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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1923)
rich^to the poor, and I strongly urge you to op pose a tax on gasoline or any other kind of a sale tax. LAW ENFORCEMENT It is my intention and purpose to strictly en force the laws of this state, and especially the prohibition law, whose enforcement Is placed under the responsibility of the governor. It is the duty of every patriotic citizen of th s state to obey the laws under which ha lives. It is the duty of each citizen and organization to as sist the governing authorities in seeing • to it * that-the jaws of the state are upheld. It is my intention* to use every means within my author ity to bring about respect and obedience to law. In at least two separate parts of the statutes the chief executive of the state is authorised and empowered to establish under his authority a special law enforcing organization. The function ing of this organization shall be in addition to and supplemental to the test efforts of local and county peace officials. The Sackett law provides Cor the outer from office on complaint filed by tl*e governor of any * local official who wilfully fails, neglects or re fuses to enforce the laws of* Nebraska in his * jurisdiction. To make this law effective it should be amended so that the officer so complained against could be suspended from office and* the Governor empowered to make a temporary ap pointment during the determination of the com plaint, and I so recommend. THE BANK GUARANTY In 1909 a law guaranteeing bank deposits was enacted. This law was passed for the exclusive protection of the depositors. It has given con fidence to the .depositor and promoted general banking business and has served its purpose well. I am aware that there are efforts con stantly be'ng made to repeal or emasculate the vguarautee provision in our banking law. I strongly recommend that you do not permit any tampering with this law that would weaken it dr cause the public to lose confidence in the banks’ ability and promptness to pay depositors on demand. The number of bank failures in re cent months is sufficient to justify an investiga tion Vis to the causes of the failures, methods of banking and of the character of examination, divls’on of authority over and conservation of assets of insolvent banks, with a view' to» enact ing legislation that would prevent a recurrence, if possible, of past difficulties. I therefore rec ommend that a joint committee of the Senate and House be selected to conduct such an in quiry and to make a report at this session of the legislature. OBLIGATION TO WAR VETERANS • The people of Nebraska* are proud of the men who served the'r state and country in the world war and proud of the record^ they made. We £Twe them a debt of gratitude that we can never fully * discharge, but it should be our aim to see that they have every care and consideration that a grateful, patriotic nation can bestow. Hospital accommodations in Nebraska for the care of ex-service men are inadequate, and this matter should receive careful consideration at your hands. I also recommend that you memorialize con gress to substitute the soldier adjusted compen sation bill for the ship subsidy bill, and then pass it as an assurance to the country that pa triotism can not be subord nated to the selfish interests of the shipping trust. THE DIRECT PRIMARY The defeat by the voters at the recent election of the effort to emasculate the direct primary law should put an end to any further attempts in Nebraska to take from the people their right to nominate their officers by direct vote.- The wom en voters are entitled to much of the credit for preserving the primary law. The people are committed to the principle of the direct primary, and it should be reinforced by a more strict cor rupt pract'ce act. As another step to encourage the people to give closer scrutiny to the per sonnel of the candidates for office, I suggest for your consideration the advisability of removing the party circle from the ballot. REDUCE AUTOMOBILE LICENSE TAX Six years ago this state accepted the bene fits of the federal aid road acts, and made the necessary appropriations therefor. This same practice has been accepted by practically all other states of the union and a great many fed eral made roads have been constructed and are being maintained throughout the entire country by a joint system of the federal and state gov ernments. This practice has led to a growing menace of matching federal money with state dollars. The system has become established, and I believe it would be an undue burden upon the taxpayers of this state to alone withdraw from the present system. „ I recommend that you carefully consider this mattfer and if deemed wise memorialize congress by a proper resolution, requesting the discon tinuance of this system of spending public moneys. Until proper action can be taken on th 8 question I recommend that the present auto mobile license tax be reduced fifty per cent, and that of the money derived from such licenses, less than administrative expense, be turned over to the respective counties in which collected to be used in the improven%ent and upkeep of coun ty roads. Th s would lighten the taxpayers' load approximately one an<J one-half nr.llion dollars annually. LABOR The word labor carries with it the thought of human beings, men and ^omen whose mind and1 muscle must be relied upon in all construc tive, progressive development that is undertaken. The Democratic party through Jefferson and the Republican party through Lincoln are committed to the doctrine that the government should pro tect both human rights and property rights, but w'here there is a conflict between the two, hu man rights are superior and deserve first con sideration. I believe the right to collective bargaining by labor’s representatives should be recognized by all. The eight hour day and a living wage at American standards, with a margin for old age, is a right that should not be questioned o-r op posed. I urge you to oppose any effort to establish in, this state any enforced slavery system such as an industrial court. Labor and capital are mutually dependent and, working together ‘in. friendship and confi dence, should give to society the maximum of productive power. To insure peace in the industrial world a permanent state tribunal should be created for all disputes before they reach the stage of lock out or str ke—not compulsory arbitration but investigation for the purpose of bringing out the facts. Public opinion could be depended upon to be the final arbiter. ‘ • CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING Agriculture ip the basic industry of Nebr|ska. Upon the success of the farmer all other profit able business is dependent. Every burden should be lifted within your power to the end that agri culture be made a paying industry. Co-opera tive market facilities should be encouraged. Co operative companies should be made exempt from anti-trust laws. x » A co-operative marketing law so that non cap tal, non-profit organizations can incorporate in this state should be provided. RURAL CREDITS The small farmers are now unable to take ad vantage of the credit facilities that are offered by the federal and other rural credit agencies sufficient to meet their needs. % For the purposb of encouraging, fostering, and promoting the ' agricultural interests of the state, I recommend that you give careful consid eration to a rural credit system modeled after the South Dakota law, to supply the financial needs of the farmers and stock raisers. GRAIN WARE HOUSING The Federal Government has, by an act of congress, provided for the regulation and super vision of bonded storage ware houses and placed the same under the jurisdiction of the federal secretary of agriculture. The general purpose of this act is to provide for safe and suitable places for the storage of grain by the individu^ growers with the view of making receipts for de posit in such ware houses a ready medium for securing assistance in financing crops. The state ware house law of Nebraska does not conform to the requirements of the federal law and for that reason poss'ble benefits offered by the federal law are not obtainable by those operating under the Nebraska law. I therefore recommend the Nebraska ware house law be made to conform to the requirements of the above mentioned federal act. REPEAL INDETERMINATE SENTENCE LAW The increase of crime, especially of crimes of violence, demonstrates that criminals do not suf ficiently fear that adequate punishment will fol low. I recommend that the Indeterminate Sent ence Law should be repealed, and that the pow er to impose the proper sentence be left to the trial judge who has heard all of the evidence and knows the facts. Paroles, commutations, and pardons should not be considered by the Pardon Board without recommendations from the trial $ judge to the effect that such attention fcould be in the interest of justice or humanity. MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP OF PUBLIC UTILITIES To protect the people fromurofiteering in the essential necessaries of life ana to bring the pro ducers and consumers together for their mutual benefit without,middlemen intervening, I recom mend a general statute giving all cities, towns and villages the authority to acquire, establish and operate municipal water plants, light plants, gas plants, ice plants, coal and fuel yards, slaughter houses and public markets and to pro tide money for the same by taxation. WATER POWER DEVELOPMENT The water power of the state if developed would be sufficient to light and heat the homes of Nebraska and to furnish power to manufact ure raw material produced on Nebraska farms into the finished products. We can mot now compete with eastern manu facturers who have coal at hand. By developing our **hter power we can save mueh on the cost of fuel and save long freight hauls on fuel and on raw material to and from the factory. Cheap . fuel, heat and power will raise the price of farm products and furnish employment to labor. I therefor recommend that immediate steps be taken by the state to develop Nebraska’s water power by districts. ABOLISH COUNTY TRUANT OFFICER The state government is responsible for much of the increased cost of county government. The office of county truant officer is* a duplication of work in the city, and is not needed in the coun try. It should be abolished or authority given'to appoint the county superintendent as truant of ficer without additional salary. ABOLISH COUNTY HIGHWAY COMMIS . SIONER The position of county highway commissioner is a duplication and an unnecessary expense to a county, and I recommend that the office be abol ished or authority given to appoint one of the county commissioners to the position without ad ditional pay. CONSOLIDATE COUNTY OFFICES I recommend legislation that will give the vot ers of a county the right to consolidate two or more county offices in the interest of economy, and that an option be given counties to establish by majority vote a new form of co-unty govern ment when desired. REFERENDUM ON WAR / The untold sorrow, suffering, destruction and loss that war entails on the entire citizenship of the country justifies the people in reserving the right to themselves to declare war. I recommend that a resolution be passed memorializing con gress to submit an amendment to the constitu tion requiring a referendum of the people before a declaration of war, unless the country is in vaded. LAW GOVERNING BOND ISSUES Owing to the many different forms used in is suing bonds of municipalities and schoo-l districts many, test suits hre brought in the supreme court to determine their ‘ validity. I recommend the codifi(^tion of these statutes or the. enactment of one general scheme or plan that may be put into general use so as to avoid the present confusion. CONCLUSION During the past few years, and especially dur ing the late war period, there has been a uni versal tendency towards an excess of govern ment. This is resulting in the enactment of pub lic laws for the cure of private and personal ills that are hardening the state government with functions and obligations which will destroy the effectiveness of governmental activities, and aTso of individual responsibility! I recommend that in your deliberations you concentrate your attention upon matters of gen eral substance and that you refrain from the en actment of laws which are lacking in funda mentals of state-wide importance and needs. The ability jpf the taxpayers to pay should constantly be borne in mind when matters of ex pend ture of public funds are considered. In appropriating money raised by taxation, special carg should be given to see that no class or group ireceive unnecessary financial benefits at the expense bf tfie taxpayers in general. Appropriation IHlls should be completed as early in the session as possible so as to guard against hasty action in the closing hours of the session. In presenting later to you recommendations relative to the budget, I will suggest elimina tions, consolidations and transfer of some of the state’s activities to other institutions. I will also lay before you for your consideratiqri^ mor*