Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-28
GOVERNORS HINTS
70 Legislature 8 | \
Chief Executive Outlines Some
Needed Laws on the Utah
Statute Books.
CHANGES THAT ARE URGENT
Wife Should Be a Competent Wit
ness Against Husband in
Case Of Desertion.

Case Of Desertion.
Criminals should BE Barred from Mar.
rage and Death Penalty inflicted
On Niurdero,ls CoIvicts.
Governor John G. Cutters signed ar
ticle in the Christmas NEWS regard
ing legislation needed inftho State OF
4 Utah has attracted considerable atten-
ton. Without detracting in the least
from the matters mentioned. Cover
nor Cutler believes that legislation cur,
be directed to cover q number Of points
n that he did rot dwell on III his article.
This morning the governor called the
attention of the News TO some need
cd changes of urgent Importance.
THE crime of deserving helpless vile
and children and leaving them to the
cold mercy OF the world without means
OF support, has justly been made
felony and an eStraditable offense In
this state" declared Utah's chief ex-S
2acutive. but the enforcement OF the
law is seriously hampered by the fact
that the wife Is not a competent wit
ness against the husband III such
case. Compiled Laws of Utah, 1907.
section 5014). I think therefore that
the section referred to should be
amended so as 10 make the Wife u COM
petent witness against the husband in
a snse of desertion OF wife and child
sIcn, as she is now iii a case of criminal
Fir,ta ~ fGo nJtc.G nd a Gra n
Wife.
y Il know OF nothing more cruel and
cowardly than this act of desertins
Wife and children and shirking respon-$
sibility "A woman takes enough risk
when she becomes the wife of a man
and the mother OF his children, without
being subjected to the additional risk
and in the helplessness he has brought
lipon her. and still be unable to bring
him to. punishment by her testimony.
BAR no MARRIAGE.
Il was glad to sign an act passed
by the last Legislature, prohibttsnss
chronic epileptics and certain otiier
persons named in the act from marry.
ing. In line with this, there Is a law
4 in operation in some Of the states. as 1.
am Informed providing for the sterli-3
izing of confirmed criminals and this
lIopelessly insane, especially those
guilty Of murder and other atrocious
crimes. L would strongly favor the
enactment OF a. similar law in tan y
and Iacould particularize men IN tho
state today who can and should come
under this classification and its at
tendant ban.
URGES DEATH PENALTY.
II have already called attention to
the need OF providing for the death
penalty in the case of life prisoners
who make vicious assaults on thelr
5a,fellow-prisoners or the guards, wheth-S
~ IN murder is done or not. I wish to
reneat it in connection with the re-
commendatlon made above. The mora
i think about these men, and the abb
# sol,ta hopclessness of reformation, the
more am convinced that it is only
nv these two penalties that the society
Of the present and the future can be
adeuuately protected against Iais
worse than useless element
FINANCES OF STATE 8
a suggestion regarding the finances
nf mo state, which have made Dc
fare Il wish to repeat here. BY law
,he state treasurer Is made custodian
of the funds of the state. But !.
believe there is nothing in the con-
stftution which can be construed construed as
preventing the treasurer from placing
ne funds, subject to the bond he Is
,n1er where they will draw interest
~. the state. The low should pc
changed so as to require this 10 ne
done. t+a,
would suggest that the salary y
the treasurer be increased SO as ~
Ia full compensation for the work
MA resuonsbilty of the office, and
H. large, Eond he is required to give
s'E'.ssfn linz with the last suggestion,
+ 5hl;ave II would be well for change
~ be made in the law which nov
requires state officers to pay into Lne
stats treasury only once Quarter the me
fees received in their ottlces- ihteLsss
n,frht be had on these FUNDS II tleS
mt.re turned over to the treasury az
- 1a,st nj the end of each month. 1t
~ source of danger for any ofticer2
~ he pcr,nitted TO keep pubic 1uI1lid s5
s& ~ s hand. or deposited in his own
,,arne in any bank he may choose,
fori "a, long Il time. The money snouiu
he in the hands of the state tretis -:
~ lent at Interest by him, NOT leit
.,s,n i, the hands of various state
ei;ners ne Mt present, The state mas
viewed money and paid larse
.innunt of interest, much OF Wi. an.l
Is need not have been paid II The Tees
IL the hands OF state oIilcers nsiu os ...
n, over to the treasurer at the
close OF each month instead OF the
aifd as the quarter 5Ss
STATE DEFICITS.
at is my opinion that the creation
d.tioits Tor the conducting of the
A 3ffsirs of the various departments and
%;stitutions of the state, shoulo pc ~
a.,nad 70 d minimum; and if possible
s aIoiisbed altogether. The way p
raach tliis end IS for the legislature TO
Z ts,,,,re more closely into the needs OF
; ~ yatious departments ana institu-
ttnns and then make an approp ,11 III
49, win be definitely understood to
~ ii ttjat can be allowed Tor the
W al covered. Those in charge Of the
( p..n.raiture Of the funds will then limit
III esMaip,snditures according to the appro-i
~ lo,,. AS 1t is nov, too many ap-
- tiors are regarded as oniy par
rs, ,rnyision for the work. ana tna
l .,ss., a making expenditures seenl.sto2
t ~ That it will be an easy mater.
a s1,. exhausting the fund. 70 seeuts..
e ;llls, The result of this work IS
- sfte1 a legislature ha s Q pitoI'r4-5
We '..as ali the funds available for neees-
ste exnenses, the next Legislature. -
ss;sd lipon 10 make up deticits sWhl.i
,1,'.r not foreseen or ever,
s,atea3 1t is clear case OF llstils pI5