Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-03-01
Governor Mickey Persistent in Urging
that Action Be Taken.
HUEE AMENDMENTS CONTEMPLATED
sweesy Of Adams County Has a judicial
ReappOrtionment Measure.
WOULD LEGISLATE SEVEN OUT OF OFFICE
Pharmacy Board shows Legislature
it Was Mistaken In ResoIutio~
Regarding Accounting
for Fees.
tFrom Stan correspondsnt1

From a Stan Correspondsnt1
LINCOLN, Feb pecial)-AIthough
the session is far spent. there is every
probability that the present legislature will
not adjourn without effecting or trying to
enect, plans for needed amendments to the
state constitution. The house committee
on constitutional amendments will meet
Monday and perhaps arrive at some definite
decision to the character OF procedure
1t is probable that the idea OF constitu-
tional amendments will prevail over that
Tor constitutional convention. The lat
ter proposition is now pending before the
senate in the form of a resolution. hut 1t
does not seem to have gathered to itself
substantial support.
As was indicated by his interview pub
lished in The Bee, in addition to his inau-
gural message, Governor Mickey favors the
submission of constitutional amendments
TO the ratification Of the voters rather than
the proposition for constitutional conven-
tton. He has been in consultation with the
committeeman in the legislature having
these matters in hand and urged his recon-
mendations with them.
1t appears that the governor and the
committeeman, at least a good many OF the
latter, are agreed that at least three
changes should be made in the organic laws
OF Nebraska. These are in the number of
members OF the supreme court increasing
them from three to five or seven; plans for
the safe investment of the permanent
school fund and the increase in the sala-
ries of state officers. In the proposition
concerning the supreme court It is also
urged that the members should be paid at
least $1,000 year, as IL is held this would
have a tendency to induce eminent jurists
to accept places on this bench. Governor
Mickey is especially desirous that every
wise provision be made to insure the best
possible character and talent for the high
est tribunal in Nebraska And 1t appears
his sentiments find ample approval among
members Of the legislature.
LenEthenins OaiciaI Terms.
In connection with proposed constitu-
tional changes there is a demand, how
great f. cannot be said, for the extension
of the terms of state Fenators and rep
| resentatives from two to four years. Ger
tain members OF the house committee on
constitutional amendments have advocated
this proposition and may urge Il before the
remainder of the committee. Sweezy
of Adams, speaking of the matter this
morning. said:
II am convinced that our state would
profit il the men elected to make the laws
COulu serve hiSLeaQ OF Two years.
The average legislator serves but one term
and is out of office really before he
reaches his highest stage of usefulness to
the state in this capacity. realize that
such a change as this would strike the
mass Of people. at first, as too radical, but
1 believe it is right and would be SO re-
garded IL the people would give it their
best consideration"
Already bills have been introduced In
the house and senate providing for changes
in the ballot law so as to place constitu-
tional amendments at the top instead Of
the bottom of the tickets, thus insuriLg
better results at the general elections. Ex-
perience has taught that as rule a vast
number of voters overlook OF for some
reason fail to vote on constitutional
amendments when they appear at the bot
| tom of the ticket. As has always been the
case in this state. This is given as the
reason for the failure of passage Of the
constitutional amendments which already
have been submitted to the people OF Ne
braska.
New Judicial Districts.
Representative sweezy of Adams has
completed his bill for the reapportion-
ment Of the judicial districts in the state
1t makes some interesting changes. Leav-
! ing the number of districts, fifteen, the
same, it cuts down the number of judges
| from twenty-eight to twenty-one, taking
one from the Third district and one from
/ the Fourth. The Third district Is com
| posed entirely OF Lancaster county, with
! Lincoln as its center, having three Judges
| and the Fourth OF Douglas, Washington
| Sarpy and Burt, with Omaha as its center
! and total OF seven judges. Thus Omaha'a
! district would. under the sweezy bill, have
six judges and Lincoln two. Every other
district in the state is left with one Judge
| each.
The bill eontemplates reduction of the
district court expenses. Including P4laries,
OF course, of $4,000, and is designed to
| give each district, as near as possible, 65,-
| 900 inhabitants. OF course the Fourth
district exceeds this number very ma
terially. The districts under this bill are:
First-Richardson, Pawnee, Gage.
SecOnd-Otoe, Cass, Nemaha, Johnson
FouFthIDouslSs. Washington. sarpy
Fifth-seward. York. Polk. Hamilton.
| sixth-saunders, Dodge, Cunning. CoIfax.
Seventh - Saline Jefferson, Fillmore
Eighth-Thurston. Dakota, Dixon, Cedar
Wayne, Pierce, Knox.
| Ninth-Platte, Madison. Boone. Stanton.
Tenth-Nuckolls, Webster, Adams, Clay.
EleVenth-dall, Howard, Merrick, Nance,
Valley, Greeley.
| T'welfth-Dawson, Buffalo, Custer. Blaine
! Thomas, Hooker, Grant. Logan. McPher-
| son, Arthur and the unorganized territory
| adjoining
Thirteenth - Lincoln, Perkins, Keith
! deuel. cheyenne, Kimball, Banner, SCOTS
/ Blum, Sioux, Dawes, Box Butte.
Fourteenth-Kearney, Phelps. Gosper
/ Frontier, Hayes, Chase, Dundy, Hitchcock
| Red Willow, Furnas, Harlan.
Fifteenth-Holt, Rock, Brown, Keya
| Paha, Cherry, Sheridan. Boyd. Loup, Gar
! tory adjoining.
J This is the second judicial reapportion-
/ ment bill before the legislature. Warner
Of Dakota is the author OF the one In the
senate. 1t reduces the total number OF
judges only three. Neither bill has the
sanction of all the judges. II any. in the
state. And there is a great deal OF oppo-
! stion to them from ouside sources. The
/ argument, especially from the western end