Omaha daily bee., 1895-04-05
DEVOTED T0JOE GARNEAU, JR.
House Adopts Document Caustically Oriti-
cising the WtSld's Fair Commissioner.
FRED GsDD.S GETS ANOTHER SNAP
VIII hCompilehndP Publish the House journal
at Cost TO the State OF $4,000
Furnishings May BE RE-
Il moved as Usual

Aiaih Bdlibllub Dlll, senate HE EO1, went
over the garden wall today. after having
consumed about an hours time in committee
of the whole, Munger set out to put it to
sleep by decorating its attenuated frame
with amendments of the most drastic de-
scription. There was an element in the
house favorable to the bill 1t tried to pump
the breath Of life into it and keep 1t alive,
but stampede was started at last, and
away IL went under the axe of indefinite
postponement
Myers submitted a report of the committee
appointed to investigate Worlds Fair Com
missioner General Joe Garneau jr and the
actions of the commission as a whole. Myers
said that 1t had taken weeks of time TO pre-
pare the report, and he desired that it be
read in full 1t was very yoluminous 1t
made members weary, and when about two
thirds of 1T had been completed the house
choked the clerk off by adopting the report
in its entirety. To begin with the commit
tee found that the system of bookk aeping en-
ployed by the commissioner was wretched
in the extreme. According to the report the
state mad been dtsgraced by the employment
of Architect Noss, who, 1t appeared, was
knd of private architect for Garneau The
commission was charged with having paid
Sl25 for cutting down eleven trees, and the
total expenses of the commission had run
up to S3l, S97 80. Garneau had received So
9S94I for six months work at an annual
salary of $1,000. At most eXtravagant prices
the commission had purchased exhibits out
side OF the state They had paid $3.50 to
young woman to make a butter bust as an
Illustration of dairy sculpture. Promises made
by Ex-Governor Crounse had not been kept
and the late chic: executive came in for
rich roast for what the committee termed
lli t,.I hat ~,
forced Auditor Moore into court at expensive
costs In answer to Moores protest Gov
ernor Crornse had said: you must fight Il
out among yourselves" State Auditor
Moores course was warmly commended by
the committee. There were many obscure
vouchers on file and no books or records had
peen kept. Some of these vouchers had been
dtsallowed and afterwards paid at command
OF the courts. One Of them was a legal
advice voucher. which was in itself entirely
illegal. The Nebraska state building on the
fair ground, which had cost $40 2SS 40, had
been sold for SIS, but nothing could be dis
covered as to where this little sum went to-
The management of the Woman's depart
ment received warm praise from the commit
tee. 1t was shown that it had received
S171445 in donations. Twenty-thrce swine
exhibitors had drawn s377.2O transportation,
and among tile food of unknown bills was
one for laundering a woman's skirt
s. p. Mobley came in for section of
the roast, he having drawn s3,66S.20 for serv-
ices performed. For a gold badge s25 had
been charged, but the badge could not be
found. An orange vendor had paid a round
sum for a concession in the Nebraska sec
tion, but there was 10 record of this money
having ever been received. The report
winds up with a recommendation that the
governor, with the assistance of the attorney
general, take all necessary steps to compel
Garneau to live up. to the provisions of the
act of the legislature under which he is sup
posed to hayel been working ,..
~" ~ GIVES GEnDES A SNAP.
The house seems determined to go out in
blaze of extravaganza. This was forcibly
illustrated today by its action in regard to
the preparation for publication of the house
journal. This book Is not prepared, as many
people and taxpayers suppose, by the swarm
OF clerks and bookkeepers employed during
the ninety-odd days of the session at high
salaries. 1t is saved up for special job with
fat pickings. after the session has clCsed and
to continue cost to the state after adjourn
ment. Today two bids were put in for this
work, one by Chief Clerk Geddes and the
other by Third Assistant Clerk j. F. zediker.
Geddes bid was $4,000 in items as follows:
completing, $500; copying, $3.50; proof read
ing, $3.50; indeXing. $500. Zediker's bid was
as follows: Completing $500; copying. $500;
proof reading, $500; indexing. $500; total,
81, 800. Here was chance to save $500 But
the house refused by large majority to
avail itself of the opportunity. More than
this, Zediker is an old soldier and one of the
most capable clerical employees in either
house. He has been of great use in instruct |
ing others who have been connected with |
the house during the winter. This sum OF
$4,000, by the way, does not cover the print |
ing of the Journal. That is another story
altogether.
Underneath all this there is another strata |
OF alleged subterranean crookedness which |
invites the investigation of any parties in |
terested in the publication of clean record |
OF house proceedings. 1t is a matter of ac-
cepted fact that all through the session the !
journal has been practically suppressed by |
downright connivance and bulldozing tactics |
OF the speaker. Time and again he |
has refused members their lawful privilege |
of having their motions. resolutions pro- |
tests and points of order spread upon the !
Journal 1t is now said that Harrison of |
Hall, chairman of the sift!ngs committee, and |
lieutenant OF the speaker, is interested in |
the $4,000 deal to prepare the journal and |
that his purpose is to prevent anything from |
creeping in calculated to make the record |
of the majority darker than 1t Is.
The following Is Bees resolution to pro- |
tect the state property in the shape Of legs- |
latlve supplies, which was voted down by SO |
to "a:
Whereas. The members and employees of
former Legislative sessions have been ac- |
cused of appropriating and carrying away |
property of the state. and
Whereas, We, the members of the Twenty
fourth session, of the house of representa-
tiYes, are unwilling that such accusations
should be made against the memb FRS of this |
session, therefore be 1t
Resolved, That we respectfully request the
honorable secretary of state to make an
inventory of all Legislative supplies, such as
chairs desks, waste baskets, typewriters
stands, ink wells, pens, pen holders, pencils,
brushes, and all supplies purchased by thu
state for legislative use, and place same in
a suitable room under lock and Key that |
same may be preserved for future sessions.
ROUTINE, OF THE MORNING.
The speaker this morning appointed Burch,
ROddy and Harris a committee to act with |
a similar body sfFomi the senate to arrange |
for the selection of SIX trustees of the Insti-
tute for the Blind at Nebraska City.
Myers, chairman of the committee Of in
yestigation of the acts Of Worlds Fair Com
missioner General Garneau, submitted and |
had partially read ah exhaustive report of
their proceedingsT- which report was adopted |
by unanimous vote.
Ricketts, stirred up lively debate by call |
ing up his resoH{rS laid over yesterday to
authorize ChieffH fHlht Geddes to make up
and publish the SsF Journal The price for
this work nameRAs Die resolution was fixed |
at $4,000. MulkrY enended by naming j.
F. 5ediSs' 5e Ike thiraDt clerk Of the house
81 800 to do the work Cole amended to
cause the work to DE done under supervision
OF the chief clerk. Harrison spoke earnestly |