Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-04-01
Open Primary Bill Passes and Now
Goes to the Governor.
NET WEIGHT GOES ON PACKAGES
Senate Inserts Provision in Bill Sent
From House.
NO PARTY MEN FOR JUDGES
senate Agrees TO the House BilI for
the Purchase of the Wayne
Normal school for Use
of the state.
cFrom a staff Correspondent)

LINCOLN, March s1.-(special)--It is
evident that Robert Beecher Howell ac-
tually believes that some day the Water
board of Omaha will take over the water
plant there for the city or he has an idea
In his head that Omaha will some day own
its own water works plant. This is based
on the fact that the former senator is
anxious for the passage of S. F. S93, by
Donohoe of Holt. which has passed the
senate and which is now IN the hands of
the sitting committee.
The bill provides that every city or vii
lage which owns its own water plant may
levy a tax against every lot in front OF
which water mains have been laid. This
tax is to be known as the frontage water
tax. and It cannot be more than 2h cents
per front foot
Before the tax is levied the city council
or other board having charge of the matter
shall make the fact public and give the
property owner an opportunity to pro-
test The tax shall be lien on the prop
erty.
The bill was sent to Senator Donohoe by
Harvey Newbranch OF the World Herald,
and given him. as was said at the time,
because he had not any hope the senators
from Douglas county could get 1t through
for him.
Open Primary Bill Passes.
It is now up to Governor Shallenberger
to say whether he Is willing for the polit-
teal pa rites of Nebraska to be disrupted
or at the mercy of persons who refuse 10
make known their political affiliations.
The Oils primary bill which provides that
any voters may participate in primary
and be permitted to vote for the ticket he
desires regardless of his own party affiiia-
tions passed the house this morning. 1t
had already passed the senate.
Had the bill now up to the governor been
in effect last year II might have been
Mayor Dahlman instead of Governor Shall
lenberger In the executive chair, for the
mayor might have been able TO secure a
big republican vote in Omaha which would
have offset the populist and democratic
votes Shallenberger received out in the
state. As Governor Sheldon had no oppo-
stion 1t was not necessary for many re-
publicans to vote for him to make the nom
inatlon.
Nettleton of Clay who two years ago ad-
vocated the open primary, announced on
the floor of the house that he realized he
had made a mistake two years ago on that
proposition and he warned the democrats
they would regret IT IL the bill became a
law. It was pointed out that where there
was only one candidate for an office, it
would be an easy matter for members Of
different political party TO go in and
nominate for the opponents a weak man.
But this had no effect.
Net Weight on Packages.
The senate disagreed with the house over
net weights and amended the bill by Smith
of Cass which the house sent over so
wprded as to conform to the branding sec
ton Of the national pure food law. SEN
ator King made a hard fight to secure the
amendment and on the final roll call, on a
motion by Tanner to leave the bill as the
house fixed 1t up. the proposition to com
pei net weight branding carried, q to IL.
The amended bill provides goods are mis-
branded IL sold for use In Nebraska in
package form, IL every such package as
provided and named below does not bear
correct statement clearly printed on the
outside of the main label of the contents
and also of the net weight or measure of
the contents, exclusive of the container,
viz: all dairy products, meat and meat
products, wheat products, oat products and
corn products. and mixtures, prepared or
unprepared. sugar, syrup and molasses, tea,
coffee. canned. dried and preserved fruit.
Provided, however. that the provision shall
not apply to packages put up by the re-
taller nor to packages on hand by a retailer
! at the time Of taking effect OF this act"
The amendment was opposed by Sena-
tors Tfbbetts. Ransom and Howell, who
showed that the proposed requirements
went further than even Joe Johnson had
gone in his edicts as TO food commissioner.
! The section OF the bill permitting bleached
flour was unchanged
When the house committee gave a
hearing TO the food manufacturers,
/ and gave expression 20 sentiment he was
/ in favor of the bill as the COMMITTEES
/ agreed to present It and as, in fact, the
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