Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-13
No Time to Investigate or Debate the
Question Pefors Vote on Senator,
PLANS PROPOSED FOR DlsPosNG OF II
One is to Discuss it Just Enough to Show
Animus Of the Nova
DEMOCRATS MAY VOTE FOR NETTLtToN
FusiOniHts VIII Give No Assistance I'm
Passing Legislation to which All
Parties Were Pledged In
Their Platforms.
CFrom a SCAR correspondentl

LINCOLN, Jan. 12-(special.)-A lares
number of the Legislators went home i'm
mediately after adjournment yesterday.
and those who are in town are spending
their time working on measures to be in
troduced ana discussing bills which have
been started on the road TO become laws.
The resolution to investigate the rumors
and reports Of the official action OF Norris
Brown when attorney general is still
occupying front place In the minds of the
members and how to sit down on the propo-
sition gracefully has occasioned some worry
among the majority members. Some want
TO have full and free discussion of the
resolution In the house and then table It.
after the intent and object OF the fusion-
lists and those who put Van Housen up to
the job have been fully aired. Some mem
bers are In favor of putting the resolution
on the table without debate and this may
be done.
On the other hand, the corporations,
working through the fusionists, have been
planting senatorial bees thick and fast in
their efforts to defeat Mr.. Brown. II was
announced this morning that the fusionists
held caucus last night and decided to
cast their votes for Speaker Nettleton for
senator, providing Brown was not chosen
on the first ballot An investigation Of
this report showed that about fifteen MEM
bers of the minority party discussed in
formally this proposition and informally
agreed TO do this Later a spokesman for
the fusionists said the entire fusion MEM
bership would be glad of an opportunity TO
cast the solid vote for Governor Sheldon.
Speaker Nettleton was informed that the
fusionists intended to vote for him.
40 of
the speaker, he smiled. but II they do
II on the second ballot there is very little
danger of me ever getting any votes for
senator"
Apparently the speaker not the
least disturbed about the senatorial toga
and seemed to take it as a matter OF course
Mr.. Brown would receive the unanimous
republican vote next Tuesday. investiga-
ton or no investigation.
Should the house decide TO conduct an
investigation and hold UP the election OF
Mr.. Brown until 1t has been concluded II
would be necessary for the members to
scatter their votes. inasmuch as-t is re-
quired by law that a joint ballot be taken
daily, beginning Wednesday at noon. until
a senator is chosen.
t. First Printed Bill Returned
Representative Harrison Of Otoe county,
{
him the first printed copy of a bill to be
returned to the house, H. r. No. 1, by Lee
of Douglas. This is the bill providing
that street railway companies can own
stock in interurban companies and connect
with them. It's object Is to allow the
Omaha company to connect up with the
interurban at South Omaha and incidentally
to allow the interurban to get across o
street in Lincoln by connection with the
company here. The bill has been referred
to the railroad committee, of which Har-
rison is chairman. When the members get
down to work Monday afternoon they will
find their bill files with all the bills printed
in them ready for business
Members of both houses so far have
shown a disposition to carry out the plat
form pledges with the least possible de-
lay Both houses have hedged themselves
in from the lobbyists and both have
adopted rules whereby the members need
not be bounded to death, at least while
they are in session. Some OF the lobby
lists are of the opinion this will wear OF
shortly and the normal legislative con-
ditions prevail. but It is evident the mem
bers are not of this opinion.
To carry out the platform pledges as ex-
peditiously as possible. the house has In
structed the speaker to name four COM
mittees Of seven members each to Join with
senate committees OF the same number to
get up the principal measures spoken OF
in the platform. Speaker Nettleton will
announce his committees next Monday aft
ernoon, while the senate committee on
standing committees will name the COM
mittees from the upper house.
Up to date bills have been introduced TO
reduce passenger rates. regulate freight
rates by giving the state railway commits
sion absolute power and discretion In these
matters; a direct primary bill, state wide
in its scope; a pure food BILL child labor
bill. a bill for the taxation OF railway
terminals and. in fact. measures TO cover
every plank In the platform and much
more. It is presumed these measures will
be considered by the joint committees.
which will report back to both houses
Then the bills reported back, according
TO Speaker Nettleton. will be sent TO the
regular standing committees TO pass upon
before either house gets chance at them.
No Help from FusiOnista.
One thing is certain about this legislature
and that is the fusIonlsts are not going TO
assist the republicans to carry out the
pledges made by both party conventions
last summer. The fusionists object to the
appointment OF committees by the speaker
10 get up platform measures and as a
reason they claim the plan is a usurpation
by a committee OF power which is dele
gated to the membership, The fusionists
have no protest at the committee places
given them by the speaker inasmuch as
they got all they asked for with the eXcep-
ton OF two places on the rules committee
which the speaker concluded should go TO
republicans.
Regarding the resolution to investigate
Norris Browns official acts. Chairman b.
r. b. Weber OF the populist state commit
tee today issued the following signed state
ment.