Omaha daily bee., 1911-01-29
IENATE HALTs BETWEEN BILLS
Several Measures in Upper House and
Choice Not made.
PLANS FOR STATE INVESTMENT
Representative Potts Hopes to Bring
Local Securities First.
APPROPRIATIONS TO HAVE CALL
pTnanee Committee Busily Engaged
DraftinE Salaries Measure and
Hopes 20 Have Il Intro
duced at Early Date.
From a staff Correspondent ,


LINCOLN, Jan. 2s-CSpecial)--The initia-
tive and referendum bill knows as H. r. 1.
which was introduced by Representative
Hatfield OF Lancaster county. will be, II
passed, the most important act OF the
coming week for the legislature, unless
some new situation arises. The bill Is TO be
q special order OF business for the meet
ing Of Wednesday afternoon and the whole
question OF the Initiative method OF lcgis-
latlon will be discussed and debated
At the meeting Of the committee on
Judiciary when the bill was discussed there
were only Two votes against IT, Gross
man OF Douglas opposed II because it pro-
vldes a low percentage for the Initiative.
The bill is so drawn that 10 per cent Of the
voters OF the state, so distributed as to
include per cent OF tire voters in each OF
two-fifths OF the counties In the state may
install n measure. Five percent OF the
voters order referendum action on any
bill ~ distributed IN the same way. Sagl
Of Saline voted against It also, because
he does not believe in the principle. lie
offered to vote for It II the friends Of the
bill would make the percentage fifty In
stead OF five. knowing that no supporter
OF the proposition would agree to that. lie
maintains that not only his own views,
<6ut the beliefs OF his constituents are
opposed to Il.
Attitude of senate.
The same bill as the Hatfield bill. repre-
sentng the measure supported by the DI-
rect Legislation league was brought up
in the senate by Skues OF Butler Another
direct legislation bill was presented by
Albert OF Platte This bill is still awatins
the action OF the committee and when they
are both brought Up from the committee
on constitutional amendments, the commit
tee Of tho whole will decide their fate. The
senate is likely to await the action of
the house before going ahead on its own
responsibility in the matter.
Potts Retnve=tment Biu.
The house committed on Judiciary has de
eided to recommend Tor passage the Potts
reinvestment bill,-dIs .lEs,s 40, measure
which WIN seriously change the financial
system Of the state. The author, Potts of
Pawnee. a member OF the majority. c'ed as
reason for 1t the fact that Nebraska has
invested so heavily in the bonds OF other
states while cities and towns in the state
are anxious to dispose of bend issues. The
Investments according to a statement Is
sued January 10. included bonds OF Ala
bama, &,OO0.O0; California. s525.00O; Colorado.
$1,000; Delaware, $4,000; Idaho, 100000;
louisiana. $3.50; Maryland. Si5O,OO0; Mas
sachusetts, $685.. 900; Minnesota. $4,000; Mis-
\glssppI s557,0OO; North Carolina. $4,000;
Tennessee si9s.2OO; Utah, $4,000. Total,
SAO9s.a0O
The reason for The proposed change In
policy Is given in this section OF the bill,
Nebraska trust funds should first seek
Investment in safe Nebraska securities,
thereby giving employment to labor and
capital at home and developing and beau
tifying our commonwealth, and the Board
-
pressed desire to operate so this end.
The bill was amended to provide that no
more than 100000 shall be invested In
the bonds of any one city and with that
change win probably pass.
salary BnI L. Being Drawn.
The biennial salary bill, which pays the
salaries Of all the employees Of the state
Is now occupying the attention OF tn,
members OF the finance ways and means
committees Of which Gallagher OF Cunning
is chairman. The salary bill has often
been left by the finance committee unit
the forty days for introducing bills Is al
most up to give the lawmakers chance tC
create new offices II they care TO. Thl,
year. however, both the salary bill and IN,
general appropriation bin VIII be draw
early and brought before the house. Tha
the middle OF the week viii see this bill
on the floor Is the hope OF the leglslativ,
enthusiasts.
Nearly every department In the stat
house is asking few increases in salarie
and a few new employees, The request
that have been made to the committee ar
as follows. all amounts covering two years
-.sseXpenditure;
Aujutant general, salary Increases. - 2.52
Commissioner OF laDor, salary in
CGeases .t.........,....... .................. ~
Two new factory inspt tctots,........... $40
Secretary oI state, new clerk on cor
porattOn taxes. ...,.,................ dOl
Auditor, increases and new clerks. so
Attorney genel al deputy increase and
new assistant, ....,...,, ,,.,............... o..
supreme court, increase and new
RAILWAY commission. onice help. ..... LAou
state veterinarian, incl case and new
assistant ...........,..,. ...,..,........ 45-
Norfolk asylum new assistant doctor %
Industrial school Neai ney ....,......... lSt
Industrial school, GcneNa.........,..... 8.
school for the Deaf Omaha new
scnoo for the blind ind...,....,.......,..... 2,
Total. $50 .
spIrries May Pass NtIiIou.
The total appropr ton fcr salaries mad
al the last session wus saIeo The bi
now in the hands Of the committee e
th.s session may very easily pass the on
million mark,
The next problem for the committee W.
BE- the maintenance bill which ran
s. sS7 i0SOt last time and will be niue
larger for this biennium Il al the depaI
mtnts which want additional appropri'
ti0us get anywhere ntsr what they ask.
Since last week the following new al
~ H. al