Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-13
Efforts to Amend or Postpone Prove Of
Little Avail in Fight
OPEN PRIMARY STANDS UNCHANGED
House Declines TO RsOsds from It's Action
Amending the Measure
RECIPROCAL DEIURSAsE is RECOMMENDED
auSckenbush Biu to Enable Shippers
to Get Back at Railroads in
Case of Delay is
Endorsed.
F'rom a Stan Correspondent

Prom a Stan Correspondent
LINCOLN, Neb., March 12-(Special)-
Terminal taxation won a signal and COM
plete victory today when the senate in
committee OF the whole decided by large
majority to recommend the Thomas bill
for passage. This bill is a duplicate of the
/ Clarke bin in the house, and the
action Of the committee Of the whole
practically assures its passage by the
senate. The action OF the senate is ok
pected to have considerable influence in
the consideration of the bill in the house,
| where Il will come up tomorrow.
The success OF the measure for the tax
alton Of railroad property for municipal
purposes was all the more decisive be-
cause II came after an attempt had
been made by amendment to cut out
| some OF the vital features OF the bill This
assault on the bill was not only defeated,
but the senate, by a large vote refused
to concur in the standing committee
amendment which eliminated car com-
panies and freight lines from it's opera
tion. As the bill passed It was in every
material feature just as drawn and pre-
sented IN the senate and the house.
The fight on the bill began a few min
utes after the senate convened. The body
resolved itself into committee of the whole
| to take up the measure, which had been
placed at the head of the file. Sibley of
| Lincoln, who directed the fight on the bill,
| offered a motion to delay action and make
the bill special order for Thursday morn
ing. This brought about the first skirmish
Saunders, Aldrich, Root, King, Sackett and
/ Gibson opposed action and Burns, Luce
and Ashton favored the motion. Those
who supported the motion asked for de-
lay to wait for action on the part Of
| the house.
Thomas Of Douglas designated the mo-
ton for delay a move on the part of the
railroads to prevent action on the part OF
the senate until the house had acted In
hopes they could kill the bill In the house
without the moral effect on It's passage by
the senate behind 1t. The motion was lost
/ by vote of to II.
Opposition On ola Lines
Sibley again moved not to concur in the
standing committee amendment cutting out
| freight lines and car companies from the
operation Of the bill. This produced no
fight, as the friends of the bill favored the
motion and it passed with no opposition.
Then Sibley offered his amendment, which
would have taken away the power con-
ferred upon local assessors in cities and
towns to assess the franchise values In
their respective municipalities and con-
! IeIIeu ~ Oh the oNdAe lbOdTu OF hQudllAh-
ton, where It now is. This precipitated the
real fight Of the morning and the merits
of local taxation Of railways was gone into
at considerable length.
Patrick designated the amendment
railroad amendment and declared It served
the very purpose for which the railroads
have been lighting He also discussed the
merits OF the bill and declared It would
increase the taxes in almost every NUM-
cipality In the state. Sibley, in defense of
his amendment, declared without It the
taxes in the smaller cities and villages
would be decreased by the bill. He also
picked what he declared were flaws in
other parts of the bill.
Sibley was seconded by Burns OF Lancaa-
ter who studiously referred to a pamphlet
recently issued by the railroads and dis
tributed gratuitously among the members
of the legislature. Several times he quoted
from the pamphlet. He said he would op-
pose the bill II he thought II would take
away any OF the taxable property OF the
smaller towns. He said Lincoln and Omaha
are getting benefits from the large salary
rolls paid by the railroads and he offered
that as an excuse for the present system OF
tax shirlking under the present law. The
debate then turned toward the legal side
Of the question and in It Aldrieh read from
q case from York county which, he said
placed the supreme court sauarely on rec
ord as upholding the legality Of municipal
taxation OF railroads. Epperson, Gibson
and Latta supported the bill and opposed
the amendment, and when Il was put TO a
vote there were no votes IN It's favor.
Last stand BY Railroads.
Patrick then moved the bill be recon-
mended for passage, bringing the question
OF the merits Of the bill squarely before
the senate.
King was the only oDs who spoke In op-
position to it. He said the republican plat
form had been made by a committee. a
majority of whom were from the larger
cities He argued that two methods Of
taxation, one for municipalities and the
other for state, county and school dis
tricts was not a fair method. He said
towns Of 5000 20 5000 might be benefited
but he thought small villages would have
their taxes decreased. He also feared the
bill might conflict with the present law
and might repeal by Implication the pro-
vision providing for the distribution OF the
assessment by the State Board Of Equal
ization.
His attacks on the bill were answered by
Epperson OF Clay who pointed out that the
railroads are specially benefited by mu-
ulclpdi cOfEOIhtlouni Dy polAee ana ufe pro-
lection and water works. while they re-
ceive no such special benefits from the
state. county and school district organiza-
ton. This, he declared, was the reason
for making difference in the methods OF
assessment Inasmuch as they do receive
these special Dement'S from municipalities
he declared II was no more than right that
they should be taxed for It.
Root read citations from decisions OF the
courts in reply to Kings argument that the
bill was unconstitutional or might inter-
fere with the working Of the present rev.
enue law. Senator Root declared there was
no question but under the rulings OF the
court the Law was good and he thought
Kings fears were groundless.
The republicans In the house whn made
the ueup with the fusiOnists in the mat
tor OF an open primary, refused TO receds
from their position this morning when the
McMullen motion 20 recommit 20 chaneS