specific plans for a regrouping of the admin
istrative departments of the state government.
I believe that the legislature, in the interest
of economy, should fix or limit the compensation
paid to departmental chiefs, chiefs of sub-depart
ments and amounts paid for skilled and profes
sional services of those in the state’s employ.
We have a great state, and our citizenship is
second to none. The people of Nebraska are ex
pect ng definite and progressive results by this
legislature and the chief executive. They want
to see the state government put on a business
basis by placing the authority to determine ad
ministrative policies and the responsibility for
recommending appropriations into the hands of
the constitutional officers of the state. They
want the taxpayers to stand on an equal rooting
and be taxed in proportion to the benefits they
receive from the laws. They want the cost of
government brought within the taxpayers’ abil
ity to pay and all non-essentials in government
eliminated. They want the natural resources of
the state developed for the benefit of all the peo
ple. of the state. They want the agricultural inter
ests of the state to be recognized as the basic in
dustry of thcr state and all handicaps in its de
velopment and progress removed—and with a
broad, tolerant spirit of brotherly love between
man and man, our state and its people will go
forward as the leaders of all things that contri
bute to national greatness.
I am ready to jo-in with you in a sincere and
earnest effort to meet the expectations of the
people. CHARLES W. BRYAN.
GOVERNOR BRYAN
Life is crammed full of surprises and romance
and adjustments and compensations and things
like that. The result is constant stimulation and
repeated renewal of interest in what we see of
it and. what we experience.
Take, for example, the Bryan brothers, Gov
rernor Charles, and Private Citizen William.
There are Nebraskans still living who can re
member clear back to the time when William
took up the fight for democracy and reform,
first in Nebraska* and shortly after throughout
th§ nation, and some time after of the whole
world. Long and renowned and dramatic has
been his career, distinguished his service, notable
his achievements. But like the old French peas
ant who lived within sight of its gleaming spires
he never got to Carcassonne. His is tjie unique
distinction of having been thrice nomihated for
president of the United States by a major party
and thrice defeated at the polls. He wears that
honor, along with his many others, modestly
and with that winsome good humor which en
dears him to the multitude that habitually votes
against him.
Charles, through all the memorable years of
William’s?- fame has been simply “Brother
Charles.” A devoted, faithful, loying, admiring
and self-effacing brother; only that and nothing
more, content to shine, if he shone at all, in Wil
liam’s reflected glory. If the scoffers called him
a valet, a messenger boy, even a bad influence,
he didn’t give a darn. He kept right on serving
and advising and boosting aud working like a
nailer at it. Much of the time he worked like
a whole trpop of nhilers. On the memorable oc
casions when state or nation or nations did
obe'sance at the shrine of William, Charles was
merely among those present, singing his little
hymn of joy under his breath so as not to dis
turb anybody.
* * *
Today he is Governor Bryan of Nebraska,
Charles is. And William journeyed all the way
from Florida to be present at^ Lincoln yesterday
when he was inaugurated. Came as one of the
common people, on a common railroad train, and
mingled with the crowd and listened and ap
plauded while Charles was delivering his inaug
ural address. And he listened, if we may say so,
to a corking good* speech. Nobody knows that
better 4han Wjlliam himself, for he is an uncom
mon good judge of good speeches. Some people
think he invented them. We are quite sure that
h's heart swelled with brotherly pride as he
saw his big, bald brother up there, in front of
all the people, enunciating plans and policies for
the salvation of a great state that has been
mighty near ruined by Republican misgovern
ment. Plans and policies that; taking them as
a whole, are sound and just, wise and progres
sive, bi^s'ness-like and workable.
We think that about all of Nebraska, after a
careful reading of the message, will join with
brother William in applauding Brother Charles,
und in confessing to a sense of pride and con
iidence in him. He presents a clean-cut appear
ance. He knows just what he wants done. whgi
the state wants done, and he knows how to do
it. He tells it to the leg slat ore clearly, logically,
fairly. There is no buncombe about h s message,
no vagueness, no trace of half-baked thinking.
He has definite proposals for bringing abon»
economy and simplicity in government, for get
ting the state house out of the Meddlesome
Mattie bus ness, for promoting equity and Justice
in taxation, for restoring the responsible rule of
the people, for protecting t^p from their pre
daceous enemies, and for m>ing what a state
properly can do to help get. agriculture, oar
basic industry, back on its feet.
• • •
Governor Bryan’s message wilt repay careful
study. Wtr'ie we may not agree with its every
line it speaks the purpose and spirit of Nebraska.
It is progressive, it shows vision and courage in
keeping w.th the temper of the day, and at the
same time is notable for its common sense. The
legislature will be well advised to give attentive
heed to it, and to allow no spirit of partisanship
to stand in the way of the adoption of the good
things that are recommended,
Governor Bryan has started well and is to be
congratulated. The people of Nebraska are to be
congratulated on the fine initial showing their
new chief officer has made. There Is every in
dication that those who thought him wild-eyed,
visionary, impractical, will have reason rad cally
to revise their estimate. And particularly, whjle
passing congratulations around, we feel like con
gratulating Florida’s most dist nguished citlsen.
Brother William. It was worth the long trip.
We know just how he feels.
GesundheiU. with right good will, to the
Brothers Bryan!—Omaha World-Herald.
GOVERNOR BRYAN’S MESSAGE
The message which Governor-elect Charles W.
Bryan delivered to the legislature Thursday af
ternoon is a sane, progressive document. For
clarity of views, and definiteness of purpose and
program* it will rank well with any message iu
the archives of the state.
Mr. Bryan very correctly interprets the ver
dict in last November’s election as a definite ex
pression of what the voters wish and what they
expect in state government. It was in no sense
a personal triumph for the governor-elect, but
a determined rebellion of taxpayers and voters
against an extravagant system of government
which had been foisted upon them by the pre
ceding administration'. In his message, Mr.
Bryan reveals an intention of keeping the faith
and fulfilling those pledges which he made to
the people of Nebraska in his gubernatorial
campaign.
Repeal of the eirll administrative code act,
to the end that taxation burdens may be light
ened, is the keynote of Mr. Bryan’s inangural
message. That was Mr. Bryan’s basic pledge to
the people of Nebraska. But the governor goe3
further than that. Those political enemies of
Mr. Bryan, , who expected hrm to fail because he
was said to be destructive, rather than creative
in his tendencies, must;read his message with
a great deal ef disappointm^nt. The message
reveals a constructive capacitjrto provide a suit
able substitute for jthe civil administrative code
act which will delight his friends and well-wish
ers. » . . • t • ^
The governor-elect’s proposal for an executive
council to formulate the state’s policies, the gov
ernor executing those policies, retains that ele
ment of strength which the code sought to in -
troduce and at the same time eliminates those
two fundamental weaknesses of bureaucratic
government embodied in the code. Those two
fundamental weaknesses of the code were the
usurpation of authority and duties of the con
stitutional officers by appointive heads or chief
tains of departments, and the continual and
pressing temptation of those bureau chiefs to en
large upon activities. Mr. Bryan proposes to re
turn to the officials selected by the people the
duties and powers conferred upon them by the
constitution. That is the clearly expressed de
sire of the people of this state. But Mr. Bryan
goes further by providing the necessary co-ordi
nation betweea different state officers—a weak
ness existing previous to the code, and which the
McKelvie system sought to correct. That in
evitable temptation of bureau chiefs to greatly „
expand activities, notic^ble alike in state and
national officers, was the second inherent weak
ness of the code. The constitutional officers,
constituting the executive council, have clearly
prescribed the duties and responsibilities under
the constitution. That is a guarantee against the
extravagant and needless expansion of state ac
f
tivities resulting from the code system of govern*
meat.
The people of Nebraska will say amen to (his
portion of Mr. Bryan's message:
*T believe the government should be made
more compact by curtailing and combining de
partments. by eliminating duplications of officers
and employees connected with administrative
work, and that all educational effort be discon
tinued in the state's administrative departments
and confined to the state’s educational institu
tion to avoid duplication of efforts and unneces
sary expense.
‘ When the code law is repealed, useless de
partments' can be aboliahed. others consol dated
so that the number of inspectors, bureaus, com
missions and inspections can be handled by local
officials. When the regular state officers again
assume the responsibility of recommending to
the legislature the needed appropriations for the
various state activities, the duplications, fads,
theories and isms calling for an endless number
of employees and every increasing and unneces
sary expenditures of the people's money will
cease.
‘‘The first step io restoring the govern meat
to a business basis is to repeal the cock* law.
Second, regroup the state's necessary depart
ments with authority in the governor to appo nt
the heads and necessary assistants and with au
thority in the executive council to determine ad
ministrative policies.”
Throughout his entire message Mr. Bryan re
veals the same splend d determination to simpli
fy law and government. His recommendation
to unify the statute providing for municipal own
ership of public utilities and his proposal for a
uniform law governing bond issues will wipe
from the statutes a multiplicity of measures cov
ering these subjects.
His recommendation to abolish county truant
officers and county highway commissioners is a
step towards the eliminat on of useless figure
heads. Hit warning to keep hands off the guar
anty law is sound.
Mr. Bryan in his message has sensed Nebras
ka’s wishes in state government and he has pre
sented them with few exceptions, with a vigor
and courage that will find reward in the ap
preciation and grat tude of the voters of this
state.—Lincoln Star.
THE NEW STATE ADMINISTRATION
It is refreshing to read Governor Bryan's in
augural message to the leg stature. It sounds
like the utterance of an executive who has Ideas
about advancing the social, economic and polit;
cal conditions of the people of this state.
Some of his recommendations are as encour
aging as the matter which he properly regards
as of supreme importance: The quest on of taxa
tion.
On this topic he is not vague as are so many
officials who ride into office on a lower taxation
platform. He indicates to legislators how ex
penses may be reduced and how taxes may be
more equitably distributed. I
Evidently the code b II is up for a thorough
airing, for not only does Governor Bryan recom
mend its repeal, but ex-Governor McKelvie joins
issue, in his retiring message, in urging its re
tention.
Altogether there is prom se that the state will
benefit from the administration of the new gov
ernor if the legislature will'give serious and non
partisan attention to his recommendations. —
By which we do not mean that they should
blindly pass, repeal or amend laws merely to
meet the "governor’s des res.
But the people of hi3 state certainly do ex
pect the legislature to consider his recommenda
tions with the sole idea of the public good. Nor
as Republicans. Not as Democrats. Notib op
ponents of Bryan, nor as his friends. But only
as representatives of the people of Nebraska.
With governor and legislature co-operating on
th s common ground, we, the people, will gei
something.—Omaha News.
The conference at Genoa and Lausanne har
ing failed to find any way to cure the ills of Eu
rope, why is it not in order for some of our
eminent protectionist friends like Senator Smoot
to step forward and suggest that they pass u
tariff bill? ~ It is the cure-all the Republicans
always apply whenever we develop any disease.
It is odd that when the Washington cor
respondents discus the great problem of how *o
reconstruct the world that they do not tell n>
also what is being done by the national Repub
lican party in the way of reconstruction. Th »
world had nothing on it iu that line after th3
November ballot hurricane hit.
