The Nebraska independent. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1896-1902, July 01, 1897, Image 1

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The Wealth Makers and Lincoln Independent Consolidated.
VOL. IX.
LINCOLN, NEBR., THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1897.
NO. 6.
TWENTY
YEARS
Judge Baker Passes a Severe Sent
ence On ex-Treasurer J. S.
, Bartley.
SUPREME COURT OSANTS BAIL.
The Defendant Preparing to Carry
the Cuse to the United
States Courts.
t
Motion For Sew Trial Orer-ruled. . ...
The attorneyB for J. S. Bartley are in
dustrious and active in bis defease. Last
Saturday they filed a motion for a new
trial in which they enumerated one
hundred and fifty-two cases of error in
the trial of the case. They asked the
court for the privilege of introducing
oral evidence in support of their motion,
but at the attorney general objected the
request was denied. One of the principal
assignments of error upon which the de
fense expects to get a reversal of tb case
is the action of County Attorney Bald-'
ridge in calling up the" matter of jury
bribery in the presence of the jury panel.
They claii.i that this influenced and
prejudiced some of the jurors against
Bartley; that the announcement was un
necessary, as the court was ' already in
formed concerning the matter; that it
was only intended to operate against
the defeudant;
Mr. Mahoney said the defense wanted
a new trial because the state had special
detectives at work following the. jury,
night and day, eating at the same table,
running errands for the jurors and frequ
ently walking with them to and from
their meals and at such times holding
corverse with each other.
He also wished to show misconduct on
the part of the bailiffs, who had the jury
in charge, the claim being that tbey iu
vited the detectives to work with them
and the juors.
Among the other points set out are:
Accident and surprise which ordinary
prudeneecould not ha veguarded against;
alleged misconduct of toe ec'irt, jurors,
and prosecution; that the verdit is in
formal and irregular, and therefore, in
valid; that the court abused its discre
tion by examining witness for the state
and cross-examining witnesses for the
defense.
The motion sets up all questions asked
of vitaess by the court and says that
the prosecutors had too many private
consultations with the court during the
trial, to which tbe attorneys for the de
fense were not invited.
Judge Baker overruled the motion,
and held that all the precediogs were
regular.
Bartley's attorneys filed several other
motions of a technical character calcu
lated to cause delay but they were all
over-ruled by the court. One of the
most important of these is one calcu
lated to allow the attorneys to go be
yond the supreme court of the state to
the United States court. They have set
up the claim that the imposition of a
fine in addition to imprisonment denies
Hartley rights guaranteed him by the
constitution of the United States.
Mr. Mahoney offered a motion in ar
rest of judgment, based on allegations
that the verdict is incorrect in form that
there was no cause of action, as no of
fense known to the law was charged,
and that the verdict was not sustained
by the evidence. This was overruled.
Bartley was called up for sentence.
He was informed by the court of the
jury's verdict, rendered June. 22, and
asked if he bad anything to say why
sentence should not be pronounced.
Mr. Bartley answered: "No sir, I have
not." Judge Baker entered the sentence
on his docket, during which time Bart
ley leaned his elbow on a chair on the
witness stand and calmly awaited the
pronunciation of the sentence.
Judge Baker said: "There is one
thing certain, you could never have had
a better defense than you have had,"
and then commented briefly on the evi
dence, lie sentenced Bartley to the
penitentiary, at hard labor, for th8
period of twenty years, and to pay a
fine of $ :i03,768.9O, which is double the
amount of the embezzlement found by
the jury.
The defense then laid a foundation for
gt'ttiug the case into the United States
court by bringing up a motion to vacate
the judgment of the court as to the flue
imposed, claiming that the imposition
of the fine denies Hie defendant rights
guaranteed him by the constitution of
the United States and of the state of
Nebraska.
rot'UT IN ItKAlUNKS.
The judges of the supreme court had
evidently been watching the progress rf
the trial closely and were in radimNN
at the state capitol to grant a heurlnif
in the-mutter of admitting Bartley to
bail. Incidentally while they were to
gether they bunded duwu decisions in
the Lincoln ami Omiihn charter case.
The Judges rssetnbted during the after
noon and waited for the arrivul of Hart
Icy ' attorneys.
About 5 ocUw k Wliiidon and deputy
Attorney (leueral Smith were admitted
to the consultation room, ntid (lis for
mal apolleatioii lor suspension of sen-
tent d filing a bail bond was mads,
I'miili submitted that an application to
suMud eeuteoee should not b grauted
until t hs ikii I had liisptH-trd the mtord
And dntermlued that there wan ).roLable
mor. N hmlon bud hi transcript and
Kubuiltted tin I, and tha qilestiuu was
then ou lh Miuount of boud, Vulo
,m;tt-M IOU,Immi, and Hmith thought
i'.'iHi.tnH' u about right. TIMuaitttr
was left with the judges and the order
was finally reached fixing the amount at
The court then adjourned sine die and
will not meet an am until next Fall nc
less the Hon. Eugene Moore or some
other defaulting republican state official
should send for them. The Nebraska
court cannot be induced to . remain in
session, or be called ia extra session to
decide an fmportont railroad or bank
case nor to pass upon the rights of a
citizen 01 Nebraska charged with horse
or bog stealing, but it is easily enoutrb
convened if there is any likelihood that
a defaulting ex-republican official may
be required to put up at the jail or peni
tentiary for a few weeks waiting for the
regular session ol the court.
Attorney General Smyth has filed ob
jection to admitting of Bartley to bail.
He objects for the reason that the record
does oot dieclose probable error calling
for the reversal of the judgment of the
court below; because the supreme Courtis
not in session and a judge thereof has no
power to grant a supersedeas in a crim
inal case or suspend fatence in a crim
inal vase; because the defendant has not
presented to the court; or a judge thereof
a record of said case; ' because said cause
is not now pending in said court: and
because this court or a judge thereof has
no jurisuiciion 01 saia case.
SENATOR ALLEN'S REPLY.
To L. C. Batemcn's Press Report Coa-
; earning the $1509 Contribution.
In the senate last Wednesday Senator
Allen took the floor to refute the charges
made by L. C. Bateman and the mali
cious insinuations of the Associated Press
concerning the f ISOOiontribution made
by Mr. Bryan from the royalty received
from the sale of bis book to the advance
ment of the cause of bimetallism. Sen
ator Allen said:
"Mr. President, in yesterday morning's
Washington Post I observed the follow
ing press dispatch sent from Lewieton,
Me.: ;--
BATEMAN'SHHOT AT HKVAK-flE VJU'LAHtH
THKUKCKK'l 1,'AHDllMTK HUIIIT OF
IxwlHton, Me, iao21.
Prof. I. C, Bntomsa of Anbnra, who w ibe
canniuaw 01 tnepoupiri warty of Mains (or hdv
emor I ant year, and who in leader olttieuiii!
die ol th roud form In tills Mat, to-daf nub
lUlied an attack on William J. lir.van. f'ruf.
I'aU-man xi.Vi that Populist CouKi-mmniaii Yrae
man Knowlo, ol ttoctb Dakota, while- ou hi re
cent, trip to hl old horn In Hkowheitan, M.,
Karoontth Information that Mr. Ilryan'n r
cent xifr o( $1.VH) to the popull.it national com
niJttcn wa uiade with th lltlnt nnderatand
Inx that no action ngalniit tuition ihouhj V
taken by the people's parijr i,er0r the next
national convention. .
Tbie, i'rofeiwor Bateman ny I nothing more
nor h than 4ilreet bribery. 1'rofeeeor bat
111 an aleo eaye that Bryan ban appended hie
(l)atujan') name to rnator Alleo'e letter of
notification given ont lant September, bateman
wa secretary ol tbe notification committee, tint
did not lu tbe letter in qneetlon. He eaye that
Bryan' action lu printing bin name on tbe let
ter in ble new book la an act of political forgery.
I'rofwneor Bateman lea delegate to the middle,
of-tbe-road national couferen-e at Naebvllle
Tenn., Jtily 4. He eayt be trill bring these niat
tre Orf'jre that body.
Perhaps I should notice thecontents net
this dispatch in a public way, 4ind I
would not but for tbe fact that a dis
tinct charge is made that Hon. William
Jennings Bryan, of Nebraska, late a
candidate for tbe presidency of the
United States, iw charged by an irre
sponsible individual with having given
me $1,500 "with the distinct under
standing that no action against fusion
should be taken by the people's party
before the next national convention,"
Bateman is also reported as having
said that "Mr. Bryan appended his
(Bateman's) name to Senator Allen's!
letter of notification given out last
September. Each of these 'charges is
fulse. " 1
Some months ago Mr. Bryan con
ceived the Idea that it wus his duty to
divide tbe royalty of hui recently pub
lished book, the First Battle, to be used
in support of the cause of bimetallism,
and in doing so he allotted $1,500 to
the populist party. I did not desire
that this mouey should be accepted by
the party, and so advised the national
chairman, who, I am informed, declined
to receive it. Before 1 knew, however,
oi his declination, I received a dispatch
from Mr. Bryan. saying that a draft had
been sent me for $1,500, The draft
reached me almost concurrently with
the message I did not ' think it good
maimers to peremptorily return it, and
1 immediately notified him that 1 would
hold it until he came to Washington.
When he did come, which was within a
few days, I undertook to persuade him
that the money belonging to him should
bo kept by him, but this ho decliued.
lu tbe conversation with me, however,
Mr. Bryan suid that as a friend and to
some extent, a representative of the
populist party, I ought to hold the
money anil use it at the proper time and
under proper oircuinstituet to promote
the cause of bimetallism. I finally con
sented to do so on the condition that
before it should be used he should way
the intended im wns n proper one find
that 1 would disburse the money only
when he cnnneiiled, Pnder the circum
stances I asked the Hon. 11. B. Nixon,
financial clerk of the l ulled States Sen
ate, to invest the money In intereat
bearing convertible mnfuritles, to the
end that the mouey might accumulate
uiul be used at a time when some irreut
emergency lu the ouiih til liiiiwIulliMin
should trlsH, That 1 did so is manifest
from thi following letter from Mr, Nix
mi which 1 wilt read:
I'MITKtl HTATKt HKXATK, 0 HK Or Tit
Hk-hktiiy,
Wahhimitox, June 'J J, 107.
Sir' Ia wuswer to your verbal inquiry
of this date, 1 have to asy that the sum
of $1,500 plm-eil lu your bands by Hon,
V, J, Bryan some time , was tt his
nd your rqut iuvtwted by me into-tsreat-iwariug
coiivertitla ecuritie,
ami they era now tn my sbwl cheat for
safety. From a coavrrtation bad with
meat thetime, I understood that, it
was your purpose to hold these securi
ties and tbe accumulating intereat un
til some emergency in the cause of bi
metallism might make its use desirable
and necessary. Itespectfully,
Hon. W. V . Allen, K. B. Nixon.
United States Senator.
Bateman's statement that there is or
ever has been the slightest conversation
or communication, direct, or indirect,
between Mr. Bryan and myself, or any
other person or persons, for that mat
ter on tbe subject ol fusion of tbe populist
or democratic parties, is an absolute
and unqualified falsehood. No conver
sation, agreement or understanding bas
ever been bad with me on tbe subject,
nor bas' there ever been to my knowl
edge, an attempt to fuse the parties,
either nationally or locally.
Tbe statement of Bateman that Mr.
Bryan forged bis name to the list of
names appended to tbe letter of notifi
cation is equally false. Tbe committee
consisted of a member from every state
and territory of tbe union. It was a
cumbersome affair at best and impos
sible to get together, ft became appar
ent to me that it could not be done.and
the precedents of tbe party in tbie re
spect being to notify tbe candidate by
letter and not in person, I took it on
my self at tbe sutctrestion of several prom
inent members of the committee, to
write tbe letter of notification. I wrote
each member of the committee for bis
consent to issue the letter, and I asked
for bis advice as to the tenor and drift
the letter of notification should take.
received, I think, letters from all, or sub
stantially all.
I received several from Bateman wbo
was perniciously conspicuous in the af
fair, although he was not secretary o!
tbe notification committee as he asserts.
I have never known of the letter being
condemned by anyone except by Bate
man and possibly one or two others
whose action be can control. I signed
Bateman's name to tbe letter of notifi
cation at his express request.
Perhaps I ought to stop here with
this bare statement of facts, but I may
be permitted, without trespassing ,,on
the time of tiie Senate, to express ' my
utter contempt for a rabid, irrational
person, occupying no place Of conse
quence In tbe party, wbo rushes into
print and makes charges the truthful
ness of which he knows nothing, thus
creating the impression that something
is radically and. Inextricably wrong in
populist circlet;. To put it mildly and
admit that he is a good citizen, which I
presume he is, as a politician be would
wreck any party of which he was a
member if his advice wereto be followed.
Impulsive to a high degree, irrational,
excitable and inconsiderate, he crazily
seeks self-notoriety by assuiling a man
whom the people love. He has made
himself conspicuous only in the small
segmeut of the party to be found in
Maine.
': This assault on Mr. Bryan is inexcus
able. There are no circumstances under
which any honorable man could make
it, for, whatever may be said of him and
the cause he advocates, he is a superior
man in every conceivable respect, and
one acting from a hiirb and lofty sense
of public duty, and not from a selfish
motive or a motive of self-aggrandize
ment.
I may also say within the bonnds of
propriety that I am not afflicted iu the
slightest degree with Bateman's kind of
populism. If his opinions, policies and
"isms were adopted and acted on by
the party, 1 would find it necessary my
self to retire from active connection
with tbe organization. The Batemans,
irrational, impracticable, and incon
siderate dreamers and fanatics, are the
men who cling to tbe skirts of a new
party nue a nignt nioiti to a ugntea
taper, and becoming disappointed be
cause they cannot shape -its course, de
sert it usually for its good.
Mr. President, tbe cuus? of bimetal
lism is the cause of tbe people, and the
cause of tbe people is the cause of God;
and no treachery in tbe tanks of the
party will check its growth or mar the
good name of its greatest advocate and
leader. '
Mr. Bryan in discussing the matter
corroborates what Senator Allen said.
Mr. Bryan says:
"No conditions were attached to the
money turned over to Senator Allen, ex
cept that it should bo used according to
Mr. Allen's judgment tor the cause of bi
metallism. All donations were made for
that purpose. Tbe money was divided
between democrats, populist and silver
republicans in proportion to the vote
cas;. To have ignored the populists in
the distribution would have been au in
excusable slight. The subject of fusion
was not discussed directly or indlretly.
"Mr. Bateman, I presume, bas refer
ence to the letter ns reproduced in my
book. I took it 'rem, the newspapers,
It Mr. Bateman proves to me that it w
u mistake I shall make the change tn
subsequent editions."
DEMOCRATS OF OHIO
t
Moot at Columbus and Nominate a
' Full State Ticket.
The democrats ol the state of Ohio
met at Columbus June itO, In state con
vention. Ilurmuuy prevailed. A plat
form declaring for Ires coinage, for
I'ubaii Independent, mid attainst trusts
a"d monopolies was ndoitl. All were
eiithueiastio and every reference to Bry
an's name wus met with the-M. Tbe
following wus the ticket named:
(lovernor Morale L. Chapman
Lieut-'governor..... Melville ). Shaw
Supreme judge J. P. Sprigs
Htats treasurer J nun s t WiUou
Board of public works
...Peter II. iMfKuan
School commissioner...... Byron II. llurd
Bute warrants lu Washington are at
a premium ol one ami ou-hi If per rent,
asblugton is bow a populist state aud
coiuttieut l uuuiHwaaary.
DEI
1
LTEilARMSTRONG
The Investigating Committee Se
port on'' One Instl-
' tution,
F1UD A .SHORTAGE OF $2,213.11.
Other Irregularities In the Faat
Management of the Beatrice
Institution. '
Counties In Arraars. .
- The legislative investigating commit
tee has been laboring industriously at
its Work of investigating tbe several
state offloes and institutions since the
adjournment of tbe legislature. It
baa completed the investigation of tbe
institution for feeble minded youth at
Beatrice. During tbe preceding adminis
tration tbe institution was under the
control of tbe republican board of public
lands and buildings. Dr. Armstrong
was selected for superintendent and It is
during bis term of office that tbe short
age occurs. The examination of the In
stitution was conducted by Senator
Mutx end Win. N. Silver, the secretary
of tbe investigating committee. There
wae a rumor during tbe legislature that
there was a shortage in tbe accounts of
the Beatrice Institution, but nothing defl
nite could be learned, and it was this
rumor with others of a similar charac-
acter, that led to tbe appointment of
the investigating committee empowered
with authority to act. '
Superintendent Armstrong admits the
shortage and says that be wishes that be
was in a position to pay it, but that be
i not.
The report of the committee shows:
Balance of cash as shown by .
creneral cash account. Feb.
'1,1899... $3,354 21
Balance bs shown by cash ac
count, brush departineut ,116 90
Balance as shown by the chil
dren's petty cash account
and not entered in the gen
eral led iter accounts, Feb.,
1, imi C6 05
Children s trust fund small
items..r;.;, -5 41
Errors and omissions charge
able to the several cosh ac
counts 81 80
Total debits.......... $3,625 27
Tli fnllowintr nredita should anneal.
School cash 0 20 ,.,
Farm cash 2 60
ICrror cash 85
Error general cash re-
eetpte, being twice
charged 136 82
Cash payments not
cred ted 241 28
Cash payments not
credited $32 92 414 25
Balance of cash which should
have been turned over by
Dr. Armstrong to his sue-,
cessor ...; $3211 01
The committee in commenting say;
"A nay ment of $1,000 check less pro
test fees, $2.10 wus paid iu to the pres
ent superintendent, Dr. Fall, by Dr.
Armstrong against the general balance
due, leaving a net balance yet unac
counted for of $2,213.21.
"Various irregularities have been no
ticed in this institution which may be of
Interest. The legislature of lbUl ap
propriated $20,000 to build a girls' cot
taire, and $5,000 to build a dining room
and kitchen, believing such a building
to be needed. This appropriation has
all beea Used and no dining n olo and
kitchen is to be found upon the premises;
$502. 50 of the appropriation for dining
room and kil.-hn was paid on voucher
1416 for plans for the cottage dining
room and kitchen, $120.75 was paid ou
voucher 1043 to Mr. Grant for services
as supervising architect, making a total
paid out for plans and supervising ar
chitect of $083.25 for a building which
does not appear . upon the premises.
The balance of the appropriation wus
used to buy building material, otc. Dur
ing this same period of time about tlio
same amount was drawn from the $20,
000 appropriation for plans, specifica
tions aud supervising architects, mak
ing a toal lra iv a from these two funds
of over $1,300 for that purpose.
"One item of great, exjrsnse to the
Beatrice institution is that of soap,
which has boon bought at times In the
putt by the csr loud, one voucher alone
having been drawn for $640. Voucher
10N6, uudur date of February 28, lMKi,
wus pre tnted to the board of public
lauds aud buildings and disallowed;
$70.20 ol this being drawn In favor of
the superintendent, Dr. Armstwug cov
ering expenses of a trip to Chlragu.
After being disallowed by the board this
was paid out of the general cush ac
count and charged to the kurm account;
$1121 is drawn to have been used lor the
purchase of cows in the institution dur
ing the tu yeais of its existeuce.
''t'lie books of record iu this I'lllce are
very numerous, (jeiug many times uti
Uecessury duplication. 1 he systHiu ol
record keeping throughout the stale in
stittitiou is greatly at variance m! It
is on of the objects of this pom mitt to
perfect a system of mounting whUh
hall n a nillorm system lor nt ths
various state Institutions. While h
books are unm paaary numerous In tbe
lU utrlon lustllut; ih for feeble minded
youth it is only due 8upertutndtttt
Atmstroug to say thai I hs clerical work
lu tbie iuslitulktit wus well dou. While
so ins clerical error Iistu Ura dutcuv
cred they have been comparatively few
In number." "
The law requires each county having
inmates u the Institution to pnyfiu
to the superintendent annually lor eacn
of them. Superintendent Armstrong
did not attend to the collection of these
charges carefully and there is at this
time a balance of $677.87 due the insti
tution from the counties of the state.
GOVERNOR HOLCOMB DENIES
Tbe Charges Made by Republican Papers
That He Received Money from
; , .Bartley..
Governor Ilolcomb gives out tbe fol
lowing ' statement. It explains itself,
He says: "Concerning tbe defalcation
of Mr. Bartley, as state treasurer, I bare,
noticed In tbe State Journal a miserable
lying screed copied from a' l'awDee
county paper, to tbe effect that I was in
some way connected with this shortage
in a questionable manner, while a Lin
coln evening paper (tbe Call) assert
that ou two different occasions I have
received a specified sum of money be
longing to tbe state treasurer,
"1 wish to brand these statements not
only as utterly devoid of truth, but en
tirely without foucdatlon and purely
malicious, 1 have not and never bare
hod, directly or Indirectly, one cent of
money belonging to tbe state treasury;
nor bare 1 any knowledge regarding the
subject except that possessed by others
and which I would willingly tell to any
person.
"I bare been told tbat these state
ment were bneed on a deposit of money
made by Mr. Bartley in a bunk in
Brokeu Bow, my borne town, and that
I was a stockholder in the bank. This
statement is equally false. 1 am not
and never bare been interested In thl
bank. 1 have bad no business dealings
with it of any kind since my election as
governor, other than a an ordinary
depositor, except the continuance of a
business transaction entered into long
prior to that time, After this money
had been deposited in tbe bank 1 advised
the officials tbat 1 should make an effort
to have all school moneys belonging to
tbe state invested in interest-bearing se
curities, as tbe law requires, and tbat if
tbe bank cared for a deposit of state
mouey they bad better give a bond
under the depository law to coyer the
deposit Tbe bank did this and what
ever state money 3t has had has been
under it depository bond, which bas
beeu a matter of public knowledge to
all alike.
"Again I wish to reiterate that any
assertion or Insinuation either by an in
dividual or a newspaper that I baveever
received by any mean one farthing of
tbe moneys belonging to the state treas
ury, I an unqualified falsehood and a
wiclud libel, for which those responsible
should be made to feel tbe weight of the
law. ,
(Signed.) Silas A.Holcomb."
A NEW PACK1NO HOUSE.
Armour & Co., Will Invest More Tban
$1,000,000 at South Omaha,
South Omaha and Omaha have been
victorious again. They ,bave secured
another large packing house, P, D,
Armour has already begun work pre
paring for the new structure.
It will be located upon a tract of land
nineteen acres In extent recently con
veyed to Armour k Co., by the Unoiu
Stock Yards company.
Tbe new plant will cost over $1,000,.
000 and will be ready for operation by
January 1, When completed it will have
the largest capacity in South Omaha for
hogs, cattle and sheep, and it will give
employment to more thun 2,000 men.
it will be most substantially built and
thoroughly equipped with all modern
appliances, aud liku Armour's two other
great houses in Chicago and Kansas
City, will be of the most improved style
The work begun yesterday was by
engineers, but it is to be followed up at
once by graders and builders and will be
pushed to completion at the earliest pos
sible day.
A s(Hcial significance is attached to
this acquisition to ths Armour house
because Armour & Co., have by this step
recoKuixed the Importance of Omaha
and South Omaha as a stock center and
as a distributing point, and ths arrival
of Armour with all the powertul Interest
which ho controls is considered to m n
trump card iu the great gameof tariff
rates which railroads aud shlpers play,
because wherever Armour Is, there the
best traffic rules can generally be found.
The immediate consequence mil M the
broadening of South Omaha n a
market for the stockmen of the entire
west. Stock receipts of lute, as is well
known, have greatly luertxised, but the
ar:ival of Armour will have the effect of
till further increasing those receipts b
cnuft it will Increase ths detiiaud lor live
stock aud give to ths South Omaha
market an activity tnd mugultude
which it could never hav? without Ar
mour. Citnaul Ueevral t horrh lluas.
President McKiuley ha appointed the
lion. Church Howe of Auburn, Nebrka
to couul general at A;it lu tbe Ha
moan Island. Tb salary o! the pine
Is :i,(HHr per year and KrquUd?, Mr,
How wo nam! at tbe rqtit ,il H.n
l or Tbnrstou, The unutiBstiou wui
tm confirmed by the sut and Chun b
will abdicate b1 thrttu la Nemaha
county lor about lour war. It 1
trll,r Httderettmd that Yam Major will
t6a eumtUAtid during llt' ebasac,
DIRECT
LEGISLATION
Senator Butler Pushing the Subject
In the United States
" , ' Senate.
" - ' vi f.,'- I'll-,. ' '
' ' A
A, BES0LLTI0N A0EESD TO.
Committee to Inrostif ate Its Feasi
bility and Then Zlake a
Deport, i,!,,
' v v . Allen On th CosnmStt.
Senator Butler has succeeded In passing
through the Senate a resolution In
structing tbe committee on privilege
and elections to Inquire into the feasi
bility of applying tbe principle of direct
legislation through the initiative and
referendum to federal legislation and to
report to the Senate next December, He
bad made several effort to pass a revo
lution to have a speciul committee ap
pointed to make the investigation, but , '
was unsuccessful. If he had succeeded in
getting 'a special committee appointed
be would doubtless bare been its chair
man and could have directed tbe investl- ,
gation. A It 1 th resolution goes to
the, committee on privilege and elec
tions of which Senator Allen Is a mem
ber. lie will urge upon the committee .
the necessity of making a thorough in
vestigation and comprehensive report.
In this way tbe matter will be. brought
before the Senate for definite consider- ;
atloii sometime in December. The reo , , '
lutlon agreed to was a follows:
"Itenolved. That tbe committee on ....
privilege and elections be. and is , here-
by, instructed to Inquire Into the feasi
bility of applying tbe principle of direct , ' ,,
legislation, through the initiative and '
referendum,, to tbe legislation of the fed'
oral governmen t, and report to tbe Seflr ;
ate at the opening of the regular session ; .
of Congress in December, or a soon
after us practicable; by bill or other- ,
wise, the result of said Inquiry."
In introducing the reHlutioa Mr, But- ,
ler said:
1 had Intended th speak at some length
this morning upon the resolution, aud
to show that direct legislation Is tbe es
sence of democracy aud that our repr.
sentatire form of government might be
Improved and brought nearer tbe people
by tbe application of the methods of , ,,
direct legislation known a the initia
tive and referendum to Federal legisla
tion. I intended to show how the an
cient right of petition could be made ef
fective by tbe iuiative bow a given per
cent of tbe voter could by petition, i
command congress or tbe legislature to
heed their petition. 1 Intended to show
how through tbe referendum a certain
per cent of tbe voter could demand that ,
a law passed by congress or the legisla
ture deemed to be oppressive or grossly
un just be submitted to a popular vote.
I intended to enumerate a number of
laws passed by congress and tbe various
state legislature which tbe people would
now&'peal and repudiate II they bad
the opportunity to pass upon them, I
Intended to show how the referendum
would destroy the pernicious Influence
and effect of tbe trust and monopoly
lobby thut Infests legislative hall and
too ofteu influences the people' repre
sentatives to vote for measures agaiust .
the public welfare. I Intended to show
bow the system worke In the Swiss Re
public and bow iu a modified way it is
now employed to a greater or less ex
tent In nearly every state in this coun
try. And flually I bad intended to show
that tbe principle of the Initiative and
referendum could not be opposed by any
democrat who endorses the declaratloa
of Jetfersou, thut the people are capable
of self government, nor could it be op
posed by any republican who holds to
Lincoln's idea that this should bo a gov
ernment of the people, by the people and
tor the people, , , ,
However I shall not take the time of
the senate this moruiiig to discuss these
titnMutiia ttii aajill rtu ntn fiirt t that tka Mki
IMflHl' Wf IV 14 V "IIS f UUIIIUUI VUV l'.WJ )
olution be adopted and go to the corn
mittee on privilege aud election. 1
will reserve my remarks until tbe regu
lar session next Detain ber, when the -
committee named in this resolution
makes Its report. 1 do this In view of
the discussioa on yesterday about efforts
being made to delay the tariff bill iu or
der that the people party may not be
responsible In the lut for such delay.
t am anxious lor th republicans to
pas their tariff bill and have no op
portunity to start up that promised
wave of prosperity.
I sk that the resolution (e uettRi upon
now.
A vote was taken and the resolution
was ugrvthl to,
llurti.ulluf ll UiH
The summer meetitiir of the Nebraska
Stats Historical society will bs held at
Arli'iitton. Nebraska Thursday and l'ri
day, July 13 and 16. Horticulturist
aud other are requested by lit prt
di'tit and Mtretary Ui bring any lntits
id fruit, flutter, tre, d and vegw-
table, also horttttuUttrn! appliance
pu-ially Ui'b as may b mud at htmi.
A short earriugt driv and $ i nle I r
r.iit.r! lor li rilisitua ui Arlington.
trading urebitrd, tlMtytrd aad saia'i
Iruit pluttUUoa td t i iUy wll 1st
viatira.
If your (tbst'riutiott b ft pi red, yjn
will Dud ttte dnt of apirauow iu,rk4
t thl wmtlt Issue, tilW on U fmfmt
Drouth wrapper, l.iittib tt tr f ,
ally and pay Hn a puibl