Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-09
Dodge Presents His Primary Eli Of Last
Session Slightly Amended.
DUTIES OF THE RAILWAY COMMISSION
Two Measures on This Subject introduced
IN the Senate
wIlstY OF FRONTIER AFTER LOBBYISTS
Resolution n Most Drastic One anS
Brings Joe Burns OF Lancaster
10 HIs Feet with
Protest
CFrom a star Correspondent


LINCOLN, Jan. S.-(SpcCial. )-Members
Of the legislature started in this morning
10 redeem their pledges to the people by
the Introduction of measures covering the
platform. In the senate. Root of Cass in
troduoed two bills defining the duties OF
the State Railway commission and fixing
the salaries Of the members. while IN the
house among the very important bills in
troduced were the following: For the tax
alton OF railroad terminals for municipal
purposes, by Clarke OF Douglas a bill
for state primary, by Dodge Of Douglas;
an anti-lobbyists bill fixing a penalty Of
a fine or Jail sentence. by Jenison OF Clay:
an anu-lobbyists bill. by Shubert OF Rich
ardson: a 2-oent passenger rate; a bill
providing that a freight train carrying
passengers should not run more than an
hour behind the schedule: bill to compel
telephone companies to connect their
lines; a resolution to request the attorney
general TO bring suit 70 enforce the pro-
visions OF the maximum freight rate law;
a resolution by Harrison to request the
attorney general 20 bring quo warranto pro-
oeedings in the supreme court 10 test the
constitutionality of the adoption OF the
amendment TO the constitution providing
for the state railroad commission.
In the senate Joe Burns OF Lancaster sot
chance to orate when wilsey Of Frontier
introduced a resolution providing a penalty
of a Jail sentence for lobbying Burns bit
terly opposed the resolution and II went
over for one day. King OF Polk thought the
measure too drastic
Committees were named in both houses.
Dodge Introduces Primary Bill.
What is considered one OF the most i'm
portant measures introduced is the state
primary bill. by Dodge of Douglas 1t is
\
ago and later amended to apply to Doug
las county alone and became what was
known as the Dodge primary law. The bill
contains the original provisions for a state
wide direct primary and does away with
conventions of every sort, save when new
parties are formed or when special cleo
l tions are held. II also provides for the
| registration OF voters on the primary date
and the registration law will be amended
| 20 comply with this provision. Some
changes have been made to comply with
| the clauses that were criticised or held in
valid by the supreme court, such as the
matter Of the filing fee, which instead of
being a percentage Of the emolument Is
! now a fiat sum for different Offices. In ad-
dition to the filing fee a candidate is re-
quired 20 circulate petition in the elective
district Such petition must be signed by
at least / per cent Of the voters OF the
party in at least six counties in the state
II a candidate for & state ONCE. For a rep
resentative in congress the petition must
be signed by per cent OF the voters OF
his party in at least one-tenth OF the cleo
ton precincts in each Of at least one-half
I OF the counties of the congressional dis
trict and in the aggregate not less than
per cent Of the total vote Of HIS party in
such district; for an ONCE other than the
congressional district or state ONCE by at
least 2 per cent Of re party vote in at
least one-sixth Of the election precincts
and in the aggregate not less than per
cent Of the total vote OF his party in such
district.
The primary election day has been moved
forward from Tuesday seven weeks 70
Tuesday nine weeks preceding the general
election in November. which viii throw the
primary election date into the last OF Au-
gust.
stgners Must Be Verihed.
Every signer of a nomination petition
shall sign but one such paper for the same
oface and shall declare that he intends
I TO support the candidate named therein,
and an afi6avit has TO be made by the
! man circulating the petition stating that
! he Is personally acquainted with all per
sons who have signed the same and that
! he knows them 10 be electors of that dis
trict. Such ahidavit cannot be made by
|, the candidate himself. Any political party
Is entitled 10 a place oo -iie oficial
primary ballot that hss polled 1
, per cent Of the tota, vote cast at
the last preceding general election in the
state. Nomination papers may be also filed
! for non-partisan candidates, but such pa
. pers shall contain at least per cent OF the
total votes cast al the last preceding gen.
eral election IN the state or subdivision
thereof in which the person is a candidate.
All names OF candidates for elective
offices are rotated on the ballot as in the
Dodge primary law. but delegations 90
conventions are not rotated. doing away
with the inconvenient and expensive rotat-
ing OF the names as occurred under the
8 old law. Inasmuch. however. there viii
e no longer be any convention save in ex-
: ceptional cases, this amendment 10 the
law Is not so important.
The hlng fees are as follows: Candidates
for United States senators. 800: candidates
for state Offices. $50; candidates for repre-
A sentatives in congress and judges OF the
district court. IS; candidates for the state
Legislature and all county officers. 80. Al
ali primary elections held for the November
election In cities where registration Is re-
D quired the polls are 10 be opened from {
> o'clock In the morning until IN the even
> ing, but in all other cases and in the case
e OF an Omaha primary for municipal Ofices
e the polls are open from y o'clock noon
h until O'Clock In the evening. The old law
a had longer hours for the Omaha city
j. primaries.
d In cities where registration is required
Il no one can vote at a primary who is not
e registered. ana although he may register
II On the day Of the primary he cannot make
j. a change Of his party afnhatiOn on ths
+ primary day but must vote with the party
d that he had previously affiliated with. Thil
3 prevents sudden and numerous changes
- from one party 10 another IN order 20 TAX,
II part IN that immediate primary election.
e Provision for Party Machinery.
n The party committees are provided for a
J. follows: The members Of the county com