The Columbus journal., 1903-03-18

Gustr,al school. S. F. "a, providing foi
roads to bridges across streams on coun-
ty lines.
HOUSE.
Instead Of taking up bills on first read
ing on the 9Th. the house. on the forti-
eth day Of the session. Immediately went
Into committee Of the whole and launch
ed into the ocean Of bills on general file.
The first two measures on general file
were II. r. and II. r. 2. both Of which
were, at the authors requests. passed
for the day. A spirited debate ensued on
a bill by Nelson CT Douglas between
Nelson and Loomis Of Dodge. The bill
compels a mortgage appealing from a
decree OF foreclosure by a lower court
to furnish bond for the rent Of the land
pending the continuance of the action In
the appellate court. LOOMS attacked
the bill as q measure calculated to work
serious hardship upon property owners
and should not be allowed to pass. The
discussion resolved itself into a heated
controversy between the two debaters.
Loomis secured tho adoption OF amend
ments destroying the effect Of the bill.
the day. but very few were read. 1t was
the last day on which bills could be reg
ularly introduced.
BY previous agreement the representa-
tives did not expect any business on
the 9TH and only a bare quorum attend
ed. As soon as roll call was completed
nearly a dozen members left the hall
and departed for their homes. The bills
introduced on Friday were read for the
first time and after receiving the spe-
on insurance Of state buildings. the
house adjourned till Monday at :. p. m.
The house convened at O'Clock on the
9Th and entered at once on bills on second
reading. Sixty-four measures. completing
the list. were thus disposed of. The house
took a recess at 4 o'clock until 7:30 when
the revenue bill was taken up. At the
first night session Of the house to con-
slider the revenue bill held friends of the
measure proved sufficiently numerous to
prevent the adoption of any material
amendments to the first twenty sections.
Sections - and 20. providing for the cleo
ton of a county assessor and for the
appointment OF deputies by the county
assessor with the consent of the board.
occasiOned the greatest debate. At the
conclusion. however. the committee voted
not to amend either section. Section 13.
enumerating property exempt from tax
alton. was amended to include fruit in
the list. On motion of Sears Of Burt
section II. relating to tax liens. was
amended that taxes should be a first"
lien. Junkins Of Gopher moved to amend
section u by inserting that property
should be assessed at 25 per cent instead
Of 20 per cent OF its value. This the COM
mittee promptly killed.
Proceeding to bills on their final pas
sage. the house on the 10th passed sew
eral measures OF Importance. H. r. 23S.
by Gilbert Of Douglas. was among this
number. The bill provides for more
stringent registration laws in Omaha.
III. r. l23. by Douglas Of Rock. removing
the two-thirds limit of Indebtedness for
railroads ard allowing them to increase
their liabilities to any amount. was pass
ed. II. r. 2i0. by Jouvenat Of Boone. in
Creasing the salary of the secretary OF
the state banking board to sc.G00. that
of the state bank examiner to 81, 900, with
5000 per annum for expenses. and prOhib-
it:ng the use of commercial paper by a
banking concern as part of the capital
stock. was passed. as was also III. r.
800. by Hathorn Of Red Willow. giving to
Russell F. Loomis of Red Willow county
- or
which he settled in Isl, and for which
H. has been unable to obtain a title
from the national government. which.
subsequent to his homestead filing. do
lated the land to be held to the school
fund of Nebraska. The house concur
red in the senate resolution to have the
committee on accounts Of expenditures
act with the senate committee to inves-
tiSate whether w. II. Clock is custodian
Of the store room by appointment Of
the legislature or secretary OF state.
The house went into committee Of the
whole to consider. first. H. r. 81. by
Riggs Of Douglas. providing a reduction
in the number Of the South Omaha
school board members from nine to five.
The committee recommended the bill for
passage. The remainder Of the day was
consumed In consideration of the reve-
nue. bill. an evening session also being
held to deliberate on this matter.
McClay of Lancaster on the 1lth in
trcduced in the house II. r. ass. in ac-
co-dance with the request preferred by
Governor Mickey in a special message.
to appropriate $l0.0O for the paving of
the south and east sides Of the capital
square. The house then went into COM
m:ttee of the whole on the general rev.
enue bill. The committee amendment
reducing the tax on the gross receipts
of foreign surety companies from per
cent to 1 per cent was not adopted. The
taxation of Nebraska insurance compa-
mes the amount Of reinsurance and can
ceilatiOns was opposed by Mockett on
the ground that the same exception had
not been made in the taxes of outside
companies. Loomis defended the amend
ment as a perfectly fair one. and II was
adopted. The bill as prepared provides
for the taxation of all Nebraska insur-
ance companies except fraternal ben
eficiary associations. and mutual COM
panies that operate on the assessment
plan. have TO capital stock. and make
no dividends Loomis offered an
amendment to strike out the words
that operate on the assessment plan,
have no capital stock and make no
dividends" Mockett and Sears spoke in
opposition to the amendment. as did
McClay. and Loomis vigorously defend
ed II. The amendment was adopted.
Nelson Of Douglas offered an amend
ment increasing the tax on foot ped
diers from s to SO. on peddlers with a
one-horse vehicle from SIS to $es. and
on peddlers with a two-horse vehicle
from s2S to $40. The peddler question
was debated for an hour along the old
familiar lines. after which the amend
ment was adopted. Rouse followed this
with a substitute fixing the tax for
foot peddlers at SIS. pctdlers with a
cre-horse vehicle at $50. and with two
horse vehicles at $15 This is the tax