Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-09
GOVERNOR SUED FOR RENT
Case Brought at His Instance TO Test
Validity Of the Law.
DOUBTS RIGHT TO USE EXECUTIVE HOME
Mrs. Mary Teft, wife of Prominent
lincoln Physician, Dies suddenly,
Beins Found Dead I'm Chair
.st by Her Son.
From a stan correspondent1

LINCOLN, Feb. ESPECIAL. )--Governor
p Sheldon has requested the attorney general
20 file a suit to see whether he is violating
the constitution by living In the executive
tnansion without paying rent to the state,
and Mr.. Thompson filed the petition this
afternoon in the supreme court. He asks
Judgment against the governor for $100,
which is considered reasonable rent for
such a home for one month Governor
Sheldon desires to know whether he vio-
lates the constitution, which provides no
peruuiste aside from the salary attached
70 the office shall be extended to an office
holder, and this is the first time on record
a state officer ever objected TO anything
the state allowed him. Following is the
letter sent to the attorney general by Gov
ernor Sheldon requesting suit be filed, to-
gether with the petition filed by the at
korney general;
Hon. w. L. Thompson, Attorney Gen
eral, Lincoln, Neb-Dear Sir: The leg
tslatures of 1899, probably realizing that
the salary for the governor of this state
did not properly compensate him for the
services performed, passed an act which
provided that the Board of Public Lands
and Buildings Should purchase a dwelling
house property for an executive mansion
20 be occupied by. the governor. Section
after said property has been purchased
and paid for the Board of Public Lands
and BUILDINGS snail furnish hhlo premises
suitable for an executive mansion ana
the same shall be occupied by the gov
srnor."
Succeeding legislatures have made ap-
Preparations for the furnishing and main
fenance Of the executive mansion.
Section "a, article ", of the constitu-
fion of the state is as follows:
1.-THE salaries of the governor. auditor
of public ACCOUNTS and treasurer shall be
$500 each per annum, and of the sec
rotary of state, attorney general, super
antendent of public instruction and COM
missioner of public lands and buildings
shall be $4,000 each per annum The
lieutenant governor shall receive twice
the adoption of this constitution they
shall not receive to their own use any
fees, costs, interest upon public moneys
3n their hands or under their control,
zion, and all fees that may hereafter be
payable by law for services performed
by an officer provided for I'm this article
of the constitution, shall be paid In ad-
vance into the state treasury. There
the Offices of the superintendent Of pub
lie instruction and attorney general"
1t seems TO me that the act of the
legislature referred TO above and the
succeeding ones is in violation of this
therefore, directed to adopt such pro
cedure you may determine Necessary
TO properly test the validity of the act
which requires the governor to live in
may find II necessary to sue me for the
use and the occupancy OF the executive
mansion and also to determine whether
or not the legislature has the right &C
each legislature since this act was passed
20, provide for the maintenance of the
mansion. Very respectfully,
GEORGE L. SHELDON,