Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-16
iibley Undertakes It's ReoOmmittal, but il
Voted Down DsOisivsly.
EtOERs DOUBLE SHIFT BILL PASSES
Measure Affecting Omaha Firemen Goes to
Governor for Signature.
HOUSE HAS BUSY DAY ON ROUTINE WORK
General File Attacked with viEor and
Many Bills Considered without
Fireworks OF Friction OF
Any sort.
Erom a sian corre.ponasntl

From a Stan Correspondent.)
LINCOLN, March 15.-(special.)-The final
futile attack on terminal taxation In the
senate was made this afternoon by the
railroads. resulting In a double victory
for the bill, which was passed by vote
OF 2S to g. Sibley of Lincoln county led
in the fight against the BILL as he did when
It was up for consideration in committee
OF the whole, but after he had been de-
feated he voted for the bill, explaining he
did SO because of an amendment he under
stood would be made in the house. The
bill will be sent to the house. so that It may
be read the first time Monday and may be
considered in connection with the Clarke
bill, which is duplicate of II.
Tho failure of the railroads 20 carry the
senate this afternoon was a severe jolt, as
It had been openly boasted that a majority
Of the senator's had promised to vote for
Sibley's motion to recommit the bill to the
committee on revenue. When the roll was
called this proposition 1t stood II to IS
and victory for the bill was assured. The
measure was at once placed upon its
passage.
The apparent purpose of the move by
Sibley this afternoon was to prevent the
passage OF the bill until after the house
had taken action In committee OF the
whole. The action of the senate in recon-
mending the bill for passage Tuesday upset
the railroad program, and II II could have
been made to appear that there was any
substantial opposition to the measure in
the senate the moral effect OF the senate's
action on the house would be weakened
This was important to the opponents OF
the bill, because the house is now the battle
ground and every possible influence is be-
ing brought to bear on the members to
prevent favorable action.
sibIey's Formal Motion.
The fight started Immediately after the
senate convened at go, when Sibley moved
that the bill be recommitted to the COM
mittee on revenue for specific amendment
which was summarized by him as follows:
The specific amendment is that the bin
be amended that the valuation and as
bill be made by or under the direction
of the State Board Of Equalization. The
county assessors assessing all the property
covered by this bill having local siius In
the cities and villages of their, respective
counties, entering such. assessments on
blanks and schedules furnished by the State
Board OF Equalization for that purpose and
returning same when completed TO the said
board The said county assessors having
the powers in assessing the property
is given them by law in the valuation and
assessment of all other classes OF property
and no more.
more openly for the railroads than any
opponent OF the bill has done so far He
declared the bill would work a hardship
on the railroads because local assessors
would have the right to apply for an order
to permit them to examine the books and
records of the railroad companies. This
he said was solely for the purpose Of aid
ing the Omaha and Lincoln assessors to
uncover taxable paper owned by the COM
anfa Ea sal Nva ha
other property was not subjected to and
he opposed subjeoting railroad property to
methods to which other property was not
subjected.
Saunders OF Douglas denied the measure
was an Omaha measure, but declared ii
was for the whole state. Patrick OF Sarpy
also spoke at some length against the at
tempt to recommit.
Patrick Expresses Fusion Sentiment.
my position" he said, has nothing 70
do with party politics. The only ques-
tion is whether we will have a fair and
equitable taxation of railroad property.
This is the last attempt of the railroad
companies to strike down this measure.
The purpose of the bill is TO make railroads
! pay the same taxes other property has
to pay. With very few exceptions, It viii
give every town in the state more revenue
than it has today. The purpose Of the
amendment Is 20 emasculate the bill so Its
, friends cannot support It,"
Senator Thomas declared he was not sur
! prised at This attempt as he did not be-
, neve the railroads would give up the
hght He pointed out the whole purpose
was to weaken the effect the passage OF
, the bill would have on the house, where
the railroads have concentrated their eff
, forts. He cited an instance of a neighbor-
/ ing city where the county board passed a
resolution against terminal taxation. The
senator from that county investigated and
found the resolution was passed at the
request Of a local railroad attorney. sibley
denied that the railroads were back OF his
amendment and started TO attack Thomas,
when the chair called him to order.
Byrnes Of Platte was another fusionist 70
support the bill. He said II would in
, crease the taxable property In Columbus
$4,000
''Is II hard" he asked. 10 soc why the
railroads are fighting the bill?"
Votes in Detail.
I Gibson OF Douglas county was absent and
Ashton announced he was paired with him.
The roll call on sibieys motion was as fol-
lows;
Ayes
Buck. Hanna, sibley
Burns, khs' dn9fne'