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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 8, 1909)
The - Plattsmouth - Journal. t 1 Published Ssml-Weekty it Plattsmouth. Nebraska. CZD R. A. BATES, Publisher. Entered at the Postoflice at riuttsmouth, Nebraska, as second class matter. fl.80 PER YEAR lit ADVANCE, an The fear that so many republican papers pretend to enter tain that this legislature would not do anything to speak of may now he east aside for now, in due time, after a judicious amount of thought and discussion, one bill after another has been passed. Probably the republicans are now beginning to conless to themselves that in making such a hullabaloo about the legislature s inefficiency they were acting asinine. The famous $29,000,000 fine case has had a quietus put upon it by a federal court. irst it was sent back for retrial by the supreme court, and now it is kicked out altogether, the judge instructing the jury that the government had no case at all. The Standard Oil Co. always did have good luck in dodg ing convictions that hurt it any, and now it can add one more to its long series of legal contests. The legislature has passed the bill providing for the adop tion of the Oregon plan of electing United States senators, and with Gov. Shallenberger's signature attached, it is now a law. The legislature can be credited with one good enactment at least. J he new law is far from being satisfactory, as the legis lntors are not bound by it to carry out the expressed will of the people, this being only morally binding upon them, and then only when they so agree beforehand. Then, too, under the stress of partisanship it can be imagined that a legislator or two might even violate his promise and vote for his party nominee in place of the one nominated by popular vote. Such things have loen known to happen, mid will probably happen again. Nevertheless, the law is as far as the the state can go under the national constitution, and its provisions are decided improvements over the present system. THE WEAK AGAINST THE MIGHTY. The revolt of Crazy Snake against the government of Okla homa seems a picturesque, almost mirthful, episode to the majority of the "American people, but no one, however gifted, could write a complete and entirely truthful account of Crazy Snake's uprising without reviewing the history of the United States, particularly that part of it that deals with the frontier, during the past century and a quarter. The old redskin has a certain historical significance and he is, after all, a "heap sight" bigger historical figure than most of our aldermen or mayors. Springfield Republican. WILL THE WOMEN RISE UP? If the women of the country rise up as one woman against the glove and hosiery schedules of the tariff bill they may, without achieving a direct victory, cause a great deal of unpleasantness later. To have kid gloves as cheap as possible is one of women's rights which intelligent statesmen repect. Precedents ought to favor concession, for the discontent of housewives with the MeKinley bill is generally understood to have had much to do with the democratic landslide in 1800. Wicked democrats are said to have made most of their oppor tunities by sending through western states peddlers whose wares were marked up by prohbitive prices "on account of the MeKinley tarriff." The amazed and indignant housewife immediately became an active agent for "tariff revision." Boston Transcript. THE LEGISLATURE'S RECORD. The thirty-first session of the Nebraska legislature has to its credit the most remarkablo lftt of progressive and re form laws ever enacted by a legislature in this state. Indeed, it is doubtful if in any state in a single legislative session have so many measures of commanding public importance been given to the people. Nebraska's first democratic legislature did not do every thing this newspaper desired. Notably, it refused to submit an initiative and referendum constitutional amendment. And it passed some bills to which this newspaper was frankly op posed, such as the Ollis open primary bill and the statewide daylight saloon bill, lint it would be impossible for any legis lative body consisting of l.'W men to meet, in every respect, the expectations of any one man or newspaper. The noteworthy fact remains that the legislature gave to the state a long list of laws of great and general importance, as to the desirability of which most thinking men are agreed. The preposterous charge that the legislature was "seduced by the corporations," or that it was not honestly and ably representing the common people of this stateis disapproved by the simple device of citing a few of the more important laws it enacted. When any citizen, democrat or republican, raises rashly to impugn the legislature's motives, or to denounce its record as a whole, a review of the following laws it passed, among many .others, will be sufficient answer: A guaranteed deposit law. A physical valuation of railroads laws. An anti-stock-watering law. A law for the popular election of United States senators under the Oregon plan. ' A law making precinct assessors elective instead of ap pointive. A "home rule" Omaha charter, and a "home rule" charter for South Omaha. An anti-trust law forbidding, under heavy penalties, dis crimination against any community. A law levying annual occupation taxes on corporations that is expected to produce $.T0,000 revenue yearly. An amendment to the primary law providing for equitable and proportionate representation in state conventions. An anti-coercion bill, making it unlawful to threaten em ployes with discharge to influence their votes. A law requiring the publication of campaign contribu tions before election. A. reciprocal demurrage law. . . . A law providing for the nonpar! ism election of judicial and educational officials. A law authorizing a board of state officials to investigate and fix maximum rates or surety bond companies. A stringent and up-to date divorce law. A law requiring railroads to carry full train crews on all trains. There always have bean soda crackers; there always will be soda crackers But There never were and never will be any other Soda Crackers to equal y w d m The Soda Crackers of National-, NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY Sold Only in Moisture Proof Package A law putting the office of the clerk of the supreme court on a strict salary basis. A law to protect the pensions of old soldiers and sailors at the Soldiers and Sailor's Homes, and appropriating $3,000 to reimburse veterans who were wronged by the last administration. Laws establishing experimental farms and normal schools in Western and Northern Nebraska. A law for the indeterminate sentencing of convicted per sons. A law making it unlawful to drink liquor on trains, ex cept in dining ears. A law putting a limit on the arbitary power of the state board of equalization and assessment to raise assessments of counties without a hearing.. A law establishing greatly reduced railroad rates on fuel, oil and crude petroleum. A law appropriating $7o,000 for the aid of weak school dis tricts. A, law appropriating $20,000 for a Lincoln monument on the state house grounds. A great many other enactments of a desirable nature might be named, but these are much more than sufficient to estab lish beyond controversy the assertion that the legislature just adjourned has served Nebraska well and honestly. World- Herald. It is now Mayor John for sure. MANY THANKS. The great victory vesterdav of the democratic ticket was due in a large measure to the splendid support given it by the republicans who rose above partisanship and rebuked the bosses who betrayed them. Their votes constituted a grand manifestation of independence which is appreciated by the democratic ticket and organization. They deserve the thanks of all who oppose such shameless betrayal as was attempted to be carried out by the machine. Should the democratic pary ever be placed in the samo unfortunate position as the rt publicans were, it is to be hoped they will exercise the sa o independence the republicans did yesterday. THE JOURNAL. The Journal helped a little. It presented clean, logical rea sons for supporting the democratic ticket and it is jvst.ly proud of the result. It never doubted for an instant that the people would endorse its position and it found its faith vindicated. It did not descend to mud-slinging and vituperation, neither did it misrepresent the men unfortunate enough to he on the "citizens" ticket. It is well satisfied with the outcome and now it intends to work for the welfare of Plattsmouth just as it has worked for the city during the campaign. It will use its best endeavors to secure progress and business for l'lattsmouth and every possible good thing for the city and its people. THE VICTORY. Those people who imagined tliut a democratic victory meant disaster to the city should revise their ideas. It means progress and a continuance of good government. There are several vital problem to be met with in the future ami the victory yesterday mean that the people have commissioned the democratic officials to meet them. It does not mean ox- SOME GOOD LAWS. Notwithstanding that the senate end of the legislature was swayed too often by a bunch of men of the familiar corpo ration type, that body redeemed practically every pledge the party had made, and enacted a number of other laws as to the value of which there will be no disagreement. The bank deposit guarantee law fell short" of what was promised, but it does compel a mutual insurance of deposits that cannot fail to be of material benefit to the people. There is no reason other than that the attorney for the company did not want it for the omission of the stockyards from phys ical valuation bill, but otherwise the measure apparently meets the need of the hour. If in the selection of the men to make the valuation partisan interference can be eliminated, Nebraska will have made a good start to a final solution of the railroad problem. Some weak spots in the primary law have been made strong; we have a good reciprocal demurrage. law; a law put ting the election of senators closer td the people; a law that ought to stop watering of corporation stock; a law giving judges the power to confer indeterminate sentences upon of fenders against the criminal statutes; a law that will prevent monopolistic corporationc compelling the people of one section to pay for the price of wars they make in other sections to crush out competition, by prohibiting discrimination in prices between communities. Then we have a corporation tax law that ought to bring in a big revenue yearly; laws for publication of campaign con tributions before elections and preventing coercion of voters a law taking the election of judges and school officers out of partisan politics; law reducing rates on fuel oil and crude pe troleum; a law making the supreme court clerk a salaried of fice; a model divorce law; a law that ought to put an end to the extortion of the surety bond combine; a law compelling railroads to run full crews on all trains; a law compelling hotel keepers to provide sanitary accomodations for guests- laws extending the benefit of normal school education to various sec tions of the state; aws establishing experimental farms that ought to prove a valuable aid to agriculture; a law minimizing drunkenness on trains; a davlight saloon bill The chief criticism that can he lodged against the legUhi tare is that it refused to pass number of oquallv excellent measures It touched he railroads very lightlv, it killed all county opt.on ai.d pn.hib.t. on measures, hllt redeemed tself in 1 r !rl ay ,Sa,T U is l1 that it parsed some bad hills, lmt they do not now occur to ns. The lesh- tnre made consnlernhlo progress, less. t,;m the pre din-'on, did. lm not as mud as could reasonably he expected , f it i t as mueh as it shout, have done. Its shortcoming , .wev V. orght not to we.gh too heavily against the n .. r i a-h.ev(,nent winch we are glad to eonnnend.-I.ineoh, (,,,, . travagance and waste but it does mean economy and thrift in administering to the city's affairs. It also means that whatever will benefit the people and the taxpayers will re ceive due consideration from the authorities. It is so over whelming a victory that many may be lead into thinking it a license for disorder. The Journal cannot believe this to be true and does not think the city officials will so construe it. V
