Omaha daily bee., 1891-04-05
CLOSED Up IT'S SHOP.
Nebraska's Legislature Stops the States
Law Making Machinery.
SCENES AT THE CLOSING SESSIONS.
HOrseplay and serio-O Oomic Eloquence in the
House and Senate
LAST HOPE OF THE FARMERS KILLED.
shumway's Usury Bill, Sole Vestige of the
Platform, Voted Down.
SENATES TRIBUTE TO TOM MAJORS.
lie Gets n Handsome Gold watch
Work OF the Last Day-Extra
Time Allowed All
Employees.

LINCOLN, Neb., April 4.-TSpecial Tele-
gram TO THE BEE. The closing hours Of a
legislative session are usually marked by
rcvelry and a general "hurrah, boys" The
grinding out of bills has ceased some time be-
fore, and while the legislative body is wait
ing for them to be engrossed that the presd-
Ing officer may sign them in the presence OF
his organization, there are intervals in which
no business can be transacted, Relieved of
the responsibility that has rested on them
for three months, the members indulge in
bursts of boyish playfulne5s, and their
capers always attract a big audience of spec
tators.
When the house convened at o'clock to-
night the gallery, lobbies and aisles were full
OF expectant onlookers. The floor was
Uttered with discarded newspapers, aban.
doned bills and gay public documents
Waste baskets were being heaped with bill
files, ink bottles and cuspidors to spend the
remainder of their useful careers in orna-
menting city offices ana county farm houses
Speaker Elder, conscious of his utter in
ability to manage the helm, put Church
Howe in the chair without even calling the
house to order. The independents who
have not succeeded in enactiug any of the
important measures demanded by their plat
form have been hanging their last hope
On inc SUBWAY Dlll, lueV lnauc one Drle1,
Jpasmodlc effort this afternoon to get 1t up,
but were clrcumvented by the opposition
with the rule requiring two-thirdS vote to
take up measure out Of its regular order.
AT the first opportunity tonight Shrader
moved to go into committee OF the whole 10
consider the usury bill, ana after some fill.
clustering it was carried. Ford, Brennan and
Breen of Omaha voted with the lndepend-
ents, having promised to do so in return for
the withdrawal Of the independent opposition
A 1ttt,hp nf nt "a
members paid off similar debts in like man
ner and Shraders motion received TO votes
against 81 nays.
Mckesson of Lancaster was called to the
chair.
Cornish took the floor and began long
speech, apparently to kill time. There were
numerous Interruptions, to which he mae
witty retorts, sending the willing crowd into
laughing spaSms, and an Intermittent fire of
paper wads added to the prevailing hiarity
AT 8 o'clock the official timepiece was
turned back two hours, and the assemblage,
catching the subtle suggestion that Cornish
had been talking all night, gave him round
Of laughing raillery.
Dobson of Fillmore the old man eloquent
took the floor and scared Cornish and his ar
guments in fight Of brilliant oratory, but
the crowd was in no mood for eoquence, and
when one OF his denunciatOnS was capped by
Cramb with a fervent ''amen," the assem-
blage indulged in another rollicking roar
Watson pointed out several fatal defects
and perpctrated clever witticisms on the op-
position Referring to the legislative man
ual, he SAID Ford was put down as a capital
!, ist You" he said, turning to Ford, ''are
the only aristocrat among us" Laughter
Ford-No, sir; didn't write that
Watson-If you are not capitalist, what
In Gods name are yous Laughter.
Ford--Ihave been working man all nv
life, A general roar.
Watson turning to Dobson) And here is
another gentleman from England who is
Dobson dnterrupting and shouting ex-
citedly amid great hubbub) Pm not
ashamed of my nativity, and Pm as loyal
an American as you.
Watson-It Is always the pig under the
gate that squeals. IShouts of approval
Dobson- Yes Pm sauealing for order.
Watson-Here are Johnny Bull and Paddy
Mick telling us how to make laws for Ameri-
cans Here we have the music of the Irish
harp and English unicorn minging in this
legislative hall.
Watson's remarks were evidently a bit of
good natared raillery, which convulsed the
auditors.
Ford, Dobson and Brennan sprang to their
feet to make excited disclaimers, but they
only helped the crowd to drown their re-
marks.
At l0:30 the bill was recommended for
passage and Howe resumed the chair.
The conference committee on the general
appropriation bill made its report, and it was
adopted, The usury bill was then put on its
passage.
1t received A votes against 81 negative. This
measure, falling four votes short of a const j.
tutonal majority, the independents last hope
of usury bill went glimmcrng.
White Oakley and Shrader were ap-
pointed committee TO notify the governor
that the house was about TO adjourn, Pend
ing the report of a con ference committee the
house passed Senator Starbuck's bill prohb-
tting the selling or giving of firearms to the
Indians.
The committee reported that tho governor
had no communication to make, and brought
his thanks for the courtesy shown him by the
house
Speaker Elder took the chair for a few
minutes, but the crowd, bound on throwing
papers ana books and muzzling their neigh :
bors with waste baskets, got away and
Church Howe was again called to the chair
TO restore order. That gentleman scored a
sergeantat-arms for inddlging in boy play
and ordered him to quit or leave the hall
Shouts of laughter.
turned for the presiding officers signature
the speaker was called TO his desk Repre-
sentative Watson presented him with an
artificial arm, on behalf of the housd, Rep
resentatlve Mckesson presented him. foI
Mrs. Elder, n fine, Handsomely framed
crayon of the speakar. The recipient made a
feeling acknowledgment and was warmly
applauded.
Chief Clerk Eric johnson and Acting
Speaker Howe We're remembered with com
plimentary resolutions.