The independent., 1907-01-31

uIliS are printed HrSL OH the OTue9 Ol
some responsible official When the
committees get to grinding on big bills
the delay in other measures is not no.
ticed and the printer is given a chance
to catch up. This year the whole batch
was ordered printed in numerical order,
legislation was delayed and the honor
able senators showed signs of irritation.
Unless the next legislature tells the
printer in advance what bills it wants
first this unhappiness will be repeated.
1t would take about all the printers
and printing presses in Nebraska to
print within three days all the bills
that arc introduced in the first twenty
days of the session.
Senator G. l.. Saunders of Douglas,
son Of Ex-Governor and Former United
States Senator 81 unders, has some
ideas of his own about legislation. He
has been a member Of the state senate
two terms and his experience gives his
ideas weight. Senator Saunders was
honored with the office of president pro
tenn Of the state senate in the recent
organization. While he Is a business
man he Is greatly interested In horti-
culture and as a member of the state
horticultural society, has won many
~.
He is the owner of a small farm near
Omaha and on this farm he has an
orchard Of twenty-five acres which he
superintends himself. He early found
that the greatest pleasure and profit
was In caring for the trees personally.
He found that he could not trust this
work to farmer who might be busy
with other crops In the growing sea-
son, so ne took charge of Ii and de-
rived much pleasure from the expe-
rience He does not claim to own a
commercial" orchard, but he does be-
lieve that he has raised some fruit that
ought to make any man glad, and he
believes he knows how 1t was done
"As to legislation" said Senator
Saunders, II have come to the belief
that we have enough laws, and each
standing committee might with pro-
priety at first glance decide that each
bill ought to be killed. With this as
sumption In mind every bill introduced
ought to be killed on sight, unless the
introducer can show that his bill has a
right to live. This belief Of mine has
been caused by the numerous bills that
have been introduced to subserye per-
sonal ends. Many bills merely create
an Office for the man behind It, Every
attorney that has lost a case in any
court remembers the reason and he
comes to the legislature with a bill tn
help him win the next case. Every
interest, corporate or individual, has
grievance and bill Is introduced to
cover 1t. We cannot help the attor-
neys win their cases and we cannot
afford to stop to pass laws to aid some
weak corporation to breast the storm
of competition and compel it's competi-
tors to keep their hands or its busi-
ness. We cannot afford to stop to pass
laws to aid some individual who be-
lieves his salary is too small
~ have noticed that after these cor
porations become strong and powerful.
they cease to ask the legislature to
pass laws to protect them and to give
them the best of their competitors.
Then they ask for laws to grind down
competitors. After they accumulate
property they cease to ask for laws to
prevent corporations of their class
from accommodating property. They are
now able to stand on their own merits.
The officers of cities and towns bother
members OF the legislature about an
increase Of salaries. If one set of Off
GERS Is thus favored, another set comes
in and asks for similar recognition
An endless chain is thus formed and
the woes Of the members OF the legis-
lature are increased"
The minority in the house holds eau
cuses regularly, evidently to shiver for
fear the republicans may carry out the
pledges of the platform. Representa-
tive Cones proposed resolution to call
from the standing committees bills that
bear on subjects which the joint com
mittees are at present considering. is
aimed doubtless TO call forth discus
sion as to the purposes and plans of
the majority. The appointment OF the
joint committees was brought about to
save needless time In consideration of
that would be brought before
the legislature In the form OF carefully
bills. The probable result
of the discussion viii be the reference
of the bills from the standing commit
tees to the joint committees or grant
ing permission 10 the standing commit