Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-14
THOSE surEnELu0rs SECRETARIES.

Red Cloud Argus: In choosing the secre-
! tares Of the state board OF transportation
! the pops subdividcd their party into three
| grand divisions and selected a secretary from
| each thus ignoring the provisions of the law,
which requires that said officials shall be
| chosen from at least two political parties.
| This is reform.
Alma Record: This is a great year for the
! fusonists The law creating the state Board
Of Transportation, including three secre-
taries, clearly Contemplates that these three
secretaries shall represent the three predomi-
mating political parties. This year the fu-
sion gang has selected as one of these three
secretaries free silver republican (what
ever that may mean, as another member
straight populist and as the third a Bryan
democrat! This is a little bit the smoothest
construction ever placed on the law.
kearney Hub: Daddy Laws has got around
To the crib again. He was formerly a rcpub-
lican secretary Of state, and was appointed
to fill out the uneNpired term of deceased
Congressman Laird. In the last campaign
he consorted with the populists and Bryan,
ties as a free silver republican. Now he
bobs up as one of the secretaries of the State
Board of Transportation agreed upon by the
new officials. Laws is a good citizen a fine
old gentleman and is competent for the po-
sition that has been awarded him. but the
spectacle that he presents is not very edi-
flying just the same.
Chadron Signal: The people OF the state
of Nebraska, and particularly the popuists
OF the state, will look earnestly to this board
for real railway reforms when they take
their places next January. Hitherto the
board has done nothing but draw its salary
and ride around over the state doing politi-
cal work for the party which kept it in
office. This performance has been so no.
torious that for years the people of the state
have been demanding the abolition of the
board as useless and eXtravagant expense.
The new board will be expected to do some-
thing to earn it's salary. There is real hard
FA1.r ,T
ject of railway regulation in Nebraska. and
then enforcing the demands of Justice II
the new board will do it it can earn its sal
airy and the gratitude OF the public without
regard to party.
Tokamah Herald The men who will draw
$4,000 year as secretaries of the State
Board OF Transportation under the incoming
administration have been selected, and none |
of the Burt county patriots are among them !
Ihoy are Gilbert l.. Laws Of Lincoln. James |
c. Dahlman of Chadron and J. W. Edgerton |
of Grand Island. Although the demo-pop |
party made a great blum to the reforms !
they were going to enact. this first selection |
OF Official timber gives out the impression !
that they are going to hew as close to the |
line followed by the republicans as is pos
sible for them. Laws is eX-republiCan sccre-
tary OF state, and as former member of
the State Board of Transportation made him
sell conspicuous as opposed to anti-mOnop
rulings as supported by Attorney General
LCCse II was Laws who opposed the reduc-
ton in coal freight to Tckamah which Sen
2tor sutherland obtained six years ago.
Dah!man Is wholly acceptable to the rail
roads, and Edgcrton is the man who was
such a notorious lobbyist during the pop
legislature OF four years ago, and was
charged of many things in connection with
the anti-monop stock yards legislation.
licldrege Citizen: Tho three incoming sec
FetarIos Of the State Board of TranspOrta- |
zion have been named by the powers that
be. and at the earliest possible opportunity |
they Will indulge in the pleasure of drawing
their snug salaries OF 81 coo per annum. The
party has had much to say
about The republican party being under the
wing OF the railroads. Long and loud has
been the wall concerning the farce of the
state Beard Of Transportation One might
have thought that. by the way the populist
press has ranted for the past two years CON
rerning the farce of lie board, that If |
they got chance the great reform party
would abolish this sO-called fraud. II may
be they will, but the prOmptncss with which
the state C!lcers have proceeded to elect
he secretaries does not indicate that it was
1 rart Of the reform. II may be that II |
Fl the purpose of the elect to bring about
'cforms by the board. We hope SO. but the
secretaries chosen by the board do not in
liCate that they will be so much better than |
hose who preceded them. IL looks as If they
we're chosen because of political reasons
athcr than because thcy were qualified for
he position This indicates that human ma 4
ure is much the same in all parties. That
he folks that stand at the pie counter and
distribute the pastry are apt to be governed
" political reasons rather than u desire 7
or the botterment of the public.