The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-02-18
SOME PLAIN TALK
IN THE LEGISLATURE
Opponents of Prohibition Measure
Make Game Fight in the House,
But Are Beaten.

The house on Monday, February l5
| refused to reconsider the vote by
which the Cannon prohibition bill was
| passed. and the measure now goes to
the senate. With 1t will go the petit
lions which the house committee on
| judiciary have had, which petitions
carry thousands of signatures.
Three hours of oratory preceded
| the decision to refuse to reconsider
the vote in favor of prohibition in the
| state Of Utah. Representatives Hol-
man and Mcmillan spoke in favor of a
| reconsideration, they charging that
| the Cannon measure had been rail
roaded through the judiciary commit
| tee Holman's speech was the sensa-
pared address, delivered in force.
| full manner.
Holman charged that THE house,
as body, has neither considered the
wisdom nor the feasibility of enacting
any legislation of this sort. The
house has accepted public clamor and
countless petitions as self-evidence of
the necessity of such legislation, and
has acted accordingly without investi-
eating into the merits of the case. BY
some sub rosa process, beyond my
powers of comprehension, the Cannon
bill was passively accepted as the or
iginal and only panacea for the al
legged evils of the liquor traffic. The
Cannon bill neither represents the in
telligence nor reflects the honest sen
timent of the membership OF this
house. Other measures, similar in
substance and intended to correct the
same evils, were willfully disregard
ed and did not receive the considera
ton to which they were entitled. All
efforts, on the part of certain mem
bers. to effect compromise measure,
were ruthlessly cast aside. The ma
jority refused to concede a single
point either in committee discussion
or in floor debate, thus forcing these
members to appear as unalterably OPP
posed to any legislation whatever
The bill was railroaded through the
committee and the house, and the
manner of its final passage would
have been disgrace to any legisla
tive body The measure is a make
shift and deserves to be reconsidered. %
The reply of Mr.. Cannon, the author
of the bill, was also very earnest He
disclaimed that there was any church
influence which had been made to
push the bill through the house. He
and other speakers resented the
charge made by Mr.. Holman that the
bill had been railroaded through the
judiciary committee.
Four new bills were introduced in
the house, and three met their death
In the committee, none of which are
of grave importance.
Little of Importance was accom-
plished by the senate. Six bills of
minor Importance were introduced,
while the committee reports were con
fined largely to routine matters. Sen
ator Miller introduced a bill levying a
state tax for high school purposes.
Under the sections of bill intro
duced by Senator Badger. persons
other than those authorized by law,
as surety companies, who shall be-.
come bondsmen. or sureties in any
case. must file with the proper coun-
ty officer, duplicate copy of the
county in which the property behind
the surety is situated, whereupon the
bond, or other undertaking, becomes
lien upon the obligee.
The house on Tuesday, February 1G.
finally approved of four bills: II. B.
As, by Pope, relating to irrigating dis
tricts: II. B. 49, a substitute measure
providing for the exercise OF the right
of eminent domain by the addition of
providing for the holding of farmers
and domestic science institutes and
schools in the counties of the state
end II. B 80, by Wootton, amendinr
the law relating TO the requirements
for the certificates of teachers.
New bills were introduced amend
Ing the laws relating to the keeping
of bitches in repair, by adding thereto
new section providing a penalty for
violation thereof; and creating a state
bounty fund. providing for a tax on
certain livestock; providing for the
destruction OF certain wild animals
and repeating chapter /, title 8, Com
piled Laws OF Utah, 1907.
Under the terms of bill introduced
in the senate Tuesday by Senator
Benner X. Smith. 1t will become a
misdemeanor to cut down or carry
away any growing thing from the
property of another to dig ditch or
hole in the ground on property be
yond what the digger himself owns,
or to post bills or other signs upon
the premises of the city, any company
or individual. without the proper con.
sent of the owner. Senator Smith
also introduced measures relating to
the state board of pharmacy regulat.
ing sale of poisons; and an amend
ment relating to certain agreements
declared to be void unless in writing
t1h