISH AND GAME BILL.
The greater part of the afternoon
session was given over to the conSidera-
lion OF senate bill No. 46, by the ioint
committee on fish and game. After
almost innumerable amendments were
ofrered and carried or defeated. the bill
was finally passed by a vote Of IS to !,
the negative votes being announced by
Representatives Ivers, Miller. Murdoch
and Taylor More than one Of the or
,oonents of the bill declared that they
voted against the passage of the meas
tire because they had been bored al
most to death by the sDortsmen and
other lobbyists VINO were promoting its
enactment
So many changes were made in the
bill. the object of. which is to afford
better protection for the fish, game and
bird interests of the state, that the
senate viii be unable to recognize the
measure when it is returned to the
upper house for further action.
Representative WEIGH got in the first
amendment 10 strike out the clause
providing for the appointment of
special deputy fish and game wardens
IA serve Witohut compensation His