Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-05
ON RECORD ON PRIMARY BILL
Committee Votes Ten to -Four to Redeem
the Party Pledge
EMUlLEN WILL KEEP UP THE FIGHT
Senator AIdrich Makes Statement OF
How Railroads Are TryinE 60
Defeat n Statewide Primary
Hearing on DemurrnEe.
CFrom a stan Correspondent.)

LINCOLN, Feb. Especial Telegram.)- y
The joint committee appointed to draft q
primary election bill. by a vote OF 10 to 4,
decided tonight to draft a statewide pri-
mary bill. in accordance with the plank IN
the republican. democrat and populist state
platforms This action. however, was not
taken until after a lengthy debate and a
hard fight by McMullen for his limited
primary. backed by Farley Of Hamilton.
Luce of Kearney. and aided and abetted by
J. L. McPheely of Minden, who prompted
Luce In the questions he asked. Those who
voted TO carry out the state platform pledge
were; Farley. Dodge, Brown, Aldrich,
Phillips Wilson Anderson, Holbrook,
Thomas and Patrick. Those voting no
were: MeMullen. Mackay. Marlatt and
Luce McMullen was then empowered to
appoint committee of five to draft the bill
in accordance with the platform. This he
viii do later. and he viii also make fight
on the floor OF the house for his limited pri-
mary bill
That the vote was so overwhelmingly for
the pledge in the party platform was a
surprise. inasmuch as Farley. Wilson, Luce.
Marlatt and Anderson each indicated he was
opposed to it. while Anderson and Marlatt
said their constituents were against the
statewide primary.
MOFA Or ION mission hNAAs
The committee was practically at sea In q
discussion of the Dodge primary bin until
Aldrich, who is also a member Of the
Joint railroad committee, got there.
Aldrich at once expressed himself in favor
Of a statewide primary, in accordance
With the party pledge. and that such
measure be drawn. This precipitated a
| discussion of the merits and demerits of
the primary in general. those opposed to
keeping the party pledge objecting to the
cost Of the primary, claiming also the
| farmers would not get voice in the selec-
ton of candidates. and proposing the linn
! tied measure be tried until the next legis-
/ lature, when the statewide primary could
be adopted, IL desired. Urging for the
statewide measure were Aldrich. Dodge
/ and Ned Brown. while Patrick, Holbrook
and occasionally Byrnes of Platte, though
4 not a member of the committee, chimed In
a suggestion in it's favor, though Patrick
wanted TO be assured that It could be ar
ranged so a full vote would be cast
Aldrich seemed TO break the back OF the
opposition when he said the railroads and
the selfish interests opposed the primary
because it would prevent these interests
from controlling nominations, as they had
\ in the past Farley questioned the sin
cerity OF the opposition of the railroads to
the measure.
.I happen TO know" replied Senator Aid
rich, that a senator had prepared pri-
mary bill and Intended TO Introduce it, The
general solls4tor Of tsrailr0ad wrote hina
I 20 40 nothing more about the bill until he
had talked with him. Nothing more was
done about the bill, either. 1t just died ]
am m favor of state wide primary, because
II viii give the people a chance TO nominate
their officers. 1t will have tendency to
! bring out a higher standard Of candidates;
! 1t win put on the shelf number OF per
I sons who have already done so much work
| in Nebraska politics. We are pledged 70 II
and my people, mostly farmers. are forsit,
and 1 am for It,"
| II was decided the subcommittee IN draft
| ing the bill will make a nat rate hling zee
! and no petitions will be required.
The house committee on railroads tonight
listened TO arguments against the reciprocal
| denurrage bills which have been intro
duced. Those attended the meeting as rep
| resenting the railroads were: o. l.. Dick
| son. ]. e sKeIby and Lee Spratlen OF the
Burlington; Edison Rich, w. L. Park and
Charles Lane of the Union Pacific; Ben
White, General Manager Walters and Bob
| McCiunis of the Northwestern. All spoke
against the bills except spratlen. McGinnis
| and Lane. The house took no action on
the bills Governor Sheldon was present al
/ the latter part OF the session.
Elmer Thomas. attorney for the civic
Federation, Is here tonight, but he has moi
vet called upon Governor Sheldon regarding
the charges filed by the federation against
members OF the Omaha hre and police
commissioners Governor Sheldon said to-
\ night he did not know when he would SCI
| n da+e for a hearing on the charges.