Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-02-06
Also Had Planned to Mulct State for
One Thousand Dollars.
NOW RUBBING THE SORE SPOTS
Comparison of Present Legislature
with the One Preceding.
NO RETAINER TWO YEARS AGO
Party Pledges Redeemed Then by
Bills which Have stood Test of
Attacks of Best Attorneys
In the state.
tFrom a Staff Correspondent,

LINCOLN, Feb. 5.-(Special Telegram)
In the great humiliation of the demo-
cratic party over the actor of its legis-
lature admitting that IL is not capable
of drafting a bill to guarantee bank de-
posits, after every democrat elected to
that body had made his campaign on
that issue, there is one little bit OF con-
ISOLATION.
1t might have been worse.
Had IL not been for Governor Shallen-
berger the legislature would have paid
the lawyer 81 900 to do the work instead
Of promising 5000.
When the committee realized that Il
could not draw the BILL the governors
kitchen cabinet got busy and suggested
that 1000 should be paid to some good
lawyer to draw the bill guarantee 1t to
be constitutional, and In such form it
would be passed by the legislature.
Though the governor has a few lawyers
In his kitchen cabinet who would look
at $1,000 a long time before they would
pass it by without fight, he concluded
to go outside for advice In the matter.
So he called up I. l.. Albert at Columbus.
How much is it worth to draft a bank
ing bill?" said the governor to Judge Al
bert.
That depends upon the viewpoint"
/ said Judge Albert, but should say $3.50
or $780,"
"will you draft the bill for SsOO2" said
the governor.
II am not looking for the job" replied
| the judge.
well. you are the man we want to dc
the work." interrupted the chief execu-
tive of the state; "all the members up
| here believe you sh ould draft the bill"
And then Judge Albert went on to tell
Governor Shallenberger that it should
not require more than two or three days
! to get up the bill or to compare Il and
see II 1t is constitutional.
| So that is how 1t happened that Judge
Albert was elected to do the work. Gov
ernor Shallenbergers kitchen cabinet was
too strong for him sn its assaults on the
money box.
But this action of the democrats in go
ing away from home to get $500 law
| yer when a word from the governor
would have secured $1,000 lawyer right
here in Lincoln, possibly I'm the state
house as much as the employment of the
$500 attorney has humiliated his party.
| Arthur Mullen services were at the dis
posal of the governor and so were the SER
vices OF Tom Allen. OF course they may not
| be 81. 900 lawyers, because they were not en-
ployed, but some democrats are not slow
to say that the governor certainly took r.
slap at his own advisers and counselors
when he turned down these two and hired
| Judge Albert.
Some Comparisons.
The action of the democratic legislature
in spending the peoples money in at
torneys fees for drafting a bill is more hu-
initiating when considered along with what
was done by the last republican legislature
without hiring an attorney to pass on its
drafted and passed railway commission
bill which stood the test of the courts when
attacked by the best paid lawyers In Ne
braska.
1t passed bill reducing express rates
% per cent which is now being enforced
and though attacked by well paid lawyers
is yet upon the statute books.
1t enacted law for the taxation of rail-
way terminals which the lawyers for the
railroads did not even attempt to knock
out.
1t enacted a statewide primary law
which has stood the test OF the courts.
II enacted pure food law which has
been unsuccessfully attacked in the courts.
1t enacted an anti-pass law which has
stood the test of the courts and Is being
enforced.
1t passed a 2-cent fare law which has
run the gauntlet of attacks from the best
attorneys IN the state.
1t enacted a law reducing freight rates
I Is per cent which has stood the test.
The revenue law was enacted by a repub-
lican legislature and has stood the test.
In fact not one single measure of the
long list Of reform laws enacted by the
last legislature has been knocked out in
the courts. Each of these measures was
drafted by the members of the legislature
J or committees and no outside lawyer was
ever called upon at the expense Of the
9 state to pass upon the legality OF even one
OF them.
on their first pledge, which was so easy
during the campaign. the democrats have
thrown up their hands. admitted their in
capacity to draft the bill and have hired q
lawyer TO do the work.
After Personal Taxes.
Bowman OF Nuckols county is after the
man who shirks his personal taxes. He
introduced a bill in the house this morn
ing which provides that the county as
e SCISSOR each year shall publish a list OF
e the persons whose personal property has
!. been returned at a valuation OF $500 or
+ more. The list of names is TO be pub
n lished in paper in the county and IL is
s TO be paid fo- out Of the county funds.
II The property owned is divided under the
different classes.
ants Higher EducatiOn.
) And now Norfolk wants state normal
school To that end today there was read
i in the house a statement signed by num-
ber OF citizens OF that city saying they
would donate to the state some ground and
buildings valued at $4,000 providing the
; state would locate a normal school there.
NOnpartisan school Omcers.
: To offset their fierce struggle for toh