Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-01-19
Members Gather in Hall Of House for
the Ratification.
NEW SENATOR MAKES ADDRESS
Declares Government Living Thing
and Must Progress.
RECONSIDER EXPOSITION VOTE
Legislators In House Take Back
Action Deciding In Favor of New
OrIeRn--UniverrIty Prop
ositiOn In Again.
cFrom a statt correspondentl


LINCOLN. Jan 1s.-(special) THE cleo
tion Of Gilbert NJ Hitchcock os United
states senator was confirmed by the house
and senate IN ioiht session at noon today.
Each house met In It's own chamber and
al l2 by special order Of business the sen
ate entered representatives. hall Presi-
dent Uopewell took the chair and the
clerk of the house read the hol. Presi-
dent uopewen then called the clerks to
read the two journals OF yesterday and
sInluunced the vote 81 to 10 In the house
and 20 to / in the senate.
When he had declared Hitchcocks cleo
ton Senator Tibhets moved that a com
mittce wait upon the senator-elect VINO
was in the clerks office and escort him 10
the rustrum. The committee was Sen ttor
Tibbets and Representatives Metzger and
Eager The appearance OF the senstor-
elect brought applause from the crowded
galleries and he toON tac rostrum beside
-hief Clerk Henry Rt-hn nj.
Mr.. HitchcocL's Address.
His address was u follows:
MIR. President and Mr.. Speaker, Senators
and Representatives of Nebraska: My first
duty and my first impulse is to thank you
from the bottom OF my heart for the great
honor you have bestowed upon me.
Through you also ] extend to the people
OF Nebraska whom you represent my pro-
found gratitude for the splendid vote of
confidence In me which they expressed
last November. / shall do my utmost TO
merit that confidence. Great as the honor
h., 1 esteem the responsibility greater. To
You, who are the representatives of the
people OF Nebraska and the custodian of
their sovereign power ! pledge my sin
ccre devotion TO their interests.
~ long address from me at this time
would not be appropriate and partisan
speech, of whatever length would be out
of place.
II am a party man and are all here
present 1 believe in parties They are
necessary to self-government. They are
however, means to an end rather than the
end Itself, which should be good govern
ment. / honor my party with its living
principles and its great leaders just as
those of the opposite faith honor theirs
Between these two great parties another
has come into being. II is not organized
II holds no conventions or primaries, II
has no name It has no party lines. 1t Is
the great body Of independent voters, som,
calling themselves republicans and sons
democrats. but all ready to follow the
leadership which at the time offers th'
best prospects for the people.
This ceremonial today marks an epocl
~ In progressive government because 1t Is tn,
first time In Nebraska and only the secOnC
time in history when the demand for tn,
election Of senators by the direct vote o
The people has been given official sanction
oregon first and Nebraska second hav,
led the way and other states Of the unioi
WIN now rapidly follow in this importan
az a.,
1t sens to me fitting occasion to cal
attention TO the steady progress we ar
making in our government ideas.
Governments Must Grow.
Government is living thing II mus
grow and progress to meet new condition
OF 1t will fail. We could not possibly main
tain our modern civilization with the gov
eminent framed by our forefsthers II /
had not been expanded to meet new condi
lions.
The American people of all parties hav
met the task bravely. They made a
enormous moral advance when the natiO
abolished slavery The cost was awful bu
the gain was prOdigious. The progress rep
resented by those few lines in our consti
tutions which prohibit slavery was TIRE
mendous. In the matter OF the publ
health we have seen great advance b
the enactment OF pure food laws whic
now serve TO protect every family in IN
land
In the protection of property great T,
form has been made by the two progre,
sive ideas IN government one was n
regulation Of railroads whereby the pas
evil and freight discrimination were abo
ished and rates subjected TO the contr
p OF law, Il is only a few years since n
free pass evil prevailed all over the cou
try and every railroad was robbng sma
shippers and giving tavors to large col
Germs. our laws have only recently pr
grosscd to the point OF stopping this mi
use Of the highways.
The other progressive idea of govern
mont is the protection OF the consumer az
The logitimate business man by antl-tru
laws. They have not vet triurnphed b
tLel will Every big trust is on the q
fenske and it Is only a matter
time when this reform also win be accou
piished.
I'VE have made and are making gre
progress In TAX reform. More than ha
the states have Inheritance taNes and in
short time We will probably have a nation
income tax. In the matter OF election
much progress has been made The who
tendency OF legislation is 20 make the W
OF the people effective and supreme. "
purified elections by the Australian ball,
We attacked the powers OF the bosses
. the primary system ami We are makh
headway In the direction OF destroy ms q
power OF money by laws Tor the publlci
u campaign expenses. Ne shall with
few years have a general practice
electng senators by the vote OF the poop
Elevation OF Labor.
We have done much 20 protect a
alleviate labor by laws 20 limit the hou
OF work. TO prevent the abuse OF ch
labor 10 make employers responsible
accidents 10 those whom they expose
- danger and 10 establish arbiu alton for I
settlement of strikes.
we bav, rcc,nu seen the estabiis
ment Of a great system OF rural free
uNcry for the millions Of American farm,