Omaha daily bee., 1915-04-12
JOBHOLDER'S
IS GIVEN KNOCKOUT
House Postpones Bill to Extend
Terms of office Holders
Until 1918.
ROUGH TREATMENT FOR BILL
(From a Staff Correspondent. }

(From a Staff Correspondent.)
LINCOLN, April IL Especial. -
Like the boy who stood on the burn
ing deck when the raging flames
made hot the peanuts by the peck,
Speaker Jackson stood by his desk
yesterday in the face of lobby
of county officials hanging over the
rail and with resounding whack Of
his gavel sounded the death knell to
the bill intended to extend their
terms two years without the trouble
Of reelection.
II was the gavel swung by the good
right hand of the speaker that choked off
sn avalanche of hot air which was about
to be precirltated upon the assembly and
when the thing had been done. remarks
were made that the speaker had pulled
off the best stunt OF his career. The
question was on the adoption Of the con-
ference report OF the COMMITTEES appointed.
to confer with like committee from the1
senate.
Opposition Overwhelmine.
The speaker did not, as might be sup
posed. take snap Judgment on the dues-
tion. He merely put to vote the con-
ference report in the regular manner
after the question involved had been up
for discussion several times. An the
members understood II perfectly and were
ready TO vote upon it. The majority was
at least ten to one for indefinitely post
poning the bill.
Where the disappointment of the Of
ficeholding lobbyists and their friends
came in was over the failure to delay a
final vote until enough opponents OF the
scheme had gone home so that they could
finally smuggle II through. A substitute
motion had been sent up to the clerks
desk with this object in view. but the
putting of the first motion eliminated
the second one from consideration
Reconaideration Move Falls.
Mr.. Richmond Immediately moved to
reconsider, but another member sprung
the proposal to takela recess. which car
ried. 1t is believed that II another at
tempt should be made to reconsider it viii
fail, as fifty-one votes are required.
On behalf of the Lancaster county Of
ficeholders Mr. Mockett had moved In
the house Friday afternoon that the con-
ference committee be directed to report
on Saturday The committee merely 70
ported Saturday morning that 1t would
like to have more time, which was al
lowed
Unknown TO Mr.. Mockett. the commit
tee later handed up a second report re-
commencing indefinite postponement Just
before noon Moekett spoke on a question
OF pesonal privilege and replied to a news
paper criticism of his activity in helping
out the officeholders' lobby. In doing
30, he intimated that the conference com
mittee had been playing horse" Negiey,
sorensen and Cronin, the three members
OF the Committee all replied to Mockett
Mr.. Cronin's remarks were especially
caustie.
ROasta 0fficehOlders.
II deny the slurs that the gentleman
from Lancaster has cast upon the com
mittee." said cronin. III dilatory tactics
have been attempted It is he and his
crowd who have used them Our report
is now on the clerks desk and was there
when Mr. Moekett arose TO make his
grandstand play. ] want 10 say about
this county officehoIders' lobby. which
has been hanging around here all winter,
that its members are not doingN their
duty by their people when they spend
their time In this way"
The conference report was that the
matter should be left to the next legis-
lature and that House Roll be indefin-
itely postponed. Mr.. Scott moved TO ADOPT