Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-03-20
GREATER OMAHA
BILL PASSES HOUSE
WITH AMENDMENT
Consolidation Measure Providing
for Vote of People in Corpora
tions Affected Goes
Through, ~ to 25.
MEMBERS CHANGE THEIR VOTES
AT Close of Roll Call it Stood "a to
az and Rush Began to Get
on Winning Side.
1T NOW GOES TO THE SENATE
crrom a staff correspondent.l

CFrom a Staff Correspondent.)
LINCOLN, Neb., March 19.-(Spe-
cial Telegram. THE house this
morning passed the Omaha annexa-
ton bill, as amended by the commit
tee of the whole, by vote of ~ 10
25. At the end of the roll call the
vote stood 81 to AZ, and members
began to change their votes. Among
these were Barrett. Reisner, Taylor,
Anderson of Boyd, Cronin, Fuller
Nuztmsn, Kline, Harris, stearns and
Sievers.
The measure goes to the senate for
action on the amendments made by
the house. The amendment ordered
by the house yesterday afternoon
provides that the consolidation must
be approved by majority of the vot-
ers affected at a special election to
be called by the governor not earlier
than one month or later than two
months from date he signs it.
May Postpone City Election.
In order that the annexed territory
may get in on the selection Of officers
for the greater city. II is understood that
the election which was to have taken
place in Omaha this spring will be post
poned to enable the annexed territory to
participate.
Charlie Bryan's Hand Visible.
The introduction of the amendment is
the result, so it is said, of Charlie Bryan
and State Chairman Thompson of the
denIocratic state COMMITTEES taking a hand
in the matter. Forcible annexation, it
was asserted, was against the Bryanistic
principle of letting the people rule" and
as a consequence the Influence of the two
was brought to bear to bring about the
securing of chance TO let the people
vote in order TO save the democratic
party from going back on one OF its
planks built more to get in on than to
stand on after getting in.
AS a result Of this attempt to carry out
so-called democratic principle. the peo-
pie Of Omaha will have to so to the ex-
pense of an election. fight among them
selves for a couple of months, stir up
hard feelings and continue the fight
which has been going on for the last
month, when 1t was a forcgone conclu-
sion that the bill could have been passed
in its original form and the people spared
the expense of the special election,
Following Is the amendment;
The Amendment In Detail.
Amend section by striking out all of
said section after the word city in line
10. and inserting in lieu thereof the fol-
lowing; Then IL shall be the duty OF
the governor of the state to call and pro-
claim a special election to be held in
such metropolitan city and such adjoin-
, ing cities or villages, simultaneously, at
which election there shall be submitted
to the electors of such metropolitan city
and such adjoining cities or villages the
question OF the consolidation of such ad-
= joining cities or villages with the metro
politan city. Such question shall be sub
mitted an substantially the following
form, to-wlt: Shall the city of - be
consolidated with the metropolitan city
of -, or, as the case may be, shall the
village OF - be consolidated with the
metropolitan city of -, or I'm case the
proposition embraces the consolidation, al
the sanlA time OF more than one such ad-
joining city or village, then the question
shall be: Shall the cities and villages OF
- be consolidated with the metropoli-
tan city of -; the ballot providing. IN
the usual manner, for yes and mo
vote on the question. Such call or procla-
nation shall be filed by the governor
CONTINUED on Page Two. Column Two.)