OCR Text |
Show T ' r- . . . .. .";Hr-.-.-rv- . .-v. :: News Makes Grave Charge Against Legis.ators I The Dcseret News is now out in tbo open declaring that a slush fund is being spent among the legisla- f jr tors to establish friendly relations.' In view of the fact that lho News is the organ of the Church of .Testis X Christ of Larlor-day Saints; in view of the fact that . the legislature i3 almost entirely made up of members f X of that church, tbc charge is a very serious one. So serious, indeed, that a legislative inquiry may bo neccs- X y sary. Here is an article which was printed in the Deseret News Tuesday, evening. It is printed in its en- ! tiiety, bead lines and all. so that all may see what the News charges against tho legislature: !. .j. (Deseret cwa, id arch -.) j T DISTRIBUTION OF j Ij" THE "SLUSH FCND" Y Money to Establish . Friendly Tlcla- j T lions Being. Spent on Some j . Legislators. Y CLAUDE Y. RUSSELL'S CHARGE J Y I I Says Members . of Honso Utilities -; Committee Have Been CluosLs Y of Corporations. T . I Telephone Companies Accused of Giv- I T lug lDImiors and Thoater Parties ' To Law Makers of the State. I J. i .U Y A session of more than ordinary X interest wan being framed up for Y the session of the house this aftcr-Y, aftcr-Y, noon, if Indications In and about the X chamber counted for anything. That 'Y fireworks should lly and charges be Y hurled back and forth across tho . floor of the house was the programme. r. In which two members and n certain j committee' of lho house wuro sched- tiled to tako part. Intimation, of "in-llueiiec." "in-llueiiec." "lobbying." "wining and dining" and kindred charges were made. Tho rumblings of the storm wore hoard yesterday afternoon, when under un-der tho order of business of eonsdd- 'ration of committee reports lho ad- t verso report of lho public iitllltlo.s! committee upon house bills 10;: and 101, by Russell, were by motion of ' Representative Clegg deferred fori consideration for ono day. Under tho same order of business these bills will como up this afternoon, and the, pyro- I loclinics aro duo to begin when lho i adverse reports aro prosonlcd for nc- I Hon. ; CALLS' IT AN OUTRAGE. j Those bills have to do with tho ma tier of charges for telephone, service, ser-vice, and Include the provision for the Interchange ni service and con- I neclion between telephone companies organized under the laws of this state. Speaking with considerable fooling In tho matter. Representative Ciegg said this morning: "It Is an outrage the way telephone companion are holding up the people of this town. The charge for one instrument furnished by one of tho companies Is ?i:..r.n per month, and tho other company com-pany chargca ?l.s"0. The last nnmcrt figure Is inirely high enough, bull -I II"'2"'I 2I when it comes to charging $.50 more ! per month for an office "phono than ! equally as good aud In many casos better service in given for tho lesser amount. I think it Is high time lho legislature should take a hand in t ho ! way of regulation." WINED AND DINED. 'j Representative Claude V. Russell. Y who Introduced tho measures falling Y under the displeasure of the utilities t committee, was oven more outspoken t in his denunciation of tho methods f employed by what ho dominated tho '. "telephone trust." Mr. Russell said: 1 "I have it on tlio best authority that .. the members of the house public .i. utilities committee woro the guests at J. a bnmiuet and box party given by . the telephone companies recently, and J J have tho best of reasons for believing believ-ing that not only t hire Influence has J been brought to boar against my .. bills, but there arc oiliers equally of-fonslvc. of-fonslvc. Jt baa been said thn't an .C individual. prominently connected .r. with a government position, has been .L nctivo in lobbying against I hose men-uresi, men-uresi, as has also a prominent poll- . tlclan from Utah county. These men represent the caao of the telephone companies, and If lho legislature falls . to do something for tho suffering pub-lie pub-lie In regard to these extortionate charges made by telephone compn- J. nles. I say they will fall In Uielr -i duly." .j. |