Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-04
Bee, Jan. 3, 1901
The ONLY EXCLUSIVE DRY GOODS HOUSE IN OMAHA
y. =. a. BUILDING. con- 10TH AND DOUGLAS

with which you deal witt. them will de.
pend, In large measure, the continued
advancement and welfare of Nebraska.
Too much of our legislation is built upon
help me and I'll help you" between legls-
lators. Log rolling Is notorious In almost
every legislative hall and all the way up to
the national halls of congress. The lobby
exerts undue influence. As a result of these
things we have mass of iil-considered
laws. the meaning of which is obscure
many contradictory, and when submitted
to the test of constitutional intcrpreta-
ton, utterly fail and become null and void
We need fewer rather than more laws
The legislators who will repeal large num-
Der of laws now upon our law books, which
are, and have been for years, dead letters.
and Will strip others of useless verbiage
which tends to obscure their meaning and
clothe them In language so plain that the
''wayfaring man, though simpleton. need
not err therein and I'm the enactment Of
the few needed laws frame them plain
and direct that there can be no room for
any quibbling as to their meaning, would
earn for themselves memorial tablets from
their grateful fellow citizens.
Many laws passed by the legislature
would fail of enactment If the voters and
| taxpayers of the state had the opportunity
of expressing themselves upon their
desirability before they went into effect.
| If every law had to pass the test of popular
| approval the number of statutes would be
much smaller than 1t is now and the en-
easy task. Purely partisan measures would
] be unknown and the occupation of the
| lobbyist would be at an end. l believe IL
would be to the great benefit of the state
| If all acts of the legislature, except
| emergency legislation for the maintenance
| of public business and institutions, were
| submitted to the ratification of the people.
| The material growth and advancement of a
state depends in no small degree upon the
character of Its laws II .he people them
| framing of laws for their government the
laws would more generally be in accord
| with their needs.
/
The state treasurer reports a balance on
| hand at close of business November so.
| 1900, of $6l5,Ols.34. The bonded indebtedness
Of the state has been entirely paid and a
| This you should transfer to the general
| fund and authorize the treasurer to credit
any further moneys. coming into that fund
to the general fund. No further levy for
| the sinking fund has been made. but some
back taxes upon that fund will be collected
from year to year. Our floating Indebted
81! ,5O9.72 The school fund has invested in
nl65, 762.l2 of this. amount. which has
put 1ne M "P1n sasn
maintenance of our state institutions are
concerned. The interest arising from these
warrants goes. INTO the temporary. school
| fund and is distributed again to the tax
payers through the school fund apportion-
ment. The treasurer. very justly remarks
| that thorough revision of the revenue
laws should be made, or an amendment
authorizing levy of mills for the general
fund fund @ instead cad of o since the present levy
thereby increasing, rather than reducing
our floating Indebtedness To my mind a
just assessment is much more preferable
than an increased levy. Our present levy
OF mills would be all sufficient If ouI
assessment was what II should be. The
states educational funds are invested In the
| securities designated by the constitution tC
the amount of 81, 1865, ,54i.6 So. Each year finds
II more difficult to secure investment foi
these funds in the securities required by the
constitution. The constitution should bs
amended, allowing a larger scope for in
| vestment OF the states educational funds.
| 1 concur in the recommendation of the
treasurer, reducing the interest upon stat,
warrants to per cent. This VIII enable
| these warrants for the school fund invest
| ment. The present condition of the states
finances, az compared with even recen
| a date as four years ago. must be a sourc,
| of congratulation to the citizens OF Ne
braska. Should this condition continue. you
best efforts must be used and your wisdom
propriat'ons within the limit Of the lev,
permitted by law
Election of United states Senators.
One of the most important duties whicl
senator's TO to preI MebrasRa eias in tS
senate of the United States. The ex
perience of our own state as well AS tina
Of other states, In times past. recalls to u
the difficulty attending this duty. Sec
tionalism. individual preferences, business
interests and many other factors enter int
would be much smplifed, and those chosei
to that high Office more representative |
the people themselves chose them by direc
vote. The time of the legislature. whicl
is really too short for the careful con
sideration Of legislation. IS taken up am
the too often long drawn-out struggles II
the election of United States senators
Crave suspicious are aroused in the mind
of the people that money exercises undu
influence in these elections. Illy-considere
legislation is placed upon the statute books
All these grave evils would he eliminate
by direct election by popular vote.
l would recommend that you memorializ
congress to submit a constitutional amend
ment providing for the election of senator
by direct vote OF the people.
The state officers and the heads of th
nd @ basne
management o. the state and the needs q
, the departments for the next bienniun
J ness ability with which the affairs of tn
state have been managed and their recon-
. mendatlons should receive careful cor
{ For your guidance IN making appropria
tions for the next biennum for the severe
2 Institutions of the state, | have had pr
4 pared and herewith submit Il table shown
e the exact cost of maintenance of each II
Years; A careful scrutiny linz OF of this his tab
5 you'd you'd be most correct guide in maxim
recessa to brden Won % d1 not cyiew SseW
the work done at each of these public II
: stitntions. but take pleasure y saying th'
|
conscientious regard for duty.
The work done by the labor bureau IL
The past biennium as shown by the repo
OF that department, Is OF great value
the labor interests of the state. | con
| mend to your attention the recommend
tions of the deputy labor commissioner !.
embodying ideas which 1t would be wise Z,
you TO incorporate with the duties of Il
department. | would certainly deem IL III
wise to abolish this department
Relief for the supreme Court.
There are row pending in the supren
court of our state l,709 cases, and Il
: number constantly Increases rather this
decreases, Ii no new cases should be I'll,
: and the court should make the same pro
: ress in adjudication they have been ab
70 make In the past II would require mo
than three years to clear the court dock,
As matter OF fact. under these conditio
: the supreme court Is regarded as the ton
\ In which lies buried the hopes OF litigan
\ awaiting a very indefinite resurrection,
\ would suggest that your honorable bot
: empower the supreme court to call to
\ aid any number of district judges in Z
I state, not less than ten. With this assis
7 ance the court would be enabled to Gle
7 the docket In u reasonable time, and hayi
\ II once clear. and with an increase in [
I number OF judges 1t would be enabled
\ keep IL so.
: III every state was as Well provided
\ proportion to its population with "A nation
\ guard as efficient as Nebraska. the genei