Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-06
First Test Likely to Come with the Report
Of the Committee on Committees
CORPORATIONS DEPEND ON PHILLIPS
If He Fails Then They Expect to Lose the
Opening Round
COMMITTEES 10 BE NAMED ON TUESDAY
Resolution Reg1FdinE LObbyists
likely to Change the Procedure
I'm = Number of Lsgisla-
tive Matters.
Trom a statr correspondent.l

LINCOLN, ian. b,-(Special(-A show
down between the members OF the legisla-
ture who are sincerely working for the
enactment OF reform laws and those who
are hedged about with corporation strings
and influence Il coming shortly and may
be part of the program of the proceed
ings during the early part OF the week.
The affair will be pulled or in the senate,
because there seems to be no doubt in
the house the corporation representatives
are sadly in the minority. while in the sem
ate the matter is in doubt. 1t has been
suggested that the lines be drawn as soon
possible, so that the people of the state
win know who are representing their In
terests and who are lined UP on the other
side How the conflict win be started has
not yet been settled, but It Is coming, and
II will be hot and serious until one side
or the other Il IN complete control of the
upper house. 1t may come over \ minority
report on the report of the committee on
committees, and II that matter Is COM
promised and settled il win come on some
other proposition, but there is a feeling
in the reform element and in the element
which Is supposed to be against reform
that the matter should be settled before
the session gets down to passing bills and
the branding irons applied where they be-
long.
Depends ON Phillips.
The corporation lobby is making desper-
ate effort to control the senate committees
having come to the conclusion that they
must defeat reform legislation that affects
them adversely in the senate II at all A
man who stands close to one of the rail-
road lobbyists, who has been on the
ground from the first describes the stua-
tion and the steps leading up to II as fol-
lows:
I'VE figured all the time that we would
have to get our work in in the senate, and
started out to organize through the second
term membership. You remember what
scrap we had at the senate caucus when
Sackett, who was put mp by the reformers
as the seventh man on the committee on
committees was beaten out by a margin
of only one vote. In order to head him
OF we had to take up Phillips of Holt, who
is not exactly our kind of people but he
was the only one for whom we could get
the necessary votes in addition 10 those
we could place with anybody. The job now
depends on whether Phillips will 20
through with us and let our fellows have
the committee places that we need. We
thought we had the senate committee at
least to s. but at last accounts It looked
as If IL would be at least to against us.
We III Know WnGn Ine ISL COIIeb
out II the new members have all the
best chairmanships and the second-term-
ers are on the back seats, we will have
lost the second round and we will have to
get busy to come up to the scratch again
with an even chance"
House Committees Tuesday
Speaker Nettleton is going TO have his
committees ready to report to the members
of the house Tuesday morning. He has
been constantly at work since the ad-
journment Thursday afternoon. and today,
he announced he had almost completed his
task He believes it is courtesy due the
house members to make no public an
nouncement OF the personnel OF the COM
mittees until he informs the house Of his
action
The senate committees will be ready for
announcement at the same time.
Some of the members of the house are
beginning to wonder II the anti-lobby reso-
/ luton adopted Thursday morning applies
to everyone who is interested in bill
| The members interviewed SO interpret the
resolution and the sergeant-at-arms will be
instructed to eject forcibly, If necessary,
any person who tries to influence any
| member ON any measure, on the floor of
the house. Every person Interested will
/ be given opportunity to be heard be-
/ fore a COMMITTEES on any measure under
consideration. This rule applies to heads
| Of state institutions well as regularly
acknowledged paid corporation lobbyists.
! All 20 In the same class according to this
| legislature.
Just what part the fusionists intend to
| play in the enactment OF legislation this
winter is, OF course, problematical, while
IT frequently has been published II was
their plan to make as much political
capital out Of the session as possible. the
leaders have said the fusionists would as
sist the republicans in the enactment OF
reform laws rather than obstruct them.
/ For this reason some surprise has been ex-
pressed that Patrick Of Sarpy should jump
! into the game with an anti-lobby bill. II
is said Patrick has been the local attorney
for the Burlington In his town. II stands
I 70 reason the republican members will pass
measures covering the republican state
platform which have been introduced by
republicans. This move OF Patrick will
give the fusionists, however. an oppor-
tunity to orate and charge the republicans
with insincerity. It seems to be the general
impression. however. that some such meas
ure will become law.
objection 40 sDecinc Levy.
There seems to be no doubt this legisla-
ture will pay considerable attention TO the
affairs OF the State university and there
has been some sentiment for an abolition
OF the l-mill levy. giving to the university
IN its place. a specific appropriation. I'm
der the present plan of giving i-mlll
levy there Is no way the exact amount OF
money the university fund will receive can
be determined, and for that reason some
OF the members think It would be better
for the regents to ask for specific ap-
preparation. Inasmuch as the public schools
receive appropriation through a levy, the
state debt Is being paid by a levy, and
now the State Fair board wants levy. at
tention has been in this direction, and
there is a possibility II not probability
that the levy proposition at least will be
headed on where II Is.
The fight over the county. option bill
this winter will be along different lines