Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-02-23
This is Done in Order to Head Of Regular
Committee Opposition.
ATE OF THE MEASURE IS UNCERTAIN
Indications that the Railroads Are Playing
Game Under Cover.
WORKING NOW WITH THE FUSIoNIsTs
Predicament of the Douglas County
DeleEatiOn f. Causing Much
Merriment for the Other
Members.
CFrom q stan Cor,r.nnndantN

From Stan Correspondent
LINCOLN, Feb. 22.-(speoial. )-Ths crv
Of wolf has been heard so often in con-
nection with the introduction Of the rev.
enue Dill that when the committee gives
out the assuring statement that the bill
VIII be introduced in the house Monday
everybody seems to be from Missouri But
II really looks like nothing could stop the
Dill now 1t is completed and every plan
has been made for its presentation to the
lower branch of the legislature. The idea
Is to introduce the bill at the afternoon
session tomorrow, when all the members
VIII be present 1t will be submitted ss
the product Of the joint committee ap.
pointed by the house and senate to frame
such a measure.
1t Will be recalled that the house rev.
enue committee was ignored when the work
OF drafting this important bill came I'D and
special committee named from that body
to act Jointly with the regular committee
from the senate. There is therefore some
sore feeling on the part OF some of the
members OF this committee and Il is little
doubted that they would like nothing bet
ter than chance to hang up the bill But
! they are very likely to be denied this priv
| llege as the plan is to have the bill 20
| directly to the general file, passing over
the heads of the regular revenue commit
| tee, to which II would be referred TO IL
! referred to any
1t is hardly safe TO venture a prediction
as to the course Of the bill or its fate
| after reaching the legislature. 1t Is known
\ from the gentlemen themselves that some
OF the revenue committeeman are dissatis-
fed with certain provisions Of the meas
ure and would like to have an opportunity
| of amaDdfnc
| from the start, was OF the opinion that
nothing but fragmentary revision should be
attempted, is not in sympathy with tho
entire bill, though admitting that there is
| much to commend in II. He took excep-
| tons, when, in his absence, the committee
| decided to slip in a goodly part of the Kan
sas revenue bill and not until last week
| would he consent TO meet with his col
leagues on this account. Mr.. Douglas and
others further object 10 the method of as
sessing franchised corporations, as adopted
within the last few days. So that II the
bill is torn to pieces after It reaches the
house there will be little surprise.
Position of the Railroads.
What the railroads intend doing about
the measure is not certain. The Union
Pacific has made known its endorsement
! of the bill and 1t is naturally supposed Il
meets the approval OF the other railroads
interested 1t was, OF course, the original
position of the railroads that revision bi
| the revenue laws was unnecessary but
since they were unable to wholly prevent
| revision, they have done the best they
could toward having the old laws revised
favorable to their interests and the Ques-
tion is, Have they not succeeded so ad-
mirably as to make opposition to the pas
sage of the bill super1uous? II they have
not. then they still have resources from
which to draw in trying 10 defeat the bill
Within the past week the presence at the
Capital City of such well known and astutt
democratic politicians as Benton Maret
and Jim Dahlman has given rise
to the story that the railroads
were endeavoring to line up the fusionists
against this bill and the Omaha tax com
missioner bill. They cannot hope to Sc
cure all their strength from the ranks o.
the majority and the wisdom OF workinI
among the fusionists has become apparent
TO them. The fusionists have kept mum al
to what they intend TO do. Their leader Il
the house, Loomis Of Dodge, was one o
the most active and useful members o
the revenue committee and II is supposed
that II the bill meets his approval. he ma!
exert his influence TO bring his comrades II
line for the bill.
Amused at Douglas Members.
Another interesting situation in the leg
islature is the position OF the Dougia
county members on H. r. $780, The mem
bers themselves don't seem to know Jus
what they ought to do. With the pAnde
= monium OF appeals for support from thei
, constituents sounding IN their ears, opei
> opposition to the bill they certainly mU1
realize would be a fatal political move, still
for some reason they certainly are faiterin
! !n their espousal OF the cause which thi
measure represents. This complex situa
tion is furnishing a good deal OF amuse
ment to other members OF the house an
senate.
Nelson and Gilbert OF the house commit
tee on cities and towns will, as was state
IN The Bee submit a minority report toda
on the South Omaha charter bill opposin
the Roberts amendment providing for tn
tax commissioner exemption clause. 70
which they voted the other night whom tn
committee unanimously recommended tn
bill for passage.
This clause is precisely the opposite @
H. r. $50 and the two Douglas county meT
, in giving their explanations for their for
mer action. recognize the fatality OF sup
/, porting Il.
This week, with so many important meas
ures on and pending ought TO be mos
sventful one in the history Of the twenty
eighth session Of the Nebraska legislature