Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-15
COUNTING In AN AMENDMENT
Neatnoss and Dispatch with Which the
Feat Was Accomplished,
LITTLE BIT OF NEBRASKRS HISTORY
How the Assembly of 1855 Arranged
Matters ana Provided for sixty
Instead of II Forty-Dny
Session.


The members of the legislature have not
succeeded up to the present time in work.
ing up anything bordering upon the sem
sational. Many bills have been introduced
in both branches, some of them important
and far-reaching in their effects; but as
none of them have as yet come from tho
| hands Of the printers consequently
few members have had an opportunity to
study the proposed legislative reforms
| There is one BILL however, the purport OF
which is fully understood In both houses.
This is the bill proposing a recount of the
| ballots on the constitutional amendments.
| Members of both houses fully realize tho
work cut out for them by this bill. The
| bill provides that the votes on the amend
| ment must be counted and reported TO tho
| governor on or before February To- That
! leaves but thirty days. But neither house
has passed the bill, and, assuming that 1t
will become a law without encountering the
! delay of a determined opposition, 1t cam
not reach the governor for his signature
! earlier than some day next week. The bill
is still in the hands of the printers, 1t
will have to be considered in committee,
! then reported back to the senate, run the
gauntlet OF the committee of the whole
there, and, after 1t has passed, must be en-
crossed and enrolled and then presented to
the governor All these movements con-
sumo time. 1t is generally conceded that
IL will be n difficult matter TO find the votes
necessary to declare the amendment car
ried Still, the task is not necessarily q
hopeless one. 1t has been done before.
ONE AMENDMENT CARRIED.
In 1884 the people voted down, apparently,
an amendment to extend the legislative term
from forty to sixty days. 1t was generally
conceded that the amendment failed; but the
history of the legislature, which met In jan
uary, 1885, developed otherwise On January
g. 1885, after both houses of the Legislature
had been organized and the joint convention
had assembled to canvass the returns, the
legislative amendment was duly declared
lest. II was not until the life of the legis-
lature had nearly expired that the members
realized just how short a legislative term OF
forty days really was. On February 10, SEN
ator Vandemark of Saunders county was
seized with an Inspiration. IT. took the form
of joint resolution. providing for a re-
canvass OF the votes on the legislative
amendment In two days the Joint resolu-
tion YVES passed. 1t went to the house and
was passed on February 26. Two days later
it received the official sanction OF Governor
Thayer and became n law. The recanvass
WIS conducted by Secretary of state Laws
and Auditor II. A. Babcock, assisted by
Senators j. X. VandeTmark and Paul
Schmiuke and Representatives Frank Il.
White and w. H. McOann. The work was
finished in a surprisingly short time. The
polling books and ballots from the several
counties were forwarded to the state capt.
tel, the votes were carefully recounted and
five days later the canvas5ing board was
ready to make it's report.
On the evening of March l. the two
houses met in joint convention to canvass
the votes. The results surprised the ex-
pectatons of even the most sanguine friends
of the amendment. 1t was reported that the
amendment had received 70 .497 votes. The
vote against 1t was %, 1876. Then 27,77i
voters failed to express choice and l6,Ola
were generous and voted both for and against
the proposition. The total vote on the
amendment was 13S 423 when the total vote
on the amendment is compared with the
total vote cast for state officers on the same
day the results are somewhat startling.
Hero Is the total vote on the state ticket:
On governor, 1866; lieutenant governor.
1873 90S secretary of state. 1874 ,l39; treasurer.
1874 0SS; auditor 134, ,O39; attorney general.
1874 O56 commissioner of public lands and
buildings 1874 233; superintendent Of public
instruction, 1874 ,094. For the first time in the
history of the state more votes were cast
for a proposed amendment than were cast
for any Office on the state ticket. The
declaration made by the joint convention on
January 8 to the effect that the legislative
amendment had not carried was by formal
vote rescinded.
DOUGLAS COUNTY CONTESTS.
The Douglas county contests are develop
ing more interest as the session grows
older. The attempt Of the republican minor
ity in the house to force an immediate re-
lection Of the claims of the contestants has
brought the cases to the surface, and they
are now in the legislative swim, The house
committee on privileges and elections met
tonight to map out program for action.
The committee on privileges and elections
held is first session this evening, all the
members being present but Representative
Schram, whose Illness prevented his attend
ance. An informal discussion of the method
Of procedure was first held, and then the
work on the contests was mapped out. 1t
decided to ask the house to adjourn at
noon tomorrow until noon Monday. If the
house agrees, an open meeting of the COM
mittee will be held tomorrow afternoon, an
other In the evening. one Saturday fore
noon, and. If necessary, one Monday morn
ing. An attempt will be made to dispose OF
the case and make a final recommendation
Monday afternoon, but the time of the hear
ings will be extended indefinitely II the
merits of the case demand It. One thing
may lead to delay. The committee proposes
to subpoena George w. Holdrege and interro-
gate him 10 the charges made by con-
tesants that passes were used with which
to bribe large numbers of voters. The ef-
feet Of railroad participation in politics will
be studied in the light OF the testimony
which the committee hopes to elicit from
Mr.. Holdrega.
The briefs of the contestants were filed
with the committee today John Jeffcoat has
been occupying a seat on the floor of the
senate for two days and John o. Yeiser has
been lowering around the fringe OF the leg
islature for about the same length OF time.
There is, likewise. a cloud OF attorneys from
Omaha, who are doing their best to stand
around In an attitude that implies simple,
di5interested motives In the cause OF elective
reforms. The brief sets forth the following
grounds, upon which the contestants base
their claims for seats In the legislatures
!. Seven hundred and fifty foreigners were
made voters by bribery and Induced to vote
Tor the contesees for the cost of thelr nat
urall2ation papers.
g. a $4,000 corruption fund was expended
by the republican party and Its allies in
Douglas county alone to secure the election
of Its nominees, by the uso of which money
II brlbed and purchased n greater number
OF voters than would be necessary In num-
Der TO change the result OF the election.
3. Intimidation and coercion of employees
on the part Of corporations and moneyed In
stltutions.
T. Interference of railroads by giving free
passes to votcre absent from Douglas
county on condition that they would re-
turn and vote the republican ticket.
DO LITTLE BUSINESS.
EhOrt Ia Dispense with "a RepubIican
EmplOye the Main Thing.
LINCOLN, Jan. H.-(Special)-After the