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About The Nebraska advertiser. (Nemaha City, Neb.) 18??-1909 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 1907)
LEGISLATIVE LORE' Tha Nabraska Stltnt flit Dawn ta luslnass tn Tlma BILLS OF IMPORTANCE INTRODUCED Thi Outgalng and Inaamlng fltv mart kg raa On llafarm Mamraa Naadad By our Staff Correspondent George W. Kline Tho thirtieth session of the Ne braska legislature, heralded as the most important in the history of the state, has been organized. Commit tees are yet to be named in the houso and senate, but the minute de tails of the machinery of the legisla ture has been perfected and both houses are grinding away at legisla tion. After short but exciting caucuses Senator ' Saunders of Omaha was made president pro tem of the senate. B. H. Gouldlng of Kearney was made his chief clerk. Minor appointments were made from time to time. D. M. Nettleton of Clay county won out In tho speakership light. He is a farmer well known In southwestern Nebraska. Clyde Barnard of Table Rock' has been selected as chief clerk. Jesse L. Craig of Beatrice has been made first assistant. Adam Mc Mullen of Gage, J. C. Hill of Imperial, Neb Brown of Lancaster, Represen tative Harrison of Otoe, and J. W. Armstrong of Nemaha, with Repre aentativo Dodge of Douglas, were de feated as speakership aspirants, but are looked upon as house leaders. Good committees , are conceded to them. Trenmor Cone of Wahoo Is regard ed as the leader of the minority. The first session of the legislature was held on New Year's day. On Wednesday the vote cast for stato officials was canvassed. The com plete list of Republicans, with the ex ception of Congressman J. L. Ken nedy, was declared elected. Kennedy was defeated by Editor G. M. Hitch cock of Omaha, a Democrat. Thursday afternoon Governor Mickey read his message. This docu ment reviewed the affairs in the state and outlined many reforms. Govern or-elect Sheldon expressed his views. The two executives agreed on rail road legislation, the need for a prim ary bill, called for an anti-pass meas ure, requested the suppression of the lobby and favored the reduction of freight and passenger rates. Governor-elect Sheldon was sworn In. The other state officers are the following: Lieutenant Governor Hope well, Secretary of State Junkln, State Treasurer Brian, Auditor Searle, Land Commissioner Eaton, State Superin tendent McBrien, Attorney General Thompson and Railway Commission ers Wlnnett, Cowell and Williams. Officials retiring to private life were J. H. Mickey; E. G. McGilton, lieu tenant governor; A. Galusha, secre tary of state; Peter Mortensen, state treasurer; Norris Brown, attorney general. Galusha and Brown have served one terra, tho others two. Mr. Brown will be elected United States senator January 15. After the messages were read, Governor Sheldon and Mrs. Sholdon received tho state officers and their wlvos at tho executive mansion. Thursday night there was a reception for the genoral public. Incoming .and outgoing state officers were In the receiving lino. After the Inaugural ceremonies the legislature adjourned to allow Speak er Nettleton to make up thci commit tees of the house and allow the sen ate committee on organization to out lino the senato committees. In the senate Senator Patrick of fered a vigorous anti-lobby bill. It makes private lobbying a serious of fense, punishablo by fine or imprison ment. Several servant liability bills have been introduced. These are championed by the labor organiza tions. Senator King of Polk Intro duced an anti-pass bill. This forbids transportation in all cases except to actual employes of railroads, bona fide tailway surgeons, attorneys or oft! clals, minister, indigent persons, traveling agents of tho Y. M. C. A, or philanthropic workers. A flno of $1,000 s prescribed for an infraction of tho provisions of tho bill. Members of the legislature havo a clear idea of their duties. There will be action from first to last. Thurs day the houso passed a resolution ex cluding lobbyists from tho floor or corridors of that body. Men with pet measures must appear before com mittees or advise the lawmakers through the columns of the press. Heads of state institutions must not appear to advocate or urge appro priations. Ex-Gov. John H. Mickey will speak In Sioux City January 13 at the Sun day afternoon men's meeting at the Y. M. C. A. In the senate a number of veterans will direct legislation. Lancaster county Is represented by Senators Burns and McKesson. Both havo had thorough parliamentary training. Senator Wilson of Pawnee Is a mem ber with an enviable experience In legislation. Senator Saunders of Douglas is serving his third term. His colleagues, Senator Bibson and Sen ator Thomas, ar8 second term men. Senator Wllsey of Frontier has served In the senate and in the house. Sen ator Epperson of Clay Is a logical de bater. Senators Ashton, Sackett, Root, King, Thompson and Aldrlch are new members of unusual promise Railway rate legislation, a prlmarv bill, an anti-pass law and a bill giv ing the railway commission full powers, will doubtless be passed within a short time. Freight and pas senger rates will be rovlewed at once and a policy adopted. Tho minority members have shown a disposition to assist rather than retard legislation of a reform nature, and there will be few partisan outbreaks, It Is predicted. A child labor law, a pure food law and Indeterminate sentences for crim inals have been -suggested as reforms by the clubs and philanthropic organi zations of the state. Governor Mickey has moved his personal effects to his new home at 1730 C street, Lincoln, and Mr. Shel don and family are occupying the gov ernor's mansion. THE STATE IS PROUD OF HIM. Governor Sheldon a Fit Example for Boys of Nebraska to Follow. George L. Sheldon is the first native born Nebraskan to be elected to the post of chief executive of Nebraska Though barely thirty-six years of age, Governor Sheldon has already made his mark in affairs of state. From his youth ho has been a close student of affairs, public and political. The home of George Sheldon has always been tho farm upon which he was born In Cass county near the village of Nehawka. His early education was obtained in the Nehawka schools. After he graduated from the Ne hawka high school he went to the University of Nebraska, from which he was graduated with the degree of bachelor of arts in 1892. Then ho went east to Harvard, where he took a three-years post-graduate course. Mr. Sheldon's home life has been ideal. He married Miss Rose Higgins in 1895 at Roseville, 111. Four chil dren have been born to them, the youngest a boy Blxteon months old two girls four and seven years re spectlvely and a boy, George L. Jr, who Is nine years of age. NAILS THE LID GOOD AND TIGHT Judqe Cornish Tells Sheriffs What They Can and Can't Do. The sheriffs of Nebraska must not charge the stato moro than 50 cents a day hereafter for boarding and rooming convicts between the time of their sentence and their delivery to the state penitentiary, nor can they ride about on passes and then charge the stato for mileage. They must ronder an expense account for noth ing but actual expenses Incurred In traveling on official business. This is tho opinion that Judge Cornish of tho district court handed down In tho case of John Power, ex-sheriff of Douglas county. It has been tho custom for years for every sheriff In tho stato to charge 70 cents a day for boarding convicts during the period named, and tho do cision of the court, if upheld In the higher tribunal, will mean tho loss of thousands of dollars each year to tho sheriffs of Nebraska. Tho loss will of course, fall heaviest on the officers of tho most populous counties. OLD AND THE NEW Suntat af Qafarnar Mlokay ana" Dawn af flavaraor Shildan BOTH TRIM CLOSE TO REFORM LINES Saund Raaommandatians Emaitata fram tha Daaarting and In- oamlng Exaautivaa Governor 'Sheldon, in taking the reins of state, handled important af fairs in a manner and style that stamps him fully equal to every emer gency. In delivering his message he says: "I am pleased to greet you upon this occasion. I appreciate beyond expression tho confidence of the peo ple of Nebraska placed in me at the ast election. I appreciate dooply the high honor thereby conferred upon me and I wish to thank my friends throughout the state for tho loyal and enthusiastic support they gavo mo during the campaign. I feel especial- y grateful for tho assistance and sup port of the loyal Republicans and the ndependent voters who belong to oth er political parties than tho one to which I havo the pleasure of belong- ng and by which I was nominated." A completo digest of tho message s as follows: The current expenses of the state must bo kept within tho income. It will not do to increase tho public debt at this time. It is urgently recommended that this legislature submit an amendment to the constitution so that the perma nent school fund will not remain Idly n tho hands of tho treasurer. There is no good reason why a piece of real estate tnat is encum bered with a mortgage should bo bur deneu with greater taxation tnan a piece of real estate of the same char acter that Is not mortgaged. Another amendment that Is needed to the revenue law is one that will permit the reduction of bona fide in debtedness. Under the present law a man who Is in debt is taxed for all that he owes. The debtor class of property holder should not be com peeled to bear extraordinary burdens of taxation At present the resident property holders pay a very much greater proportion of the city, town and village taxes, according to the value of their property, than do tho railroads which have their terminals within tho corporato limits. Tho rail roads receive benefits from the cities, towns and villages and In return should pay their proportion of tho city, town and village taxes. It requires patriotism at times to support and maintain a stable govern ment. The railway corporations, by their conduct, apparently lack that noble quality. It is not strange that their conduct has vexed a patient peo pie. It Is recommended that a joint resolution bo passed memorializing congress to pass a law that will de prlvo a non-resident from enjoining the collection of a tax levied upon property within the state. The presence of any kind of pro fesslonal lobbyists during legislative sessions Is neither needed nor desired It Is expected that this legislature will pass such measures as will for ever put an end to ring rule In Ne braska. It is to bo hoped, theroforo, that there will bo passed not only an anti-pass law and a primary election, law, but that there will also bo passed a law that will prohibit pro fessional lobbying. It Is recommended that tho railroad commission bo authorized by law to control telephono companies and regu late the rates thereof. It is recommended that a law bo passed prohibiting any railroad com: pany from charging In tho future any more between points' within tho stato than were tho charges on tho first day of January, 1907. Let a law clearly and simply defin ing the powers of the railroad com mission be written so plainly that It cannot bo misunderstood and with such deliberation that It cannot bo set aside by the courts. It is recommended that you doprivo tho railroad of tho right to onjoin tho enforcement of a rate made by the commission pending an appeal to the stato courts. It is further recommended that you pass a Joint resolution memorializing congress to pass a law that will de prive common carriers from enjoining the enforcement of rates made by a state commission between points with- in a state pending am at peal to Ike fcdoral courts. I sincerely beliovo that It will be for the best interests of tho state that you givo your immodlato atten tion to tho enactment of laws timt will do away with professional lobby ing, that will abolish tho froo pass nuisanco and that will define the powors and duties of tho railroad commission, so that the commission can got to work at once. The people of Nebraska are to be congratulated upon the fact that they havo becomo awakened and are de termlnod to govern themselves. We have boon elected to carry out a aen-1 nlte program. It is to be hoped that the new deal will bo a just one, not even to tho great corporations that have so strenuously opposed, and which probably will continue to op pose, tho establishment of common Justice in this stato. Their rights must be protected, but when they abuso their privileges as they have done in tho past they must be held to strict account. Tho wolfare of our state demands that they must not be put out of business, but that they muBt be put out of Nebraska politics, I realize fully that this reform movement Is not a crusade against wealth, but rather a movement against graft and greed and abuse of power. Legitimate interests must bo protected. Conspirators against the common gobd and violators of the law must bo prosecuted. Tho law of tho land must prevail. I hope and trust that I shall have tho loyal support and tho wise counsel of the good citizens of this stato. With tho light of their intelligence, and with tho wisdom that God may grnnt me, I hopo and trust my administra tion may meet the expectation of the people of this stato who havo elected me. Governor Mickey's Budget. "The organic law makes it tho duty of tho chief executive to call tho at tention of each rocurring legislative body to tho general condition of tho state's affairs and to make such sug gestions and recommendations as in his judgment the needs of tho public service require. In discharging this duty, I desire primarily to congratu late the members of this assembly on tho exceedingly prosperous conditions which prevail In their roBpectivo dis tricts conditions of thrift and com petence which havo never been equalled in the history of tho state. Without attempting an analysis of tho cause it is apparent that a goodly heritage is ours. "You aro assembled at a time when history is being rapidly made. Never boforo has thcro been an era when tho public conscienco was so quick ened to a sense of justice and when there was such a genoral demand for tho purging of tho inequalities which havo been tolerated In our civil sys tem. Tho time is ripe for Improve ment along ethical lines. Abuse of special privileges and opportnnities must give way to Justice." The completo message of Governor Mickey boiled down Is as follows: Asks an amendment to the revenue law requiring railroads to report to the state board actual earnings with in tho state aB ono of the bases of assessment. Advises that pruning knife be ap plied to estimates of state officers, and calls on legislators to protect the treasury from the threatened on slaught. Wants age limit placed upon nota ries public Suggests that national pure food law be supplemented by rigorous state law embodying the same . features to prevent this stato being made the dumping ground of conscienceless manufacturers. Recommends that dairy Inspectors bo employed to supervise butterfat. tests at creameries. Delleves small appropriation for representation at Jamestown oxposi tlon to bo advisable. Urges that all lobbyists, moro espec ially those who aro clamoring fpr moro appropriations, be barred from legislative chambers and halls, and that no conferences save in public bo permitted. Strongly insists upon legislation that will reduce railroad freight rate abuses and operate against dlscriml nation, and asks that tho state com mission bo clothed with powors that will enable it to accomplish results Advises change of names for Insane hospitals, that there bo no distinction In the character of the patients re cetved and that the stato be con venlently districted so that each asy um shall receive the patients coming from its own district. Enjoins legislature to make all ap LAST OFFICIAL ACT At Elavanth Naar tha lavarnar Pardaaa Mra. Llllla LEAVES AT OWE FOR CALIFORNIA af Mnlatar and tola- Aldad ly Naamanta iffaata lar Ralaaia The last oftdal act of Gov. J. H. Mickey was ike unconditional pardon- I of Mra. Lena M. Llllle, who was serving a life sentence in the Ne braska penitentiary for the killing of her husband, wkltk occurred four years ago at David City. After days of deliberation and a complete review of the evidence Governor Mickey de clared that there were grave doubts of the woman's guilt and It was not clearly proved that she killed her hus band. Thefe was a pathetic scene at the coll of Mrs. Llllle when the news was broken to her. She wept hysterically and exprossed her gratitude In touch ng sentences, punctuated with sobs. Governor Mickoy Issued tho follow- ng official statement regarding the case: "In the Lona Margaret Llllle pardon case; duo notice as per statute of hear ng having boon given and hearing having been had and many affidavits sotting forth new evldenco In the case having boen submitted and arguments made in the presence of tho county attorney of Butler county, an open hearing and discussion of the case laving been had and after many days of deliberation and study of the tes timony as submitted to the courts and Bubmittod at tho time of the hear- ng for pardon I am clearly led to the conclusion that there Is very grave and serious doubts of her guilt and am compelled in my own unbiased and sincere judgment to grant her a pardon. "Lena Margaret Llllle Is this day, January 3, 1907, at 12:20 p.m. granted a full and complete pardon." Mrs Llllle, in company with her father, left immediately for Los An geles, Cal. proprlatlons specific so that they can not be juggled with as In instances Assorts that governor should have absolute power to removo Institu tional heads, and that his action shall" not bo subject to review by any court or board. Declares the free pass to be an un just discrimination and subversive of tho public weal, and recommends law wli), penalty for both party who Is sues it or solicits it. Regards as Important that party pledge on direct primary be re deemed, and insists that majority and not plurality should nominate. Wants law amended so that gov ernor can force county attorneys to act In criminal cases or be rembved from office. Recommends that shipment of li quor to dry towns be prohibited by law. Declares parole law to be wise and beneficial, and vigorously defends his record upon pardons, communtatlons and paroles. He says that if laws are too liberal limit them. Suggests that In view of the im portant legislation coming before tho present session all bills on those subjects should be formulated and In-. troduced by a Joint committee. , AcWIsos that the state ought to en act legislation that will prevent courts i from sotting aside just decisions for more technical errors in pleadings, Instruction and evldenco. Recommends submission of constl tutlonal amendment Increasing su premo court to five Judges, to be In creased tQ seven in the discretion of tho legislature. .Recommends an adequate law pro hibiting tho employment of child labor. Suggests that passenger rates be reduced to 2V& cents a mile, with thousand mile books at 2 cents flat The state library association olosed a two-days' session which was consid- nvnH tn havo hnnn rAmarbahlv aiiiuiaaii. w.UU um.w www. . w... K J RUVVVm ful. With the oxceptlon of a line, address by Professor S. H. Clark of the University of Chicago, all the pa pers and dlscuBslonB related directly to various phases of practical library work. The association voted to hold tho next meeting In Omaha in October.