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Show PROHIBITION BILL BEFORE LEGISLATURE Measure Introduced by Joseph J. Cannon Has the Support of the Anti-Saloon League. The advantages and disadvantages of prohibition will probably be discussed dis-cussed from every point of view by the gentlemen now assembled in Salt Lake City with a view to amending and improving the laws of the state of Utah. On Saturday, January 23, Representative Rep-resentative Joseph J. Cannon introduced intro-duced a bill which marks the initial steps of the temperance advocates to bar the sale or manufacture of intoxicants intoxi-cants in the state of Utah. Another bill was introduced In the house last week bearing on prohibition, but the measure introduced Saturday is the official bill of the Anti-saloon league, endorsed by the leaders of the movement. move-ment. The series of bills prepared by the Fpecial committee and approved by the convention having to do with good roads in Utah, held recently in Salt Lake, have found their way officially to the legislature. The bills number seven, and cover the various points suggested at the convention. House joint memorial No. 2, asking for a land grant of 3,000,000 acres for the establishment of a fund for a state capitol purposes was introduced in the house by Parmley of Carbon. The memorial is similar to that introduced intro-duced in the senate. Holman of Salt Lake county has introduced in-troduced a bill providing for the punishment of persons furnishing false information to newspapers. Senator Rudolph Kuchler champions the cause of the women's clubs of the state in a bill providing for the state control of the traveling libraries of the state, which are now being circulated cir-culated at the expense of the women's clubs of the state. A bill introduced by Senator Bullen of Cache provides for the reduction, or rather equalizing, of the entrance fee at the agricultural college. The fee for non-resident students is lowered low-ered from $25 to $10, while that of residents is raised from $5 to $10. Of especial importance is senate joint memorial No. 1, introduced in the senate by Senator James B. Dil-son. Dil-son. The memorial petitions congress for a grant of 3,000,000 acres of arid land, to bf sold to provide funds to be equally divided between the erection erec-tion of a capitol for Utah and the improvement im-provement of the " roads throughout the state. It is estimated that the sale of this land would brilg $2 an acre, or $6,000,000. Aside from selecting a United States senator, the house on January 19 listened to the reading) of five petitions, pe-titions, from various points in the state, praying for the passage of a prohibitory law. Three bills were Introduced, providing provid-ing for a fine of $100 to $1,000 against any person who sells a position to an employe ; providing for an appropria-t'on appropria-t'on for highways and bridges in Wayne county; and to amend the laws relating to garnishment, providing provid-ing for issuance and service of writs of garnishment in certain cases and repealing sections of law in conflict therewith. At a joint session of the house and senate, held on Wednesday, January 20, President Gardner of the senate presiding, the re-election of Senator Reed Smoot to the United States senate sen-ate was formally ratified. The senate journal showed that the vote for Smoot was unanimous, while the house journal showed Smoot 43, King 2, making Reed Smoot the choice by a vote of 61 to 2. With great solemnity solemn-ity President Gardner announced the election of Reed Smoot as United States senator for a term of six years, dating from March 4, 1909. Two petitions were received by the senate, one introduced by Senator Brinkerhoff was a prayer for prohibiten prohi-biten from 240 residents of Emery county, the other introduced by Senator Sen-ator Miller was a petlton from Fred-I Fred-I erick Blake of St. George, asking that he be given $300,000 said to be the amount of damages sustained on account ac-count of alleged cruelties inflicted on him- during twenty years' confinement in the state mental hospital. Senator Albert E. Midler of Washington county coun-ty introduced" senate bill No. 13 Wednesday, Wed-nesday, providing that the health officers of-ficers of each city, county and district cf the state shall attend the state convention con-vention of health officers, the expenses ex-penses involved in such attendance to be paid by the city, county or district from which each health officer holds his appointment. In the house on Janaury 20 Ashton of Salt Lake Introduced four bills which are designed to cover the juvenile juve-nile court system requirements. White of Utah county was added to the committee on fish and game by Speaker Robinson. The fish and game committee consists now of nine members. mem-bers. Two petitions for prohibition were received, both from Salt Lake county. Representative Cannon of Salt Lake county introduced a resolution providing provid-ing that the University of Utah should rhare in the benefits of the Carnegie retirement allowance. Archibald of Summit county introduced intro-duced a bill in the house for the selection se-lection of text books for schools outside out-side the districts in first and second class cities by a commission, the head of which shall be the state superintendent superin-tendent of schools. There were brief sessions of both houses of the legislature on Thursday. January 14. There was little business transacted in the senate. lu, tne house the committee on rules present-td present-td its report, which was accepted. A bill introduced in the house authorizes author-izes foreign corporations complying with the laws of Utah to exercise (he power of eminent domain the fame as domestic corporations. The first measure pertaining to prohibition pro-hibition of the liquor traffic came up in the house on Friday. January 15. when Representative Porter, of Morgan Mor-gan county, introduced a bill which provided for the prohibition or manufacture manu-facture or the sale or otherwise disposing dis-posing of intoxicating liquors. The house committees were announced, an-nounced, a committee was appointed to make arrangements for a visit of Ihe lawmakers to the university, and several matters of minor importance attended to. In the senate a number of bills, mostly minor amendments to existing laws, were introduced. The oath of office was administered to Willard Done as minute clerk in the senate. A communication from the house announced an-nounced that that body had concurred con-curred in senate concurrent resolution resolu-tion No. 1, authorizing the governor to select his messengers between the house and the senate and his office. The senate, on motion, adjourned until un-til Mondav. At the session of the senate on Monday, Mon-day, January 18, Michael W. Earl was confirmed as special messenger for the governor, the appointment being made in accordance with a concurrent resolution adopted by both houses. W. J. T. McAllister of Grand county was sworn in as senate doorkeeper. Senate Petitions Nos 3, 4 and 5. were presented, being petitions from Utah, San Juan and Weber counties for a bill for an act to prohibit the manufacture and sale of malt and spirituous spir-ituous liquors in the state of Utah, except for medical, mechanical or sacramental purposes. A bill (S. B. No. 9) presented by Senator Kuchler provides for the expanses ex-panses of district judges and referees, and compensation and expenses to stenographers engaged or employed in the adjudication of rights of water claimants upon a river system or water course, under or by virtue of chapter 1, title 40, of the Compiled Laws of Utah, 1907. There was but a brief session of the house, but considerable business was transacted, a large number of bills being be-ing introduced. Randall of Weber introduced a bill which materially amends the corporation corpora-tion license tax, the law providing for which has recently been declared constitutional con-stitutional by the supreme court. Insurance In-surance companies are exempted from the license tax, as are also religious and charitable institutions, irrigation companies which supply water for their own lands, etc. A -hill was presented by Morris of Washington- designed to improve the breed and character of live stock on the range by the purchase of sires by livestock associations in various counties, coun-ties, the animals to be of thoroughbred thorough-bred blood and turned loose among the herds. In order that the courts may go to the people instead of the people to the courts, a bill was introduced by Barnett of Juab. The bill says that the judge of any court of record may, in his discretion, try an action in which a jury is not demanded at any point within the county in which such-action such-action is pending. McCracken of Weber introduced a bill which makes the offense of keeping keep-ing or resorting to a house of ill-fame a felony, instead of a misdemeanor, as the law at present provides. On Thursday, January 21, the governor, gov-ernor, the members of the legislature and their wives, spent the day as guests of the University of Utah.' During Dur-ing their visit to the school the lawmakers law-makers learned of the needs of the institution at first hand. As a consequence conse-quence of this visit there was no session ses-sion of either hranch of the legislature. legisla-ture. The senate got down to real bust ress on Friday, Janaury 22. with the presentation of six bills, the memorial memor-ial to congress asking for 3. 000, 000 acres of government land for the purpose pur-pose of building a state house and improving the public roads and then pdjoiiimment was taken until Monday Mon-day afternoon at 2 o'clock. The bill making Lincoln's birthday. February 12, a legal holiday, was passed under suspension of the rules and now goes to the house for ap-nroval. ap-nroval. Governor William Spry is to have his office refurnished and improved to the extent of $1,500 if senate bill No. 17 , gets through. Eight new measures were presented present-ed in the house and considerable ether business transacted. It developed devel-oped that progress was being retarded, retard-ed, owing to the fact that the printers had failed to furnish the bouse with printed copies of bills that have been presented. House memorial No. 1, requesting congress to pass a law by which the "Arizona Strip" will be annexed to Utah was signed by Speaker E. W. Robinson of the house after it had been presented by the committee on engrossment and enrollment. |