Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-03-22
NOT MOVED BY CRITICISMS
Inclined to Be Touohy Early in the
Session, but Now Complaisant,
FLAYED BY DEMOCRATIC EDITOR
Edgar Howard Not Inclined to wield
the whitewosh Brush at the
Behest of the Omaha
Party Organ.
CFrom a staff Correspondent

the democratic legislature, the first for
Nebraska, has yet ten days or two weeks
to finally write It's history, It has recorded
several chapters that II can never revise
however 1t may attempt TO bring tho
story to a good end.
From the day of it's organization the leg
islature has been dominated by special
interests The statement of w. ]. Taylor
of Custer county in the house last Friday
bears out this assertion. Mr.. Taylor in
speech which will become historic In Ne
braska politics accused leading senator's Of
caring more for their corporation interest
than they do for their platform pledges.
He said in the course Of his remarks:
"The railroads of the state have suf-
fered little at our hands and the people
have profited but little"
Mr. Taylor then called the attention OF
the members to the presence of the power
full insurance lobby here which had. with
the help OF the members. prevented in
surance legislation; he denounced the SEN
ate for running the house guaranty deposit
bill and for knitting the bill providing for
the physical valuation of public service
corporations. The records will bear out Mr..
Taylor in his statement.
This legislature has witnessed the spec
tacle of n member Of the senate, the boss
OF the senate, appearing as an attorney
for a corporation before legislative COM
mittees to defeat pending bills affecting
the interest of his clients.
The anti-lobby law provides that no per-
son interested in pending legislation may
appear before any Legislative committee
in the interest of measures without first
having registered his name with the sec
retary of state. setting out in what matter
OF legislation he is interested 1t has not
been published that any senator has ever
registered as a lobbyist.
Members have complained of the pres
ence OF the lobby. hut not one member
has seen ut 10 call to his aid the law
which was passed for the very purpose
of restricting the lobby business and reg
ulating II.
senate II COmplRisant.
One of the Lincoln newspapers published
affidavts containing serious statements re-
garding members of the senate 1t Is true
no names were mentioned in the affidavits.
but the senate took no notice of the affair.
not even appointing a whitewash committee
to call upon the editor for further infor-
nation.
When the senate was young II got in
suited because a newspaper published a
story about it's railroad committee holding
a secret session, charging at the same time
it was under corporation domination, or
words to that effect. II got very much in
suited, but the committee appointed to
look into the matter has yet to make its
report. II may be possible the senate is
waiting for the report of this committee be-
fore appointing another one. Anyhow, the
senate is not as touchy as it used TO be
1t even remained quiet when w. j. Taylor
made his serious charges against It's lead
ers, and no newspaper has published a
more severe arraignment of the upper
house.
So notorious has the senate become that
for the first time in the memory OF the
old-timers a resolution has been introduced
in the house asking for fair treatment OF
an important platform pledge A good slice
OF meat was cut out of the bill providing
for the physical valuation of corporation
property because that portion affected the
South Omaha stock yards. The section
eliminated was put back in the bill by the
house. and It was again sent to the senate
for concurrence. Instead of a roll call on
the house amendment, the senate sent the
bill to the railroad committee for action.
The resolution in the house is protest
against that action. 1t was introduced by
At the Bryan birthday banquet Friday
night a number OF speakers told the legis-
lators and others not 10 take seriously
statements about the legislature published
In The Bee. None OF the speakers had any
thing to say about the statement by w. ].
Taylor.
Democratic Criticism.
The appeal of the World Herald 20 the
democratic editors of the state to reserve
Judgment on the legislature and stop their
criticism. has stirred up some of the editors
10 speak out In meeting. Copies OF Edgar
Howards Columbus Telegram have been
received at the state house.
After stating the substance OF the appeal
sent out by the World Herald, Judge How
ard closes his editorial with this;
The editorial appeal OF the World Her
aid is a gratuitous insult to nine out OF
ten democratic editors Of country papers
In Nebraska, because every democratic
editor not on the legislative payroll has
boldly spoken out against the machina-
/ tiOuS of the Omaha senators and their