Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-27
LEGISLATION IN PROSPECT
senator-B Elect Hall Talks Of Some Of the
Probable Bills
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION PROJECT
Supreme Court Commission, Torrens
Land TITLE system and voting
Machines other Subjects for
LeEisIa lures Confederation.

Provision for submitting TO the people
the question Of whether Nebraska should
hold a special convention to alter the con-
s%titution is one Of the matters which SEN
ator-elect NJ. A. Hall believes will como
before the next legislature for considera-
tion. other matters, he believes, will be
the supreme court commissioner arrange
ment; provision for a system Of direct
primaries; the installation Of voting ma
chimes; the adoption Of the Torrens system
OF land transfers; the passage OF the
"scavenger" bill to make possible a reader
disposal Of dead" taxes: provision for an
Inheritance tax; and changes IN the pres
ent methods of court procedure.
81 mention these" said Senator Hall,
mot as matters which l have planned def
nitely to bring up myself, nor necessarily
as projects that l favor, but merely as
topics which seem general with members
Of the next legislature and which seem
ripe for consideration.
1.-THE constitutional convention is Of
course the most debatable project. This
incoming legislature can do nothing more
toward it than make provision for submit
ting to the people the proposition to hold
such convention. Il will devolve upon the
succeeding Legislature to arrange the final
details and prepare the way for the people
to elect delegates TO such convention,
which, numerically, will be of the strength
Of the house Of representatives. Nor can
this convention take final action. 1t can
only submit proposed changes in the con-
s~titution to the people, who must approve
such changes by an Affirmative vote of two
thirds the total number Of ballots cast at
that election.
VIII BE Tedious Proceeding.
This seems a tedious proceeding, but by
their failure to carry the amendment sub
mitted on the ballots of the election of a
month ago the people of Nebraska go tied
their hands that until this proceeding is
gone through with there can be but three
supreme judges, and we must continue in
effect some such expedient as our present
commissioner system. The two-year terms
of the nine commissioners expire in the
spring, so that this next Legislature will
have to tako some action, and l think It
wholly probable that provision will be made
for continuing the commissioner system
until such time as the number of regular
Judges can be sufficiently increased to en-
able the court to keep up with it's work.
'In this connection another demand
seems to be for a provision that will place
a substitute on the supreme bench when
one of the regular three justices giving an
important hearing has previously been in
terested in the case as a trial lawyer"
zone hundred other matters have been
urged upon me by one hundred different
people in the past two weeks" continued
Mr.. Hall, but l have promised support to
none Of them. l will say, however, of the
proposition to install voting machines that
will, l assume. be represented before the
the more l investigate them the more /
H. 49,. - 10, - -,fa, a. 49, 4.
correspondence with manufacturers who
next legislature.
IT am giving considerable attention also
to the Torrens system of land transfers,
originated In Australia, but adopted with
satisfactory results in Massachusetts,, Illi-
nois, California, Minnesota and Canadian
provinces. Under this system title is prac-
tically passed upon and guaranteed by
the state instead Of by an individual.
After the states experts examine a title a
certificate is issued by the state and such
certificate is absolute. settling for all time
thereafter the title up to that date, with
reliable registration of every claim against
the property.
Facilitates Realty Deals.
THE use Of the land as security is facIli-
tated under this system, for after title is
once passed upon one can execute a
mortgage in a few hours instead OF days
or weeks and the mortgage can be abso-
lutely sure Of his security. The cost will
be reduced to IS to S25 from 800, which
Is a normal cost nowadays when m
tion of abstract is required. A. ". Critics
of Chadron, w. l.. Hand OF Kearney and
r. d. Upton constitute a committee ap-
pointed by the last legislature to investi-
gate the Torrens system. The report is
now on hle at the state house and the
matter will no doubt com up early for
consideration
1.-THE '~scavengers' bill l referred to is
such a one as they have in some other
states, enabling treasurers of cities and
counties to wipe of the books taxes that
are known to be impossible of collection
and so save the expense OF the clerical
work required in carrying them forward
from year TO year. I understand that
the Omaha city treasurer is now burdened
with nearly $1,000 600 Of such worthless
accounts upon his books.
II have heard urged also that there be
passed a law requiring frequent publica-