Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-01-09
Reminds Members of Necessity Of Making
Appropriations with Care
DIRECTS ATTENTION TO REVENUE LAWS
Necessity of Providing Some Means of
Reducing States Floating Debt
OTHER IMPORTANT MATTERS TOUCHED ON
Retiring Governor Also Addresses
Legislature on Matters of Admin
neutrality-suspicious. for
Coming Biennium.
(From a san Correspondcntl


is no longer humiliated with Ezra F.
Savage as its chief executive. His official
/ light went out this afternoon with final ex-
| tingushment before the joint session OF
the legislature convened to witness the
/ Inauguration of John II. Mickey as gov
ernor.
! The two governors presented a notable
contrast in every respect and although the
/ crowd in attendance. which fairly filled
both floor and galleries, listened with pa
thence to the addresses Of both outgoing
and incoming executives, there was visi-
! bic emotion of relief when the lengthy
! communication of Governor Savage had
| been completed and the formal oath ad-
| ministered by Chief Justice sullivan that
| marked the beginning of the term of the
| new governor.
! Governor Savage began to read his mes
! sage at 2:30 o'clock and did not finish II
| until 345. During the entire hour and ff-
| teen minutes that he was talking the leg
! islators sat in restless silence and gave
only faint applause at the conclusion.
| Governor Mickey was heartily applauded
and his twenty minute talk received moro
rapt attention, to say nothing of more IA
vorable appreciation. On the few points
| which he touched in common with his
predecessor Governor Mickey almost in
variably disagreed with him in his con-
| clusions and recommendations His reme-
| dies for the problem presented by the
complicated conditions Of the states rev.
enues are along different lines from those
suggested by Governor Savage.
Points of difference.
Governor Savage attacked the supreme
| court commission ferocously and insisted
that it is no longer necessary, while Gov
ernor Mickey recommends its continuation,
| with six instead nine commissioners, until
some provision can be made for enlarging
the membership of the supreme bench.
! Governor Savage asked the legislature to
| submit to the people the question OF call
! ing a constitutional revision by the SUBJ
mission of an amendment permitting future
| amendments to be voted on at any general
/ or special election instead Of as now at
the biennial elections of legislators only.
| Governor Savage decried the demand for
the rebuilding OF the Norfolk Insane asy-
lum, asserting that all the insane wards OF
the state could be amply cared for by the
| existing institutions, while Governor
Mickey specially urged an appropriation to
e-establish the burned asylum at Norfolk.
Governor Savage wanted the auditor and
land commissioner abolished as a part OF
the state executive family, while Governor
Mickey asked that these officers be
strengthened by the creation Of the state
accountant audit and check up all the
vouchers and bills of state institutions.
The characteristic feature of Governor
Mickey's inaugural 1t struck upon his
auditors was his full realization of the re-
| sponsbilities assumed by him along with
his official duties. Every word and sentence
seemed to be an eaTnestness Of purpose and
his invocation of divine help in the dis
charge OF new duties reflected the deep re-
I lot Of he
Verdict on savaEe's Message.
So far as the message OF Governor Saw
age 10 concerned the general verdict is that
it is an admixture OF good bad and in some
cases ludicrous propositions. His discus
sion of the school fund investments is an
apology for the methods employed, with
his sanction in purchasing securities
through middlemen to knock out profit at
the expense of the taxpayers He repeats
the story about the state board being un-
able to pay premiums on bond purchases out
OF the school fund in spite Of the fact that
they have been paying premiums right along
out of this fund in the purchase OF regis
tered state warrants. His remarks about
eliminating municipal franchises by throw
ing the doors open for the use Of city
streets by public service corporations in
discriminatory on condition OF a royalty on
gross earnings sent a Lllter AROUND the
room as did likewise his recommendation
that the ofices OF auditor and land commits
soner be struck out Of the constitution.
In general his recommendations for reduc-
tion Of expenses by Topping of supernumer-
airy employees appealed to common sense,
but even here his Inconsistency was exhib-
tied when he urged additional appropria-
tion for the game wardens food inspectors
and oil inspectors. II Is worthy OF note
that his big heart" had to be brought into
exhibition when on reading his recon-
mendations for the abolition OF the Sol
diers' home at Grand Island he referred to
i the fact that within a few years the last
survivors OF the civil war will have dissp-
peared. and accompanied the rendition by an
outflow of tears.
Hostile TO Organized Labor.
A significant part OF the Savage pronun-
ciamento is its undisguised tone Of hostility
to organized labor unquestionably emana-
ting from his close contact with John N.
Baldwin OF the Union Pacific and the emer-
gencies arising out Of the Union Pacific
strike. Through Governor Savage the re-
quest was made for an increase in the state
militia ostensbly for the purpose Of pro-
tecting property rights, but really to over
awe organized labor and to place at the
disposal of the big railroad companies
an armed force paid by the state. The
same antipathy to labor is unconsciously
exposed in the recommendation that the
Bureau OF Industrial statistics be done
away with and its functions made TO de-
volve upon the State Banking board the
State Board OF Agriculture and the Depart
ment OF Instruction. The Bureau OF In
dustrial Statistics ever since its inception
} has been regarded as an adjunct to or
ganized labor and has been presided over
by member Of some trades union through
out almost the entire period. II the work
J performed by this bureau were apportiOned
as the governor advises the banking board
would take care OF the bank statistics the
Board OF Agriculture the farm statistics
! and the superintendent Of public instructlOA