Omaha daily bee., 1909-06-12

Agricultural college end.......... 5OO,O 3S. 81
Normal endowment....-.",....... IS. 206, ~
Iotal. ~, lb6, lS2. p
The audtir has paid to the state treas
urer in insurance fees since November 80
E0, Salts.
Seymour on equalization Board.
Henry Seymour was elected secretary of
the State Board Of Equalization and AS
sessment this morning, receiving three out
OF the five votes cast. Frank Helvey of
Nebraska City and George Fairchild of
received one each. Mr.. Seymour
was bookkeeper in the office OF the state
auditor under Charles Weston and Z. W..
Searle, and has spent a good portion of
his time assisting in the work OF the state
board. He succeeds Chris Schavland, who
was recently killed by an automobile.
In the matter of the request Of a banker
of Dixon county to deduct from the capital
stock Of his bank $4,000 which he has in
vested in government bonds, the board Ie-
fSrred the question to the attorney general.
II was the opinion of the board members,
expressed informally, that no deductions
would be permitted from the capital stock
of a bank other than property which is
otherwise assessed. Government bonds are
not assessed. But the board concluded to
refer the matter to the legal department
for a formal decision.
The board prepared it's resolution in ac-
eordance with the statutes to be signed, fix
ing the official valuation of railroad prop
erty. The A7o which had not been dis
tributed over the Burlington system was
knocked off, reducing the assessment of
that road just that much. The official
valuation for 1903 OF all the railroad prop
a 80 l. ANN n m
against a valuation OF S26s, sSe, S65 for 1908.
Question Senator Miller's Claim,
State Auditor Barton has sent a formal
request to Attorney General Thompson for
an opinion on the legality Of a claim filed
by Miller & Paine of Lincoln against the
state. ]. e. Miller, a member OF the firm.
is Also q member Of the legislature, and
Mr.. Barton has his doubts as to the legality
of a contract between that firm and the
state.
In his letter to the legal department Mr..
Barton called attention to the fact that
Senator Miller was the chairman OF the
finance committee of the senate and as
such passed on the appropriations for the
payment OF claims. Mr.. Barton then quoted
the constitution. which says: Nor shall
any member OF the legislature or any state
officer be interested directly or indirectly
IN any contract Win the SNdlS OF county OF
city authorized by any Law passed during
the term for which he shall have been
elected or within one year after the expira-
ton thereof"
State Railway Commission EnjOined.
Chairman Clarke Of the State Railway
commission, has returned from Neigh
where he went to appear for the State
Railway commission in the application OF
the Northwestern Telephone company for
an injunction to prevent the commission
from interfering with the rates charged by
the company. The commission objected to
the company charging 10 cents additional
fee for q message outside OF Neigh into
the town, the same rate not being charged
20 parties talking outside OF Neigh. The
company secured a temporary restraining
order against the commission. II. j. Win
nett, OF the commission, is planning on a
vacation to take place shortly. DIR. Win
nett will go TO New York. then to Canada
ana up and down the Hudson and over
Lake ChAmplain by boat. He will be &C
companied by Mrs. Winnett. The date of
his departure has not yet been fixed.
FormeF Representative in City.
Former Representatives Quackenbush
and Armstrong OF Auburn were in Lincoln
today, the former on legal business and
the latter to secure his copy of the testi-
mony taken In the Gedde claims before
the legislature OF 1901. The attorney gen
eral had used the testimony in the disbar-
ment proceedings against Captain Allen @.
Fisher.
Labor Unions to Unite. -,
The labor unions Of Nebraska will form
u state federation in Ancoln at a meeting
20 be held In representative hall, June p
and e. A program has been prepared by
Deputy Labor Commissions Maupin. The
first session will be called to order at Z
p. m, Monday, June p, by the deputy la
Dor commissioner Governor Shallenberger