Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-06
BILL AIMS AT A FAIR COUNT
Senate Substitutes Its DIVA for the House
Recount Measure.
DOES AWAY WITH ALL PARTISANSHIP
Secretary of State, Assisted by n Conn
mission of six Named by the
Governor, TO Have Charge
of the work.

LINCOLN, Feb. Especial Telegram.)-
The majority in the present legislative
assembly has for an entire month been play
ing a game of politics, and 1t Is Only today
That the end is in sight. The proposition &c
recount the ballots cast for the constitutions
amendments at the last general election has
been considered solely from a political point
of view. The populists, from the fact that 9
successful recount would give them tive
places on the bench of the re court
undertook the task in hand with the evident
purpose OF forcing 1t along party lines, as
Stunning in advance that the republican
minority would oppose them in a partisan
manner. The action of the republicans In
the house justified the assumption of the
populist leaders. They refused all ~proffers
of compromise. They even sacrificed four
of their number rather than to assist in any
manner the program of the majority.
The necessity for the appeal to partisanship
has been apparent only because of the evil
dent purpose of the majority TO recanvas>
the votes in star chamber by a partisan COM
mission. The recount bill, as it was forced
through the house under the whip,
offered no guarantee that the integrity of
the constitution would be preserved. Moth
ing but the well established reputation for
justice and fair play enjoyed by Speaker
Gafin and Lieutenant Governor Harris stood
between the constitution and the possibility
of outrage. But il the house passed the re-
count bill while laboring under the i%ntoxica-
ton OF partisan power, the calm soberness
Of the senate has come to the rescue and
eXtricated the populist party from an en-
barrassing dilemma. While the populist
leaders have expended all their strength upon
the house bill, men like Lieutenant Governor
Harris, Senator Gondring of Platte, Senator
Mutz of Keya Paha, Sena.6r Bcal Of Custer
and Senator Ransom of Douglas have resisted
the demands of the more radical.
The result Is that the senate has placed
the recount proposition on a nonpartisan
basis. The recount will be made, but 1t will
be made by a nonpartisan commission in a
manner which will hardly raise the objection
of republican opposition.
REoRGANIZES THE MEASURE.
The house will hardly recognize its pet
measure after it has passed the senate. In
fact but little of the house bill, aside from
its number and the e~nacting clause, will
be left. The senate bill is the result Of two
sessions of the committee on constitutional
amendments and two caucuses. At the first
meeting of the constitutional amendment
committee Senator Gondring expressed his
opposition to the house bill. He was ably
seconded by Senator Murphy and Senator
Evans, the republican members of the COM
mittee. The committee held it's second meet
ing Wednesday afternoon Of the present
week and after a free discussion it was
tacitly understood that the main features
of Senator Gondring's opposition should be
supported in the senate by the entire COM
mittee. Senator Gondring's first idea was
that the recount should be conducted by a
nonpartisan commission, the secretary of
state to be eX-oficio a member of the body,
Governor Holcomb to appoint two and Chief
Justice Post the other two. Senator Gond-
ring further insisted that the recount should
ho mazda In tha foirpSt nnScib1n nannar CO
that the people of the state should be thor
oughly satisfied with the result. To this
end he suggested that but one county should
be taken up at a time: that as soon as the
vote of that county was canvassed the bal
lots should be sealed up and the result an
nounced.
The plan was referred to the caucus which
met at the Lindell hotel last night. The
whole ground vas gone over carefully and
the imperfections of the house bill fully ex-
posed. AS a result of the deliberations of
the caucus a committee, consisting OF Sem
ators Ransom of Douglas, Gondring of
Platte and Beal of Custer, was named to
prepare the amendments decided upon by
the caucus. The committee was ready to
report at noon today and when the senate
adjourned at IL o'clock Senator Watson
announced another caucus to be held at the
Lindell hotel at 2 o'clock.
1t was 5 o'clock this evening when the
caucus adjourned and the senators returned
to the capitol. No time was lost in making
public the caucus action. Senator Gondring
at once moved that the senate proceed with
the consideration Of house roll No. 5. The
motion was agreed to. Then Senator Ran
som sent to the secretary's desk the caucus
amendments, and after they had been read,
moved their adoption. The senate amend
ments practically constitute a new bill,
nothing being saved from the wreck of the
original but the number, the title and the
enacting clause.
MEAT OF THE NEW BILL.
The new bill contains twelve long sec
tions and the manner of making the recount
is specified down to the most minute par
ticular. The first section directs the clerks
of the several counties of the state to forward
to the secretary Of the state within five days
after the approval of the bill all the ballots
for and against the constitutional amend
ment, also all poll books and abstracts OF
votes cast for senators and representatives.
The second section is the important one of
the bill and as follows:
THE secretary Of state, together with six
disinterested electors, who shall also be
freeholders of the state, not more than two
of whom shall be of the same political faith
or party allegiance, to be appointed in writ
ing by the governor of the state Immediately
upon the taking effect of this act, shall be
and constitute a board of canvassers to in
spect and count the said ballots cast upon
the question submitted to the voters of this
state at said election relating to an increase
of the number of judges of the supreme
court and fixing their terms of Office; also
to compare the said ballots and poll books;
also to determine from the poll books and
ballots and abstracts the number of electors
who voted at said election; also to determine
from the ballots the number of electors who
at said election voted for senator's; also the
number of electors at said election who
voted for representatives; also the number
of electors at said election who voted for
both senators and representatives; also to
determine the number of electors at said
election who voted for and also the number
voting against said proposed amendment
relating to an increase of the number of
judges of the supreme court and fixing their
terms of office. Which said board of can
yassers shall, as soon as ii has ascertained
and determined the foregoing enumerated
facts, make a report In writing to the gov
ernor of the state. setting forth concisely,
and clearly the facts as
found by them and any other fact
required to be found and determined
act, and shall forthwith deliver such report
in writing to the governor and also file a
thereof In the Office Of the secre-
tary OF state. If upon the report of said
board to the governor, 1t shall appear that
said constitutional amendment relating to an
increase of the number of judges of the
supreme court and fixing their terms of
Office was adopted according to the law the
governor shall Immediately issue his procla-
nation to the effect that the same was
adopted as an amendment to the constitution
OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE BILL.
The minor provisions of the caucus bin
require the board to canvass but one county
Il = Ill.,. INanh .nAV,hAr >f thA l-..l A. 4