Omaha daily bee., 1897-06-05
DRIFT.

| Sound money democrats OF Kentucky pro.
pose to put up a ticket and force the fight
all along the line.
Partyism is becoming so strong in Chicago
| that democratic undertakers demand recogni.
ton. They are not satisfied with last falls
stiff haul. ~
The typewriter whose blunder in copying
a bill made necessary an extra session of
the legislature of New Jersey has become
an object of commentator rather than OF
censure. Inquiry by a committee of the
legislature shows that her revision of the
bill was an Improvement and was the means
Of saving the state $4,000.
The first municipal election in Greater
New York is Of tremendous Importance from
a party standpoint, owing to the vast patron
age involved. The direct and tangible fruits
of victory are 1000 places OF employment,
the control and distribution of expenditures
amounting to STE, 000, 900 a year, and eight
years control of the city government.
The Hon. Mr.. Donovan of Bay, famed in
paragraph and song as a high lonesome
democrat of the Michigan legislature, en-
joyed, as the minority party. a greater de-
gree of success than any member of the
majority. Out of forty-four bills introduced
by him, twenty-five became laws. Evidently
Mr.. Donovan attended strictly to business.
Most of the cities and towns in Michigan
are buying voting machines that cost about
5000 apiece. They are constructed something
III Tie OTueT u IHG ordinary SlOl mdCDlue.
1t is claimed that these will obviatc the
necessity of recording and tallying clerks,
judges, police officers and the like, thereby
saving about 40 per cent annually in the
cost Of elections.
Some of the qualifications for voters in GER
tain states are peculiar. Minnesota admits to
suffrage civilized Indians. Georgia excludes
those who haven't paid their taxes since 1877.
Massachusetts, cOnfers the rights Of suffrage
only on those who can read and write. In
Michigan aliens who have declared their in
tention to become citizens can vote, and In
Mississippi. a man, to be an elector, must
be able to read and understand the con-
stitution of the United States.
The terms of thirty federal senators ex-
pire March 3. 1899. OF these fourteen are
republicans, fifteen democrats and one popu-
list. The states which will send new senn-
tors March 4, 1899, are: California, Con-
necticut, Delaware, Florida. Indiana, Mary
land. Mississippi, Maine, Michigan, Massa-
chusetts, Montana, Missouri, Minnesota, Ne
braska, New York, North Dakota, New
Jersey, Nevada. Ohio. Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, Tennessee, Texas. Utah, Virginia,
Vermont. Wisconsin. West Virginia, Wash
ington and Wyoming. The senate is very
close and the election Of members Of the
legislatures this fall In states which Will
elect senators will be holly contested.
The new constitution OF Delaware will
bring about many reforms. 1t has more
than fifty deviations from the lines Of its
predecessor. The old one was adopted In
1881; the new one is modern all the way
through. Bribery at the polls In the future
will be severely punished. Trial by jury is
to be denied the accused. Three senatorial
and seven representative districts are to be
abolished and a fourth associate judge, a
lieutenant governor and three commissioners
Of agriculture have been added. There is to
be nc more peddling of laws and franchises.
The poll tax system is abolished and the
old Bayard machine Is broken up. The
nrnnAnt nnnllnfInn NYA IN IN nrIAr Ia
cember and will adjourn some day this
week. It's operations have been devoid OF
partisanship and has dealt with every con-
ceivable question of state government.