Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1911-02-23

Of South Omaha, argued before the
grazing that tcere was no need of les.
islation of the kind in the bill, but
his argument did not convince three
Of the five committeeman. Every
year a measure to regulate stock
yards ONE before the legislature.
No amendments to the present law fix
ing charges for feed and the time
limit for unloading stock have been
made for many years. The Oils bill
is n OF the many measures used in
the legislature as a center for log
rolling or vote trading.
Governor Aroused.
The trading of votes, which is ap-
parent in the legislature, promises to
become more of a scandal than ever
on account of the many important
bills used for trading purposes. Gov
ernor Aldrich has issued an emphatic
warning to the legislature that bills
should be discussed and acted on upon
their merits. He intimates that the
first bill which he thinks has been
clog rolled" will meet with a veto at
his hands. The governor did not send
the legislators a special mess lge, but
he lectured the members in e speech
which he delivered in Lincoln before
the Young Mems Republican ciu6 On
tie occasion Of IiGColn's birthday.
Eeath by Hanging.
The biennial attempt to induce the
legislature to abolish capital punish
ment failed in the house when that
body turned down an anti-capital pun.
ishment bill by a vote OF 45 to %. The
Nebraska law is considered n of the
best of it's kind, because it permits
juries in trials for first degree muir
der to say whether or not the prisoner
snail be punished by life impriso1-
nient or by death. Only in rare in
stances do iuries order the death pen
atty inflicted.
Prohibition Bill.
Gait of Clay introduced the first pro
hibitory measure in the legislature.
His bill was presented in the house
last week, following close upon the
heels of a bill introduced in the senate
by Reagan of Douglas to permit Ii
censing boards in cities over 5000
inhabitants to extend the hours OF
closing saloons not later than mid
night when so petitioned by over 50
per ceEt OF the voters OF a city. Thes
bills coming soon after the defeat O.
county option in the senate make the
legislators sit up and take notice that
the liquor question is still a live one
before the legislature. Two years ago
the daylight saloon law was passed
the last day Of the session, much to
the surprise Of many. Some such q
surprise is looked for at tie close OF
the present session.
Initiative and Referendum.
The senate, after much turmoil,
passed an initiative and referendum
bill. The house considered q house
bill without waiting for the senate
bill to arrive, but the discussion led
to nothing and the attempt to con
form, to the senate amendments was
abandoned. The leaders propose to
rass the bill precisely as it came from
the senate, although such party lead
ers as Chris Gruenther and Arthur
Mullen (Dem.) have published open
letters denounoing some of the pro-
visions o. the bill.
The bill as amended in the senate
provides for a 10 Per cent petition to
initiate and q 5 per cent petition to
refer. The same provisions in the bill
as to the initiative and referendum ap-
plies to the constitution and to laws.
Straight party votes are net to be
counted for or against propositions
submitted under the terms of the bill.
A majority Of the votes cast at an
election Is all that Is necessary to
carry a proposition submitted under
the bill, provided a proposition re-
ceives 35 per cent OF the total vote
cast at the election.
To Raise County Salaries.
An effort Is being made By nearly
every county officers association in
the state to obtain the passage of bills
raising salaries. Of county officers.
This effort Is meeting with considera-
bic resistance in the legislature, How
ever, the senate has started S. F. s on
its way. This is a bill to increase the
salaries of county superintendent
These officers receive less pay than
other county officers AMI the move
ment to increase salaries intends to
push the county suparintandents bill
before other salaries are discussed.
The State Watchdog.
Land Commissioner E. B. Cowles,
chairman OF the state board of public
lands and buildings, IS called the
watchdog of the treasury SO far as al
lowing claims for supplies for state
institutions are concerned. Recently
he discovered that DR.. Eaxter, the
former superintendent OF tie Hastings
asylum, had bought strawberries,
sailed almonds, candy end other del
cacies in the face of an order from
Dir. Cewles that strawberries should
not be bought in the winter time for
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