Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-01
SNAP SHOTS AT LEGISLATORS.

from drawing salaries and introducing bills
the good which 1t has accomplished could no
be found with a microscope.
Tobias Gazette: what have the people o.
Nebraska got to show for the money spent
during the first month of our legislature? w
would like to be informed what has beer
done OF value to us as a state.
West Point Republican: The appolntees
of the legislature have reached the limit sci
by statute. In this respect the populists are
no Improvement upon the much-abused re-
publican legislature. The wave of reform
has not yet begun to bear fruit.
Pouca Journal: A member Of the reform
atOry aggregation at Lincoln seems to think,
like the father who chews tobacco, but de-
MICS his son the habit, that the use Of rail-
road passes is highly injurious to any one
excepting state officers.
Kearney New Era: The legislature has
adopted a. rule excluding lobbyists from the
floor OF the senate and house. II there was
only some way to exclude them from the
state capitol grounds the welfare of the
state at large would be benefited thereby.
Custer County Chief: We hope to see
the present Legislature pass a law making Il
compulsory for insurance companies to pub
lish annually in each county in which they
do business a statement Of their condition.
This law is already in force in some states.
Grand Island Independents: There is talk
among the Legislators at Lincoln OF provid-
Ing for the appointment Of an insanity COM
missioner who shall, from time to time, ex-
anime the patients in the hospital to see If
they have not been cured. 1t would be an
other opportunity to deal out political pap.
Custer County Beacon: Straub of otoe
has introduced a bill in the legislature to re-
duce the price of telegraph messages to 20
cents for each ten words and 1 cent for each
additional word. There is nothing unjust
about this bill, and its speedy passage will
be hoped for by a large majority OF Nebraska
citizens.
York Times: The people of Nebraska have
a right to expect economy and reform from
TINS popullst administration, not wind. empty
professions and broken promises. Wait
for the economy and keep your eye open
Tor the reform. 1t will not do for them
to go on doing the very things they have
so severely denounced in others.
North Platte Tribune: The present Ne
braska legislature is composed largely of
armers but they seem to forget that the
repeal OF the sugar and chicory. bounty law
viii affect the farmers more than any other
class. The legislature should stand up for
Nebraska and the farmers by building UP
instead of tearing down the beet sugar and
chicory industries.
Minden Courier: A bill to reduce the pay
OF state and county officers is before the
legislature and the sentiment seems to be
favorable TO its passage. If the times are.
going to remain as they now are the legis-
lature Will be recreant to its duty If it does
not pass it. Economy must be the watch
word. Expenses should be cut down in
order that the people may contribute more
literally to the maintenance and formation
of trusts.
Crete Democrat: 1t is to be hoped that
the legislature will not lose its head and
forget what it was elected for. 1t should
reduce the salaries of all county officials and
That paid the appointive offices, in almost
every instance, and cut down expenses at
all public institutions, cut off unnecessary
Offices, amend the ballot law, repeal the
sugar bounty, get through before the sixty
days are up and adjourn.
Schuyler Herald: There seems to be a
strong probability of a law passing the pres
ent legislature fixing the limit of the sal
airy of any county official at 81, 200 per year.
This would make quite a cut in the salary
or some of our officials, but after all, it is
pretty good wages when you consider the
prices at which the products of the farms
are selling today. There will be no lack of
applicants even if the salaries are reduced.
Wood River Interests: A bill has been
introduced in the legislature requiring that
the treasurers OF townships and school dis
tricts shall be required to publish, at least
once a year, a report of the financial condi-
ton OF their Office. This measure should
have a place upon our statutes. The fire.
quent defalcations and shortages of these
otiicers would in a great measure be obviated
ii they were required to show their hand to
the inspection of the public at least once a
year.
Blair Pilot: The Nebraska legislature has
Deen In session one month, or nearly so. We
iail to find one thing of special Importance
that that auRl2t body has done. True, it
has introduced sHveral hundred bills, the
greater part of wLlith will never again be
heard from. 1t has al Used Senator Thurs
ton how to vote on the siiiAr question, and
it goes without saying that a liberal appro-
prlatlon mas been made for tie salaries Of
the members. The usual numbef II clerks
has received appointments, but so far as
concerns the people we fail to find srv
progress made.
Albion News: The News desires to go Oh
record as opposed to the reduction Of sal.
aries of county officials as proposed by a
Dll introduced in the legislature. We don't
want cheap men in the several county of
ices. 1t would be the poorest kind of econ
omy. While there would probably be
abundant aspirants for the offices at the re-
duced salary, they would surely be of a
lower grade OF talent. No man would as
plre to an office which paid less than he
could earn in other walks of life. OF course,
there are some cheap men elected as it Is,
but that is because the people don't use
good Judgment at the ballot box. Let the
salaries alone.
Papillion Pines: Three weeks ago, when
the Times called attention to the fact that
the senate committees had been appointed
in the interests Of the corporations, we were
laughed at by many wiser men, but today
every democratic and populist paper in the
state admits the truth of our charge. Thanks
to The publicity given to our charges, the
honest element in the senate has united. and
we believe the corporation senator's will not
be allowed to do much harm. We are graft
fed that we have been able to unmask the
corporation tools and that the press of the
state has killed the corporation combine by
exposing it to the public eye.
st. Paul Press: The bill to do away with
the deficiency judgment In case of loans
on real estate Is being discussed by the press
Of the state. We don't see why it would
not be a good idea. In the first place, If
the property mortgaged has so decreased In
value that 1t is insufficient to pay the debt,
there is no reason why the mortgage should
not suffer a portion OF the decrease in value
as well as the mortgagor his whole. And
second, there is seldom an instance where
the MORTGAGE Is able to get more, and only |
cripples and discourages the mortgagor for
the balance of his life, which Is no adyant-
ago to any one and a detriment to the well
fare Of the community and state.
North Bend Argus: A bill has been in
troduced In the legislature to make 1t OBJ
~llgatory on all school district and township
treasurers to publish an itemized statement
In some newspaper annually. 1t seems to us
that this would be a good law. The ex-
pense to the district or township would be
nominal and each and every taxpayer would
have an opportunity to study out the ex-
penditures at leisure. A statement
made at an annual meeting is seldom salts
factory in that there Is no time given for