Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-05
Senate Concludes Not TO ST
Power Over Assessment.
RAYMOND DEFENDS HIS BIZ
Insists Water Users Are Misinformed
Of Its Provisions.
RAILROAD BILLS PUSHED AHEAD
House Takes Four of Them from the
BOtsorn of the File and Places
Them Up Near the
Tor.
FROM a staff Correspondent.)

tFrom a staff Correspondent)
lincoln. Neb.. March 4.-speciaD-The
legislature today stopped long enough in
its rush OF work TO extend to William n
Taft. president Of the United States, con-
Eratulstions from the people of the state
and to wish him successful .sdministra-
tior. The action Of the legislature was
conveyed to the new president through
telegram signed by the president pro TEN
Of the senate George W. Tibbetts and
chief clerk of the house. TreumoTe Cone
The telegram was follows:
Lincoln; Neb.. March 4-The house and
senate OF the state of Nebraska, by unani-
Iations upon your induction into office as
president OF the United states, and wish
you a successful administration
GrIffen OF Burt. wssthe author Of the
joint resolution adopted by both house
and senate. Mr.. Griffen informing the
speaker of his Intentions, offered his reso-
luton during the third reading OF bills
Mr. Pool promptly agreed to entertain the
motion and the house unanimously adopted
it.
The resolution was then taken 70 the
senate and adopted there by q unanimous
vote. The Griffen resolution was as
follows:
Whereas. There is today being inaugu-
rated into the office OF President of the
United States, one who Is honored with
highest aud most exalted position in the
gift Of the American people, and,
Whereas. The citizens OF the state OF
position our state occupies among the
forty-six states of this union and are
national form OF government wherein the
people are permitted to select those who
are delegated to execute the laws. there
Resolved, BY the legislature Of the state
OF Nebraska now in session, that the preSi-
dent Of the senate and speaker OF the
house jointly send a message OF congrat-
ulation. as expressing the sentiment of
the state of Nebraska to the Hon. Will
liam II. TAFT. wishing for him successful
administration as president of these United
States.
state Boards ConfroI OF Vsines.
The senste. today recommitted s. f. 2s.
by Fuller of Seward. which was drawn
and recommended 10 pass in a form that
would haSe prohibited the State Board
OF Equalization from raising or lowering
valuations on property in any one county,
but would have held the board to equal
ization merely.
The action was taken on the suggestion
of King of Polk county. who proposed an
amendment providing the state board
may not raise lower values except
when necessary to make the assessments
OF valuation.
The bill as originally drawn was IA
vored by the democrats on the ground
the state board has been raising valuation
arbitrarily. Senator King pointed out
that as the Fuller bill was drawn II
might prohibit the exercise Of needed
changes in values as, for instance, when
one county was valued In way that
would not provide equitable taxation In
comparison with another. His suggestion
was to confer sufficient poker OF change
on the board to obviate this difficulty
He declared the majority party did not
want TO change the law so the corpora
tions OF the state would have an excuse
for continually fighting their assessments
IN court which would be the case If the
hands Of the state board members were
tied.
The state board has never raised prop
erty anywhere in the state above figures
returned by the assessors themselves
though there have been numerous raises
above figures submitted by the county
boards OF equalization.
soldiers Home Controversy.
The senate today referred to the commit
ta, GA finance. ways and means all reports
al committees relating to the two soldiers
homes OF Nebraska. Senator Fuller OF Sew
ard insisted on pushing for acceptance
report signed by three members OF tn
senate COMMITTEES en- soldiers homes. Sen
ators Fuller, Ketchum and Hatfield, whicl
criticised the management OF the home
at Milford and Grand Island senate
Majors and the remaining members Of IN
committee submitted a report which de
clared the conditions at the homes were a
GOOD as could be desired The senate com
promised between the two factions by re
fsrring both reports to the finance com
mittee.
The action today was . legacy of tn
controversy several weeks ago when sen
atOr Fuller submitted the same report crit
icising the management fthe two home
which had been drawn up without a meet
ing Of the members, The report had bee
sent back to the COMMITTEES. The commits
tee was unable to agree. the whole sub
s,et again came before the senate.
Raymond Defends Bill.
senator Raymond of SCOTS Bluff toda
In speaking OF his bin 6. F. I74 whic
mas been attacked by the water users {
SCOTS Bluff county as likely TO prever
the completion OF certain governmer
works in his county, said:
Il think the opposition 10 this ball CONS
from a mlsapprehension OF the same, fC
with the amendnent offered in the con
mittse Of the whole l think there can
no possible ohjeetion TO il on the groun
that is Indicated in the resolution passs
al scotts Bluff. This amendment Was p,
IN 10 save any question o fthe right of II
tri-state canal TO est any water from n
government reservoirs ! would be the Ia
sne 10 want ANY such q provision As woul
psrnt the perpstuAtion OF conditions I
-
land owners under the tri-state ditch.
have land there and have persisteniy r
fused even to break my land OF perm
anyone 70 apply water 70 a fron ths IT