Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-26
Anti-Lobby BIN Pansea.

Anti-LObby Bill Passea.
The Jenison anti-lobby bill, or rather the
substitute for II complied by the senate
judiciary committee, received the approval
Of the senate this afternoon in committee
Of the whole and the indications are that
It will pass the upper body. though there
is considerable opposition to It. The bill
was entirely changed in the standing COM
mittee and is now patterned after the
Missouri and the New York statutes
It's aim is to prevent private lobbying"
and to require the greatest publicity both
as to lobbyists and their methods It
requires that ali persons who receive COM
pensation for lobbying shall be registered
with the secretary Of state. together with
the name of the corporation or firm they
are working for. After this is done they
may lobby only by appearing before com
mittees IN public addresses, or by writtsa
or printed arguments addressed to all Of
the members OF the legislature or by news
paper articles. Private lobbying by them
Is prohibited. The bill does not aim al
business men who try to influence legis-
lation OF especial interest to them, but its
purpose is to get at the paid lobbyists. Any
one violating the provisions Of the bill ia
subjected to a fine Of not more than G.ON
or Imprisonment in the county Jail OF
penitentiary not exceeding one year.
Another important provision In the bill
requires corporations to file statements
with the proper state authorities show
ing the amount expended in legislative
work. This report is required TO be in de-
tail and two months after the legislature
adjourns is given the corporations to Ole
it, For every day over the two months
the corporations fail to hle the report &
penalty OF 500 may be exacted-
When the bill was up for consideration
Joe Burns OF Lancaster county. who has
been given probably more free newspaper
advertising than any other man In the
senate. offered an amendment to prohibit
any newspaper from publishing ANY
article. communication OF editorial in ad-
vocacy OF or in opposition to any bill OF
measure pending before either house OF the
legislature or awaiting the approval or dis
approval OF the governor"
The amendment caused a short discus
sion, but was voted down by a vote OF
to Is. The nine voting for It were: Burns,
McKesson, Buck. Clarke, Ashton, Luce,
Thorne, Saunders and Glover, and they
constituted practically all OF the opposi-
tion to the bill on the floor of the senate.
II was then recommended for passage.
Lees Annexation Bill.
Mike Lees Omaha-South Omaha consoll-
dation bill went through the senate commit
tee Of the whole this afternoon without de-
bate. This is the measure passed by the
house several days ago. providing for the
submission OF the question Of consolidation
TO a vote OF the people affected. II the
bill goes through the senate, as Il Is prob
able 1t will. It will be ready TO go to the
governor after the house mas concurred
In some unimpOrtant amendments.
Mcliullen's bnl directed at small boys
who smoke cigarettes before they become
OF age was approved by the senate commit
tee OF the whole this afternoon. The SEN
ators added a provision to II making Il a
misdemeanor for a minor TO chew tobacco
or 20 spit tobacco Juice IN public places"
Several OF the senators favored raising
the age limit 20 include some OF the mem
bers Of the body who like their guilds, but
this was not done and the bill recon-
mended relates only TO minors.
The senate by decisive vote thls 49,