Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-04-06
Much disappointment and Disgust Mani
fest Over the Affair
GOVERNOR TAXES A DEEP INTEREST
Urges Legislators to Use Judgment and
Act on Amendments
MAY OTHERWISE CALL EXTRA SESSION
Members of Lower House who Oppose
Any Amendments Take Advnn-
tRge OF Incident to Block
Their Passage.
lFrom a SIAN cnrresnnndentl

(From Stan Correspondent
| LINCOLN, April 5.-(Specia!.) lis the
state OF Nebraska to be put to the expense
and annoyance OF an extra session OF the
legislature in order that the personal
whims of a few Legislators may be graft
! hed?" That is a pcrtineat question In
view of the action OF the house and senate
last night in establishing r deadlock over
the Sweezy bill reducing the rates for
4 printing constitutional amendments a
resolution was adopted by the house de-
claring IL to be the sense of that body that
unless the senate receded from its action
| in voting down the Sweezy bill no constl-
! tutional amendments lhould be submitted
to the people by this Legislature. The dead
! lock remained when adjournment was tnken
shortly before midnight and so far as is
known will remain.
great deal OF disappointment and dis
gust is felt over the affair, Those who
were deeply interested in seeing this legis-
! lature pave the way for necessary changes
in the organic law of the state feel that
! the episode last night was mere boys play
and that reconciliation should be ef-
fected at once. Governor Mickey, who was
a spectator in the house during the pro-
cceding, takes great interest in the affair
and has expressed the earnest hope that
| the deadlock may be broken and the bust"
ness of the state transacted. 1t is not al
together improbable that unless this is done
| the chief executive will call an extra ses-
sion Of the Legislature to have the matter
Of constitutional amendments acted on.
Views of the Governor.
Governor Mickey. IN speaking Of the situ-
alton, said:
l lrpo led IN
what the legislature will do, but / hope
some concessions will be made. We all
recognize the fact that one OF the prime
| objects OF this legislature was the sub
mission to the people Of constitutional
amendments. subject to their action at the
polls at the next election. think II was
quite generally agreed that the constitution
needed certain changes. The demand for
/ this legislation seemed tpvbe quite general
and feel certain that It would be grave
mistake for the legislI ture to fail or refuse
to respond TO this popular demand"
! "Will you call an extra session II the
deadlock is not broken?" the governor was
asked.
well, / have not gone far enough TO
decide on that or give out any definite
statement" was'h his reply.
In view OF the deep concern felt by the
governor, It is believed that unless the
legislature rescinds its action he will de-
eide to reconvene It in extra session.
1t seems to have been universally agreed
that at least three amendments should be
submitted to the people; one to provide
| an enlargement in the membership of the
supreme court and an increase In salaries,
another provide for the safe investment
Of the permanent school fund and third
| to enable the legislature to increase the
salaries of the state officers. These three
have been urged by Governor Mickey as
very important. They are all embodied
in bills pending before the legislature. The
sweezy bill to cut down the price OF print
ing constitutional amendments is said to
be not half as vital a measure as might be
thought. A gentleman who is quite familiar
with the present conditions points out that
a proper enforcement OF the present law
would subserve the interests OF the people
very we'll: would accomplish what sweezy
says his bill eontemplates. saving in this
direction. Sweezy complains that the
amendments need not be printed daily as
has been done and It is pointed out by an
other that the law itself does not require
IT, Section /, article iv OF the constitution
says: "Such proposed amendments shall
be published once a week in at least one
newspaper i'll each county, where news
paper is published, for three months i'm
mediately preceding the election" etc.
Opposition TO Amendments.
sweezy claimed that If his bill had been
in effect in 1896 It would have saved to the
state s75, ,OOO He and others who are op-
posed to constitutional Tevislon-for Il Is
fact that this episode Is but the SEN
satlonal elimination of determined op-
position against any sort OF proposed
| amendment-argue that as previous at
tempts to amend the organic law have
failed II must necessarily follow that fu-
ture attempts will fail and that too, as
previous undertakings of this kind have
entailed heavy expense to the state. so any
further experiment will be expensive. But
as was pointed out on the floor Of the
house last night by Douglas, Loomis and
Gilbert It need not necessarily follow that
future efforts to secure a successful vote
On proposed amendments must fail because
previous ones have. especially II the pro-
posed ballot reform law passes, as 1t prob
ably will This, II has been urged. will
not cnly have the enect Of removing the
possibility OF faiurc, but OF insuring the
success OF any attempt to revise the con-
stitution.
The question was asked Mr.. sweezy II
he thought his law Of more vital im-
! portanee TO the people Of Nebraska than
certain changes IN tneH blal6 CONSTITUTION.
This was before the senate had acted on
the house report He replied that he did
not, but that he had resorted to this course
only to force the senate in line as he felt
il would do and then the business Of the
state could go on. But the senate proved
less tractable than was thought It would.
The truth Of the matter Is there is
very pronounced opposition in The house
to the proposed amendment raising the
salaries Of the judges Of the supreme court
and the proposition, originally suggested
by the governor. TO make it possible for
the legislature. by a three e-fourths or two
thirds vote, TO increase the salaries OF the
state ofhcals This element 10 against any
raise in salaries and consequently against
any constitutional revision. Therefore II
hnds In the sweezy resolution pretty good
|