Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-10

me. 70 und IN socialism a panacea was the
insight that. granting 20 socialism as a
purely economic resort all that Is claimed
for H. which was further than 1 could go
economically ali that Rodbertus. Marx or
any apostle ever claimed. the community
would soon be again suffering from It's old
fashioned Ills through the irrational multi
p~licaton Of the species.
Frankly, socialism as popularity advocated
would be likely to promote reform IN q few
less drastic change.
In my judgment, lax socialism would
beget four appalling evils, any one OF which
would be a fate heading out more hydra
like. with woes than the existing system
1t would inevitably degenerate into
communism.
annul the invaluable spur Of individual
initiative.
9. It would annihilate the power of this
nation to compete industrially or otherwise
with leading nations.
4. 1t would subject society to a species OF
I for one believe IT democratic for the
peoples work TO be we'll and economically
done, which never occurs under multiple
headship such as popular socialism must
involve.
G. 5. BObingier's Paper.
Commissioner c. s. Lobingier Of Omaha
read a paper on The Popular Ratification
Of Constitution: Its origin, Growth and
Legal ANtNN6blNga III part bb Hulus
I'VE reach the conclusion that constitu-
tion making without popular ratification is
not alone only inconsistent with our basic
political theoTy-the sovereignty OF the
people. II is also a deliberate abandon
ment OF one Of our most beneficial institu-
lions, a valuable part of our ancient Teu-
tonic heritage and the outcome of political
effort and experiment for ages. The states
which have discarded submission are at
tempting to turn back the dial OF history
and to sacrifice the results Of twenty CEN
turtles Of civic evolution"
On Rural Highways.
W. R. Kelligar of Auburn read a paper
on Rural Highways" in which he said:
The undamen errors in the present
law Of highways are in not providing for a
general plan or scheme Of construction of
themselves immediate power over the sub
ject.
The problem OF good roads in Nebraska,
while one of magnitude, is also one of easy
s%olut.On. A simple statement of our road
mileage instantly forces one to the con-
clusion that the only practical highway OF
that every energy OF the state should be
t'rned TO the accomplishment of this pur-
pose. To bring about this reform all that
deals directly with the road and its re-
pairs should be eleminlted and a complete
eiH y a1sANIi " uhu
enacted to replace It.. This proposed law
should provide that each township or pre-
organized into ore road district and the iD5
Eabitants OF this road district empowered
az an annual meeting, which should be
provided for in the law, to determine the
amount Of money to be devoted to the
roads for the current year within the road
district; They should have the power to
make the levy for this purpose by a ma
jority vote, but. within certain limits. they
should be required to make the levy and in
should make it for them. This system Of
annual levies should be required for a
period Of years-say hve-until the roads
smaller levies should be provided for the
purpose Of keeping in repair the roads SO
constructed.
As to Road FUNDS.
This money. when collected by the county
pendsd By s me Toa Ds dPi sitq ! over nnd TO ana ma e 1I-
rectlon of the proper officer of the district.
Each township at stated periods should
elect one road overseer who should have
entire charge of the roads, and whose
compensation should be such as to make
the office attractive; he should give bond
and have the power to contract on behalf
Of the road district in all matters con-
nected with the roads, and should settle
his accounts annually with the county
commissioners and county treasurer.
Tie new plan should provide not only the
machinery of law, but specify the very kind
ticularly provide for drainage. This law
should be so framed that the burden of
constructing and maintaining all bridges
within the Township or road district, either
under thirty feet In width or under the
cost Of 500. should be upon the road district
and all other bridges should be constructed
and maintained at the expense of the
county. All damages happening from the
negligent construction of roads or bridges
by the road district should be recoverable
county at large.
Section 81. chapter xviii, OF the compiled
statutes, insofar as II provides for the
election of county commissioner by dis
tricts, should be repealed and commission
ers elected by the electors of the entire
county. This section was enacted in 1891
as a shield for the inhabitants of the out
counties against the greed for office of the
politicians Of Lincoln and Omaha. and
Sesn v tns p tha Isw Of itss ehe e act 1tt may have have
feasible on principal and the excuse for its
passage entirely Inadequate TO justify the
saddling Of this bad law on the remainder
of the state.
Too Plentiful.
In discussing Preparation for the Bar"
Prof. Charles A. Robbins of the University
OF Nebraska gave the profession a rather
severe %jolting, declaring that 1t is now
easier to become a lawyer than any other
kind of professional mar and hat the law
yer has ceased to be as a rule the most
learned man OF his community. At pres
ent. he said, the education of a doctor, an
engineer or a horse doctor is more severe
than that OF a lawyer, so far as fixed re-
quirements are concerned, and in ten years
the numerical strength OF the profession
has increased 224 per cent. whereas the
medical increase is but 81 per cent, and the
theological "a Der cent, 1t is Prof. Robbins
view that a man TO be a lawyer should have
a college education and must have a High
school education. and that while one year
in law school is better than two years
study In an ONCE, the law school course OF
this state should be heightened from two
years to three years.