Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-28
ACOlsy Of Lancaster Changes Front and
Votes with the Majority.
olNT MEMORIAL SESSION FOR MORTON
Governor Mickey Makes Principal Address
iu Eulogy Of Dead
OLD NElGHBoRS TELL OF HIS WORTH
state Legislature Adopts Fitting
Memorial TO the OriEinator of
ArbOr Day and Honored
Citizen.
CFrom a stan Correspondent

(From stan Correspondent)
| LINCOLN, Feb. 27.-CSpeeial TelegramD
The committee on cities and towns has
4 finally decided on its report on house roll
I $50. the bill giving TO every municipality In
| the state the right to tax directly the rail-
road terminals for city purposes rive
members Of the committee voted TO in
definitely postpone the bill and three to
| recommend it for passage. Those repre-
tenting the majority are hcClay OF the
I city of Lincoln, Roberts OF Fremont. Ferrar
/ Of Grand Island, Cropsey OF Fairbury and
! Cassel Of Nebraska City while the minority
members are Gilbert and Nelson Of Omaha
and Sweeney Of Hastings. Every man on
/ the committee comes from a city which
would be vitality affected uy his bill, and
/ every man comes from city which Is per
sistentlY demanding the passage OF the bill.
The two Douglas county members and Mr..
\ Sweeney have devoted the last week or
more to pleading with associates on the
! committee. trying TO get them in line on
! this important measure, but no further
hopes OF this are now entertained. The
| only hope Ii to vote down the majority re-
| port in the house and have the bill placed
| on general file. 1t is thought that about
next Tuesday the reports OF the committee
will be submitted.
McCIay Changes Front.
! In voting to kill this bill McClay has re-
| pudiated his former declarations and taken
a stand against his own bill. house Ioll 200.
/ which he introduced some time ago and
which is in the essential provision a coun-
| terpart OF house roll $50 II will be re-
membered, too. that at the FIRST OF the ses-
| sion Mr.. MeCiay unbosomed himself in a
/ speech on the floor OF the house as one OF
| the most rrdent champions of the PROPOSE
| tion to tax railroad terminals for local pur-
poses. In that speech he vigorously de-
| nounced the railroads for not paying their
Just proportion of city taxes and commit
| ted himself une4uivocally to the promotion
OF legislation which would correct this
wrong. His speech attracted more atten-
tion than any that has been made In the
legislature this session on this question.
! and now his radical change OF front nat
uraIly attracts notice and invites general
comment.
| In explanation Of his changed attitude
Representative McCiay said:
Il have changed my course because the
people Of Lincoln who were advocating this
sort OF a measure at the FIRST OF the ses-
sion are not in favor OF it now. COM
mittee from the commercial bodies OF this
city waited me to inform me to this ef
feet. do not intend pushing mg bill for
This reason.
II is a fact that while no doubt the
popular sentiment of Lincoln is still favor
able to equitable railroad taxation. some
Of the men who were most active In adVo-
eating these measures at the outset have
taken a different position. Their change
was wrought after a certain meeting held
in Lincoln and has always been regarded as
rather mysterious. J. H. Ager, the Bur-
lington pass distributor. was secretary OF
that meeting and II has always been the
general impression that such interests as
Mr.. Ager represented influenced the change
of heart which was brought about in
the men back OF this tax commissioner
scheme in Lincoln.
This movement is a new one in Lincoln,
SO IL is commonly said, and while the peo-
pie who have given It their attention are
for it. they are certainly not as emphatic
and aggressive in their advocacy as are the
citizens Of Omaha who are pushing It. Yet
It is evident that from a popular standpoint
Lincoln is for just this thing.
Pay Tribute 10 Morton.
The house and senate convened in joint
session at o'clock this afternoon TO pay
tribute TO the late Hon. J. Sterling Nor
,on as a special order. in compliance with
| q resolution introduced yesterday IN ths
, house by Cas3eI Of Otoe. The ceremonies
. which were deeply impressive. lasted for an
hour and a half. At the conclusion, at
3:25, the house and senate dissolved the
Joint session and adjourned in respect 10
;he memory of the deceased statesman
|, The floor iobbies and galleries were niied
with spectators, many Of whom were friends
/, and neighbors OF the late Mr.. Morton from
his home town. Nebraska City and vicinity.
Governor Mickey was the principal
speaker. He read his euloEy from manu-
script. The governor paid an eloquent
and effective tribute TO Nebraska's dis
, tinEuished dead. He portrayed in strong
and beautiful diction his sterling qualities
as q citizen, statesman soldier and scholar.
" Nebraska has never known a resident more
useful or honorable. His impress had been
. indefibly stamped upon the state and ma
tion and his fame and honor ran even
beyond the limits Of his own country. He
was known and admired by the people OF
foreign nations To the domestic life OF
Mr.. Morton Governor Mickey paid the most
beautiful tribute. He pictured It As ideal
and pointed 70 the prominence and integrity
, OF his children as indication Of his splendid
example. His famous home. Arbor Lodge
, at Nebraska City, the governor and other
speakers pointed 10 as the monument 70
an ideal domestic felicity. Governor
! Miekey's address was listened 10 with rspt
, attention and manifestly was received with
deepest feeling.
Others who spoke were Representatives
Cassel and Jones OF Otoe, MeClay Of Lam
caster. spUrlosk OF Cass. Sears OF Burt
Loomis Of Dodge and Senator Wall of Buff
y falo.
Governor Miekey's Address.
Governor Mickey said
. Nj Speaker. I am deeply impressed viii
I With the sacred memories Of this hour, se
/ : apart as IL h In reverent honor OF the ufs
[ ! and character Of one who had a greal
1 share IN the evolution Of Nebraska anc
D ! vEhnsa nersnnalitN end genius have left AZ