The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-14
SENATE HOLDS UP
ASSESSOR BILLS
Proposed Raise in Salaries
Brings Out Criticism of
Certain Officials.
SALT LAKE MEN OBJECT
CONSIDERABLE ROUTINE BUSl-
NESS is Transacted.

! Senator John Y. Smiths two measures
increasing the salaries of assessors in
nearly every county in the state and add
ing TO the duties of these officials brought
out some severe criticism of the assess
Inent methods in vogue in Salt Lake cOun-
" from Senator Lawrence and such va
rlety Of opposition from other sources
that the senate yesterday afternoon re-
committed them to the county and nfu-
nlcipal corporations committee for revi-
sion.
The bills came up for the third reading
and final passage after a favorable COM
mittee report had been adopted Tuesday
! Mr.. John Y. Smith explained their pur-
pose by saying that it was difficult to
secure competent men for these positions
at the present 10 Wsalaries.
In salt Lake county the salary would
be raised from 1850 to s.. 400 by the bill,
and i'm commenting upon this feature Mr..
Lawrence said: 1T would mean that we
would secure no better men but might
have more candidates for the job" There
Is certainly big chance for improve
ment here In the work of assessing but
don't think larger salary will make any
difference. Anyway the assessor does lit
tie of the work personally and is sup
posed to be surrounded by an efficient
force Of deputies"
Did you say efficient" asked President
Love.
81 did. but it was a slip of the tongue.
guess responded the Salt Lake man.
THE fact is that our assessor has not
complained of his compensation and with
the present methods / don't think he is
entitled to any increase"
Another Still Protests.
The author of the measure still protest
ed that better men would seek the office
If the salary were higher, but Mr.. Law
renee closed the argument by saying:
Senator, did you ever attend a Salt
Lake county convention
Protests also came from Senators Wal
ton. Johnson, Rasband and Hollingsworth
and il was finally decided to recommit the
bills for further consideration by the
committee.
and adopted favorable committee reports
on eight others which will come up for
third reading and final consideration THIS
afternoon The bills killed were Nos. II
and II by Hulaniski. 20 by HOllngsworth,
and 76 by Seely. The first two were beat
en- when they came up for final passage
after third reading and the others by the
adoption Of unfavorabe committee re-
ports No IL provided for additional COM
pensatiOn for county commissioners, NO.
L for more pay for deputies IN county Of
fices. No. 20 for Judgment IN contempt
cases. and No. 76 for locking UP all juries
in criminal actions.
Reports Are Adopted.
Favorable reports were adopted on the
following measures: Senate bills NO. "a
by Park, 90 by Hollingsworth; house bills
No. 81 by Richards, 10 by Robinson, lS by
Robinson, by Petersen. 10 by kuchler
and IA by JACKSON: senate JOlIlO ISSOIu~
tor No. / by Hollingsworth was Killed.
Ii provided for the submission Of con-
stit1itional amendment which would al
low the legislature 10 order separate 1u-
dicial elections.
received and assigned TO the proper COM
mittees. No. "a is the cigarette bill and
il was referred to the committee on pub
lie health, of which Senator Walton is the
chairman.
UpOn third reading the senate passed
No. n by Hollingsworth providing for the
acceptance Of the lowest responsible bid
a by Rasband. making the playing of slot
machines a misdemeanor; No. %, by Ras-
band making the minimum fine for gam
bling 500. and No. 80. by Miller making
II a misdemeanor to violate any ordinance
made by county commissioners. The lat
ter bill had considerable opposition and
passed by a vote of ii TO o, senators
frinkerh0ff Clegg. Johnson. Rasband,
NtrIiIin ~, rating in the NEGATIVE