Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-04-05


SCENE IN HOUSE over charges made by
Christie I'm connection with the dover
right bill
(From a stan CorrespondentD
LINCOLN, April 4.-(special Telegram)
The submission OF no constitutional
amendments by this legislature is the prob
able outcome of a resolution submitted to
the bouse by Swcezy of Adams, which pre-
cipitated the first clash of the session be-
tween the house and senate. The affair
transpired at the uight session, which
closed shortly before ~ O'Clock. The house
6nished its days work at 1l:40 and the
senate at 1l:30. Each ditched all OF It's
respective bills not advanced by the re-
spoctive sitting committees leaving only
house rolls in the senate and senate files
| in the house, enough, however, officers OF
| the bodies say, to prolong the session until
| Friday night. Fully $50 house hills and
| nearly 100 senate files toll in the debris
| The clash between the house and senate
arose when the senate returned Sweezy's
| hill. which cut into he rates for print
! ing constitutional amendments. amended
| so as to restore the old rates. lmme-
! dia,ely Sweezy arose and offered a -esolu-
! tlon providing that the house nonconcur in
] the senate amendment and that 1T be the
sense" of the house that Unless the senate
recede, no constitutional amendments be
submitted by this legislature. by an over
whelmng vote The resolution was adopted.
! The senate was informed OF the house
action and refused TO yield When this
word came to the house Gilbert of Douglas
moved hat the house recall It's vote on the
! Sweezy resolution. he, ougas OF Rock
and oomis OF Dodge seemed to strike the
| keynote when they paid that while the
SRoeAy oil might nave been merltorious, It
| was not as vital TO tho state as cer-
! tain constitutional amendments proposed,
| SweeZy's resolution was referred TO as
| boys play The opposing argument was
! that the state mad expended great deal
! OF money in futile attempts 10 secure
changes in ITS original Nv and there was
no more assurance now of carrying any Of
these amendments. A constitutional con-
veution was preferred anyway The Gill
! bert motion was lost.
| Notwithstanding this situation, the SEN
ate proceeded TO pass five constitutional
/ amendment bills and transmitted them to
the house, where they we're read for the
first time. Sweezy is supported in his
action by yhe large farmer element ct the
house, which is known TO be iLimical to
the constitutional umeniment measure pro-
/ yiding for increases in the salaries OF the
judges Of the supreme court. II this resolu-
tion stands, and 1t seems II will, the
Mickey, who witnessed the proceedings in
the house expressed the hope that some
reconciliation could be effected. He thinks
the state is in great need OF constitutional
amendments whose passage he thinks is
assured II the new ballot law is enacted.
Howell Turns Trick.
Senator Howell has stolen a march that
will make the county surveyor Of Douglas
Z
him the sweeping powers of controlling all
improvements of roads. bridges. etc. in
cludng making OF estimates, plans and all
details. Howell accomplished the coup by
tacking onto II. r. 9s an amendment max
ing II apply to Douglas as well as Lancaster
county. These provisions are contained
in this bill. The house concurred in the
senate amendments without knowing what
they were. That is how Howell succeeded
in doing precisely what the Douglas county
men In the house opposed when the bill
was under debate in the house. Warner of
Lancaster is author of the bill. the in
quiry has facetiously been made:
Does Howell, who is a civil engineer
by profession, expec. to become county
surveyor, or has he some other design OF
that kind?"
Howelrs futile attempt TO secure for
himself the position Of commissioner OF the
water board created under his act COM
pelling Omaha to buy the waterworks,
gave rise to the inqulsitiveness as to his
motives in this case.
For Beneht of Railroad.
: S. F. 2O2, by President Protein Hsrri-
\ son OF the senate, interpreted as a bill to
relieve the Union Pacific OF school taxes.
r will have a fight 10 get through the house.
The bill confers on the county clerk the
authority OF levying the school taxes fixed
q by the voters OF the district and provides
that this levy shall not exceed rs mills.
, II then compels the school boards. at their
annual meetings to anticipate an itemized
v expense account for the year and pro-
!, vides that the clerk shall make no levy
except where such itemized statement Is
r submitted, also that no expenses incurred
, outside Of this list shall be paid from this
levy. It is said there are over seventy
+ school districts in western Nebraska whose
|, school taxes are almost II not wholly, paid
by the Union Pacific, which Is practically
n the sole property owner This bill. II ID
Il urged was introduced for no other purpose
\ than 20 afford a means FOR the Union Pacific
10 evsde a little more taxes, as it Is plainly
j recognized that the provision as To the
n itemized expense account a. the hrst OF
!. the year is impractcable II not impossible
/ OF operation.
n In this connection IS recalled The grand
d stand play made by John D. Baldwin wheu
the effort was being made TO pass a bill
], for local taxation Of railroad terminals
q Mr. Baldwin fought II. II. III and H. r.
p 800 on the ground that they would result
IT In detracting revenue from the small srhcol
districts He made great 40 over thS
solicitude OF the railroads tOg taess THrnl