Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-13
MES MAKING PROMISES
Ransom Cracks His Whip Over the
Majority of Legislators.
RECANvASS OF AMENDMENT VOTE
Printed Abstract Used After Returns
Are Refused.
sHALLENBERGER TO APPOINT
Ransom Gives II Out that New
AppOintees Are Expected to Go
Into Court ana Fight
for the Places.
From a Staff correspondent.)

for the Places.
From a Staff Correspondent
LINCOLN. Jan. 12-(specal TelegramO-
The supreme judges do not wear the cor
'oration collar nor the blue label. They
ire not the kind of judges Ransom wants.
This was the statement made by ex-
Governor Sheldon when his attention was
called to the remark OF Tanner of Douglas
that It was understood he had promised
to appoint two democrats to the supreme
bench.
Governor Sheldon said: mo man can
truthfully say ever promised to appoint
q democrat to the supreme bench Judge
Tibbetts and T. ]. Doyle came to me after
the executive committee OF the democratic
state committee had declared for the
amendments and discussed the appointment
of democrats. l told them it was against
my policy to promise to appoint men to
office before election, but that in the event
that the Amendment carried 1 would give
the question OF appointments serious ccn-
sideration.
THAT was all there was to It. No one
had any right to assume that 1 would
appoint any democrat to a place on the
bench I did appoint Judge Sullivan, their
strongest man. and he resigned. In view
OF the action OF the democratic party 1
realize now that l made mistake in
appointing any democrat to the bench"
Governor Sheldon was in the gallery of
the house a portion of the time during the
joint session and heard a part Of Ransom 9
speech.
Shallenberger to Appoint.
Frank Ransom of Omaha. who dehorned
the senate on its first day, performed that
came operation on the house today In
joint session he pushed through, not only
his motion to have committee demand of
the secretary of state the vote cast on the
constitutional amendments. but upon that
demand being refused canvassed printed
abstract OF the vote which has been GER
titled by the secretary of state as "prac-
tically' copy of the vote.
1t required the entire afternoon for the
Omaha senator to whip the legislators into
line, but the work was final and com
plete even to the extent OF lining UP such
valiant reformer as J. e. Miller OF Lam
caster county, elected by republican votes.
AS soon as the result Of the Joint session
is made known officially to Governor
Shallenberger, the latter will then issue his
proclamation in accordance with the legis-
lative action. and then appoint four SUI
preme judges This was the statement of
Governor Shallenberger tonight.
The result of the fight marked the pass
ing of the legislature completely into the
hands of the stock yards attorney, for
Taylor Of Custer county. who so faith
fully fought for decency, law and legal
supreme court. was declslvely whipped On
the first round he lacked only five votes
of having enough to table the motion of
Ransom to send a committee for the votes,
but on the final showing he lost by a
vote of "a to 81.
RRnsOm's Dictum Goes.
| Those who favored the Ransom action
argued that the law of 1895, which repealed
the 1877 law, giving the legislature power
to canvass the returns on constitutional
amendments, had been illegally passed by
the legislature. and therefore was unconsti-
tutionaL This together with Ransoms par
tisan speeches and his denunciation OF Tay-
lor for voting with the minority, was the
case.
| In reply to this Taylor showed that the
1895 act did not contain In it's title. when
the bill passed one house, the repeating
clause which had been inserted by a COM
mittee, which he said frequently happened
and as the law had stood for fifteen years
without being questioned, the defect should
the senator from Douglas had changed
front since the meeting last week. for at
that time the unconstitutional law had not
been mentioned. He argued that the state
Canvassing board had done it's duty and II
was not right that the taxpayers should be
made to pay the expense OF any litigation
over the amendments.
One OF the amusing incidents OF the de-
bate was the way Wilson Of Polk county
insisted that he was more interested in
canvassing the vote on the school fund
amendment than the Judiciary. Taylor in
qured why he had not mentioned the mat
ter In the former Joint session. Wilson had
no reply ready.
Taylor made II plain that Ransom's mo-
ton was simply buneombe, with the object
OF stirring up excitement and thus prevent
the enactment of laws and the keeping of
party pledges. He Was assisted by Dan
Kilien of Gage, who showed that Mr.. Bryan
himself had admitted the right Of the Can
vassing board to canvass the vote by rec
ommending the appointment OF w. II.
Thompson for Judge. Then Thompson an
piled for the appointment and Kilien wen,
on down the line and gave the name OF
practically every prominent democratic law
yer In the state, all Of whom had applied
Z for Jobs.
Tanner IL Called.
1 Tanner Of Dauglas during one Of his talk
made the statement that Governor Sheldon
he understood. had promised the democrat
two judges.
How do you know that?" asked Killer
: of Gage.
1T is generally understood" replied Tan
= ner.
Il deny that statement" said NettIeton O
" Clay. Il demand TO know where you 20
! your information" But Tanner had auI
even before Killen offered to support IN
!, molten II Tanner made good on his stata
|, . ment' Ned Brown. King Of Polk and 9th
= ers spoke against Ransom's demands. Will
4, Wilson. Kelley. stoecker and others wer
!, with Ransom.
a the motion provided that the presiden
\ OF the senate and the speaker Of the hous
! should call upon the secretary OF state an
!. request the votes on amendments Whe
this earriel Lieutenant Governor Hopewe
and Speaker Pool mads thalr request an