Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-18
Bills to Redeem Promises Will Get Hearing
Looking to Passage
CAUCUS MAY BE HELD IN THE OPEN
koAullen and Others Opposed to Closed
rOsrs on Party Conference,
Two-ctET FARE BILL MAKES IRoUsLE
Redemption of Pledge Made by Fusioa
Platform Has Put Republicans Into
n TAnRIe that Must He
Cleared.
From a STAFF Correspondent1

ent week OF the legislature promises to be
busy well as an important one. The
direct primary bill will be introduced and
the railroad commission bill probably will
be discussed in the committee OF the
whole, as we'll as the anti-paRs bill. and
the general appropriation bill ls expected
to be completed by the finance committee.
The 2-cent fare bill is TO be discussed in
caucus tomorrow night and is the special
order OF business Tuesday afternoon. II
is not improbable the republicans will de-
eide TO postpone action on this measure
for at least two weeks, which should be
plenty OF time for the majority to get it's
own pledges out OF the way and well on
the road to the governors ONCE for final
action. A number OF republicans regret
now that they did not have the foresight
to refuse to appoint a joint committee TO
draft this measure, but leave the passenger
rate business to the State Railway COM
mission. as the campaign speakers had
promised. Some of them now are at work
on other members of the majority to agree
tomorrow night to simply sit down on the
fusion pledge and defer action until all the
republican promises are kept. This could
be done by the majority making the 2-cent
rate bill a special order for a day two
weeks in the future.
Incidentally, 1t is going to be embar-
RAISING for the republicans to hold a eau
Gus even. The open caucus precedent set
at the beginning OF the session, when the
organization was perfected, will be In
sisted upon by number OF republicans
Adam McMullen says:
II shall certainly stand out for the open
caucus. We have got into the hole. and
we are able to get out in the public. see
no reason for secret caucus at all. We
can meet in the open, just as we did whom
the house was organized. Republicans
should not be afraid TO go on record IN
this matter at all. / believe a majority
favor an open caucus"
It is understood Governor Sheldon will
be asked to.cpme TO. the caucus and express
his views on the s-ceat rate biil. Whether
the governor will consent 70 mix IN the
matter will not be known until the meet
ing, as he has kept his hands strictly on
OF pending legislation, prefering TO act upon
measures after they have reached him
rather than before. His position on the 2
cent matter is well known and han been
publicly stated a number of times before
the election and since.
study Amendments Pending.
The amendment offered by Ned Brown
is being carefully studied to see II It really
Affects the validity of the bill and so 10
the amendment offered by Hanier OF Buff
falo being looked up. This amendment
compels railroads to carry children under
years OF age free OF charge.
The railroad commission bill is liable TO
cause considerable debate when It comes
UP in the committee of the whole over
some OF its sections. Some OF the members
who were not on the joint committee
would like to substitute the Sheldon bill
introduced two years ago, and add to IL
the court review section of the commission
BILL while others have several changes
they will suggest. This matter Is also
likely to be settled in the Monday night
caucus
work IL Ear Behind.
The legislature is away behind in its
work. having been In session thirty-two
days with only one party pledge kept. the
election of Norris Brown 20 the senate.
This will mean the remainder OF the ses-
sion will be busy every day and probably
the Saturday adjournments will have to be
discontinued. No bills OF any great I'm
portance have been passed. and the party
pledges have merely been well started.
with the primary bill still not introduced
II was insisted upon In the early part OF
the session that the appropriation bill
| should go in early In the session. 10 II
could be thoroughly discussed and institu-
tions asking for money compelled 10 item
ize what they wanted II for. but II nov
looks like this measure will come IN as
usual and be passed when the members
are in the mellow, sentimental goodbye
mood, and in no temper TO apply the
pruning knife. So far as the fualonists
are concerned, some OF them openly boast
they are for big appropriations because the
republicans VIII be responsible. and n they
can work the majority TO pass their 2-cent
rate pledge early in the game that will
leave them free to play smash with the
republican pledges That is what they are
planning and scheming for and up 10 date
they have been fairly successful against
the majority.
Railroads and Fust0nista.
As a matter OF information q republican
has suggested that n should again be
| printed that the railroads OF Nebraska alb
solutely controlled the democratic state
convention and the man the railroads nom
mated for governor inserted the 2-cent rate
plank in that platform. Railroad lobbyists
admit that rate can be knocked out In the
courts because II il not compensatory on
some OF the smaller lines. Should the
question be left entirely 10 the railroad
commission the 2-cent rate could be put in
effect where II would hold good
Il