Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-25
COMMERCIAL CLUB ACTION TIMELY
Greatly Strengthens the Eands Of the
Douglas Delegation.
GRAIN MEN FIGHT AGAINST wElsHMAsTER
"Bob" McGinniss of NOrtbwestern
Now the awhip" of the Railroad
Lobby and is sticking
Close TO His Task.
fFrom q stnfr CorrespondentO


the State Board OF Purchase and Supplies
and while the sentiment has taken no
tangible shape there Is a strong feeling
that before the week Is out a resolution
will be introduced providing for the APP
pointment OF a committee to Investigate
the ugly rumors ahoat, so that II there IL
no foundation for them, the stories can be
officially refuted and the shadows which
now rest on the regulations OF certain ON
GERS may be removed. The rumors In cir
culation have various grounds of origin, the
contract let by the board to construct the
food elevators at the Hastings asylum be-
ing one. 1t is generally believed should
Superintendent Kern be brought before
committee he would be able to either
straighten out these stories or prove them
untrue. This was the contract let originally
to Howard Burns. son of Senator Joe
Burns. for something over 1900 and which
later turned up in the hands of another
party for some 5000 Senator Burns
claimed his contract provided only for the
installation of certain motor power, and
he has shown what purports to be the
original contract, which bears him out, but
Governor Mickey has, or he left in his
once the original contract and II shows
gross carelessness on the part of the board
which signed it, II nothing else.
Another rumor has II that certain mem
bers of the Board of Purchase ana Sup
plies have been permitted by merchants
holding state contracts to get things which
they bought for their private use, at whole
sale prices II this rumor is true and
there seems TO be no doubt 1t is, some
members of the legislature are anxious to
look into the prices to see II the money
lost to the merchant by reason of such
courtesy TO the state oficer has been added
to the price made to the state.
Emergency Purchases.
Another reason for an investigation 10
the rumor that heads of state institutions
have been able to buy a great deal OF
stun as emergency by securing from GER
tain members of the board special permits
to do So These permits. q Is said, have
been given without the authority OF the
board. Whether It has resulted In the
state paying a price higher than II should.
only an investigation. OF course, would
show. The members OF the Board of Pur-
chase and Supplies for the last two years.
were Governor Mickey. Treasurer Morten-
sen, Secretary Of State Galusha, Attorney
General Brown and Land Commissioner
Eaton The bulk of the work of the board,
ii seems, fell to the secretary OF state and
the land commissioner, as Mr.. Brown for
the first year occupied most Of his time
with his work. in the legal department. and
the last year. he was too busy with his
campaign TO pay much attention to the
important work of buying supplies for the
state institutions. Mr. Eaton and Mr..
Galusha took the leading part in Letting
| contracts.
Helps Douglas DELEGATION.
! The action Of the Omaha Commercial club
| l.. In ffrnr Nha
against the 2-cent rate bill. promulgated
by the executive committee OF that club,
removes serious handicap from the Doug
! las county delegation to the Legislature
and only the members of the Douglas dele
cation and those on the ground can realize
what a serious effect the executive COM
mittee action was having. The disguised
railroad lobby was using 1t TO prejudice the
out-in-the- state members against Omaha
| and the friends of the 2-cent rate bill, OF
whom none, however. were more sincere
than the Omaha delegation, were drifting
away from the delegation daily. The ac-
tion OF the committee came at time when
a Douglas delegation never before more
fully had the confidence of all the member
ship, and II hurt The positive stand taken
I by the club as a whole yesterday will once
more put Douglas county back into the
good graces OF the other members. When
the action OF the executive COMMITTEES be-
came public every member Of the deega-
! ton refused to stand for II and each I'm
turn expressed his disapproval Of IT, but
Il was a hard matter for the other mem
bers TO understand that the executive COM
mittee had usurped authority which It did
not possess and therefore the emphatic
denials Of the delegation only half con-
vinced the members.
Fight on Grain WeiEhmaster.
Members Of the Omaha Grain Exchangs
are expected to send down a delegation
Monday night 70 protest against the pas
sage Of the Cone bill providing for the gov
ernor TO appoint state Weishmasters to
weigh grain. It is said the grain exchange
Is opposed TO this measure very much and
will make a strong effort Monday night 70
prove to the committee that it is not a nee
essary piece Of legislation.
II developed during the last week thai
Northwestern Lobbyist Bob McGiuniss has
become the whip for all the railroads and
he has not been away from the statehouse
hardly a minute during the time either
house has been in session And, strange 10
relate, this Legitimate representative OF
the only good railroad" seems 70 have the
ear OF some mighty influential men in the
house, and at least one good man has been
seen 70 leave the house chamber and con-
suit with him. McGinniss. while OF course
interested In all the measures which tend
20 put a stop 10 the railroads further rob
bing the people, seems particularly anxious
70 put a criInp into the anti-pass bill In
asmuch as the Northwestern is said 70 have
given out more passes this winter than any
other road. there may be a reason for this
McGinniss has gone over the railroad COM
mission bill thoroughly with Railroad Com
MI.
whether he made them any suggestions as
10 changes which he wants made IN Il. Of
course only the three know.
Chance for COMMITTEES work.
The legislature will not convene until
Tuesday morning. but most Of the members
are expected back tomorrow TO get busy on
COMMITTEES work and Il is expected oonuaI,