Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-12-30
LEGISLATORS ARE COMING IN
Those on Hand at Present Principally
Candidates for Speaker.
AsPIRANTs FOR CLERKsHIP HERE
Some of the Democrats Propose TO
Make Bryan show His Hand and
Draft the Platform
Bills.
CFrom a Staff Correspondent) J

CF'rom a Staff Correspondent.)
LINCOLN. Dec. 29.-(special.)- 1.-The leg
lsative season is at hand and the early
birds are on the ground Though they are
few in number they are widely scattered.
there being candidate for speaker at the
Lincoln, the Capitol and the Royal hotels
and two candidates for chief clerk at the
Dndell. The disinterested members are not
yet on the ground.
Taylor from Hitchcock and Taylor from
Custer arr two of the same name after
the speakership; Henry of Holt Is another
who came in last night and Kelley of Fur
mas is here doing a stunt all his own. He
is a candidate for speaker and cares more
| about having platform pledges kept than
he does about presiding over the house.
IT am here to that every platform
pledge is kept" said Mr.. Kelley. We went
before the people with specific promises
and woe to the man who dares sidestep
that platform"
The early birds are here simply that
| they may catch onto the legislators as
they come into town. None claims a cinch
on the job and each is talking about the
democratic platform and other platitudes
without getting down to anything very
! specific.
! Henry of Holt is prepared to tell the peo-
| influence to throttle any legislation or to
pass ANY bills, meaning particularly the
county option bill. IL one is introduced. He
| will refer that bill Ito the committee of
the whole and let crowd settle it without
handing it over to any smaller committee.
| Taylor from Custer county has reputa-
| ton as an organizer and he expects to rally
considerable strength from the members in
the east end of the state at least, Taylor
! from Hitchcock expects to do the same
thing.
But the only definite thing there is known
| about the situation is that the house has
| forty-four farmers, or men who are en-
| gagged in the business of agriculture. and 1t
| is possible a movement may be started to
organize these farmers in order to control
| the organization of the house.
Those candidates for speaker who are
| here realize that the nine votes from Doug
las would help out great deal in selecting
a speaker, but not one seems to be counting
on any from the big county, though it is
talked that Clark of Richardson cannot get
all of them.
Trenmore Cone of Saunders and Henry
Richmond are both on the ground and both
are working hard for the place as chief
clerk. Cone has had the advantage OF hav-
ing been out in the state In advance OF
Richmond. or before Richmond got into the
game, but Richmond insists that he will be
able to take care OF himself at the caucus
Both are quartered at the Lindell.
Bryan Must show His Hand.
Mr.. Bryan must show his hand. From
generalites he must come down to details
In other words. he Is going 10 be asked
to draft some of the important measures
9
palgn. That is settled. Especially willy h,
be asked to write the draft Of the bill
providing for the physical valuation OF rail.
roads and other public utility corpora
tons ....
All Of which grew out of the fact tha
Mr.. Bryan recently called a meeting OF
prominent democrats at Fairview and reat
the riot act TO them about what the legis
lature must do and must not do. He tolC
these democrats that every platform pledg'
must be kept. including the enactment o
law providing for the guarantee Of banl
deposits and immediate" payment to de
postors in case Of bank failure. He CAV
no chance for argument on the part o
his Underlngs. HIS own decision in tn,
matter settled II.
On this proposition Mr.. Bryan and som
of the leaders in his party will split DR.
p /. Hill will not stand for the 'Immedi
ate" payment OF loss and his position /
that prompt" payment should be suff ci
ent
SO republicans who lost out in the recen
} election Will have the pleasure Of WATCHING
a scrap between Mr.. Bryan on the on
side and DIT. HaSll leading othe other
unless Mr.. Bryan decides to surrender.
And then Mr.. Bryan will be asked 4
fix up that physical valuation bill and q
take the responsibility OF its enactmen
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