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Show FAVOR INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM HOUSE APPROVES ONE OF MOST IMPORTANT MEASURES BEFORE BE-FORE THE LAWMAKERS. Senate Passes Substitute Measure Providing for Aid for Rural Schools and Bill Providing for Mutual Insurance Companies. One of the buisest days of the present pres-ent sessions of the Utah legislature was that of February 20, six bills being be-ing passed by the senate, three bills killed, seven introduced and seventeen seven-teen reported from committees, while in the house three bills were passed, fourteen Introduced and more than seventy bills were reported out of committees. Probably one of the most important measures belore the present session, the initative and referendum bill, was approved by the house. This measure, by Representative Shields, provides initiative and reterendum upon petition peti-tion by 12 per cent of qualified voters of the state at last general election. Amended to make it necessary to sign petitions in presence of justice of peace, town clerk or notary public and signatures on each page to be attested at-tested to officer. The senate on reconsideration decided de-cided to overlook the governor's veto message as to the unconstitutionality of the bill providing for state aid for certain rural schools and passed the bill designed as a substitute for the one vetoed, the only amendment being that the $15,000 for the biennium to go to the rural schools shall come from the state school fund instead of from the general fund. Another bill passed was Senator D. O. Rideout's measure providing for transfers by the distirct judge of titles held by former territorial probate judges. Senator W. S- Hansen's bill providing provid-ing that two or more contiguous counties coun-ties may join in the organization of mutual fire insurance companies passed, as did a bill by Senator Joseph Jo-seph Chez providing for bonds to nake mechanics' liens more secure. A bill by Senator Joseph Eckersley providing for a commission to investigate inves-tigate and suggest codification of the state school laws was passed after being be-ing amended so that legislators micht have the report in time to look it over before the next session of the legislature. legis-lature. Senator Thornley's bill providing that corporations must give notice of the transfer of corporate stock when transfers are made to avoid the inheritance in-heritance tax was the other bill passed. Adjournment was taken until Tuesday Tues-day at 2 p. m. because of Monday being be-ing a holiday. On Monday members of the senate and house were guests of the Oregon Short Line on a junket to Logan, leaving Salt Lake at 2 o'clock in the afternoon by special train, and returning Tuesday morning. Rideout's land hank bill vas passed in the senate on February 18 after a considerable discussion. On final passage, pas-sage, after amendments suggested by the committee and on the floor had been stricken out, there was very little lit-tle opposition to the bill. The 'bill provides for the organization organiza-tion of co-operative farm mortgage banks by land owners. The land owners would put up their farms as security to the banks, which thereupon would lend money at more favorable rates than ordinary banks do, securing secur-ing the money from the sale of bonds. The house on February IS passed the bill presented .by the committee on revenue and taxation, which has for its object the limitation of the levies lev-ies of taxes for public schools, Hor the construction of roads and for other public purposes. The bill is one of a series proposed by the state board of equalization, and it has the indorsement of the taxing officials of the state. Under the provisions pro-visions of this bill the levies for various va-rious purposes are so reduced as to make the maximum levy not to exceed 12 mills for all purposes. At the present time there is no maximum levy prescribed by law. Eckersley's senate bill No. 2, giving $15,000 as state aid to the poorer coun. try schools, came back to the senate from the governor's office on February 18 with the chiefs executive's veto. An effort to secure a report from the committee on manufactures and commerce of the house on the Woot-ton Woot-ton prohibition bill failed in the house. Senator D. O. Rideout introduced a bill providing that taxes may be paid in two installments, half of it in November No-vember and half the following. June. The Salt I-ake senator also introduced a bill providing two justices of the peace, instead of one, in cities of the first class. Gas companies are included in the laws giving right of eminent domain by an amendment proposed in a bill introduced in the upper house by President Presi-dent W. Mont Ferry. By a vote of 13 to .". the senate killed the Rideout bill providing an emergency appropriation of Simi.O'.io for grading the capilol grounds. The bill was introduced in order that work may be given to the unemployed. Senator William Craig of Weber has introduced a bill which would give the state fish and game commissioner the right to deisgnute "game sanctuaries" sanc-tuaries" for the permanent protection of wild bird and animal life excepting such as are expressly by law allowed to be killed at all times. The government ownership feature caused objection to the hou-e memorial memor-ial introduced by J. Alex. lievan asking ask-ing congress to build a railroad through the Uintah reservation and the memorial was laid on the table by a vote o.' ti to 11. |