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*