Omaha daily bee., 1917-01-05
Governor Moreheads Retiring Message;
Few Suggestions Made to the Legislators;
Some of Existing Lavs Need Amendment

| given the matter careful considera-
ton and am convinced that it is bet
ter to place the power to make APP
pointments for purely administrative
officers in the hands OF the governor,
or some duly appointed board. than
to elect haphazard large number OF
officers to places which do not attract
enough public attention to make them
a real issue in campaign. No one
who has witnessed the drift of mod
ern politics can escape the conclusion
that the voters concentrate their at
tention upon a few OF the more i'm
portant Offices and, for the most part,
they merely vote their party ticket
for the minor places on tine ballot. It
would be the part OF wisdom, ! be-
lieye, to vest these important officers
with authority to appoint men to the
minor places and then hold them re-
sponsible for their administration.
Looking over the appointments that
| have been called upon to make and
seeing the work that my appointees
have done, | am convinced that better
results could not have been obtained
by direct ballot. In this regard, it
is gratifying to know that OF the many
men | have appointed to fill vacan-
cies. to elective Offices, practically all
have been endorsed by the voters. A
notable instance is in the case OF the
Judges. | have appointed six district
Judges and OF these all but one have
been elected; his defeat was not due
to his failure to give good service, but
to the fact that his opponent was a
man OF unusual strength and popu-
1arity.
Another important place which !
filled by appointment was that OF
election commissioner OF Omaha. and
it was gratifying to note that my OPP
ponent in the campaign OF two years,
ago, publicly pledged himself to re-
appoint him in case he was elected.
Supreme Court Judges by Districts.
Il repeat what I have said in my
former messages to the effect that
favor a constitutional amendment
which will provide for the election Of
/ the chief justice by the state at large,
and the election OF the associate
judges from districts, thus giving the
different parts Of the state representa-
ton upon the court.
Our Primary Law.
Il again call your attention to the
necessity OF an Improvement in our
primary law. The present law, as
believe, has tendency to keep out Of
public life the man whom we most
need. Candidates come to US at the
primary election without endorsement
from anybody, without the electorate
having any chance OF knowing their
qualifications, moral standing or any
thing else. Platforms, declarations
and pledges mean but little when they
are to be enforced by man who Is
incompetent. and who has but little
regard for organized government.
l hope that committee will be Sc
1ected that will give its entire time
throughout the legislative session to
the Improvement OF the primary law
Our Public Schools.
"In former message / called at
tention to the method Of electing our
school officers. By the enactment Of
the nonpartisan Judiciary law we took
the courts OF the state out OF poll
tics. This was a long step forward
and so far as / have been able tc
learn it meets with almost universe
approval. feel that it is now OUT
duty to take another advance step
The stability Of a republican form o.
government depends upon the intelli-
gence Of its. citizenship and this in,
telligencc is fostered and developed
by our public school system. The
schools, however, cannot do their bes'
work when enmeshed in party poll
tics. Like the courts, they ought te
be free and above political intrigue
and |, therefore, recommend the en-
actment Of law for the nomination
and election of our school superin.