Omaha daily bee., 1897-03-28
SENATE WORKS on IRRIGATION.
| Forenoon Spent on the Bill Intended
to SunpInnt the AISers LnHY.

|
to SuDpIant the ALers Law.
LINCOLN Neb, March 27.-(Specal.)-
The senate met at o'clock this morning.
with eighteen members present.
House rolls Nos 401, 209 1874, 154, 261, 474,
SOS, 80, 81. SlS and 70 were given the sec
| ond reading and referred
Mr.. Ransom asked unanimous consent to
| have the Rich guaranty bond bill put on third
reading, but the request met with objections.
| The senate went into committee of the
| whole, with Mr.. Talbot in the chair to con-
| slider senate file No. pa, Feltzs water rights
and irrigation bill.
An amendment was adopted providing that
| the second assistant secretary of the board
should be resident of the irrigation district.
| Another amendment dispensed with the sec
| Ond assistant secretary entirely.
The salary of the secretary of the board
was reduced from s., 900 to 81 500 per year.
Mr. MUTT charged that 'smarties from
Douglas county were down here trying to
dictate a bill which did not interest their
counties"
Mr. Ransom replied that there "were
Others" besides the "smarties" from
Omaha He would now offer an amendment
providing that both secretaries of the board
should be civil engineers. The bill had been
drawn to fit a certain man, who would be
figurehead and the assistant would do the
work.
Some one suggested "Wolfenbarger," and
there was a general laugh
Mr.. MUTT said what the board needed was
lawyer. majority of the cases in the irri.
cation counties came from differences over
irrigation and riparian rights.
Mr.. Ransom said the civil engineers knew
more about riparian rights than the lawyers
did. Unless he had had irrigation or water
right cases the lawyer knew nothing about
riparian law.
SERIOUS CHARGES IGNORED.
II was openly charged by Senators Lee and
Murphy that the bill had been drawn on a
contract that certain man In Lincoln should
be appointed secretary.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Ransom was
defeated by vote of IL to 9.
A motion by Mr.. Caldwell reducing the
salary of the assistant secretary to 81 900 was
adopted.
Mr. Jeffcoat offered an amendment provid-
ing that the secretary should be a practical
engineer, and the assistant be lawyer This
amendment was lost on a close vote.
The salaries of the under secretaries were
cut from 81 900 per year TO $500.
Pending consideration OF the bill. the COM
mittee arose and reported progress
After recess the senate took up the con-
sideration of the charges of boodling in con-
neetion with the passage of the gambling
bill and appointed committee OF three to
Investigate the charges.
A messenger from the governor presented
the following message, which was read
To the Legislature: l herewith submit
for your consideration resolution passed
by the mayor and city council of the city
OF Omaha reciting certain facts connected
with the law governing cities of the metro
noll,an class, which was enacted in 1893.
The resolution fully explains the situation
respecting the issuance of the bonds
therein mentioned without first submitting
the same to the voters of the city for their
approval, and the necessity for some rene
dial legislation curing the irregularlty In
the issuance of the refunding bonds to
which reference is therein made.
From IN examination of the resolution