Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-08
Shallenberger Sends His First Message

ANAN hn0 NV s0NAE uUDOElllOn. ~ y
last word upon this subject I want to
impress Upon you to the utmost the re-
sponsibility placed upon you in dealing
with this question and to urge you to re-
member that in whatever you may do.
you must be fair alike to the banker and
the depositor, and the law enacted must
stand the severest teets OF business expe-
rience.
Law.
our present revenue law should he
amended insofar as lie necessary to re-
store to the people the right to elect the
precinct assessors and to limit in part
at least the arbitrary powers which the
present law gives TO the State Board OF
Equalization and Assessment. so that the
people shall have restored TO them some
voice in determining the amount OF taxea
they shall be compelled to pay to sum
port the state government. 1t appears TO
me too great a gift OF power. TO give 70
the state and county boards the right IN
determine the amount Of the levy which
shall be laid upon the. property Of the
citizen and at the same time empower thu
state board to determine through its
mandates to the county assessors and
their deputies the valuation that shall
be placed upon the property of the tax-
payers. When we consider that the men-
bers of this a~ll-powerful Board OF As
sessment, acting in their official capac-
ity as the heads of different state depart-
ments, are authorized to spend the money
taken from the pockets of the peonIe
by the force of this same law. the dan
ger lurking in this excess of power be-
ZONES more apparent. 1t is to be ar
marked that different state departments
have commended the present law because
II provides much money for their use. II
is generally to be noted that those who
"a out money which others must nav
in view the magnitude Of the amount TO
be expended with greater equanimity than
those who have to provide It. The cost
Of our state government has increased
enormously in recent years. I wish to
impress upon you that funds should be
provided to meet every legitimate demand
OF the government, our different state in
situations and our schools, but every dol
lar that comes out of the treasury must
been paid in by some taxpayer and
the great bulk of the states income is
dug out OF the soil by the unremittinR
toll OF those who can i'll afford to nav
for extravaganza or unnecessary expense.
Railroad Commission.
The railroad commission should be au-
thorlzed and empowered to appraise the
physical value of the public service cor
OF the state. and to control their
debt making power. II they have that
power now, as some maintain, the legisla-
ture should provide the means with which
to pay the cost OF such an appraisement.
A determination of the actual value Of the
property of these corporations must be the
starting point of any effective attempt at
rate regulation. L believe that adequate
funds can be provided for this purpose by
requiring all corporations doing business
within the state to pay a small ANIMAL liz
cense fee into the state treasury. The
right to incorporate and operate under
our laws is a valuable consideration and
the power and protection given entities the
state to a proper report as to the condi-
lions of such corporations. together with
a fee COMMENSURATE with the privileges
granted, Such a law IN other states brings
a sufficient revenue, to warrant its enact
ment by this legislature and the devotion
of 80 much of the fund so provided to the
purpose of obtaining a proper appraisement
of public service corporations would be
entirely proper because in any event cor
should be required to pay for the
expense of examination and valuation lust
a bank or insurance company is now
required to do.
Home Rule for Both Omahas.
The cities Of Omaha and South Omaha
should be given complete local self-govern-
ment under charters satisfactory to them
and to you. First, because II is
can to deny them the right to rule and
govern themselves in all matters pertain
ing to municipal affairs. Second, It is to
the best interests OF their citizenship that
they should have placed upon themselves
the responsibility OF the proper conduct
and administration OF their own affairs. 1t
is inconceivable that these two metropolitan
cities, whose progress and development is
the pride Of the state, are the only COM
within our commonwealth that
must be ruled in some Of their principal
departments OF municipal government by
an absentee overload. ! am satisfied that
you will carry out the will OF the people
of these two great cities as expressed
through their representatives in this legis-
Law Unsatisfactory.
Our present primary law is unsatisfactory
and unfair In many of its provisions. The
expense to the state in holding a statewide
primary is enormous, and unless the cleo
ton results In registering the will OF the
party majority OF those voting and placing
better candidates before the people than
the convention method, the benefits of the
law cannot be said to warrant its cost.
Under the present law. the accidental al
phabetical position OF the candidates named
upon the ballot is at times more potent in
obtaining nominations than merit or abil-
ity. The number of names required upon
the petition of a candidate for a state Of
flee, is grossly insufficient. The cost OF
elections both to the candidates and the
state is greatly increased. 1t is doubtful
IL the average elector will ever have the
required acquaintance with the long list
of candidates for the different offices upon
the ballot in a statewide primary to in
sure intelligent selection. l would suggest
to you a county primary to nominate
county officers and delegates to a state
convention. The state convention 10 select
or more names for each office to go
upon the primary ballot, and TO make the
party platform. which ought TO be issued
in advance OF the primary, instead Of sub
sequent to it, as at present. The plan of
the present law for organizing the party
machinery, is not particularly calculated
TO produce good results, nor Is 1t fair in its
provisions to the different counties. In
the last analysis, no law can be con-
sldered satisfactory unless 1t accomplishes
the tkfp4a a. mas fpanad ? n 81, -