Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-08
Already Familiar With the Subject Matter
Of Majority of Them.
RAILWAY COMMISSION IN LIME LIGHT
Already Has Large Number Of Complaints
from shppsn
EXPECTS TO COMMENCE WORK At ONCE
state Auditor Proposes TO InauEurats
Some Reforms on His own Ac-
count in the Matter of En-
forcing statutes.
lFrom a stan corresrondent.l

LINCOLN, April 1-(Special All OF
the legislators have left town, and while
everyone who has expressed himself is
satisfied with the record made, some es-
adjustments in lincoln have CROUCH
because the members failed TO contribute
more money over the bars and the hotel
cafes. In fact, the Legislature contained
very few members with sporting proclivi-
ties. which also breaks few records es-
tablished by other sessions. Governor
Sheldon Is covered up with bills, but is
] pretty certain to have them all of his
hands early I'm the game, for with most
! of them he is entirely familiar and will
not have to hesitate long before knowing
what he intends TO do. Insofar as the
| limelght is concerned, the State Railway
| commission will take the place of the
legislators, and following that within a
few weeks the State Board OF Assessment
will glide into sight. to be followed by its
work as a State Board Of Equalization.
that in turn to be followed by the fall
campaign and the first trial OF q new state
primary law.
Work for Commission.
Under the law enacted by the legislature,
and known as the railway commission bill.
the members OF the commission have alb
solute power TO fix rates In this state on
any commodity. and they will not have to
| fix a complete schedule before lowering
/ any one particular rate. Complaints have
| been pouring In since the first OF the year
and the commission will have it's hands
! full from the first. In fact the commits
sion has already furnished relief for sew
eral parties who complained Of a shortage
Of cars for shipping out grain. One party
wrote in that he was unable to get cars
! from the Missouri Pacific. Judge Williams
and Dr. winnett at once notified Robert
Cowell in Omaha, who personally called
on the railroad officials The railroad
showed every evidence OF desiring 30 COM
ply with the request of the commission
and the complainants' requests for cars
were promptly complied with. Numerous
other complaints are on file relating to
discrimination or extravagant freight rate
charges, and these will be taken UP at
once. now that Mr. Clarke has been ap-
/ pointed and the commission knows exactly
where 1t stands Mr.. Clarke has been IN
! Omaha for the last two days and upon
his return to Lincoln tomorrow a meet
! ing will be held and a formal organization
probably effected by the selection or at
least by the consideration Of the selec-
ton of a secretary and other assistants.
One Of the first hearings the board will
hold will be on a complaint to be filed by
| L. D. Allen on DeIlhlI uI n shipper VINO II
client of his. This client has a griev-
ance, and the democratic state chairman
is to present It to the commissioners.
other Reforms in the Air.
Incidentally 1t may be possible some OF
the state officers may conclude to keep
up the good record OF the legislature in
the way of reform, and If they do. It will
mean some parties are to be disappointed
| In he aalaryy thew recaiNya For instance
the statute specifies that the deputy secre-
tsry OF state shall be paid 81 800 a year
| The appropriation bill this year and for
| several years has provided $500 for this
| officer. The auditor is seriously considering
| following the statutes In the matter and
refusing to allow the larger salary. A
| bill was introduced TO repeal this statute
but It failed of passage. In one or two
other Instances the appropriation is larger
than the statute provides.
It has also been given out cold from
| the auditors office that he will not stand
for any more deficiencies as he did this
year. or course, this is none OF the busi-
ness Of the auditor, whether a state insti-
tuition creates a deficiency, but the various
superintendents OF the state boards dis
covered this winter that unless the auditor
gave his approval to a deficiency claim Il
would not even be considered by the claims
| committee. This Is taken TO mean that
! the next legislature will also rely on the
| auditors recommendations In this line.
| Among the bills signed by Governor Shell
| don Saturday night were the Mike Lee
Omaha charter bill and the Harvey garbage
bill, which permits the city council to let
| the contract for hauling city garbage which
costs the citizens nothing. The McMuilen
bill, to make II unlawful for boys under
IS to smoke cigarettes IN public places,
was vetoed because there is already an
anu-cigarette law in effect.
Governor Sheldon went to NehawkA last
night to see his mother, who is seriously
ILL.,
Bill signed ny Governor.
The Lincoln morning papers got mixed up
on the bills signed by Governor Sheldon
and announced that he had signed the
90 per cent exemption bill The governor
has not even considered the measure and
it is stll among the big grist yet TO be
gone over.
Among the last bills he signed were the
two sheriff bills, one providing the feeding
Of the prisoners in 'he Douglas county Jail
after next January shall be let 70 the
lowest bidder the other providing salaries
for sherlhs.
Demand for Two scaIpa.
number OF politicians are after the
scalps OF Elmer Stephenson, internal col
lector, and Bud Lindsey, custodian OF th'
postofice and collector OF the port an
Senators Burkett and Norris Brown al
receiving numerous knocks. II was -
ported tonight that Senator Burkett had
asked a friend to suggest TO Lindsey tnat
his resignation would be acceptable. r. b.
Schneider and Ross Hammond came down
tonight from Fremont and had a con-
ference with the two senators and Il is
understood the positions held by Stephen
son and Lindsey were discussed.