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
