Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-01-31
Some Members of Both Houses Oppose
and a Hot Fight Results
LOOKS LIKE A DEADLOCK AT ONE TIME
Sears of Burt Forces the Issue by Clever
Move in tie House
WATER WORKS BILL READY FOR GOVERNOR
Real Estate Men Express Faith iu
Final Passage OF Taxation Amend
ment to the Omaha
Charter.

CFrom a STAFF CorrespondentO
LINCOLN. Jan 30-(Special TelegramD
After an all-day hght in house and senate
the legislature late this afternoon decided
that when il adjourned tomorrow it be
until Monday. February .. for the purpose
of giving the joint revenue committee time
in which to complete its work of framing
revenVe bill
Not since 1t convened, January G, has
anything stirred the animus OF the legis-
lature as did the debate on this question
today. Those fayoring and those opposing
adjournment pressed their contentious with
relentless vigor and II there were Interior
motives on either side they certainly were
well concealed
In the house Sears OF Burt Douglas OF
Rock Thompson of Merrick, Sweezy OF
Adams, Wilson OF Pawnee ano Loomls OF
Dodge, all members OF the committee to
frame the revenue bill, with Rouse OF Hall,
Kennedy OF Douglas Spurlock of Cass and
others, led in the fight for adjournment,
while Ten Eyck OF Douglas. with many
others, championed the opposite side. In
the senate Harrison of Hall and Brown OF
Keya Paha were the leaders for adjourn
ment and Howell of Douglas. O'Neil of Ian
caster were the opposing leaders.
The senate and house each refused twice
to concur in fixing time for adjournlng
and il looked as IL the deadlock waE to
last indefinitely. until Sears OF Burt, in
the house brought the matter to a crisis
with one Of the cleverest schemes that
doubtless has been witnessed n either body
for many a session. The house having
refused to adjourn until Monday February
?, because IL would not afford suficien.
time for the work at hand and until Febru-
Z arv Il hp
senate having stubbornly refused to con-
cur in anything the house did. the Burt
county man introduced a resolution pro-
viding that from such time as the house
adjourned until February 8 all regular or
der of business under the various headings
observed daily, be dispensed with aud all
members filing applications with the clerk
be excused from attehGnpce. This natu-
rally would have had the effect of bringing
matters to n standstill in the house. News
OF the resolution was Immediately trans
mitted to the senate and before the house
had time TO vote on the matter It was ad-
vised that the senate would concur in ad-
journing until February g. which question
was put to the house and carried and con-
Cured in by the upper body.
Time is Needed.
Members of the special house revenue
committee pleaded that it would be useless
for, them to undertake a revision of the
revenue laws OF the state unless gwen until
February 9, at least, and insisted that It
would be a gross injustice TO force it to
attempt the work in less time. Some of
the argument used by Ten Eyck and others,
who opposed the long adjournment, was
that If the committee could not do its work
by next week that individual members
should take hold of the matter and intro
duce their bills.
/ Certain members of the house special
committee remarked privately. during the
fight, that unless they were granted the
time asked for they would request re-
lease from the committee and allow the
matter assigned to them to go back to
the house. Sears made a statement as
follows in the lobby Of the house just after
! having introduced his resolution, in Lam
guage which denoted his intense feelings
lin the matter:
This effort to prevent adjournment is
simply the work of that combination of
influences that are opposing revenue re-
{ vision"
! Yet recognized railroad men in both
house and senate led in the fight for ad-
journment and as II is a we'll known fact
that the railroads are against revenue re-
vision their part in todays affairs becomes
all the more mysterious. Whatever the
Significance OF today's fight with reference
/ to the attitude of the railroads may be
! II is evident the corporations have decided
not to show their hand for awhile at least.
Kennedy was the only Douglas county
member who voted for the weeks ad-
! journment Nelson OF Douglas was chair
man Of the house committee to act with
the Joint senate committee in determining
tho lime Of adjournment, and urged that
~ 'ay. February 2. be decided on.
Get Down To Business.
The Joint revenue committee tonight got
down TO business II went over the first
four sections Of article /, chapter II, com
| piled statutes Of Nebraska Section !.
relating to property taxable, and section q
relating to school land assessments. was
amended. AT present Il provides for the
assessment OF the money invested in school
lands and the proposed change is 10 tax
the land on its value less than the amount
owing 10 the state. Section T. providing
for the assessment OF property at its full
cash value, was not changed, and while
action was not taken on II, II will doubt
less stand It is, with a new enforcing
clause.
Fight on Charter Revision.
II Is hard matter 10 determine the rate
OF the Omaha real estate exchange bill to
compel the railroads TO pay their Just
share OF municipal taxes in Omaha The
railroads are bending every EFFORT 10 defeat
this measure. and there Is no use evading
the fact that they are welding a potent
influence.
Yet the Omaha Real Estate exchange men
and their attorney J. II. Mcintosh. are not
cast down. but take a decidedly hopeful
view OF things. Before leaving for Omaha
today Mr. Mcintosh was asked what he
thought OF the chances OF success. He
said.
Il am confident that II the members OF
this legislature address themselves with
sober and impartial thought to this meas
, ure in all its parts and effects II will pass,
and ! want 10 insist that believe they
will do this. ! am not one OF those who