The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-24
ESSAY TO SAVE
BOUNTY REPEAL
Senators Secure Conference
After a Lengthy Debate.
DISCUSSION OVER CLERKS
TO PREVENT UNAUTHORIZED
PRESENTATION OF DRAMAS.

Evidently. you don't want to hear
my speech" remarked Senator Bam-
berger.
The senate smiled. and proceeded to
ADOPT, with certain amendments, house
concurrent resolution No. !. designed
t. secure from the state auditor much
information concerning bounties.
The longest debate of the present ses-
tier the legislature should request
county clerks to suspend temporarily
The issuance of bounty certificates
pending the legislative investigation.
Tie law. as Senator Bennion pointed
out early in the discussion directed
the county clerks to issue certificates
when applications were properly made
and he questioned the prOpriety of the
adoption of a resolution asking the
clerks to do otherwise.
The friends of the resolution as it
came up, led by Senator Lawrence, ar
gued that the resolution was a simple
request, that it would not deprive any
tody of his rights and that it would
edectually prevent further frauds pend
'Dg investigation and legislation
The resolution was at length adopt
e. Bamberger. Bennion. CaIlister,
CleSg, Johnson. Larsen and Lewis vot-
ing against it, and Barber being bsent.
It was expressly stated that the main
OF Information from the county clerks
and state auditor, was favored by all,
tut several objected to the clause that
contemplated the suspension of certi-
fcates.
Conference Is Arranged.
The bounty matter first came UP
with the report of the killing of the
repeal bill in the house. Lawrence inn
mediately arose to urge the necessity
Of prompt action of some sort looking
10 change of the bounty biz and
moved that a conference committee
De appointed The motion carried and
Lawrence. Walton and BenniOn were
named as the senate cOnferees.
There the matter rested until later
III the session, when the amended res
c'ution came up. 1t called for a re-
port from the state auditor giving
complete and detailed information of
all bounty certificates issued I'm the
state between March e. 1901, and Jan.
81, 1905, and requested the state au-
ditor in turn to request each county
clerk to discontinue the issuance of
further certificates
With the explanation that the amend
ments merely amplified the resolution
as it came from the house, Lawrence
moved the suspension of the rules and
the adoption of the resolution. Sena-
tor Hollingsworth, who had framed the
amendments. explained the reason for
going back to 1901 and, in response to
i question by Senator Johnson said the
report would not be voluminous.
Senator Bennion then raised the
question of the propriety of asking
the county clerks to stop payments
authorized by law. He suggested the
elimination of that clause.
Senator Lawrence explained that the
committee did not claim the resolution
would have any legal effect, but be-
lleVed IL would have moral effect and
that the clerks would accede to the re-
quest. He cited the order of County
Clerk Eldredge of Salt Lake county
stopping the issuance of further certifi-
Gates. OF course, he said, an applicant
might mandamus the clerk and force
the issuance of a certificate, but by the
time an order could be secured the leg
islative investigation would have been
completed.
Bamberger For Bounties.
Senator Bamberger said the payment
Of legitimate bounty claims was a. good
thing and expressed a conviction that
no more frauds in the bounty depart
ment were likely. If the legislature
wanted to stop bounty payments, he
argued, the legislature should take the
responsibility and not advise some body
else to commit an action of questionable
legality.
Senator CaIlister joined the opposi-
thing to do would be to remedy the law.
not to advise the evasion of the present.
law.
For the purpose Of bringing the cues
ton before the senate. Hollingsworth
moved to strike the clause from the
resolution.
After Senator Walton had voiced fur
Their opposition TO the clause a vote
was taken on HOllingsworth's motion
which lost, thus leaving the clause in
the report.
Il am really astonished," began Sen
ator Bamberger, that members here
will vote for a measure encourag ing ii
man to disobey the law. This looks like
trihing with the law. II is not a proper
example to set for any one. Let the
responsibility for this order rest where
II belongs, and not make the state au-
ditor assume it. I tell you right now
If were the state auditor 1 would re-
fuse to do it,
Lawrence Defends Measure
breach, contending there was sQOthing
in the language of the resolution to
warrant so severe, criticism. rzIt was
merely a. request. he urged, designed
10 protectsthe state. He remarked sar-
castically that the senate might cite
the clerks TO appear and lock them up
until after adjournment and thus
achieve the same result, but he pre-
ferred the resolution TO that procedure
After several senators had explained
that they favored the resolution as
whole but opposed the particular clause
under discussion. Senator Callister
moved to make the request apply only
to spurious claims.
At this point Senator Bamberger
served notice that he would like 70
speak Arising and consulting his
watch. he moved that the matter be
made a special order for 3 O'Clock to-
day.
II want to prepare "A speech on the
subject he remarked
Lawrence at once came forward with
the charge that dilatory tactics were
being employed. The conference com
mittee would need the information
called for by the resolution. he said. be-
fore it could act and he urged imme-
date action Of the resolution.
Senator Bamberger's motion to post
pone was voted down and his remark
that the senate, evidently. didn't care
to hear his speech followed