Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-19
LAWMAKERS HAVE
GONE BACK HOME
Breathing Spell Follows First
Week Of Grind on New
Bills.
WOULD HAMPER Mr.. sKEEN.
Weber County Delegation Offers Bill
Making II Harder for Private indi-
viduaI to Pursue an Oniclal


The FIRST week of the seventh legisla-
ture is OF an end, aud It is farther into
It's work than any previous session in
the states history. There Is already
call for competent committee CLERKS,
and complaints against the walking
gents" who were appointed ana are
of a kind that have served In previous
sessions clear through to the end with
out comment.
II is being urged that hereafter every
committee clerk be a stenographer in
order to qualify. Yesterday clerical
force from the secretary of states Of
fee was drafted for emergency work ON
bills. ana It is possible th;s more
stenographers Will be employed, regu-
larly for this session while some OF the
regular committee clerks Will be draft
ed as mailing clerks or telephone eA-
perts.
The cost of the session for the first
week, as figured from the expense of
two years ago. is about 1850. In re-
turn for this outlay In Legislators, the
voters have the consolation OF KNOW
ing that little time was lost IN getting
down to business AT the end of the
week, the railroad bill is before the
body there is a movement ON foot 10
Investigate department deficits. the
consolidation fight is ready for the SEN
ate's action In the shape of report
submitted by the secretary of state, a
well matured good roads bill Is
drawn up, n bill liz entered adding ad-
ditional weapons to the state prison Of
ficials to sassist them In curbins the
ambition of life prisoners to be tough,
and much other legislation is In process
of incubation.
BILLS WELL CONSIDERED.
The legislation proposed differs from
much OF that entered at previous ses-
sions In that It comes in response to
demands rather than to crafty leg
islative ambition to put In bills Nearly
every bill has the backing of those
most concerned, and has been drawn up
with the help of the interests ~ pro-
poses 10 regulate, although possibly OPP
posed by one faction as against another
faction OF those interests
AFTER THE PERFORMERS"
The Weber delegation in both the
house and senate starred yesterday art
ernoon by introducing bills aimed at
preventing another Skeen reform IN
Weber county Its main provision is
that the ambitious reformer must get
the backing OF at least % taxpayers be-
fore. as a private Individual. he Is en-
titled to file complaints against public
officials. Then. In case such complaint
is filed. the Judge does not have to lis
ten to II till his dockp Is clear
TEXT or BILL.
The text of the bill is in part as fol-
lows:
, verified by the oath of any taxpayer
shall be presented to the district
court, alleging that an officer WITHIN
the Jurisdiction of the court, shall have
been guiIty~of knowingly wflfully ana
corruptly charging and collecting IL
legal fees for services rendered or To
be rendered In his office. or shall nave
knowingly, wilfully and corruptiy re-
fused or neglected to perform the Of
ficlal duties pertaining TO his office,
the court must cite the parties
charged to appear before the court at
n time not more than ten nor less than
five days from the time the accusation
was presented, provided that SAID ac-
cusatlon he accompanied by petition
signed by 90 taxpayers of the county
IN which the action was brought veri-
fled upon their oaths that the action
Is brought IN good faith. and that 10
their best knowledge and belief the
charges made therein are true and re-
auesting that said citation he issued
and on that day or some subsequent
DAY not more lIdll ~ uhyH tiipN
OH which the accusation was present
ed must proceed to impanel a jury aud
hear the accusation and evidence IN
support of the same and the answer
and evidence offered by the party ac-
cused; providing, that II said accusa-
ton Is presented when setting
of cases under the rules OF the
court has already been had, then the
said twenty days shall begin to run
from the date on which the last casc
is set; and II on such hearing 1t shall
appear by the verdict of the jury that
the charges are sustained, the court
must enter n judgment that the party
nccused be deprived of his office. The
plaintiff and accuser shall be required
10 pay in advance to the clerk OF the
county IN which the action Is brought
the same fees REQUIRED In civil ac-
tlons and upon the final determination
of the action the costs shall be taxed
ms a clvil action"
TO PROBE DEFICITS.
Senator Lawrence has constituted
himself the guardian OF the state treas
ury, and has opened his batteries on
the state boards reporting deficits. He
wants these deficits probed into He
wants TO know why they We're created,
by whose authority, and In response 10
what extraordinary demand Inclden-
tally he wants the law fixed so that II
Will be harder for boards To run over
their appropriations.
SOME NEW BILLS.
Hollngsworth has introduced three
bills la date. Besides the one on the
Bkeen matter, there are two providing
that the state board OF equalization
rhal draw $1,000 each per year instead
Of $50 which N tho present salary, The
boards duties are Increased To include
the visiting OF all properties they as
ross To inc'ude the assessing OF traction
companies or power companies doing
business In more than one county and
To also include the examination of oX-
pert witnesses on values,
TO PROTECT HILL ROADS.
Captain HulanislSl has come forward
with a bin 20 make Il harder Tor cattle
owners TO break down hillside aud can
yon roads by driving their stock over
them. II provides that animals dam
aging the roads may be empounded
and sold 10 cover the damage. II the
owner refuses 10 pay H.
VACATION TODAY.
Today the Legislators are back at
home, telling the dear constituents
about II all, and around their own fire.
sides, telling Bob, ana Tom, and Sallie
hnn 10, he ..r4. M NIL .