The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-21
Legislative Controversy Over the
River Improvement Bill.
HOUSE FAVORS MEASURE
OPPONENT CHARGED THAT
MEMBERS WERE BRIBED.
Sensational Attacks Made By Popu-
list Members-Charged That the
Bill Was In the Interest of a
Michigan Lumber Syndicate
Gives Monopoly to Corporations.
Especial to The Herald.)

; Boise. Ida, Feb. 20.-The senate bill
granting fifteen years franchise for rive
, improvement was sprung unexpectedly il
the house today and caused fight. TIT
committee on state affairs secured unan
imous consent to report it. Majority anc
minority reports were presented the
former recommending passage of the
measure.
The minority report, which was signed
by Moodey (Pop.) stated: After consid.
ering the matter from every possible
standpoint, We have concluded that il is
calculated TO folSt upon the people of the
state of IcahO "a monopoly that will be
lasting in its effects; that it is the duty
OF every citizen of this state to resent
any attempt on the part of Michigan
lumber interest, aided and abetted by sew
eral peanut politicians and pseudo imam
clai saviors OF our beloved state to Sc
cure control OF the natural resources of
the people.
Houltz took the floor and spoke against
( the bill. He urged 1t was a corporation
attempt 10 steal precious right of the
people, use ana control OF the God-given
streams, ana charged that corruption was
marking the course of the measure
through the legislature.
i could have secured money" he went
on. TO vote Tor this bill. but l hope [
shall never so TAR forget myself as to sell
out those who have sent me here
hedWine spoke in favor OF the bill, VIM n
he urged was not a corporation measure.
but . bill designed to be of the highest
benefit TO the people of the state. The
opening OF the streams would result in
development OF vast tracts of timber land
and that would mean hundreds of thou
sands of dollars to the state. The bill pro-
posed an important sep. he maintained, in
the development of the state. As to the
toll provision. he said il was not more
than common justice that the companies
who spent large sums to open up the
rivers should be permitted TO reimburse
themselves
those who use the river toll Further de-
bate was cut off by the previous question.
ktnsley moved adoption of the minority
bill. nv
Johnesse moved TO substitute the word
majority for minority in Kingley's motion.
The point was then raised if Johnesse's
motion prevailed the bill would be indef-
nitely postponed. which Moodey, tempo
rarily in the chair. sustained.
JohneSSe then attempted TO withdraw
his motion. but Moodey ruled him out of
order.
The friends of the measure voted
against JohneSSe'S motion in order to get
themselves out of the scrape. but the
motion carried q TO % The vote was
then on kingSley'S motion as amended
RedWine called for division of the ques-
tion which Moc.ey refused to grant, but
on appeal the chair was overruled.
The majority report was adopted, p to
6. and the motion to indefinitely postpone
Jones (Pop.) made a fiery speech against
the measure. He deprecated the attempt
of the majority to railroad the measure
through and raised his voice in protest
against what he styled an Ubiquitous eff
fort TO apply gag rule. He wanted the
bill sent TO the committee of the whole to
be amended so as TO protest placer miners
operating on the streams of the state. He
pleaded for the members not 10 allow
these corporations the opportunity sought
by the bill to fasten monopolist grip
upon the streams and timber of the state.
The majority again ordered the previous
question. and vote was taken on "A
motion by Stanton TO send the bill to
third reading, which was lost on a tie
vote. p to q.
Stanton challenged the correctness of
the result and another call was ordered.
Meantime members rushed frantically
sentees. Staintons motion prevailed. %
to % and the bill was sent to third read
ing. ending one of the hottest fights Of the
ACTION ON BILLS.
The ways and means committee report !
ed adversely the bill requiring railroad |
TO pay for stock killed, not |
withstanding negligence Of the owner. |,
holding that it would be unconstitutional I
If enacted. The house rejected the report, !
however. and the bill was sent to third |
reading.
Jones bill taxing mortgages ind profess
sional libraries, which was reported with
out recommendation, was amended so as
10 tax dNidend-paying mines also. y
however. by vote of % to Is.
The bill TO imprison lesseeS of mining
who make false representations
TO secure employees and defraud them of
their wages was Indefinitely postponed.
McBee introduced a bill to prevent
spread of disease i'll schools. One provis-
ion is that free text books IN the nome
where the contagion has prevailed must
be disinfected before returned to school
Jones reintroduced the prohibition
amendment which was withdrawn few
nd TofN req
office of state superintendent of printing.
The following senate bills were passed:
For consolidation of Incorporated towns
and villages; granting to railroads right
Of way over school lands.
Z The bill appropriating $l.eOO to purchase
the Challis-Ketchum toll road. and the
bill appropriating $1,000 TO construct
wagon road to Atlanta were killed.
House measures were then passed as
follows: Amending the state land board
act by giving the board authority TO sell
ands at private sale as well as at auction
Joint memorial praying congress to
,mend the land laws so as to enable clt-
sens to hold lands cultivated under the
dry farming process The resolution re-
.ites that lack of water to farm such
ands makes il Impossible to secure the
and under the desert act. or under the
lers PERMANENT residence on the land i'm
possible.
Constituting the governor. secretary Of
tate and g. y. r. department commander
!
EXCITEMENT IN SENATE.
The state examiner bill was killed in
he senate by asVote of II to s. The scenes
.ttendfng its demise were the most eX-
iting of any that have been enacted In
he Senate The friends of the measure
lad been anticipating clear sailing for the
ill., When the crash came IL proved a , ,
zen disappointment
The bill creating bureau of immlgra-
ion labor and statistics passed to It's
bird reading.
A resolution was introduced setting Fri
av Feb. u. the last day for Introducing {
ew bills. except those providing appro- {
riations and for revenue.
4 proposed prohibition amendment TO
he constitution was introduced. as also
bill by, Senator Stacy to dispense with {
egistration resolutions.
Bills passed us follows: AppropriatinS .
500 to build n wagon road in Bear Lake /
ountv. To cancel claims against set Y
ers on state lands which have been de- !
Jared forfeited. Providing uniform sys
am of laws for the government of in '
towns and villages. Making it ]
misdemeanor to. wantonly waste the
-aters of any irrigation stream. House t
i'll regulating the manufacture and sale j
imitation butter.
There being a doubt as to the regularity t
Z the passage on Saturday of the high
cense gambling bill the friends of the G
solution voted with the opposition to 7
sconsider. 1t was repassed by a vote of c
to 10. h