Omaha daily bee., 1895-02-21
WILL LET HOLCOMB APPOINT
Republicans in Joint Caucus Vote Down a
Proposition to Interfere.
fUatLY IN THE INTEREST OF POLITICS
Resolution Looking TO tho Investment -
the Board OF Public Lands and Buiid-
ings with Appontivc Power Is
Voted Down.

LINCOLN, Feb. 20.-(Special Telegram)-
The republican members of the house and
senate held their promised caucus at the Lin
dell hotel tonight and by vote of more than
to /, as far as sound is an indication, voted
against the ultra-republican proposition to
take the appointing power away from the
governor and vest it in the Board Of Public
Lands and Buildings. The proposal to go to
this length of partisan extremity has been
discussed pro and con for several weeks. but
not until the present week has sentiment
against the proposition developed The sena-
torial caucus last night brought the matter
to a crisis. and the matter was killed and
buried beyond hope of resurrection tonight.
Senator Tert of Cass county was made
chairman of the caucus and Representative
Robinson Of Lancaster oficated as secretary
In calling the caucus to order Senator Tefft
stated briefly the motives which had led the
senate to invite the republican members Of
the house to joint caucus and asked Sem
ator Pope of Saline to state particularly the
subject upon which party action was consid-
cred desirable.
POPE BROACHED THE PLAN.
Senator Pope broacned the subject of taking
the appointing power away from the chief
executive and placing 1t in the hands OF the
Board of Public Lands and Buildings, and
closed rather carefully prepared argument
by Offering resolution providing for the ap>
pontment of n committee of three to draft
a bill for the purpose of carrying the pro.
posal into effect. He himself strongly ad.
vocated the adoption of the resolution.
While Senator Pope was talking Repre-.
sentative Hairgrove Of Clay county created
sensation by excitedy asserting that man
who was not n member of the lower house
was in the room. Everybody looked at the
man pointed out by Hairgrove, and the en-.
,Ial
bury Clay county statesman pointed out
Senator Noyes of Douglas county.
Senator Akers of SCOTS Bluff opposed the
proposition, claiming that its adoption would
result in the defeat of the republican party
in this state in 1896.
Representative Roddy of Otoe county was
opposed to the scheme, and talked strongly
against It, He said he might favor the propo-
sition if it could be made to take effect two
years from now, for he was convinced by past
observations that some men appointed to
office knew no more about their duties than
a hog did about ruffed shirt.
Representative Chapman of Saline and Mo-
Nit of Webster both spoke against the propo-
sition.
PURELY A PARTISAN MOVE
Senator Sloan of Fillmore was partially in
favor of it. He was a republican and he
believed in republican principles, and when
the republican party was in the majority he
believed that it should take advantage Of
| every opportunity that presented itself.
Speaker Richards was in favor of one-man
power. He believed the governor should
| make the appointments and be held respon-
sible.
| Senator Caldwell spoke in favor Of the
proposition. Representative Conway OF
York was against it. He said the republican
party needed sedatve just now and should
have rest and quiet.
Senator Watson was strongly opposed to
the project. He said that Tom Majors had
been beaten in the last election and some
| of the best men In the republican party had
advised him not to contest that election.
| The proposition under discussion would have
the effect of doing just what Majors and his
advisers thought best not to do.
Representative Davies of Cass county
| favored the creation Of an appointing board
If it could be done, but was not in favor Of
| putting the appointments into the hands Of
| the Board of Public Lands and Buildings.
| He opposed the proposition.
Representative Burch of Gage was against
| 1t.
Representative Roddy of Otoe closed the
| debate and the resolution was then put to
| a vote and defaeted by large and decisive
| majority.
! motion to adjourn was made but before
| it could be put Senator Noyes CT Douglas
said that he had in his pocket a bill pro-
viding for the election of county commits
| sioners at large instead of by districts He
asked the sentiment of the caucus on the
| bill, but the suggestion that bill covering
| the same object was already pending Induced
| the senator to withdraw his request The
caucus then adjourned.