Salt Lake Tribune | 1911-03-04 | Page 11 | Measure is Passed for Logan's Benefit

MEASURE IS PASSED FOB UWSJEiEFIT Bill . Designed to Enlarge , Mayor's Powers Succeeds in Lower House. A't tho conclusion of a spirited discussion, discus-sion, senate bill No. 42, by Kuehlor, was passed in the house Friday afternoon. Tho bill relates to the confirmation of appointive ap-pointive officers in cities of the second class. In reality. It permits five Republican Repub-lican councllmen at Logan, the other five members being Democrats, to confirm appointments ap-pointments made by the mayor, who is a Republican. The measure was vigorously opposed by Page and Morris, but their opposition only contributed to the gaiety of the house, without accomplishing anything. Mr. Page said In substance,. "Gentlemen, "Gen-tlemen, tho passage of this bill will establish es-tablish a dangerous precedent one that I believe will come back to haunt you at some future time. As I understand it, there Is a deadlock in the city council at Logan. The' council is evenly divided and the mayor is a Republican. As majorities ma-jorities always have ruled in 'city councils, coun-cils, the Republicans arc unable to confirm con-firm tho appointments of the mayor, who also Is a Republican. In other words, tho two political parties in Logan are unablo to settle their difficulties the Republicans Republi-cans cannot rule by rejLSon of lack of majority and now you gentlemen propose to Invoke the power of this legislature, override the woll -established majority rule and virtually legislate 'appointees of the mayor Into -office. It Is bad business, a dangerous precedent, and you ought not to do it." Mr. Morris took the ground that the proposed action of the houso was virtually vir-tually giving tho mayor authority to vote upon his own appointments, and. like Mr, Page, he regarded tho precedent a dangerous one. He said furthermore that It would be Just as reasonable to say that tho governor's appointments ought to be confirmed, If the senate were equally divided upon them. On tho roll call the vote was as follows: fol-lows: Yeas Anderson, Blckmore, Cole, Crapo, Dahlqulst, Ekman. Funk. Grow, Henrle. Hines. Holman, Koarns. Langston, Mad-sen. Mad-sen. McRae. Miller, Packard, Pope, Richardson, Rich-ardson, Russell. Seely, Spencer. Stack, Thornley, Tobias, White, Woolley, Mr. Speaker 28. Nays Allison, Day, Eardley, Farnsworth. Farns-worth. Harshberger, Jones, Meeks, Morris, Mor-ris, Nebeker, Page, Peterson, Sanderson. Smith, Welling U. Absent and not voting Hayes, Woot-tonc Woot-tonc Zlemer 3.