Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-01-10
M'KELv|E TELLS
Of STATE NEEDS
IN OPENING talk
Neville Joins New Governor in
Advocating Bone Dry Ma. \
tion Before LegisIa.
tive Body.
From a Staff Correspondent.

Lincoln, Jan. 9.-Both houses oil
the Nebraska legislature assembled
in joint session in the chamber OF
the house of representatives in the
east wing of the capitol building
this afternoon, where the members
of the law making bodies listened
with marked attention to the mes
sage and Recommendations of the
outgoing governor, Keith Neville.
followed by the inaugural address of
the newly elected chief executive,
Samuel R. McKelvie.
Gov. McKelvie's Address.
Governor McKelvie's address, in
part, was as follows:
1T is with a feeling of sincere
gratitude and deep responsibility to
the people of Nebraska that ] come
before you as the chief executive of
this commonwealth.
"We are met here as the chosen
representatives of the people at a
time when the problems of govern
ment are more momentous in their
importance than they have been be-
fore in half century. The word
has passed through the cataclysm
of the greatest war in all history,
and in this contest for principles our
Observation-Disclosures the de-
Gliding role +"
He declared that he thought he
reflected the sentiment of the peo-
pie of the state when he said that
the price for winning this war should
be everlasting peace. He paid a
tribute to Nebraska's part in the
conflict, adding:
Ut becomes our duty as patriotic
American citizens to address our
selves to the problems of the re-
adjustment period with the same
unselfish zeal that marked our ef-
forts during the fighting days"
Delving into the question OF
needed legislation. he said the prob
lens we're different from those of
normal times. He said he did not
think it necessary to do the radical,
or unusual, thing in order to meas
ure up to the opportunities pre-
scnted now. "The pendulum of
events usually swing from one ex-
tremc to the other" he added, "and
now that we have conquered autoc-
racy we shall be fortunate if we do
not find ourselves grasping at the
extreme outward swing of the pen
dulum, which means bolshevism.'
Recommends Cabinet System.
At the very first he called atten-
ton to the republican platform upon
which he was elected, and said: in
the recommendations that shall fol-
low have contemplated the re-
dcmption Of every promise that was
made TO the people in the republican
platform"
He recommended the application
OF a cabinet form of civil govern
ment to centralize responsibility and
eliminate the large number of use
less boards, commissions and un-
necessary Offices, to be fashioned
after our national administration,
grouped under common heads,
known as departments; the de-
partinents to be presided over by
Secretaries to be appointed by the
executive, and confirmed by the SEN
ate. He said the bill introducing
this idea would be known as the
Civil Administrative Code" and
contain provisions for finance, agri-
culture, labor, trade and commerce,
public works, and public welfare.
This plan, he declared, would ia
cilitate the handling of public bust
ness. He said there were some rea-
SONS why it might not be practical,
such as creating too many appoint
i've Offices, and laying the foundation
for political machines, but that these
reasons were only apparent. He
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