Omaha daily bee., 1899-01-24
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SENATE.
Two Appropriation Bills Passed and
Sent on Their Way,

Two Appropriation Bills Passed and
| Sent ON Their Way.
! LINCOLN, Jan. 23.--(Special.) )-Lieuten-
| ant Governor Gilbert's gavel did not call the
upper house to order until 11:25 o'clock. The
| only members absent at roll call were How
ard OF Hamilton and Farrell OF Merrck
Proceedings dragged while the senate
| waited for the noon hour to ballot on SEN
ator for the sixth time.
The following new bills were introduced:
S. F. 19S-By Newell: An act entitled
IAN act to amend section 8. chapter xii OF
the Compiled Statutes Of Nebraska Of 1897.
| entitled Chattel Mortgages"
S. F. 199-By Fowler: An act entitled
| IAN act to amend section AIS Of the Code Of
| Civil Procedure"
s. F. 2O0-By Prout: An act declaring
bicycles to be baggage and providing for the
| carrying Of the same by railway companies
and common carriers.
S. F. 201-By Prout To amend sections
65S. $780, 661 and 662 Of the Code Of Civil
Procedure. .s.. ..
Under bills on third reading H. r. 113, to
appropriate $4,000 for payment Of the sal
aries of members and employees Of the legis-
lature, was read. Without waiting to vote
on this bill the secretary proceeded to read
H. R. 121, to appropriate $4,000 for Incl
dental expenses, until stopped by Talbot Of
Lancaster, who said under the constitution
the vote must be taken Immediately after
the third reading to be legal.
The president thought the senator from
Lancaster was taking a serious view Of the
matter
II do replied Senator Talbot. 'It is Sc
rious to me. as 1t Is where l get my pay
and want the bill properly passed."
Consequently the bill was placed upon its
passage and received thirty Affirmative
votes. The president declared the bill passed
with the emergency clause.
H. r. 121 was then read and passed by
unanimous vote and the Journey of the two
appropriation bills through the legislature
was completed.
After the joint session the senate took q
recess till 3 o'clock.
The senate reconvened at 3:15 o'clock.
When petitions were called for a long pc
tition was presented by Reynolds Of Dawes
asking support for the bill before congress
for equal suffrage
s. F. 50, with slight amendments, was
placed on general file. S. F. 20 was also
placed on general file.
The following bill was introduced:
8. F. 202-By Rookie: To amend section
Is Of article III, chapter xviii Compiled
Upon motion OF Currie Of Custer, T.. H,
Leslie was named as clerk Of the judiciary,
committee. Miss NJ. r. Emerson. stenog-
rapher, and George z. Prosser, engrossing
clerk.
Upon motion Of Talbot of Lancaster the
printing committee will have $50 1899 blue
books printed the committee to decide upon
the copy for the same. and to give the
president and each senator FIVE copies each.
The senate then went into committee Of
the whole with Prout Of Gage in the chair.
S. F. 12, by Miller OF Buffalo, was again
considered. The bill provides against plat
ting encumbered lands into city. town or vii
lage lots. Upon motion Of Miller of Buffalo
the committee agreed to report the bill
back to the senate with recommendation
that 1t pass
s. F. II, by Fowler of Fillmore, provid-
ing county treasurer's seal, was passed
for the present.
s. +. Is. by Prout Of Gage. was next con-
sidered. 1t provides that county boards
shall pay all costs in cases Of misdemeanor
as we'll as felony when the county attorney
approves the same. The bill was held for
further discussion.
s. F. "a. to amend procedure in Jury
trials. by Talbot OF Lancaster. was the next
bill on general file. Amendments reported
by the committee not having been printed
this bill was also postponed till later
sitting.
S. F. 27. by Talbot Of Lancaster. next
received the senate's attention. Senator
Talbot said the object of the bill was to
make 1t obligatory upon courts to ask juries
to return verdicts passing upon questions Of
fact in writing. He thought it would pre-
vent "dragnet" verdcts and cause juries
to arrive at conclusions OF fact more nearly
in their verdict.
He moved that the bill be reported back
with a recommendation that it pass
Hannibal of Howard Thought the present
law leaving this in the discretion OF the
court was all right.
Van Dusen thought there was no urgent
necessity for this recommendation and that
the people were not demanding it, He
thought the bill was in the interests of
defendants in personal injury suits He
said Kansas was the only state having a
law Of this kind, but we do not want to
follow Kansas. even though the latter has
been redeemed.
Talbot OF Lancaster said the republicans
OF this state tried hard last fall to redeem
Nebraska. as Kansas had been redeemed and
would nave accomplished the redemption
had Douglas county done its duty like Lam
caster. Gage and other counties. He thought
all parties should have equal protection
under the law. II was not a law for partic-
ular litigants. II the Jury will find the
facts the law can easily be applied
Hannibal OF Howard still stood ub for the
judges and said they never refused to sub
NIT questions to the jury in his county. lie
SAID courts had no more rights now than
necessary.
Van Dusen OF Douglas believed juries
wonid be confused by list OF questions |
Would they know the effects under the
law OF the answers? He did not believe in
taking this discretion from the impartial
court and placing It In the hands OF
partial lawyer No good reason for the
change had been given. He moved as an