The independent., 1907-02-14
More or Less Personal

wrote asking Tor free transportation
to Omaha and return for all of the
members there must have been a good
deal of astonishment around the rail-
road headquarters. Nearly all of the
members have been fighting the free
pass and this indication that the
whole association wanted to WEIGH on
so important a matter was a little as
tonlshlng, to say the least.
Some of the passenger agents seem
to have indicated a desire to pass the
editors as of DID, but Mr.. Wakeley of
the Burlington stood up for the new
regulations. ITO issue complirfA ntary
passes in Nebraska he said would
mean that we should do this in Iowa.
in Missouri, and throughout the United
States, and it would thus appear that
the railroads and the newspapers
We're combining to obstruct the pro-
gress of the reform which is spreading
throughout the country, and which is
intended to cure the evils of free
transportation. I am sure that every
editor in the state will, upon reflection,
conclude that under the conditions
which have been put before us, COM
mencing January /, 1907, there is
nothing else we can do"
When railroad man shows respect
|
prove conditions of which complaint
is made, good many of the editors
of the state will take off tfCr hats,
/ figuratively speaking, and announce
that he is all right They will think
more of Mr.. Wakeley for writing this
letter than if he had tapped a fresh
book and told the boys to help them
selves They will also make up their
minds to pay the fare and a third
and be at the Omaha meeting on
February 19 and 20 without fail.
Governor Sheldon does not care to
accept any gifts from the state in the
form of house rent unless the courts
declare that the action of the legisla
ture in buying and appropriating a
house for the use Of the governor is
legal By his direction a suit was
commenced in the supreme court to
test the legality of the act.
Il am in favor of the legislature
buying the governor an automobile"
said citizen of Lincoln, 80 he may
| appear as we'll as his neighbors across
the street"
1T is my opinion said another,
that the governor would be better
pleased If the legislature would build
a barn on the lot on which the exec
utive residence stands, so he can keep
a horse and cow" IF he would agree
to milk the COW himself" said the
| first speaker, "the legislature would
probably do So"
/ The constitution requires the COVER
nor to live at the capital and the leg
islature has by an enactment given
him the use of house The former
plan was to appropriate $1,000 a year
for house rent for the governor. This
was done by the legislature on the
ground that the governor could rarely
/ afford TO live in a manner befitting the
dignity of the executive of a great
state. The salary is conceded to be
too small, but it is fixed by the con-
stitution and that cannot be changed
except by a political revolution.
/ The clause in the organic law pro-
| hibiting the governor from receiving
| any compensation other than the $500
a year looked tolerably conclusive in
the old days, when the extra thou
sand for house rent was a straight ad-
dition to his salary. Now when the
state requires the governor TO live in
a big house that costs him an extra
| thousand dollars or SO a year on ac-
count of its size and style, perhaps he
can prove in court that he is receiv-
ing no extra compensation. AS a
governor sue the state for damages
for requiring him to take a house that
is more elaborate than he needs and
wants?"
The action of the state senate
against the county option bill Is sup
posed to settle that question for the
remainder OF the session. The house
still has q bill in the hands of the ju-
dietary committee, but 1t is useless for
one house 10 spend time on legislation
that has been defeated in the other
house.
One of the members of the legisla-
ture who did all In his power To pass
the county option bin In the senate
believes the friends OF the measure
will make mistake IL they carry out
their intention of bringing the ques-
tion up two years hence I'm the form
0f prohibition. He believes prohibit
ton ia not wise step to attempt II