Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-17


Senate bills killed..,.,.,.,...,,.,,.. 1&
Number passed both houses...,.. 10
Number now laws................. IL rs
Number still pending. g...............S .S1 lB
on sitting me-. e.....,.........,.,'..... Z1
For third reading.
Days In session.. n..............,....,. bl ~
Both houses are now working under sift-
ing committees, and the important bills are
being pushed TO the front tor action al
rapidly as possible. As soon as these are
disposed OF the general appropriation bin
will be taken up and will occupy several
days In each house. The house is now in
the throes of two lively scraps, one on thd
municipal taxation OF railroads and the
other on the direct primary bill and the
appropriations probably will be passed on
| Immediately after these measures are dis
posed Of The senate has been clearing
its file for the appropriation bill and will
be in fairly good shape TO handle It by the
time It is through the house.
Fight on Commission Bill.
The senate has practically disposed Of
the railway commission bill by recommend
! ing II for passage Friday. 1t is not be-
lieved that the amendments tackled on by
the upper body will cause much delay in
the house, though It is probable the added
provision of placing street railways under
the Jurisdiction of the State Railway COM
mission will be fought in the house. Ash
| ton OF Hall secured this amendment,
claiming 1t was in the laws OF many Of
| the eastern states. Thomas Of Douglas
! county fought 1t on the grounds the street
/ railways are operating under frapchisea
granted by municipalities and ought 70 be
left TO those municipalities to be regu-
! lated.
Two other measures of Importance re-
main to be taken up during the week. One
Of these Is the anti-lobby bill directed
| against paid lobbyists. The bill was passed
by the house but killed in the senate. AZ
the request of Governor Sheldon It was
revived and is now in the hands OF the
! Judiciary committee. II probably will be
| reported back to the senate this week with
some amendments and placed on its pas
sage. The other bill is the anu-pass
measure The house bill Is now in tha
| senate and the senate measure in the house.
So far neither house has indicated that
It is ready to endorse the bill Of the other
body and a conference probably will be
necessary before an agreement is reached.
| So far the question of maximum freight
rates has not been taken up except in the
\ senate to kill a resolution OF Ashton's
directing the attorney general to enforos
| the present maximum freight rate laW.
| On the sitting committee file in the senate
! is s. r. S5 by Aldrich, which provides
! for a reduction OF 20 per cent In the rates
In force January l. The bill viii be
reached by the committee of the whole
about Tuesday and probably will cause
a lively discussion.
Terminal Tax Contest.
The passage by the senate OF the ter
minaI tax bill will put the question OF
whether or not the railroads are to be
| equitably taxed for municipal purposes
| squarely up TO the house and a night to
| the last ditch is expected to be pulled of
| early IN the coming week. The Thomas
| bill passed by the senate was sent over
! 20 the house Saturday afternoon as soon
as possible after the vote was taken. but
! that body had already adjourned. The
bill will go over to the house the first thing
! Monday and 1t is expected will be substi-
| tuted for the Clarke bill, OF which II Is q
/ duplicate. This will facilitate action on
! the measure and. with favorable action on
I the part OF the house, the bill ought 10 be
/ In the hands OF the governor by the latter
/ part OF the week.
Since the unsuccessful attempt OF the
railroads to have the bill recommitted in
the senate Friday the friends OF the meas
ure are feeling good. II was boasted about
the lobby of the hotels Thursday night
J that the mOLOn 10 IecoiilillL houlu nave
eighteen votes, one more than a majority.
The fact that after a stubborn fight and
after bringing all the pressure TO bear on
the members the astute railroad lobbyists
knew how 20 call 10 their aid, the hostile
members could call only eleven votes to
their assistance on the motion and but six
I on final passage. made Il plain that the
I opposition Is weakening and furnished en-
couragement 20 the friends Of terminal
. taxation.
When the railroads found they had COM
pletely lost their grip on the senate they
concentrated their efforts on the house but
II is noticeable that they are not as boast
ful about their strength as they were be-
fore the bill passed the senate. Their claims
OF having a majority OF votes pledged
against the bill have been diScredited and
4 has been evident they are inviting a
test In the msantims Il IL apparent -