Omaha daily bee., 1906-04-09
CHANCE TO WIPE OUT DEBT
Treasurer kortensen Thinks it Can Be Done
in -Four Years,
LEGISLATURE MUST Be ECONOMICAL
sheldon bill VIII Accomplish Nothins
~ Appropriations Are Permitted
60 Pile Up-ChRrEes AERinst
Asylum Investigated.


TO Pile Up--ChsrEes AGAINST
Asylum Investigated.
-
lFrom a stan Correspondent
LINCOLN, April 5. 90 (special)-state
Treasurer Mortensen is Of the opinion the
state debt can be paid of within four
years II proper business methods are
adopted I'm the management OF the states
affairs. The debt at this time is over the
100000 mark, or about what it was six
years ago During the present year, how
ever Mr. Mortensen believes It will be re-
duced probably $4,000. Most of the heavy
expenses incurred during the last year,
because of the appropriations made by the
last legislature, have been paid and there
viii be no heavy drain on the treasury
until after the next legislature meets.
The next legislature can again make the
state debt mount higher and II is for this
reason Mr. Mortensen desires to impress
upon the people the necessity Of electing
good business men to tue legislature and
to elect a good. careful business man as
governor The last legislature enacted
law whereby a mill levy is made on the
total assessed valuation of the state. to be
used in paying of the state debt, hut there
are some expenses to come out of this levy.
so it is figured this will net the state in
the neighborhood Of 100000 year. This,
of course, will go a long way in making
up the amount necessary to put the state
on a cash basis with no interest-bearing
debt to take care Of.
Mr.. Mortensen says there is no occasion
for the next Legislature to be eXtravagant,
because the state needs no new buildings,
] inc, h.. tg.,r,
cerned, and these institutions are now in
| frst-class condition and very little money
need be appropriated to keep them that
way.
The last two legislatures were COM
PEELED to appropriate large sums because
of the condition Of the state Institutions
and the need of new buildings. No new
buildings are needed now.
THE only way the state debt can ever
be paid" said Mr.. Mortensen, lis to cut
down the legislative appropriations. The
voters of the state should bear this in
mind when they are selecting a governor
and legislature. The governor should
| be a man who has the best interests of the
state at heart and who will use his veto
power on all appropriations not absolutely
necessary. The Sheldon bill will ma
| terially help pay of the debt providing the
| expenses do not keep up with 1t. Great
! responsibility will rest with the governor
because he not only has the power OF veto
| but he is also member of the Board Of
Assessment He should be man who will
| not be influenced by politicians to sign ap-
| preparation bills, but should be man who
is capable Of looking after the interests OF
the entire state. Under proper manage
ment and conservative legislature I be-
| Iieve the debt could be paid off within four
| years"
Governor Investigates Charges.
| Governor Mickey returned last night
! from Norfolk, where he had gone to in
vestigate charges of cruelty to the inmates
of the insane asylum. As result of the
visit several of the employees have been
put on probation and unless they make
good they will be removed. While Cover
nor Mickey found there was ground for the
| charges, which were filed with him some
days ago by a man named Wolf formerly
! In charge Of the farm work OF the asylum
! he. is of the opinion most of the. cruelty
charged was due to the lack Of experience
on the part OF the employees. He learned
also that employees against whom the
most complaints had been filed had already
been removed previous to his visit.
Some time, ago the governor said, in
and got into fight The guard who was
looking after them was unable to separ-
ate them and called for assistance. It
| took four or five men to overpOwer the
mad men and within ten days one of the
insane persons engaged in the fight died.
Wolf wrote the governor his death was due
| to injuries received from the guards who
| tried to separate the men in the fight The
man who died was subject to epilepsy and
the governor was unable to discover
whether his treatment had anything to do
with his death.
1.-The medical department under charge
of DR.. Nicholson" said the governor was
well handled and he found no complaints
about the management of this part of the
institution. The employees were all eau
toned against using violence i'm handling
patients and will be given another trial
before drastic measures are taken"
chief clips His BEARD
Chief Of Police Cooper who, as far back
as the oldest inhabitam can remember
has worn a beautiful white beard. APP
peared on the streets this morning with his
adornment cut OF. The chief said the
time had come when the crooks throughout
the country knew that white beard and SC
10 disguise himself he shaved. Because OF
his white beard and his peculiarly gentle
disposition the chief has frequently been
mistaken for the original victim of the
paddock game and this has enabled him "a
make some of his greatest catches In the
criminal line without the beard his dis.
guise is now complete.
Trying out n Preacher.
Rev Cooper OF St. Paul, Mimi preached
this morning and evening at st. Paul'
church. The board of trustees invited Mr.
Cooper and his name will be considered
! ,vba, tho hoard meats m abonsa q paator