Omaha daily bee., 1915-09-17
Nebraska
LIGHT Is THROWN
ON BONDING DEAL
Soon After Judge England's Change
Of Front He Writes Bonds for
Six State Officers.
HELPS KILL INSURANCE BILL
From a Staff Correspondent

lfTOm = HNAII correspondent
LINCOLN. Sept. 16.-(special. y
The inside story OF the bond deal in
which Judge w. H. England of Lin
coin was able to pull down the bulk
of the bonds OF the state officers,
may never be told, but enough infor-
nation is available to give the i'm
preston that politics played a large
part, although the judge stoutly de-
MES his desertion of the republican
candidate, Mr.. Howell, after he had
petitioned him to get into the fight
WAS because of any consideration of
promised fat premiums for writing
the bonds of the democratic officials.
The story runs something like this, and
IL may be continued IN coming chapters.
Some after r. b. Howell of Omaha had
announced that he would not be a can
didAte for the republican nomination for
governor In 1914. Judge England and
number of other former bull moosers,
now calling themselves progressive re-
publicans. got out a petition and filed 1t
with the secretary OF state. after coax
ing the Omaha water board boss to re-
consider hts decision not to become a
candidate. and he was thus made a
candidate. This has little to do with
the story except to show that the Judge
was a progressive"
England Changes Front.
The second chapter opens with the Judge
playing the part of a booster for the
democratic opponent of Mr. Howell, Gov
ernor John II. Morehead, notwithstand-
ing Howell had been successful in land
ing the republican nomination. At the
time IT was considered worthy of COM
ment that Judge England should go back
on his progressive candidate for gov
ernor and get behind democratic can
didate. outside his own party, at that,
branded far and wide as reactionary.
However, Judge England now explains
the matter by saying that in a trip east
he discovered Howell was not sincere in
his professions toward the water power
projects. ETC., and so he concluded to
turn his efforts to the election of More
head.
Writes Bonds of SIX Officers.
Chapter three opens soon after the be-
ginning Of the year 1915, when it was dis
iONCtCo bl6l SONcTHOl 1OT6ntdu anu
other state officers had turned the writ
ing of their bonds over to Judge England
In his first term Governor Morehead had
filed a personal bond without cost to the
state. but for his second term Judge
England was given the privilege of writ
ing a company bond for him.
other officers about the state house
who gave their bonds to Judge England
- k,v L..
State Treasurer Hall. 81 100000
state Auditor w. II. Smith. ..... $1,000
Secretary of State Charles Pool. 5000
Insurance comns, w. Eastman 10000
State Accountant c. @. DeFrance 1000
This, counting the bond of the governor.
gives total of si,2s6,OOO. which the
judge was able to write. besides the
bonds OF several examiners in the pure
food department. which, If. as he says,
he was given the writing OF the bond of
the governor simply because the execu-
tive appreciated his support. indicates
that other democrats must have been
very appreciative Of the judges repub-
llcan support likewise.
Helps Kill Insurance Bill.
But there is still another chapter, for
1t will be remembered that during the
last udyb vi NhC AcEiSAhAhiN NhtAN WoS a
mighty fight over the passage Of senate
file IS, the anti-discrimination fire in
surance bill. The bill had passed the SEN
ate and was before the house. Prospects
looked good for its passage.
On the day before the bill was to come
up in committee of the whole in the
house, Judge England appeared on the
scene. The Judge was away on business
i'm some other state, but he appeared at
the supreme moment and numbered his
typewriter battery, flooded the desks of
the members with letters attacking the
bill and posing as the friend of honest
insurance methods. The bill passed in
committee of the whole by a close vote
and then a fight began to kill it when
It came up for final passage. 1t was
noted that most of the fellows who now
have their bonds written by Judge Eng
land were either present In person or had
representatives on hand using every ar
gument to make members change their
votes. Enemies of the bill pleaded with
members to change their votes and kill
the bill Appointees of the governor were
on the scene working hard to kill this
bill and their efforts were successful.
Was this also part of the deal. is now
being asked