The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-14

All the known reasons for and against
the constitutional requirement thai
mortgages owned by residents of Utah
be taxed, were recited yesterday in the
house of representatives during the
consideration Of house joint resolution
No. 1, offered by Mr.. Sorenson, propos-
ing 10 submit TO the voters at the next
general election the question OF amend
ing the state constitution so that, il
adopted, boards of county commission
ers viii be authorized to remit the
taxes of INDECENT poor persons.
The resolution, in the main, is copy
Of section 3, article -, Of the con
stitution, which specifies what property
shall be exempt from taxation. After a
short discussion the resolution WAS
amended by including irrigation reser-
voirs. Representative Fisher then pro
posed that the provisions of his Dill,
No. "a which intends that the amount
of a valid mortgage lien be deducted
from the assessed value Of any property
on which such mortgage subSistS be
made a part Of the resolution.
To this resolution Representative
Johnson announced his objection. He
said he would prefer to entirely exempt
mortgages from taxation to making de-
ductions which would result in increas-
ed tax burdens in other directions. Then
followed a general discussion on the
justice or injustice and the effect Of
taxing mortgages owned by residents Of
Utah when such securities owned by
non-residents go untaXed. The argu-
ment was participated in by Repre-
sentatives Mansfield, Callister. Nc
Quarrie and Fisher. The result was
that Representative Fisher withdrew
his motion TO include the terms Of his
bill in the resolution under considera-
ton
Representative Johnson declared he
would vote against the resolution be-
cause he felt satisfied, judging from the
results Of the recent election, that the
people wanted no amendments made TO
the constitution. He believed this Dro-
posed amendment and all others that
may be submitted would again be de-
feated Overwhelmingly at the polls, and
until there was a demand for amend
ments to the constitution, he would rot
favor passing any resolutions in that
direction
The resolution passed by vote of Sc
to ), the negatives being announced 10y
Hansen, Ivers, Johnson, Lloyd and
Wheeler. ChristianSon, Jackson, Parry
and Richards We're not on the floor
when the vote was taken.
THE FIRE AND POLICE BILL.
The committee on municipal corpora
lions recommended passage of a sub
stitute for Stewards fire and police de-
partment bill, No. =. The substitute
differs from the original in that it
makes it mandatory on the mayor to
submit to the council the names of
his appointees within thirty days after
he assumes the duties Of his Office, IN
stead of within ten days after approval
of an ordinance enacted in pursuance
of the provisions of the proposed new
law, and also that the terms of office Of
all incumbents in the fire and police de-
partments in metropolitan cities shall
expire on Jan. l. 1900, instead of at the
end of fifteen days from approval of
the act by the governor. The original
bill provided that the act should take
effect upon its approval but the sub
stitute makes Jan. l, 1860, the dare
when it shall so into effect, and, be-
sides, the substitute repeats the section
authorizing policemen TO perform the
duties OF the sheriff or constabies in
serving process from the. petty courts in
the city, other than the police court.
Representative Lloyd moved that
both forms Of the bill be referred to
the committee on printing, with diTec-
tions to have both printed
Mr.. Johnson proposed that the Origi-
nal bill and the substitute be referred
to a special committee, consisting CT
the representatives from Salt Lake and
Weber. In support of his amendment,
Mr.. Johnson remarked that only the
cities of Ogden and Salt Lake are IN
terested in the proposed legislation that
aims to free the taxpayers from the
burden Of paying double and unearned
salaries to firemen and policemen, who,
according to decisions of the supreme
court. under the present law, have
life tenure in their positions.
Representative Shepard combated
Mr.. JOhnson'S argument that the sDe-
cial committee, even il it did agree on
a bill, would save time. He wanted the
order given at once for printing both
forms of the BILL for he exclaimed
IF the Tribune holds uD our bills ike
it is doing, there will be precious little
time left to pass this measure or any
other, and get it into the governors
hands before the last five-day limit for
exercise of his veto"
Representative n. J. Harris favored
Mr.. Johnson'S plan Of reference, and
added that he wanted to see a good FIRE
and police government bill passed, e.en
if it had to be done over the governors
veto
The motion to refer to the printing
committee, with directions TO have both
bills printed, was carried but a mo-
ment later the action was Teconsidered
and the bills original and substitute.
were referred TO the representatives
from Salt Lake and Weber. on sug-
gestion of Mr.. Johnson. Representative
Stewart was designated the chairman
Of the special committee, and the
chairman gave notice that the com
mitte1 would commence its delibera-
lions at 10 o'clock this morning.
BILLS INTRODUCED.
House bill No. SO, by Robertson. by
request, for an act for the fathering
and support Of children born out of
wedlocl5 The bill provides that any
woman giving birth to a child out of
wedIock shall have the right of faith
ering said child or children in any JUS
tees court in the precinct in which
such child is born, the proceedings to
be in accord with the code OF civil pro-
cedure, but a verdict OF three-fourths
of the jury shall be binding as TO the
amount To be paid monthly by the con-
Nicted father for the support of such
child until it reaches the age of II
years. The mothers oath and corrob-
oratiVe evidence of association shall be
sufficient to Justify q verdict in her
favor, unless the proof is that she is a
disreputable character. No property
shall be exempt from execution OF a
judgment for support, and the penalty
of Imprisonment is named for evasion
of - conviction of responsibility The
bin was referred to the committee on
House bill No go by Mansfield. for
an act consolidating the management
and control Of the educational institu-
lions of the state and placing the same
under the supervision of one board of
education The bill provides that a
fc--f Of he efa -