Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-30
May Divide on Minor Matters, but
Party Whip Swings All.
oPTIoNIsTs FALL IN LINE
At Command of Trio They Vote to
Kill Saloon Bill.
BRYAN CALLED TO A SHOWDOWN
Speaker Pool and others In House
Trying 10 Line Up Members Ia
That Body who Are Rcst-
i've Under Restraint.
Bell Wether of the Douglas County
Senatorial Triumvirate.
CFrom a staff Correspondent1

LINCOLN, Jan g.-(SpeCial) )-Aftct a
half day OF politics in the senate. it was
made plain today that while the democrs, IS
may divide occasionally when the time
comes for action on any measure the Doug
las county corporation triumvirato has de-
creed must go, so carefully has the or
ganizaton by the Omaha gentlemen been
effected and so skllfully have the lines of
interest been interviewer to draw all classes
OF democrats into their fold that they can
secure the votes even against pledges that
some ef the "reformers' have made
After a little internecine warfare over the
payment of employees, the senate decided to
pay its assistants only for the time they
have been actually employed There was
some bitter feeling in remarks that passed
between Senators Howell of Douglas and
Oils of Valley and the Douglas county
statesman was accused of trying to get a
clerk of his committee on the payroll who
has never yet appeared in Lincoln to as
sumo any of his duties.
little later on the question OF post
poning s. f. i31 by King of Polk. a repuh-
lican, a bill to provide for closing saloons
between p. m. and a. m. over the state,
was indefinitely postponed with the assist
ancc Of Senators Miller of Lancaster, Oils
of Valley, Donohoe of Holt and Bodinson
of Buffalo, who have been active In the
county option camp and who have been in
consultation privately for the futherance Of
the option clause. The vote OF Senator
Miller of Lancaster against the plan Of
saloon control in vogue in his own city OF
Lincoln was explained on the theory that
so many personalities had been injected into
the debate that he could not support the
measure against which he admitted he had
no positive prejudice.
Causes Some Sore spots.
AT meeting of county option senators
held at Senator Miller's house early in the
session the above named democratic SEN
ators, with republican optionists conferred
over the attitude they were to take on
bills affecting the liquor traffic and the
agreement was then made to stand to-
sether and the King bill among Others
was then discussed. The complete change
of the reform" senator's, showing them
| amenable to Douglas county discipline was
therefore the cause of more sore spots
among the optionists and more side re-
marks than any action yet taken by the
senate has brought forth, Especially the
action of Senator Miller of Lancaster has
caused big rumpus among the optionists.
He insists he will be found in line on the
| option cause, but in his home city where
he was put In office by republican votes,
the men who bolted their ticket to sup
port him now find him tied up with the
Douglas interests and are going out in
back lots in spite Of the stormy weather
to kick themselves.
In explaining himself on his vote on the
question of postponing the King bill SEN
ator Wiltse OF Cedar said: Not to take
any issue with anyone, but simply for the
purpose of being consistent, | will vote
no."
| Senator Miller did not explain his vote
/ but afterward said:
| 'If the senate had not injected per-
sonalities into the question the other side
could have secured at least four more
votes. You will find me in line on option
| just the same"
! The Douglas county senate organizers
! left the chamber after the scrap smiling
in their sleeves.
Trouble began Immediately on the report
of the judiciary committee OF which SEN
ator Ransom is chairman, to postpone s. f,
1871 indefinitely. King moved to amend the
| report by placing the bill on general fife.
| and in speaking of his motion announced
the purpose Of his bill to he to extend
to the state the system OF saloon closing
| In Lincoln.
! For some reason" declared the senator,
| there appears 10 be in the senate de-
| termination to scrutinize every bill / in
troduce most carefully and TO postpone
many OF them as It may be possible to DO,
while other senators have but to ask the
committee for the privilege OF putting their
bills ON general file, even II the committee
Is opposed to them, and the desire Is
granted.
81 do not crave any distinction in the
| present instance. but If / did I would ask
nothing more than the opposition Of the
! combined majority led by the trlumvrate
| from Douglas county"
He referred to the theory Of standing be-
hind a standing committee report no mat
ter what It was as Cannonism, and hoped
the members would act Independently.
Don't stifle legislation" he said In clos
ing
Ransom is COnciIIatOry.
This speech was like a red rag to SEN
ator Ransom. who discoursed on the plan of
submitting a Dir to a committee to save
the work OF the entire membership and
expedite business and at once referred to
the "triumvirate" which Senator King
has pointed out.
II don't know what has come over the
senator from Polk that he should point to
the Douglas county delegation as tri-
umvirate," said Mr.. Ransom. 81 don I
don't know that the senator has attracted
the especial attention of anybody except
by the number Of bills he has introduced
and by the length OF time he has taken I'm
discussing them.
"rhe senator's assault upon the three
members OF the Douglas county delegation Is
violation of the courtesy OF the house.
challenge him to point to a single thing
that is dishonorable on the part OF any OF
the three members from this county"
After enlarging on the Importance OF
Omaha and the courtesy Of the Omaha
senators In pfoptiating the demands OF
the farmer members and their eagerneEs
to do anything for the senate and the state
that was right and Just. he declared Sen
stor King had introduced more bills thar
J any three other men. He asked the sen