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.
