Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-12
Each Day Added to Session Adds to
the DisorganiEation.
CANNOT AGREE ON PARTY BILLS
Little of Importance to State Accom-
plished to Date.
MAKING HOLES IN BANK BILL
Bankers Are Cutting out In the
Senate All Provisions which
Are DistastefuI 60
Them.
Crrom a STAFF correspondentl

LINCOLN. March 11.--(Special 1.-The
defeat of the initiative and referendum
bill by the senate Is but one OF numerous
indications the democrats of the leEis-
lature are growing to think less and less
of Mr. Bryan and the theories he is adj
vocating
When in the middle of February the
Peerless Leader came before the joint
assembly to give his views on public ques-
tions, he advocated the adoption of the
initiative and referendum as a panacea
that would solve the problem of the peo-
pies rule about quickly as anything
he had I'm mind, but when the senators
had an opportunity to take a poke at the
proposition they made short work of IL
and the debate that ensued was the live
liest that has occurred on the floor of the
upper house this session.
There are increasing evidences of dis
organization among the democrats They
have at last reached the stage when
they are willing publicly TO accuse each
| other of breaking faith. which is only
one indication of the intensity OF feeling.
Some of the members realize they have
been in session nearly the whole time
allotted and have been unable to agree
upon tn measures, even though they we're
fw in number, which were believed neces-
sary from the democratic standpoint to
the salvation of the state The democrats
are just beginning to take up the guar
anty law in the senate and are having a
contest over the physical valuation bill
| in the house, which will be more acute
when the bill returns to the senate for
concurrence. The bills to enact road
laws are in a state of imperfection that
promises little of actual accomplishment
before the end. The two houses are at
swords points over primary law amend
ments, and yet with so much hanging
over them they have been Obliged 10 stop
and haggle over Bryanistic vagaries.
Amending banking Bill.
| II is extremely probable that extensive
| amendments will be made TO the banking
bill before It is reported to the senate for
action of that body. The bankers are TAX
ing active steps to reduce the amount of the
assessment for the guaranty fund. The
initial assessment under the bill as 1t stands
now is one-half of 1 per cent. They will
make strenuous efforts to cut this down TO
one-quarter of per cent.
The question of double liability OF stock
holders is also slated for retirement. Nearly
all the talking points of the guaranty law
as enlarged upon during the campaign are
being slowly but surely trimmed down to
meet the requirements of the bankers.
With these matters pending the members
are submerged by flood OF appropriation
bills which II careful work is done will take
almost all the time remaining for consid-
Grafton Of measures.
| The temper OF the senate on appropria-
| tions was made known this morning during
consideration of the appropriation for the
Boys Industrial school at Kearney. The
senators refused to leSten to the plea for
economy made by Senator Tibbets of Ad-
form 1t came from the house. Several hours
were taken to decide upon a matter of 49,
900 included in the bill
This morning when Senator Howell of
Douglas sought TO advance one OF his bills
he met the opposition of Senator Miller of
Lancaster, whose pet taxation measure was
yesterday put to sleep through the activi-
ties of the Omaha delegation.
Taft sends Thanks.
The following letter has been received by
the legislature:
THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON
March 6.-Gentlemen | greatly appreciate
the message OF congratulation and good
wishes from the house and senate OF the
state of Nebraska conveyed by your tele-
gram Of March 4. Will you please express
to the entire membership OF both BODIES my
cordial thanks and assure them that value
their friendly sentiments? Very sincerely
Hon Charles W. Pool, Speaker Of the
| House
Hon. George w. Tibbets. President Of the
Senate.
No Money TO Teach AErIcuIturO.
The house refused to appropriate $4,000
for the teaching OF agriculture in the high
schools, though Nettleton OF Clay, Taylor
of Gutter and Raper of Pawnee and others
fought hard to get the bill. which has been
| introduced by Fogurty and Snyder. recon-
| mended for third reading. The bill had its
enacting clause struck off, the first rattle
| out of the box and Raper secured q re-
consideration of this the measure could
be discussed. but the house was in no mood
to appropriate money for the teaching OF
! agriculture in public schools, 80 the bill
was again killed.
| Sop for Western Nebraska
On rol call Chase of Dawes. mustered
| fifty votes in favor OF his bill to establish
normal school I'm western Nebraska, after
the amount was cut down from $4,000 TO
SIS, 900, and the town Of Crawford had been
cut out OF it, The bill was killed in the
committee OF the whole. but on a roll cell
not TO concur in this report Of the com
mittee IL was recommended for third read
| IiTg.
! In his talk for his bill, Chase told tho
members the school would serve a district
which had paid in taxes TO the state. to the
amount OF 81 10000 in the last ten years but
not one cent had been given TO that sec
tion in the way Of public educational in
! stitutions
| Valuation Bill Amended.
s. F. 1873, the Ellis physical valuation bill.
was finally amended so that the senate
will fail To recignize II, and then the house
ordered the clerH TO prepare the bill with
the amendments so that the house could
find out what Il Rad done. The new
amendments Tut in the stock yards and
street car companies. under the operations