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Show UTAH LEGISLATURE I NOWJNSESSION BOTH HOUSES ORGANIZED FOR THE THIRTEENTH SESSION ON JANUARY 13. Four Women Members of Present Legislature, Leg-islature, Three Being Members of the Lower House and One in the Senate. Salt Lake City.- The thirteenth session ses-sion of the Utah legislature began here on January 13. Iu spite of the date, the lawmakers assembled insist this will be the most productive session, ses-sion, from the point of work accomplished accom-plished and benefits to their constituents, constitu-ents, of any session .of the past. The legislators are 'uot figuring that thirteen thir-teen is an unlucky number. The session, as provided in the law. will continue for sixty Consecutive days, including Sundays, and will come to an official end at noon on the sixtieth day, unless the solons should find it necessary to stop the clock five minutes before the final hour and continue in session until the body is able to dispose of such legislation as might be pending. Unusual speed was manifested in the organization of the two houses. There is none but Democrats in the senate and the upper house organization was, of course, wholly Democratic, Senator Sen-ator James W. Funk of Richmond, who presided at' the last session of this house, being again chosen as presiding officer. The lower house installed C. C. Richards of Salt Lake, the Democratic caucus nominee, as speaker of the body, and the Democratic list of appointees ap-pointees was installed with Hugo B. Anderson heading it as chief clerk. A little amusement was injected into in-to the house organization by the fact that the Republican minority of ten representatives held a, formal caucus just previous to the convening of the legislature, named a nominee for speaker and a complete slate of Republican Re-publican appointees for the appointive positions of the house. They were, of course, not confirmed. There are four women in the thirteenth thir-teenth legislature. Three are in the house and one in the senate. Legislators Legisla-tors who are women are not a new thing in Utah as they are in some of the states. But in Utah they have always al-ways stood iu the foreground for progress pro-gress and have consistently worked for laws affecting the welfare of women and children. Mrs. Elizabeth Hayward is the first woman state senator in twenty years, la the house Mrs. Delora Wilkins Bailey, Dr. Grace Stratton Airey and Mrs. Anna Thomas Piercy are the three women who will help make the laws approved at the thirteenth session. The state's labor law is to be the object of concerted attack from Utah's four women legislators this session. "Why should the law provide an eight-hour eight-hour day for men and a nine-hour day for women?" is the question they unite in asking. "Moreover," they ask, "why should women be paid so much less for the same work than men are paid?" Creation of a department of agriculture agri-culture is among measures which, it is said, will be introduced. Another project pro-ject is for a water commission court, with handsome salaries for principal and employe. That there will be changes in the banking laws is certain and a bill has been drawn up modeled after the Oklahoma Ok-lahoma laws on banking and intended to protect depositors in state banks. A slate fire marshal is recommended by the insurance commissioner. The state land board will ask for ?100,000 to reimburse settlers who lost their crops under the Ilatehtown project, pro-ject, while $70,000 will be requested for the Piute project. Several state institutions have urged the governor to ask the legislature tor an appropriation for buildings. In only one instance is' there any suggestion sugges-tion for a reduction in taxes, and that s In the recommendation of the auditor 3f state. Establishment of the two platoon system In the Salt Lake fire department: depart-ment: will be sought in a bill to be presented pre-sented to the legislature by Representative Represen-tative Frank R. Newman. Firemen, it is expected, will aid in urging passage of the measure. Among measures that Representative L II. Masters of Utah county Is planning plan-ning to champion Is one to make it possible for the poor to secure medical medi-cal attention through the county physician physi-cian without cost to them. A county hospital, he says, could be established In connection with the county infirmary infirm-ary or a new hospital could be erected. |