Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-04
.EClLTON FOR EXTRASESSION
Lieutensn. Governor Favsrs Plan for Call
ing Legisia ure This Winter,
ONLY WY TO AMEND CONSTITUTION
senate Endorses Proposed Amend
ments at Last session, and House
would surely Come 60 Agree
ment if Rcconvened.

You can quote me as being enphaticaliy
in favor of an extra session OF the legisia-
ture to submit neeoed constitutional amend
ments, said Lieutenant Governor Nc
clifton. ii believe such an extra session
would expedite constitutional revision by
at least Iour years ana is the only feas-
ible way OF getting these amendments
formulated and agreed upon. The edito-
rial in The Bee Sunday on the subject
is quite to the point 1t does not follow
that because the Legislature at its regular
session failed to submit the desired amend
ments II would refuse to submit them If
called together again.
The fact is the senate was not opposed
to amending the constitution on the vital
points at the last session, but on the con-
trary endorsed four or five amendments,
all but one Of which fell, by tho waysid,
in the house. / put in great deal Of
hard work trying to expedite the amend
ments. attending all the meetings of the
committee on constitutional revision, and
/ know the great majority Of the senate
is committed to amendments increasing the
membership OF the supreme court, with
drawing the present limit on salaries, pro
viding for larger Held of investment for
the school funds as well az for the Gre
alton of an elective railroad commission,
Personally I believe another amendment
should be added raising the limit OF the
state debt. for we are viola ting the consti-
tuition all the time by exceeding the limit
and this constant violation Of the consti-
tuition only brings on contempt for the
law | believe the house would look al
the matter differently than it did IL recon
vened and quickly reach an agreement with
the senate.
No Cause for Railroad Opposition.
Il cannot see. either. where the rail
roads or other corpora tons would have
any objection 10 the submission of these
amendments The only proposed amend
ment winch the railroads would be ex
pected to attempt to block has already
been submitted. namely the railroad com
mission section. and they ought to be inter
ested as much as everyone else in improv
ing our judiciary by getting stronger mel
on the bench and relieving the state Off
GERS from the straight Jacket provisions
which now make the expense of govern
ment excessive. IL we do not get th'
constitution revised by specific amendmen
submitted at an extra session constitu
| tional convention will come eventually ant
! the railroads will then have their hand
I more than full.
"The truth is the legislature has so man.
I irons in the fire at every regular session
I it is impossible to get the necessary atten
tion centered on constitutional revision an
4 the nuxt .legisla pre win probably be. tus
as busy at it's regular session as the las
one, so the present question would onl
be presented again If we defer 1t now
While personally would much prefer no
to be compelled to put in any time at Lin
coin this winter. still l believe the goT
ernor should call the legislature togethe
and the call should be issued soon for tn
convenience of the members, who woul
find a session in the months of Januar
and February to conflict least with thei
own private business