Omaha daily bee., 1883-01-30
The Era Of Inquiry Just Dawn
ing an Official Life in
Lincoln.
The Conduct Of the Insane Asy-
lum to be Investigated.
Speaker Humphreys Gang of
Sinecures Develops Dis
content.
Progress of Legislation-A Quiet
Sabbath-The New Regent.
THE

IdE INSANE ASYLUM,
LINCOLN, January 90 One of the
things that is among the possibilities
at the capital is a thorough investiga.
ton into the manner of conducting the
state asylum for the insane. Ii is un.
derstood that a resolution will be In
troduced into the senate at an early
day looking toward this end. Some
of the members of the house are also
disposed to find fault with Speaker
Humphrey for appointing 80 many
persons to draw pay, who have virtu-
ally nc labor to perform outside of
signing the pay roll.
TOWNS AT RAILROAD CROSSINGS.
A large number Of Nemaha county
citizens are here watching the progress
of a senate bill which provides that
when railroads cross each other a de-
pot shall be maintained. This bill
particu larly interests the citizens of
Nemaha for the reason that In that
county they have a crossing of this
kind where no depot Is kept up, and
Church Howe's town, which Is located
some two or three miles from that
point, would suffer if the people we're
accommodated to that extent. The
bill is now before the senate Judiciary
committee and whether 1t is reported
favorsbly or not the indications are
that it will pass. Senator Fisher
from Nemaha is strongly in favor of
the bill, hot 30 much on account of it's
local significance as because of its
general utility, and there are very
few men In the state who will disagree
with him on this point.
PROGRESS OF LEGISLATION.
Those who pretend to know tell us
that notwithstanding the senatorial
contest this legislature is making rapid
progress. The committees are all at
work and the prospect Is that they
will pass laws enough even If they are
not all of the right kind. Railroad
legislation is the only class that Is slow
in coming to the front, but this Is ex-
planned because Of the change of front
necessitated by the opinion of the su-
preme court on the railroad commits.
sion question.
SABBATH QUIET.
Yesterday Lincoln hotels reminded
one of q summer resort In. winter
time. Everybody, members, lobbyists
and all went home or to Omaha and
the senatorial buzzlng and scheming
was entirely suspended. OF the very
few who remained many of them vent
to church, just TO zee how 1t would
sound to hear somethi' g besides the
planning and figuring that goes to
make a United States senator. There
Is a variety of opinion among
even republicans over the re-
suit of the republican caucus. Some
seem to think that o nomination will
be made during the next t%wenty-four
hours and some are of the opinion
that they will be found balloting a
week hence, while still another class
think IL not at all improbable that
they will break up in a row.
The Willard men are confident of
success. They claim to have a num-.
Der of votes placed around on different
candidates who will take advantage Of
the secret ballot and come to him
when their votes will nominate. On
the other hand, the anti. Willard folks
expect to form a ring inside of a ring
and unite upon n of the other can
didates as a last resort. If anyone is
nominated tonight, which is not Al
all probable. 1t will be Willard.
H NEW REGENT.
Governor Dawes has at last found a
man to take the place made vacant by
Mr.. Powers In the board of regents.
The person selected Is MIR. julius F.
Merritt, of Antelope county, a farmer
Of good ability aud highly respected
where he Ia known. He is 53 years
old and has been a resident of the
state for over twenty years, Is a
graduate Of the New York normal
school at Albany, and has been a
practical teacher for twenty five years.
He is a brother of Gen. L A Merritt,
late collector of the port Of New York
City, the man who took the place
made vacant when Chester A. Arthur
was forced to stand aside. The ap-
pointment of Mr.. Merritt Is looked
upon as a good n by the sensible
people of the state and friends of the
university, not on account of his
personal beauty, but for his good
and practical ideas. His COM
mission was made out and presented
to him to-day.