Omaha daily bee., 1898-11-29
ADVICE TO THE LEGISLATURE.

western Nebraska will insist upon a reap
portionment Of the state as regards senators
and representatives. As the districts are at
present constituted the western half Of the
state has a decidedly cold deal. The terri
embraced In the Fifty-fourth repre-
district Is by all fairness entitled
to at least two members, II not three.
Red Cloud Argus. A general demand Is
going up for a revision OF the ballot law
In so far as 1t relates to the form Of the
ballot. The present ballot is a fraud and wss
designed to facilitate machine" voting. 1t
was too rank for Governor Holcomb and
he refused to give the act his approval but
allowed 1t to become a law without his
The original Nebraska ballot was
all right and 1t should be re-established.
Hastings Tribune: If any change is to be
made In railroad freight rates by the COM
ing legislature it should be made upon
specific lines and for carload lots. II a re-
duction can be made on grain, cattle, hogs,
salt, lumber and coal the people for whose
beneht the change is proposed will be the
gamer. A reduction all along the line Of a
freight tariff schedule would benefit but few.
A conservative reduction upon a few COM
modities would not materially harm the
railroads and would be a little relief to the
agriculturists.
Minden Gazette: The populist legislature
fixed the ballot law in such a way that the
names Of their candidates appeared Upon
the ticket three or four times. Now let the
republican legislature change 1t SO that no
mans name shall appear but once. II q
populist convention endorses a democratic
nominee let it go Upon the ticket under the
n N ~ thn arx, s,.ht,l. r~ala ~. ,1v.sra-
ton first. The present arrangement not
only makes a cumbersome thing Of the bal
lot but Is thoroughly unfair to candidates
who are not willing to sacrifice their man
hood and ignore political principles for the
sake Of getting into office.
Auburn Post: 1t is to be hoped that the
coming legislature will give us a decent.
intelligent and common sense ballot. Ne
braska's first Australian ballot was the
most intelligent and common sense ballot
that this or any other state ever had. BY
that ballot each voter had to vote for each
man that he wanted. There Is no more sense
in putting a candidates name on the ticket
for the same office from two to four times
than there is for a pig to have two or more
tails. Give us the old ballot and give us the
sample ballot ten days before election and
dShd Will udNc tuC iuOol luAuO SCAoc
ballot of any Of the states.
Geneva Signal: Whether the republicans
carry Nebraska In 1900 will largely depend
on the conduct Of the legislature this winter.
II the legislature will elect a senator
promptly when the constitutional time ar
rives, make a few alterations in the ballot
law, make the necessary appropriations and
pass a few measures that the people at large
agree would be desirable and then adjourn
promptly, without in the meantime hiring
a horde Of clerks for whom there is no work
the republicans will sweep the state two
years hence. We will admit that the pro.
gram is a stiff one, but the stiffness is Of
the kind that will bring success.
Stanton Picket: Something should b.
done to give the voters Of Nebraska a ballo'
more simple in its form and more easily
understood than the present blanket concern
which c~onfuses alike voters and election
boards and at the same time offers the hes
Of opportunities for fraud to those through
whose hands the ballots must ultimatel!
pass. No doubt but that the incoming leg
~islature will take steps In that direction, bu
1t is doubtful II any measure to that enc
can escape the veto power Of the man VIII
Is credited with doing nothing, right o.
WIOuk, lAdl WIZ SOSI LAS oAS WV I'll,
who will WELD the veto power after Janu
airy /.
Grand Island Independent: 1t is a notori
| GUS fact that our system Of assessment Is
| farce. AS The Bee suggests, 1t offers a pre-
| MUM on wholesale perjury and an incentiv
for the corruption of assessors. The evasion
Of taxation by the owners Of personal prop
erty Is so general that practically the entir
A.. h,,.Inn Ro11o IMAM thu nunor0 NJ rpQ
| estate. The owners Of mortgage loans an
men who have money to loan seldom max
| any returns for taxation. while the mort
gagged farm or town lot Is compelled to con
tribute through the taxgatherer the shar
| that should justly be charged to the none
lender. Here is one thing and an importan
thing to which the legislature should CIV
| its earnest and best attention.
Seward Reporter: One OF the importan
subjects that will engage the attention o
the legislature this winter is amending tn
| election law so as to provide for a bette
form of ballot. The present ballot wa
adopted by the last populist legislature wit
the especial desire to facilitate voting
straight party ticket, which 1t was though
would benefit their party. There is no par
ticular objection to this feature OF the bal
lot. but there is a very decided objection t
printing the names Of one set Of candidate
three or more times on the ballot To 8
amend the law as to do away with this an
at the same time give each candidate tn
benefit of all nominations he may receive
the task to which the legislators must ad
dress themselves. The single column ballc
accomplished this, but 1t was open to 9TH
objections, and a return to that form woul
not be altogether satisfactory. To devise
form Of ballot that will be equitable to a
candidates and all parties will pc haps be nc
an easy task, but the wisdom OF the re
publican majority will doubtless be equs
to the occasion.
Broken Bow Republican: 1t is reporte
that there is considerable uneasiness anon
the occupants Of the state house relative
the probable action Of the coming legislator
over the expenditure OF the $4,000 appre
~priation by the soft-snap committee. 1t
noticeable that each member Of that com
mittee was either turned down by the cor
vention where he sought a nomination {
defeated at the polls on election day. tn
voters put their stamp OF disapproval upo
the members Of that from tn
county. Senator Otoe MUTT met the SAN
fate in his district and his disapproval b
the people is making the state officers VII
were connected with 1t sweat under tt
collar. What will a republican legislator
do with them for being q party to the lal
ceny Of $40. 900 from the state Is the questio
the populist state officers are now shakin
- L.. hN1kr ah1tt mill hn rnnpa ~