Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-30
Advocates Of Law Look Askanoe at the
Action on Monday Night,
RAILROAD CHAMPIONS OPPOSE PLAN
Corporations Interested in Its Defeat Are
Actively Against It
CHILD LABOR IN THE HOUSE At PRESENT
What the Eject would ne ~ the
Clarke Bill should Become . Law
Before the session Comes
TO n Close.
tFrom a STAR correspondentl


| LINCOLN, Jan. 29-(Special THE atti-
tude OF some members of the Legislature
at the meeting last night OF the joint COM
mittee selected to draft a primary bill has
| been discussed very generally among the
members today. The opinion expressed by
many OF the pledge-keeping republicans IL
that every obstruction put In the way of
statewide primary Is a play into the hands
Of the railroads. The enactment OF a state
/ wide primary law In conjunction with the
anu-pass law will be the death blow to
railroad domination In Nebraska politics,
and for that reason every corporation
henchman in the state is trying to defeat
these two bills, especially the primary bill.
/ An anti-pass law, with the convention sys-
tenn still in vogue. a member said. would
bring no relief to the people, because from
distant parts of the state delegates would
not come to the conventions and the same
! old boys who for years and years have
manipulated state politics would still be
found guiding the ship OF state.
The attitude of Farley OF Hamilton, Will
son OF Custer and Hill of Chase, has been
commented on during the day and some
surprise has been expressed that they
should place themselves in the position OF
side-stepping a single plank In the repub-
lican state platform, The surprise Is ex-
pressed by members Of the legislature who
|
out the reforms enumerated in the plat
FORM the same pledges made to the people
by the men named MoMulen of Gage 10
opposed to the statewide primary, but
favors the old convention system for the
nomination OF state officers, though he
wants all other officers nominated at
primary. The fact that nearly every re-
publican in the house subscribed his name
to these pledges In addition to having
a.. aIa Ot,f-
lined in the platform. of course. makes Il
impossible for the railroads to corral
enough members 10 defeat the primary
pledge but nevertheless strong effort In
being put forth TO this end and several
republicans are lending aid and encour-
agement to the railroad move.
H. Two-oent Fare Not PopuIass ss9s
while the subcommittee appointed from
: the joint committee on railroad measures
has decided to report back 2-cent fare,
, leaving the law as II is except in the
passenger rate, II Is not improbable the
joint committee will change this 20 thea
, the fare shall be cents. provided the
t Railroad commission will have the power
to increase the rate should the railroads
show the rate is not compensatory This
puts the burden OF proof on the railroads
There is considerable objection TO the fiat
rate OF cents because many members be-
lieve 1t would not stand the test of the
/, courts
Farley of Hamilton has prepared a bill
which provides a 2-cent fare for persons
over 10 years Of age and cent fare for
children under 10 years. 1t is also pro-
, vided no mileage books shall be sold for
D less than this amount and no reduction
, in fares shall be made TO any person. ex-
; cept the roads may give excursion rates
I when the same publicly announced, and
I every passenger is treated alike. II 10
, also provided in the bill II the railroads
a show the State Railway commission that
the fares charged are not compensatory,
v the commission may increase the rate Up
to cents.
Child Labor I'm House.
BY passing the Clarke child labor bill the
house this morning placed itself in a very
: awkward position, and unless II sweeps
: from the pay roll at once a number OF
pages who. under the provisions OF the bill.
should be in school, II becomes. In spirit at
4 least a law breaker. Under the terms of
this bill, which II passed almost unani-
mously the house breaks the law every
: day II keeps on the pay roll boy under IL
years of age; It repuddates its own action
E every day II fails to keep posted in a con-
spicuous place certificate showing ths
names OF the boys under 16 years old II
ness every time It cofnpels q page under II
, to work more than forty eight hours each
e week: its members are subject to fine. or
J. will be should the bill pass the senate and
y be signed by the governor. every time they
e send a page to the bill room for a bill after
a 7 O'Clock in the eveuing ask him to work
II before In the morning Unless the person
e In charge Of the pages under 1s keeps a
record posted I'm a conspicuous place show
hnNy taIra
II his meals and the hours he works, every
d member OF the house Is subject to arrest.
:. "wnl you discharge the pages, as the
q provisions Of the child labor bill providss7''
X was asked Speaker Nettleton.
s II dcn't know" answered the speaker.
d Il don't know what to DO. voted against
the measure
" What the House Must DO.
e For the house alone to conform TO the
l. provisions of the bill passed viii require
n the setting in motion OF machinery all over
n the state. and II Is extremely doubtful II
3 the necessary blanks can be secured and
d posted before the end OF the session, II
being taken for granted the house will con-
form 70 the bill at once without waiting
for II TO become a law, inasmuch as the
bill carries the emergency clause. II win
,e now be necessary for the child employed
as a page who is apparently under 1s 10
or find his school teacher and secure GER
D. tiflcate from him showing he is educated
Al up 20 the eighth grade; he Will have 10 So
a cure a certificate from his mother or father
s. or guardian showing the date OF his birth;
e. he will have TO get another certihcate
le showing the blemishes his face, and II
AZ he fails to do all these things every mem
n Der OF the house can be arrested and fined
As matter Of fact, under a strict con
struction Of the law boy under is cannot
4 be employed In the legislature, for section
ih ihh 2 says no boy between Il and Is can be en-
as ployed In any 'theater. concert hall oi
III place OF amusement" and several othSl
as places which IL mentions
o Ned Brown Loses at Last.
= In the nnAl hniEh the Judiciary com
Y mittee OF the house HaS 10 muoh foS ~