The Omaha Daily Bee.
Mr. Roosevelt goes to Africa.
Bo does Buster l?rown.
Oo along with him in the Sun
day Iiep.
WEATHER FORECAST.
UMI
FVr Nehraska-Rsln or snow.
Tor lows Rain or snow In west portkT,
For weather report see page
VOL. XXX VII I NO. 247.
OMAHA, WEDNESDAY MOUSING, M'AKCU 31, 1901) TWELVK PAGES.
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
SEM1N0NES
TAKEWAUPATII
Primary Returns
Are Scattering
Late Closing of Foils and Length of
Ballot Makes the Count
Slow.
TARIFF TALK
WAXES WARM
Msaassas
House Has Interesting Session Orer
the Schedules on Lumber
and Oil.
DONOIIOE BILL
IS AJDEAD ONE
Committee Reoommends it for Post
ponement and the House
Concurs.
Rumor from Oklahoma City of
Rising; of Treed' ' Vicinity
of
CRAZY SNAKE Rl
TO QUIT
Report that Indian er is
Wounded in the
SEARCH IN MOUNTAINS 0
JES
Soldiers and Fosses in Fursuit of
Fleeing Aborigines.
GENERAL FIGHT NOT E FECTED
Only" Three Men Huee Dc Killed
t to Date, Desnlte Many
KxasTSTerated Restarts la
Circulation.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okl., March an. The
JS'Tnlnole Indian freedmcn have risen In
.he vicinity of Wolf, fourteen miles went
of the divide between the Salt and Uttle
titer.
BULLETIN.
MUSKOGEE, Okl.. March 30.-A special
this afternoon to the Times-Democrat lays
that Crasy Snake haa Bent a message to
Commander Hoffman from the mountains
faying he had been shot in the leg and
crippled, and wae ready to rive up. He
Buy a, according; to the .dispatch, that he
will surrender to Sheriff Odom, whose son
wss killed In Saturday's night fight at the
Indian chief's home.
HICKORT STAMPING GROUND. Okl.
(via Courier to Henryettn), March XX Craay
Snake, leader of the uprising of his clan of
negroes, half-breeds and Indians of the
Creek nation, ia reported still at large to
night, although it to believed that his cap
ture cannot be delayed much longer.
He Is likened; by thoae who know him to
Bitting Bull in point of Intelligence and de.
termination, apd upon his death or appre
hension the outcome of the present dis
turbance rests.
One hundred men of the First regiment,
Oklahoma National Guard, and posses of
deputy sheriffs are scouring the hills and
river bottoms for soores of miles in every
direction. Colonel Roy Hoffman, who Is
in comma rfd of the troops here, set out m
heavy marching order at daybreak, every
roan- carrying twenty-four hours' rations
and forty rounds of ammunition.. During
the day five prlsonors were brought buck
to the base here, but none seemed of Im
portance. Up to date and including eleven
captured last night over forty captives
have been taken and placed in Jail. Many
of them, coming from a distance to attend
a powwo wcslled by Crasy Snake to hear
his report of his mission to Washington
during the winter did not know there had
boefi an uprising. A, trace of wonderment.
lt to be seen on their stolid faces when
the news was given them. They were
placed under restraint, however, for fear
that they might be ust ne willing to fight
as to listen to the harangue they had come
to hear.
General Fight Mot Expected.
There seems to be no reason to believe
that there will be a general encounter with
the fugitive. Ambuscades in some force,
however, are not Impossible, although
Major Barrett and other officers left in
charge at Camp Hickory, as this hamlet
of tents has been named, predict that there
will be little shooting from this time on.
The moral effect of the militia uniforms
and the glint of their bayonets has been
great. Upon their arrival at Hanryetta on
Sunday the flight in small detachments be
gan. Crasy Snake Is thought to have few
followers in his Immediate party. These,
however, are understood from reports of
acouts, to be well mounted and well armed
members of the "light guard," who are
sworn to follow every command of their
leader. They are supposed to be about
twenty miles from here tonight In the
vicinity of the North Canadian river.
Colonel Hoffman bivouacked near Btld
ham tonight. An early report that fifteen
wagon loans of Indians had been seen east
of here proved unfounded.
The Signal corps of twenty men arrived
' tonight and tomorrow will attempt to run
a telephone line seven miles between here
and Hanryetta. At present communication
is very slow over the rocky, mountainous
road.
Hair Three Fatalities.
Tlir list cf fatalities since the I rouble
brgan, reduced to basis of confirmed
fans, Is not large, consisting of Deputies
Odom and Baum. who were killed tn the
1'eiforniance of their duty, and "Dick
Hsrtett. a Creek negro, said to have been
qiUte harmless. Rarnett was the "inno
cent bystander" of the uprising.
IVaplte reports of clashes In which Crasy
Snake's followers were laid low, Harnett's
hoey Is the only one found, and It Is he
belief of Indian Agents Baker and Farrer
and of militia, officers that his Is the only
deeth loss suffered by the Indians thus far.
His violent demise, however. Is the only
basis discoverable tor reports sent out that
fifteen or twenty Creeks were killed by
Infuriated deputies. Members of the posse
speak vsguely of-Hie effect of their shots.
It is probably true that some Creeks were
wounded, but they were able to escape,
and, as stated, but one b.dy has been
found, thst of Barnett. No official report
has been made, save of the two deputies
and the Crek negro.
Twelve prisoners four negroes and eight
Creek Indiana were corralled fifteen miles
MU In the hills last night. One negro, who
roved to be an Innocent laborer, was al
lowed to go. The others were taken In a
large farm wagon to Henry ette. whsnce
they will be taken to Jail at Kufaula. the
county aeat. The deputy sheriffs. In som
breros, chaps, with rifles over the pom
mels of their saddles snd rawhide lariats
lapping against the "horse furniture,"
formed a very picturesque guard as they
left camp, two on either side of the wagon.
Their manner, however, was strictly busi
- nasallke. They were engaged with the
mint la In rounding up bad citizens who
had stolen chickens snd stock, resisted
officers snd otherwise Interfered with
peaceful rural routine. Among the articles
w hlch have so far been recovered from
thieving negroes who are allied with the
redmen. Is a phonograph, a magic lantern
and many cooking utensils.
As to the number of Crasy Crake's fol
lowers, ne estimate can be made, although
t'njonel Hoffman la certain there are well
oter 300. Of these fealf are renegade) ne-
(Continued oa Third Page.)
The polls closed lust night at o'clock
and the returns were slow coming In, be
cause of the length of the ballot and lie
cause It was rotated. The change in the
oietilog of the Kills from S a. tn., until
non, shut off early voting and many post
poned going to the polls until after 6 In
the evening. Meager returns showed that
Dahlman eat running strong and leading
Rerryman in many precincts.
Rumor of Attack
on Roosevelt False
Story Given Wide Circulation at
Horta is Positively Denied
by Authorities.
PONT A DaiL QAI)A, Island of Rao Mi
guel, The Azores, March 80. While the
Hamburg was at Horta a sensational
rumor to the effect that a steerage pas
senger had attempted to assault Mr. Roose
velt was circulated. The Associated Press
correspondent is able to stste positively
that no such Incident occurred.
The steamship Hamburg arrived here un
expectedly at 8 o'clock. this morning. The
vessel stopped briefly to give Mr. Roose
velt an opportunity of seeing the beautiful
actr.sry of the Island, with Its springs and
gardens. There was great excitement
among the people, many of whom were
eager to obtain a glimpse of Mr. Roosevelt.
Mr. Roosevelt came ashore at 10 o'clock
In the morning. A large crowd assembled
at the dock and gave him an ovation. He
was greeted by IQdward A. Creevy and
William W. Ntchoils, respectively the
American consul and vice consul at St.
Michaels, with whom he drove around
Ponta Del Gada in an automobile. In this
trip Mr. Roosevelt was accompanied by
the members of his party.
The Hamburg steamed out of Ponta Del
Gad at 11 SO o'clock this morning. Its next
stopping place is Gibraltar, where It la due
Thursday.
While at Horta the other members of the
Roosevelt party went on a shooting ex
pedition' and got sixteen birds of five dif
ferent species.
Rioters Quiet
at Coal Mines
Trouble in Which Six Americans
Were Wounded May Be Settled
by Arbitration, . - ' ;
TERRE HAUTE. Ind., March SO. Hos
tilities between the Hungarians and the
American coal miners at Jasonville were
not renewed this morning, and it Is said
arbitration probably will be brought about.
The Hungarians have greatly outnum
bered the Americans at Jasonville and
there have been repeated fights. Last
night the Americans held a meeting and
appointed a committee to call on the Hun
garians and order them to leave the fiefd.
The committee was fired on as it ap
proached the house In which many of the
Hungarian miners were gathered.
Six Americans were wounded. The
Americans retired to shelter and opened
fire on the Hungarian forces. It Is not
known whether any of the Hungarians
were hit.
CASTRO WILL BE ALLOWED
TO LAND IN VENEZUELA
Government Changes Attitude, hat
Castro Makes No Comment When
He Lesrsi of It.
PARIS, March SO. The French steamship
ctmpany today confirmed the report of
yesterday that the Vcnesuelan government
had reconsidered its decision not to allow
Cipriano Castro, the former president of
the republic, who Is returning home on
bosrd the steamship Guadeloupe, to land
In Venezuela Upon receiving official
notification to thla effect from Senor Paul,
the Venesucla commissioner In Kurope, the
agent of the company at Santander, Spain,
communicated the change to the captain
of the Guadeloupe and to Castro. Castro
made no comment on the matter.
STUBBS CONFERS WITH TAFT
President Will Hasten Decision on
Relations of .National Banks
and Guaranty Fund.
WASHINGTON, March 30. Governor
Ktubbs of Kansas, accompanied by Attor
ney General Jackson and Bank Commis
sioner Dolly of that state, who are having
a hearing before Attoiney General Wlcker
sham In connection with an opinion as to
whether or not the national banks of Kan
sas can participate In the new bank guar
antee law under which the state banks are
operating, had a conference with President
Taft today. The president promised to do
sll he could to expedite the matter.
Harriman Advocates One
Gigantic Railroad Combine
DENVER. March 3t.-lf E. H. Harriman
could have his way he would bring all the
railroads of America Into one giant com
bine, under one head and begin immediately
spending K&O.OOO.drtt or jflu0.ono In Im
provements of the weaker roads, both phys
ically and financially. In this way, he
says, he believes he could do the best good
for the government, tn the people generally,
to the shippers individually and finally to
the owners of railroad stock.
Mr. Harriman, who passed two hours In
Denver today on Ms way east, said in an
Informal tal kat the Chamber of Com
merce: "If we could, we would throw our cloak
over the weaker lines throughout ths coun
try and begin immediately the expenditure
of between 2n0,0o0.0ort and S.000 00o to Im
prove them.
"It ought to be done Immediately, and I
DUTY ON CRUDE PETROLEUM
Mr. Vreeland Explains Position of
Independent Refiners.
KTTCHIN FOR FREE LUMBER
North Carolina Member Speaks for
Three Hours and a Half.
ADVICE IS GIVEN DEMOCRATS
Member of Minority Who Are Ask.
ins Protection for Their SMs
trlcta Told to Join Ranks
with Republicans.
WASHINGTON. March 30,-When the
session of the house got well under way
the tariff debate waxed warm. The Indi
cations were when the body met at in
o'clock ihat the proceedings would be dry
and uninteresting, but a revival of the dis
cussion of lumber and oil schedules was
like selling a match to both products, for
the subject proved of sbeorblng interest
to the members, who entered generally Into
the debate. To" Mr. Vreeland of New York
was accorded the privilege of explaining
the position cf the Independent refiners,
who want the countervailing duty on crude
petroleum retained, while Mr. Kltchln of
North Carolina, In an exhaustive treatment
of. the question, pleaded for the placing .of
lumber on the free Ust. He got Into fie-
auent colloauies during his three and a
half hours' talk with both republicans and
democrats. Others who spoke were Messrs.
Cox of Ohio, Bterling of Illinois. Hughes
of Georgia, Bates of Pennsylvania, Parker
of New Jersey and Richardson of Alabama.
At 8 o'clock the usual recess for two
hours waa taken.
Cox Opens Debate.
Today's debate was opened by Mr. Oox
of Ohio, who pleaded for a reduction of the
duties on sewing machines, bicycles and
computing machines. He argued that by
reason of the favored nation clause, Ger
many waa enabled to manufacture and ship
sewing machines and bicycles Into Bosnia,
France and other continental countries at
about half the tariff Imposed on the same
articles of American manufacture.' Be
cause of this faot, the American manu
facturer was handicapped in extending his
foreign trade. Unless the tariff waa re
duced, he said, the manufacturers of the
products mentioned would be forced to
build factories abroad, which would result
In throwing out of employment in this
country many skilled workmen. The maxi
mum and minimum feature of the bill, he
C sol are d to be not worth the vapor It was
written on.
Representative MoCall of Massachusetts
believed the Philippine Islands should have
their independence, and if they were Inde
pendent they ahould be neutral territory,
so as not to become the theater of wars
among foreign powers. Accordingly he
has Introduced a resolution requesting the
president to open negotiations with the
other nations of the globe, looking for an
agreement for the neutralization of these
islands and for the recognition of their
Independence whenever It Is granted by
the United States.
The preamble to the resolution sets forth
that the argument for not giving the
Islands their Independence has been that
if the United States abandoned them, some
other nation would take them. Thla
danger, it Is set forth, can be removed
by an agreement among the nations of
Europe and Asia whereby the Independence
of the Philippines would be declared and
they would become neutral territory.
Vreeland Defends Oil Duty.
Reiterating that he was partly respon
sible for retaining the countervailing duty
on crude and refined petroleum, Mr. Vree
land of New Tork aald that while to many
people oil and Standard Oil seemed synony
mous there were 500,000 American cltlsens
bringing to the surface every flay gTeat
quantities of crude petroleum who had no
more to do wtlh the Standard Oil company
than had the farmer who raised wheat to
do with the miller to whom he sold It.
Mr. Vreeland maintained that wherever
the Independent refineries of the United
States had entered the oil fields they had
increased the price which oil men received
for their crude petroleum by from 6 to 20
cents a barrel.
"Are the independents in greater need of
protection from foreign competition or
from the Standard Oil company's lawless
methods?" Inquired' Mr. James of Ken
tucky. Mn Vreeland replied that until the Mex
ican field developed the American pro
ducer needed no protection from spot on
earth. Denying as ridiculous a statement
to the contrary made by Kuestermann of
Wisconsin, which the latter said was based
on information from the commissioner of
corporations, Mr.' Vreeland declared "that
the countervailing duty upon either crude
or refilled petroleum has not coat the
American people one solitary mill during
the last ten years."
Responding to suggestions by Messrs.
(Continued on Third Page.)
think I can qualify as an expert on these
matters. Thla should be done openly snd
tinder some sort of government supervi
sion. Rut we would all be put In prison
If we tried it."
Mr. Harriman declared that his roads
have spent about HoOWOOuO since 1902 build
ing and rebuilding In ths west and through
th e mo.inuins. He repeated his assertion
that he had found a great change In public
sentiment toward railroads and railroad
building throughout the land.
Five years, ago." he said, '1 told Presi
dent Rooetvelt thai ha waa wrong and that
he would have many Imitators la various
states and cities who would do the country
Incalculable harm, and what I told him
ha sproved correct Roosevelt was wrong
In his fight on me snd the railroads, and
the truth of this U getting clearer every
day."
Is Mr. Married
No! He is just
From the Minneapolis Journal.
GRIEVANCES OF CRAZY SNARE
Speech of Indian Chief Made to
Senate Committee in 1906.
CHARGE OF BAD FAITH MADE
Be flays Indians Ifever Con
seated to Kale of Ud i
, and or.;4',t the .
nrplns. -
WASHINGTON. March 30. Probably the
best statement of his grievances which
Craay Snake, the Creek Indian who is now
making trouble for the authorities in Okla
homa, haa ever made was given to a sen
ate committee which visited Oklahoma,
then Indian Territory, in the fall of 1906.
Senator Clark of Wyoming was chairman
of the committee. Crasy Snake was heard
at length at Tulsa. November 23. and his
plea was for the fulfillment of the terms
of the treaty between the Creek Indians
and the government of the United States,
which was made In 18.H. He declared that
contrary to the general understanding of
the full blood Creeks did not know that by
the treaty of 1901 they had agreed to ac
cept land In severally.
In his statement Crasy Snake Insinted
on going back to the time of the landing
of Columbus, who he said had promised
"that as long as the son rises, as long ss
the wsters run, as long as the grass grows,''
his agreement to care for and protect the
Indians should last. When the Indians were
removed from Alabama to Indian terri
tory, he said, these promises had been
repeated.
Charue of Rad Faith.
"That," he aairt. "was the agreement and
the treaty, and I and my people came out
here and settled on this land. We carried
out these agreements In sll points and vio
lated none. I am notifying you of these
things because your government officials
have told me and my people that they
would take care of my relations with the
government, and I think they ought to be
taking care of them as they promised. I
always thought that this would be done. I
believe yet It will be done. I don't know
what the trouble Is now. I think my lands
are all cut up. 1 have never asked that
that be done, but I understand It has been
done. My treaty said It would never he
done unlesa I wanted It done. I never
(Continued on Second Page.)
Have you theauto
mobile fever?
Somewise ones who
feel the disease
coming on them
watch for a bargain
in a car that has
been used.
Under the "Automobile"
heading on the want ad page
you will find attractive offers
of cats of all kinds. Take an
afternoon off and see what
these machines are.
Among them are a number of
"naps" probably Just what you
want Of con r so. If saving a few
hundred meaoi nothing- to yon.
don't bother about It. If yom want
to save money,' however. Investi
gate thee machines. A esed ma
chine la a pretty g-ood scheme for
your first auto. Have you mad the
want ads yet today T.
Alan making garden?
digging for Wifey's spring hat.
Car of Dynamite
Explodes, Eight
Men Are Killed
Crew Was Unloading Explosive When
Accident Happened Eight
, Others Are Injured.
CHILLICOTHE, O., March 30.-Elghi
men were killed and eight Injured today
by an explosion of several hundred pounds
of dynamite at Indian Creek, near here,
where the Norfolk & Western railroad Is
double tracking. A crew of men was un
loading a car of dynamite when It ex
ploded. ,
The dead:
. CHARLES BUCHANAN. Columbus, con
ductor tn charge of work train.
JONATHAN FLOYD, Pride, O.
JOHN HATES, Antonio, O.
JOHN MILLER. South Carolina,
NEWTON MA TO, Chatham. Va.
CHARLES WILLIAMS. Martlnvllle, Va.
TWO UNIDENTIFIED.
All are colored except first three.
Some of the bodies were blown a distance
of 300 yards.
Mysterious Man
Sees Mrs. Boyle
Woman Says He Was . Her Brother,
but Officers Believe Him
' Accomplice.
MliRCER, Pa., March 3ft.-It was learned
today that Mrs. Boyle received a visit from
a man at the Mercer Jail yesterday morn
ing who is supposed to have been her
brother.
Mrs. Chess, wife of the Mercer county
sheriff, admitted the man to Mrs. Boyle s
presence.
The woman also says her visitor was her
brother, but when Sheriff Chess returned
from Sharon with Boyle he expressed the
opinion that the visitor may have been an
accomplice of the woman.
Ex-Judge. Miller and Attorney Stranahan,
Boyle's rounsel, say they believe ths man
waa Mrs. Boyle's brother, but refuse to
enter into a discussion of the matter.
In any event the visit was apparently
carefully arranged and as a result was
made at a time when, with the exception
of the sheriff's wife, there was no one
around the Jail to aee what the man looked
like, question him or discover snything
that would lead to the real Identity of Mrs.
Boyle.
The man did not register at any hotel.
He did not eat a meal In Mercer.
"Joker" That Costs Smokers
Many Millions Annually
WASHINGTON. March 30.-What Is des
ignated as a "Joker" that costs the con
sumers of tobacco In this country nearly
t46.ono.0oft was found today In ths existing
revenue laws of the United Statea by Rep
reaentatlre Dawaon of Iowa, who at once
Introduced a bill to correct the error.
Under the Dingley tariff law the two
ounce packages of tobacco sell to. the con
sumer st five rents each, and ths four
ounce packagea for ten centa. In 1R9S a
war revenue tax of seven cents a pound
was levied. At the aame time. In order
to serve the convenience of the trade, au
thorisation was given for the reduction of
the sixes of packages from two, three and
four ounces to one and two-thirds, two and
one-half and three and one-third ounces,
thus enabling the smoker to procure a
five-cent and a tan-cent package of to
bacco "at (he store."
In due time the war revenue tax waa
repealed. Somebody forgot, Mr. Dawson
NEBRASKANS HONOR MACOON
Reception to Former Governor of
Cuba Held at Normandie.
LARGE NUMBER IN ATTENDANCE
Senate Committee Reports Favorably
on Nomination of Wanner for
Vnltrd . ft t a tee Attorney1"
in South Dakota.
tFrom a Staff Correspondent.)
WASHINGTON, March 80. tSpecial Tel
egram.) In honor of Charles K, Magoon,
the Nebraska State association, numbering
over 3u0 members, temporary residents of
Washington, gave a largely attended recep
tion tonight at the Normandie hotel annex.
Receiving with Governor Magoon waa tho
president of the association, Frank T.
Israel, and the following women, wives of
former preildents of the association: Mrs.
Frank T. Israel. Mrs. Franklin T. Collins,
Mrs. John Linn McGrew, Mrs. Harry A.
Harding, Mrs. Kdgar C. Snyder and Mrs.
W. E. Andrews.
After the reception, which extended from
8 to 10 a buffet supper was served, followed
by dancing by the younger members of
the Nebraska colony. Among those pres
ent at tho reception were the following
Nehraakana in Washington: Senator and
Mrs. Notrls Rrown, ex-Senator and Mrs.
J. M. Thurston, Rev. Dr. Clark,
(formerly of Grand Island) and Mrs. Clark.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Collins, Judge and
Mrs. J. R. Webster, Auditor and Mrs. W.
B. Andrews. Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Hull, Mr.
and Mrs. C. F. McGrew, Mr. and Mrs.
Harry Harding, Mr. and Mrs. Webb
Wheeler. Mr. and Mra. E. W. Woodruff
of Sutton, Mr. and Mrs. John R. Bay, Mrs.
Drexell, Mrs. George Tobey, Miss Smith,
Miss Allen of Lincoln, Judge and Mrs.
Blxbee, Congressman John McGuire, Rep
resentative and Mrs. Latta, Representative
Moses P. Kinkaid, Miss McCoy, Miss Row
crman, Miss Coffer, Miss Fulmer, Miss
Llnder of Lincoln, W. M. Geddes, Mr. and
Mrs. E. C. Snyder and Mr. Nellson.
Senator Gamble today secured a favor
able report from the committee on Judici
ary on th) nomination of R. K. Wagner to
be United States district attorney for South
Dakota.
Postal Matters.
Representatives Martin and Burke, today
concurred In a recommendation to the
president appointing the following post
masters In South Dakota: A. W. Pruitt,
Phillppl; Peter Schrader, Avon, W. D.
Wright, Emery; George C. Foster, Chap
pelle. Rural carriers appointed: Nebraska-For-
dyce. route No. 1, Daniel Meeka, carrier,
Paul Kuchn, substitute; Hardy, route No.
1, James A. Stsson. csrrier. Herman Burck,
(Continued on Socond Page.)
believes, to restore the packagea of to
bacco to the original aizea, and hence, ever
atnee lSui. the consumer of tobacco hss
been paying the equivalent of the war
revenue tax to the manufacturers of to
bacco. Mr. Dawson's bill proposes to restore the
packages to ths original sites.
SNEAK THIEF MAKES A HAUL
teals five Hnndred Dollars Worth
of Bilks from Trnrellna Sales
man at llaai City.
SIOUX C1TT. Ia.. March 10. (Special
Telegram. )-Whlle M. J. Tulley was in the
store of ths Pelletler company showing his
line of silks a snesk thief wslked Into the
entrance of ths building and pkklng up s
sample rase containing 50o worth of silks,
walked off with It. Tulley is a aaUsmaa
(or the Ckloago Bilk company.
LIVELY TIME IN COMMITTEE
I. J. Dunn Presents an Argument in
Opposition.
ATTORNEY TYRRELL DEFENDS IT
Insists Bill is Drawn for the Benefit
of the C'ties.
OPEN PRIMARY RECOMMENDED
Jessie Rill Reported Rack to House)
with Only Verbnl Amendment.
All Material Chance Being;
Voted Down.
(From a Staff Correspondent.)
LINCOLN, March 30. (Special.) After a
hearing In which I. J. Dunn of Omaha ap
peared agninRt and Frnnk Tyrrell, county
attorney of Lancaster county, for the bill,
8. F. ,TM. by Donolioe of Hclt. was recom
mended for Indefinite postponement, and
later the houre concurred In the report.
The hill provides thnt the State Railway
commission shall have power to lasue lnde.
terminate franchises to and regulate elec
tric light, gas and water companies doing
business In cities and villages.
Dunn Insisted that this would permit the
giat, ting of perpetual franchises by the
rtate Railway commission and thereby
tiikn from Omaha millions cf dollars during
the coming years. The gas company alone,
he said, would save at least S90G.O0O In the
next twenty-five yearn.
H held It no business of the legislature
to enact laws which would take from the
cities and towns of the stste any of their
tights to rejrulate their corporation!". Th
pecple pay for the streets and they have
a right, he said, to rent them to corpora
tions without the consent of any State
Railway commission 10ft or more miles
sway. The bill would shut out competing
companies which the city may desire to
allow to do business. The franchise under
the bill could not be terminated, he said,
unless the city bought th plant.
He denied that any city In Nebraska was
asking for the bill, but that' the franchised
corporations were snxlous for Its passage,
and he quoted Senator Howell, ssylng the
measure hsd been offered to him for In
troduction by Mr. Springer, who Is repre
senting a gas company refor the legisla
ture. The bill was desired, Dunn said, by
the Consolidated Gas company ef Phila
delphia, which owns the Omaha company
and probably the Lincoln company. Taylor
of Tork Interrupted to remark that he had
ieen a letter from' the Philsdelphla com
isr.y in opposition to the measure. ' "
If the bill passes, said Dunn, the gns
testing plant In Omaha would have to go
to the Junk heap, as would a lot of other
apparatus, because the city would have
nothing to s.iy about the quality of gas or
lights or anything else about the manage
tnent of the corporations.
Tyrrell Defends Bill.
In defense of the bill County Attorney
Tyrrell said he had drawn ths measure
and it had been taken from the Wisconsin
law. He hud never presented It to Sena
tor Howell and neither bad th measure
even ben discussed with Mr. Springer, so
far as he knew. He told of the conditions
In Lincoln, whereby the Traction com
pany had failed to furnish good service
until a second company had Deen organised
by the people. The latter company secured
rights from the city council which the
old company could not secure. Whan It
grew to be s real competitor of th old
company, then instead of the people get
ting any relief, the two companies merged
and Issued watered stock to the amount of
11,500.000 or $2,000,000, upon which the people
would have to pay the dividends.
"If this Is a corporation measure and the
corporations are back of It, they are gel
ting themselves In a very bad hole," said
the county attorney. The hill, he said, took "
no power away from the cities tn the man
ner of granting franchises. It provided that
the physical valuation of the plants should
be secured by the railway commission and
the rates should be based on that. The
franchise granted by the commission
should be Indeterminate and when the cor
poration failed tn do whut the people of
the cities desired, a complaint could be
filed with the commission, and hs said ac
tion could be secured there quicker than
from the roun.ll. The railroads had beei:
put out of state politics, he said, by the
last legislature and this hill. If passed,
would put the locsl corporations Ofst of
local politics. At the present time, he
said, the corporations, each having a few
votes under control, could bunch them
and control the election of a council. Ha
cited the conditions in Lincoln, and showed
how the ptople had been forced to fight
for any relief, because of th Influence of
the corporations In local politics. This
would be relieved, he said, by placing the
matter In the hands of the commission,
Dunn in his speech demanded to know of
Tyrrell If there was one alugl city asking
for the bill, or one person connected with
s city government.
'Mayor Brown is for ths bill," replied
Tyrrell.
"Did he understand It when he expressed
himself?" asked Dunn. j
"He probably understood It better thsn "
other mayors, or they would be for II. too,"
retorted Tyrrell.
I Mr. Tyrrell recited how he had startsd
some sixty suits as a result of ths legisla
tion ensctcd by the tsst legislature, and it
was his hc'h'f that this measure should1
pass and was In line with the reform move
menl. Ha announced that he expected te
start proceedings In the matter of the street
csr merger when that Is finally consum
mated. Donohoe Defends It,
Setistor Donohoe talked briefly before
Mr. Tyrrell, denying that he had been
worked hy any rorratlon agent or that
he had Introduced the bill at the request
of any agent of a corporation. He believed
It was right and should be passed.
Taylor of York, republican, moved to In.
definitely pest pone the bill, though admit
ting there were some good sections in It.
He opposed the railway commission grant
ing franchises for the us of city streets.
Nettleton of '('lay county, a republican,
suoke as did Taylor at seconded th mo
tion. Victor Wilson, demoerst from Psik
kouuty, Uvursd th hill aod tx,liavd it