The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-25
OUIETUs IS PUT
ON "ANTI-SKEEN'
Senate SCotCheS Ogden Effort
to Put Ban on Pr0SeCu-
ton of Officials.
ONE MAY MAKE ACCUSATION
SMITH PUT WEBER COUNTY
SENATORS IN HOLE.

: The senate practically put a Quietus on
what was popularity known as the Anti
Skeen' bin, growing out of the recent
prosecution of city eouncilmen and other
officials I'm ogden by j. D. Skeen by
striking out the provision requiring more
than one person 10 make affidavit 10 the
accusation
ent law relating TO accusations against
hubble officers by private persons by pro-
Tidng that before such accusations can
De considered by a court. Twenty-Five tax
nayers must petition the district court
that an Officer within the Jurisdiction
Of the court has been guilty Of knowingly.
corruptly and wilfuly" charging Illegal
fees or neglecting to perform mis- official
duties.
This was amended by the judiciary COM
mittee so that only five persons besides
the accuser should sign the petition. and
This was the particular point of discus
sion Yesterday. the senate finally decid-
ing by viva voce vote TO cut out this
provision entirely leaving the matter as
d stands i'm the present law.
Some Thrusts at Skeen.
The debate on the bill was spirited and
several yelled references were made to
The noted ogden refOrmer which were far
from a complimentary nature
I'm explaining the measure. Senator Hol-
lngswOrth. the author. said:
This measure is calculated to prevent
any twO-by -fOur a0nuallya -disgrtmtled
politician from preferring charges against
public officials in the heat of the cam
paign because OF malice and impure mo-
lives.
Don't YOU believe that every public
officer should be accused and tried for
his wrongdoings?" asked Senator Benner
.Of course do" replied the ogden
senator. but yOu see il often happens
that these charges are unjustly brought
and this measure will prevent this be-
ing done TO great degree. At present
aU officers are targets for disgruntled
politicians with impure motives"
IL VIII be understood that the phrases.
a twO-by-fOur annually disgruntled poll
tician' and "a disgruntled politician with
impure motives" refer 10 j. T. Skeen.
the ogden attorney. who created such a
furOre among the ogden politicians. and
who ousted some Of them from office.
HuIaniski Speaks Feelinsly.
Senator Hulanski. the other member
from Ogden. then spoke feelingy on the
subject. Mr.. HulanslSi spoke feelingly
because he was one of those accused by
Skeen for neglect OF duty i'm the county
attorneys office, but. IL should be eX-
planned. he was acquitted.
lie COyIy asserted that even il the old
law were entirely repealed and -nothins
substituted for it. the interests of ths
public would be subserved by other pro.
fiSlbliS III the statues dlOWllE .SNlNN &c
be brought against officials for the re-
COvery OF money taken illegally
In fact. Mr.. Hul8nSki acted as if II
would please him greatly il the accusa-
ton law were wiped from the statute
books entirely
"Of course" said he. "this additional
safeguard i'm Senator HOHingsworth s
measure means an additional safeguard
10 public officials and prevents their be
Ing harassed except for good cause"
Smith Riddles the Bill.
Senator Bonner Y Smith. who proposed
the amendment which was carried. in his
address said that the bill evidently had
"sOmc local color.
II do not think il right that six men
should appear as accusers.' he said
zone ought 10 be sufficient. RefOrmers
are always scarce at first and one usti-
ally stands alone until he has reformed
almost everybody. In addition. these six
men would be charged with the costs
and IL would be hard to secure signatures
because of this reason alone"
4 vote was then taken on the bill as
amended and IL passed by a vote OF IA to
J. Senator Brinkerhoff voting in the mega
tive.
The only change in the old law, as
amended in the senate. is the provision
that it must be shown at the trial that
the official "wilfully. knowingly and cor
ruptly" collected illegal fees or neglected
10 perform the duties Of his office.
The "Anti-Skeen' bill is pending in the
house. under the authorship Of Mr.
kuchler. with a favorable report from
the judiciary committee. making ten the
number Of taxpayers required on the pc
titOn.