Nebraska advertiser., 1860-01-26

tie several organized counties, townships
for school purposes; and clothing each
sub-district, until there are sufficient num-
Der in each township to form a Township
Board Of education, with all the powers,
privileges and duties of a Township
Board of Education also allowing those
sub-districts, which have for any reason
whatever failed to report according
to the provisions of the law, until the first
Of March to do so, then making their re-
port direct to the County Clerk. The
minimum number of scholars required in
a district to become entitled to school
funds was reduced from sixty to ten
The Territorial school tax was reduced
from two mills to one mill. Sections IS,
Sc, So, So and SO, relating to school lib
r~aries, were repealed.
The Election law was so amended asst 10
provide for the election Of Delegate 10
Congress next fall, and every Two years
thereafter. BY this arrangement, which
we think a good one, the Delegate is ell
ected a year in advance of the time of
taking his seat. Ia case Of contestant
that has become a fixed or natural conse-
quence in Nebraska-the parties can
give the matter attention in person.
An act was passed appropriating three
hundred dollars annually, to the Terrific
rial Board of Agriculture, for the purpO-
Sc of awarding as premiums at the Ter
~ritorial Fairs.
An act was passed supplementary to
the Criminal Code, relative 10 the custo-
dy Of convicts. and providing that, until
we have a penitentiary of our own, the
Governor have power to negotiate with
the Governor of any State for the trans
portation and safe keeping of prisoners.
A new Justice of the Peace Code en-
tire was passed. 1t isquite lengthy, and
of its details we cannot here speak. 1t
is thought to be a good one; at all events
a great improvement on the old one.
The above are among the important
general laws passed. There were others
of which we do not now recollect, or at
least their details.
There were several very important
matters left undone by the Legislature,
which we much regret, and think were
demanded by the people throughout the
Territory, viz: An amendment TO the
Revenue law providing for the reduction
of taxes, and extending the time for pay
menl Of the same. Our taxes at present
are almost, if not quite, burdensome be-
yOnd endurance. They are much heavier
than there is any necessity for, and, what
is equally grievOus, they become delin-
quent and draw u%surious rates of interest
at a season of year when every class of
citizens are poorest prepared to pay them.
They ought not to become delinquent I'M
I'll in the spring, when the farmer has an
opportunity to dispose Of his products
to an advantage, and business generally is
brisk; and again, luxurious rates of interest
should not attach until after the proper
~ is sold at tax sale.
The wants of the Territory demanded
the passage of an act to encourage the
growth of timber. We introduced a bill
for this purpose, and secured its passage
through the Council f; but it was lost
among the large accumulation of bills in
the House. 1t provided that 40 acres
should be exempt from taxation for the
term of ten years for five acres planted
in timber; and SO on, in ike proportion,
for any additional number of acres plant
ed.
The Liquor law needs amending. 1t
is in some respects too severe to answer
lhe purposes deSl6ned.
While personally we are of the opinion
that usury laws, as a general rule, oper-
ate directly to the contrary for what they
are designed-Oppress the needy instead
of relieve-we are quite sure such a law
is demanded by the people of Nebraska,
and ought therefore to have been passed.
Last, and BY no means least, there
should have been a new apportionment of
both branches of the Legislature. There
is no sense, fairness, equity or honesty,
in the most populous and wealthy portion
Of the Territory being ~unequally repres-
ented in the Legislature, and consequent
ly imposed uponfrom year to year. South
Platte is entitled by her last vote, to 2 and
a fraction members in the Council, when
she now has but 5 and a fraction out of
the 13 members. In the House she is
entitled to nearly % members out of 80,
while we have but 20. We say to those
who are unwilling to deal fairly with US
in apportionment, and who continue to
monopOlize appropriations by virtue of the
power they secured in the Legislature at
the beginning, that a day of reckoning