Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-02

sion bill II. r. 800, which the house began
in the committee of the whole as soon as
the session opened, 1t developed there 10 a
serious difference of opinion regarding the
mode Of procedure to be taken by the corn
mission in fixing rates. The bill as now
drawn provides the commission shall make
a complete" schedule of rates as soon as
practicable and put the same into effect.
The railroads then, II they choose, may
appeal from those rates. Ned Brown Is of
the opinion the hearing should come first.
He therefore offered an amendment to the
effect that the commission shall prepare a
schedule mot complete necessarily and
then before putting the rates into effect
give the railroads an opportunity 70 be
heard on the matter. His argument was
in effect that the present section as drawn
IL not legal. inasmuch as he holds the
rates nxed by the railroads are property
and property cannot be taken without due
process OF law. He believes the committee
puts the horse before the cart, Speaker
Nettieton agreed with him, as did Quacken-
push OF Nemaha. Walsh, who helped draft
! the bill objected strenuously 10 anv s,nh
change and his position was endorsed nv
! Best OF Douglas. II was suggested ,ba, !
committee be appointed 20 look into ,hs
legality OF the section and the committee
merely reported progress and without fur.
ther action took up the antl-pass bill.
ARnexatiOnists Are Heard.
A delegation from South Omaha com.
posed Of w. w. Fisher, a merchant. and
Bruce Mcculloch. a newspaper man. and
John p. Breen from Omaha, addressed tn,
house In open session this afternoon from
1870 TO o'clock in favor OF the consoIt
dalton Of Omaha and South Omaha. Tn,
men were not accompanied by a brass
band ana neither were they fianked on al
sides by schoolma' ans or school children
yet they were given good, attention and {
respectful hearing. Mr.. McCulloch and Mr.
/ Fisher talked along the same lines theS
had discussed when before the COMMITTEES
on cities and towns. Mr.. McCulIOeh told
| OF the floating population in South OmahG
which made 1t doubtful whether annexation
would carry II left TO a vote Of that-town
because, be said, II would be a question
Of who could secure the floating vote Of
from 1900 to 1000 At the start he saiC
the friends Of legislative annexation woult
be handicapped by at least 1900 votes. II
describing some OF the conditions In tn,
packing city, Mr.. Moculloch said one brew
cry owned thirty-eight saloons and at leas
two members OF the city council owneS
saloons.
Il am sorry have not a picture Of tina
council to show YOU" he said.
| Mr.. Fisher told OF the line between
i Omaha and South Omaha being only i'm
asinary and described again that It 10
kcity Of 5000 people absolutely dependen
% Omaha for everything In the way o
heht. water and street car service.
Nh. Bresn discussed the legality OF leg
islatiNe annexation and cited numerous de
cisionsA TO support Ms contention that IN
bill nosA pending Is a legal document an
will stand the tests of the courts. He be
lieved the greatest good would be don
to the greatest number by the passage o
the bill.
May Not AgA Two-csnt BiII.
Governor shsldAn IN all probability wi
act sign the scent rate BIN and neither wi