Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-26
Nebraska
SNAG FOR NONPARTTSAN LAW
Request from Haigler for Inter.
probation of Judiciary Act.
PETITIONS CAUSE THE DISPUTE
old law Permitting Candidates 80
Get ON the Ballot stiu Exists
and May he Taken Into
the Courts.
CFrom a Staff Correspondent)

CFrom staff Correspondent)
LINCOLN, July 25.-(Special )-Th nom
partisan judiciary law passed by the last
session Of the legislature and which will
receive its first trial at the primaries Au-
gust IL, has already encountered difficult
ties. There stands on the statute books
of the state law enacted more than
score Of years ago that may do away with
the law as enacted. This statute pro-
vides that a candidate for any state office
may be nominated, otherwise than at the
primary, by filing with the secretary OF
state a petition containing the signatures
OF 1000 voters. A candidate for county
office may have his name placed upon the
election ballot by filing with the county
clerk a petition having go signatures.
Francis b. Moore Of Haigler has asked
Attorney General Martin to straighteu out
the apparent conflict The attorney gem
ersl today received a letter from Moore
asking II under the old statute he may
become a candidate for county Judge by
petition Attorney General Martin has
declined to give an opinion on the ques-
ton, and should the question be further
pursued it probably will be necessary to
take It up in court
Might Avoid Primary,
didate. should it be held as still valid,
are obvious. Under the nonpartisan ju-
dietary law a canddat for any judicial
office cannot become a party candidate,
and a petition bearing $500 signatures is
necessary TO assure the placing of a name
on the primary ballot. Thus under the
older statute the candidate could have his
name placed on the ballot at the general
election by petition with smaller num-
Der OF signers and also avoid the expense
of the primary campaign.
One clause Of thc recently enacted law,
however. may render the older statute in
valid. This reads:
In no event shall the names of the
official ballot in each office division be
more than twice the number of offices to
be filled at the said general election"
Should this clause be held valid it will
do away with the petition law, as under
the nonpartisan act the two candidates
receiving the highest number of votes in
the primaries will have their names
placed on the official ballot.
Elliott Gives Platform. .
Robert /. Elliott candidate for state
superintendent of public instruction. on
the republican ticket and for three years
deputy in the superintendent office is
sending out letters stating his qualifica-
tions and giving his platform. He has
had long experience as a teacher anr
teachers trainer in Nebraska. He says
in part after declaring the rural school
needs greatest attention in Nebraska:
believe that more attention should be
given to the teaching of the essentials
such as reading, writing, arithmetic.
spelling and language-in the public
schools In order to obtain more practical
results. 1 favor the continuation of full
TNIhI ~ of tha finn of fhA nff
and careful economy in the transaction
of the business of the department in
every detail
approve of the wider use of the
would encourage the establishment of
lecture courses and literary societies for
community participation and enjoyment.
feel that the school interests of the
state are too sacred 10 be maTred by
trivial personalities, and that educational
policies are living issues meriting the
thoughtful, unprejudiced consideration of
the people. believe in non -partisanship
In the administration Of school affairs.
knights of Luther Busy.
newly organized statewide order
known as the knights OF Luther. or
ganized with the avowed intention of
opposing the Catholic church, and the
Knights of Columbus, Is attempting to
discover exactly where candidates for
state offices stand on various questions
A circular is being sent from Lexington,
by w. w. Brown, secretary of the organi-
zation there, to the various candidates
asking them TO state exactly where they
stand on the question OF enacting a law
empowering the state inspection of all
ecclesiastical institutions Of every char
acter, the present immigration bill be-
fore the congress of the United States
and the taxing of church property within
the state for speculative purposes or fol
ssylumns of various kinds.
CepIecha VIII stick.
John 'Ceplecha of Valley county, can
ddate for the republican nomination fol
governor of Nebraska, is going to stick.
Secretary of State Wait recently learned
that Ceplechas wife had died and tele
graphed him to learn If there had beer
any change in his plans.
Written on the back OF the telegram
when 1t was returned to the secretary
of states office, was Ceulecha's reply
NO sir; l will not withdraw An
going TO stay; It cost me 800 and l an
not going to loose II. You or anybody
Rise will not humbug me. paid yol
80 for to have my name on the repubr
can ticket and it got to stay there, SURE
Mike This letter is registered. You viii
surely admit you received it o. K"
Across the face OF Secretary Wait
telegram Ceplecha had written, pleas,
do not bother me-" The secretary prob
ably will comply with his request.
Lakes Being RestOcked.
Chief Game Warden Rutenbeck toda,
returned from Thayer and Arlington
where he has spent the last week II
seining the fish from the lakes. Tn
undesirable varieties of fish were take
out and the better stock returned 10 tn
lakes The lakes will be restoeked wit
minnows of the best varieties of fis
taken from the state hatcheries
Lets Printing Contract.
The state Journal company OF Lincol
today was awarded the contract 70
furnishing 5000 copies of a 1l2-page boo
on normal training high schools. Tn
contract price was 1921 a page. Tw
,ther Lincoln firms were the only bid
iers for the contract