Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-21
Nebraska
DEMOCRATS BADLY DIVIDED
Temperance Question Rock Upon
Which Party is Impsled.
NO FACTION IS SATISFIED
Daylight Bill ~DIspIeases water Pec-
pie and County OptiOuists Knock
on Measure Governor
signed.
From a staff Correspondent

NNAaA ~ N1fNN'f
was a political party any more UP in the
air over a question than is the democratic
party at this time over the temperance
question. rhe daylight saloon bill was
passed with the idea that 1t would satisfy
the temperance people OF the state and
entice them into the democratic party.
But the legislature. reckoned badly and
Governor Shallenberger, who signed the
bill, has begun to reap the reward of the
man who goes back on his friends. Sun
day night the pulpits of Lincoln were &C.
cupied by lay members Of the various
churches, who discussed the temperance
question. c. c. Flansburg, who is the
head of the temperance forces In this sec
ton Of the state, denounced the 8 o'clock
closing law as one that would prove un-
satisfactory. He told the audience that
the Z o'clock closing law had been unsat-
isfactory in Lincoln and that 1t had not
curtailed the sale Of liquor, but, on the
other hand, he said the statistics kept on
one saloon showed that the crowds which
went to the bar and bought liquor Just
before the closing hour and carried it away
made the total sales equal tn the sales
under the old rules. Consequently he gave
to Governor Shallenberger no credit for
signing the act the legislature passed.
To complicate matters for the democrats,
Richard l.. Metcalfe has made a definite
statement of what he believes should be
the attitude of the democratic party in the
next campaign.
The democratic party should declare for
county OPTION said Mr.. Metcalfe. per
sonally, L am opposed to statewide prohibit
ton. because it cannot be enforced, but l
am In favor Of county option, and if the
democrats are to be successful they must
declare for county option. The s o'clock
law is a move in the right direction, but
1t will not satisfy the people who want
county option"
Arthur Mullen, Governor Shallenberger's
overload, is for the 8 o'clock closing law.
and he believes the passage of that bill
by the democrats is all the party has to
do In the temperance line for many years
to come. 1t was his idea that the passage
of that measure would put the republicans
up against it, but the numerous knocks
coming in against the governor indicate
the daylight bill is taken as a sop TO the
temperance people and a double-cross TO
the men who nominated and elected the
governor.
When the democratic state convention
meets under the law 1t will have nothing
TO do except name a state committee, but
the democratic leaders will get together
and decide upon a course of action.
Metcalfe will insist that the party should
oppose prohibition and stand for county op-
ton and other leaders of the party will
insist that the party should stand solely or
the 8 o'clock law.
Normal Board Not auaIiaed.
\ The members of the new normal board
may be iconstitutionally appointed and
the law may be good, but the members
of the board have certainly failed To
qualify as provided for in the bill and as
other officers rave qualified in the past
The law provides that the old board shall
serve until the new board is appointed
and qualities. The new board met in the
office of the governor and organized, bu
there has been no oaths duly signed and
filed with the secretary of state. Con.
sequently the new board has failed &c
qualify, as have the other state officers
All the state officers from the justice
OF the supreme court down take an oatf
of office and the same is filed with thC
secretary of state, but Mr.. Mullen's new
normal board has overlooked or looked
down on his custom so far. This over.
sight, II Is believed, still leaves the OF
board in charge of the guns.
RaIston Case ~stponed
The hearing of the Ralston rate case
has again been postponed until May IL
This is the second time the case ha;
been postponed owing to the illness oi
some of those interested in the mat.
ter.
Hearing on Rate Justification.
May ~ the railway commission viii
hear arguments for and against the West
ern Traffic associations rate classified
ton ~. This association gets out q
rate classification about once in si'
months and then the matter has to com,
before the commission before the rate!
may be enforced in Nebraska. The com
mission will notify the railroads and ais,
the shippers of the coming hearing, 81
that all interested may be on hand t
offer arguments.
separation of Receipts.
The state Railway commission me
with Edison Rich and Mr.. Stebbins OF
the Union Pacific today to discuss
method by which the railroad compan.
could divide its state and interstate re
ceipts and expenses and report them L
the commission. Mr.. Rich informed thu
commission his company was willing t.
separate the items If the board would
suggest a way, but the company did no
feel like assuming the responsibility o
saying how the division should be made
Another meeting will be held later
Trouble Among YapPs.
Mrs. Lulu Yapp of Havelock, Tuesda!
filed a complaint in Justice Bacon's court
charging her husband Harry Yapp, witt
wife desertion.
The complaint alleges that Harry zap
lad threatened TO go to California an'
leave his wife and 1-year-old child here.
The statement of his wife is denied b,
Yapp, who asserts that his wife left HON,