Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-04-13
Nebraska

Naihot ulNAelI approve OF II
The objesion pointed out in No. /
herein Is 50 plainly and obviously !
provided for in section that IL needs |
no further discussion. Il is plainly and /
clearly stated therein and that provision !
OF itself is enough to withhold my official |
approval OF this measure.
THE objections pointed IN Nos g. and s !
need no further demonstration because
they are already plainly stated and pro-
vided for in the several sections Of said
measure, and It takes no casuist or keen
analytical mind to discover and make
plain these objections. for they are there
in ordinary. concise. plain, everyday Eng
/ lish.
In Withholding my official signature to
this measure, I am confronted with the
most difficult situation in many respects
/ that have met in the consideration OF all
| OF the many measures that l have passed
upon. have been importuned and argued
and pleaded with to sign this measure by
many managers and interested parties in
various Independent telephone companies
from all over the state and the anxiety OF
each seems 70 be that they are fearful Of
being swallowed up by the Bell Telephone
! company or some other large Independent
concern and thus lose their investment. II
l could lend aid or assistance TO this sort
OF situation and at the same time do my
full duty as chief executive 20 the public
! Mt large, / should be very glad to do So I
think these people are unnecessarily
alarmed The independent companies per-
formed a great service to the people of this
state. Absolute competition has been en-
ioyed by the public in this great enterprise
and II the time has come when compeu-
ton must cease. then it occurs to me that
| q nF all Inc nd Y,n RI al tai
ephone systems would not solve the prob
lem in any sense of the word The only
method to pursue 1t seems TO me Is to
bring the telephone system absolutely
under control OF the railway commission
law, which in effect II already Is. It will
not better any telephone systems condition
by having 1t placed at the mercy OF a
stronger company by act Of law"
IAN experience is that the results of a
monopoly are simply to crush out the
weaker competitor. If this monopoly is
authorized and justified by law. then the
process Of eliminating the weaker COM
petitor becomes absolute and certain.
Pushed Through by Lobby.
Then again this measure lie Of more far
reaching Importance than any which was
considered by the legislature just ad-
journed. When It first came before that
body it was coolly and carefully DELHI
Grated upon and exhaustively debated and
when the vote came the essential provi-
sons in that bill were defeated. At the
close OF the legislature, when there was
great press OF business and all was ex-
element and no precaution or care was
taken. a powerful lobby appeared in be
half Of this act or measure and under the
whip and the spur OF every conceivable
influence that could be brought to bear,
this measure was put through to final
success. Men who had voted against 1t in
the first instance became supporters In
the second instance.
1.-THE reason for this II Is not for me TO
state. but suffice to say that when this
measure was passed it was lily considered
and no less than eight members Of this
legislature who supported the measure in
the second instance came to me personally
and asked me to veto this bill on the
. gound that they did not understand its
purports and effect One senator. in a
public hearing in my office said that he
did not understand, and In fact did not
} believe that section OF this measure was
Ia the bill at the time that he voted for
J it; that II 1t had been there he would not
have given his vote as he did.
Connection Not Compulsory.
| TT Is true that many members who sup
ported this bill believed that physical CON
nection compulsory when a careful
examination of the act shows that such
Is not the case. So II is fair to conclude
that II this measure had been fully and
completely considered in the second in
stance as it was in the first 1t would have
met the same fate.
This measure IL altogether too i'm
portant and the policy that It seeks to
a | g..
weighty to be thus hastily adopted.
Nebraska has solved the railway prob
/, lem TO the satisfaction of the people and
Of the common carriers. II can and II will
solve justly the problem Of telephone con-
nections. No property rights will be in
). jured and no unjust Determinations and
e none OF the freezing out process or great
II financial loss win be permitted by the
d people OF this state through law makers
: The people will meet this question squarely
II and fairly and with good American sense
IL reach a result that will be as satisfactory
} to the owners OF telephone systems and 70
IS the public as It did with the railways.
J. All Interests VIII he Protected.
20 But It will not arrive at this just and
equitable conclusion by jumping at result,
sc OF resorting to extremes. There Ia a grea
s. issue presented In this measure and Il mus
/
Is view at all times Of doing the right thing
. by all parties concerned.
y TWO years is short time. but IT q
> long enough for full and complete dis
y cussion OF this matter and when the legis
lature again convenes, Il the telephon
~ merger Is again TO the front and need
something done TO relieve the situation
a., then the people will have had an oppor
= tunity to act intelllgently. because the.
= win have had the opportunity OF knowing
and discussing this with all the facts an
= claims Of all interests concerned.
This matter came up so suddenly an
-, without any previous thought that IL woul
:, be unjust to the public to press upon
- the kind OF a policy provided for in thi
~ measure. and Il Is to that end that TIL
"A matter may be fully discussed so thu
~ justice will prevail that l withhold m
e signature at this time and veto said mea,
~. ure, house roll No. 5S1."