Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-04-10
MOREHEAD VETOES
|. SAUNDERS WATER
BOARD LIGHT BILL
@~-
Executive says Measure Would
Create Dual System and Take
Rights Of the People
q Away.
ACTS ON PETITION OF MEMBERS
Majority in Both House and Senate
Request that the Bill Be
Killed.
SENATE upHoLDs DIsAPPROvAL
Tom a Staff Correspondent.)

u qrrpm a Staff Cerrespondent)
LINCOLN, April e.--(specfal. -
Senate file 6, the Saunders bill to
permit the Omaha Water board to
go into the lighting business, is
dead, the governor this afternoon
sending his veto Of the measure to
ithe senate, where the bill originated.
The message was received in
silence, but the author OF the bill
sent up a motion that the governor
lISs requested to furnish TO the senate
the names of the members who
signed the petition for him to veto
the bill, the message stating that a
majority OF the members Of both
houses have 80 petitioned. The mo-
ltion was adopted with only two dis
Isenting votes, Henry and Grace, both
SdelnooEats.
rexf of the veto.
Fouowinsg IL the message which accom-
)panded the veto;
II herewith return without my ap-
Iprovai. senate file No. g.
-1he title of this bill indicates its pur-
sooee. ii is An act empowering the Board
Inf Directors of the Metropolitan Water
district 10 devise plans and to construct
and operate electric light plants IN cities'
ETC. ~
: .The titls Of this act does not reason
ably stste the purpose OF the eet- The
Iplain import Of the words used state an
obtect e.,tfreay different from the body of
fana a NM
.atructton Of a lighting plant, not the
purchase OF an existing plant
"our state constitution provides. sec
lion II. chapter 3. No bill shall contain
more than one subject and the same
,ehar be clearly expressed In It's titla" :"
,rherc Is no intimation IN this title that
Tho metropolitan Water District Il eri-
powered 70 purchase an existins Light
y SfFT plant. when thetheorv, and purpose
Iof this bill was changed In the hohser
no change was made in the title. 30 II
"A clear that the house Amendment IL not
within the title. II this act was apRroyedi
Ithe house amendment. at least. wouid be
hnvalid. II the house amendment is In
wand the entire act fails. because the
zecords of the house show. and Il Is a
matter of common knowledee that this
net would not have been, passed had It
not been that the supporters OF this bill
dnserted the house emendment
WOnld Mako Dual systezn.
TT this bill should become law and
be held valid BY the courts. Il would
.oreate a dual system. furnishing no ad-
bvantages 70 the people that the laws OF
luur state and the charter OF the city dc
mot already give. I can see where
\ NLrross injustice could he done TO the poor
est people OF the district BY placing these
.xowers in the hands Of individuals who
have control Of the water rights OF the
Idtetrict. An exorbftant price could be
charged for water. ana from the proceeds
Ettereof, q Hghting plant could Be built
lfurnishfnR light for the oongested sec
hsous o. the large business interests at q
Exnlinoua rF1ce, leaving the outside district
no be furnished Hight by ths present com
spauy. Thereby levytng q hsavy trtbuts
|. Enpon she people. ~ ell must use weter
iys,sis q small percentage OF the people
Iars ussrs Of electricity.
I'm this connection, win urge upoK
lshe commissioners that II injustices ars
being praetioed by the present lightine
lcompany. thak II 10 not only their duty
hut the people WIN demand that the in
Iaustioe be righted. and tha people fur
hnished tight at reasonable price.
CuxtaiIs Peoples Power.
''Tne bill adds nothing bo the powers
already conferred upon the people o.
bomaha. but takes away a portion OF th'
AUTHORITY already theirs. Parties inter
ested In the passage OF the bill endeav
Iored to secure the endorsement Of thu
Commercial club Of the district; this II
F(So-,tsT1S9 on pare Three Column Ffve