Omaha daily bee., 1883-02-15
THE SENATE.
SPECIAL Correspondence of The Bee

LINCOLN, February IA. In the son.
ate yesterday, the railroad bill that
was made up by the railroad commit
tee out of three or four bills that had
been introduced, came up in the COM
mittee of the whole, and passed that
body with only three or four slight
amendments, and was recommended
back for passage.
The bill known Of
THE VOLUNTARY ASSIGNMENT BILL
came up In the committee of the
whole. The bill had fair sailing until
It was discovered that under the pro-
visions CT the bill there were no ex.
emptions, when Senator Conner moved
that that portion Of the bill which dc.
prived the msrchant from this privi-
lege be stricken out.
Senator Reynolds said the goods of
the merchant that had not been paid
for ought not to be exempt, and no
one but q dishonest nan woul9 I'm.
dertske to take advantage Of the law,
Conner said that he considered it
class legislation, 1t was taken from the
merchants, something that was denied
to other people. While I believe in
all men berg Just and honest, why
have d law that exempts the property
of one and takes the property Of au-
other. The assertion that only a
rascal will take advantage of the ex,
emption law is an Insult to tho consti.
ution aud law of the state Of Ne
brssks. 1t ia no more than right that
the merchant should have the same
right that Is extended to every other
class of citizsns. This class legisla-
ton Is wrong, and ought not to be
permitted.
Brown, Of Douglas, disagreed with
the gentleman from Buffalo, he
thought that this was not class le2is-
lation, the only thing that a C lant
could not claim IS exempt was the
stock Of merchandise and notes and
book accounts,
Brown, of Lancaster, said thai this
was not class legislation. A lawyer
has no exemption who collects money
and does not pay the ame over. The
merchant should stand in the same
position. He did not wish to be a
party to a scheme that allows a men
to have exemptions under such cir
cumstances. The amendment of SEN
ator Conner was defeated and under
this bill no exemption from the stock
rf nnAla nnTna or honD accounts will
be allowed. The bill wa recon-
mended for passage.
H TREASURY RAID.
The members of the legislature are
fully awake to the fact that only q few
days remain In whichthey can do bus.
iness at $500 dag, and the amount of
money that will be appropriated with
In the next ten dsys will be no incon.
siderable amount. 1t is estimated
that fully a million and a half is ex'
pecSed by the members in the lobby,
In the aggregate, and from present APP
pesrances the taxpayers Of the statc
will have nearly or quite that amount
TO pay into the treasury the next two
years.
To-day the committee or the Whoit
reported back
THE RAILROAD BILL
with recommendation that the bill do
pass.
Brown, Of Lancaster, moved tina
the salaries of the secretaries of thu
board of railroad commissioners be re
duced from 5000 to $4,000. Brown
of Clay, offered an amendment to thu
amendment making the salaries 50, 400
Upon this question a lively igh
ensued. Brown of Lancaster though
that the pay of the secretaries ough
not be more than the commissioner
themselves, and he thought that a
long as the treasurer, secretary O
state and auditor, who are the com
missioners according to this bill, &c
only 50, 500 their secretaries ought t
receive no more than $4,000. I'll
expected to vote for the bill whethe
the amendment was made or not.
Senator Butler said that the gentle