Omaha daily bee., 1919-12-11
COM mission ON
RAILWAYS WOULD
Be 0bL|TERATED
Another important Amend
ment to Constitution Would
Give Cities Home
Government.

Lincoln, Dec. 10-(Special.) y
Two very important changes in the
constitution are contemplated in
resolutions offered in the morning
session of the constitutional con-
vention Wednesday.
One of these was resolution by
Epperson of Clay county which
would obliterate, wipe out and
throw over the constitutional tran
som, the state railway commission.
The other was a resolution by
Bigelow of Douglas which would
practically give every city, town
and village in the state home rule
and the right to frame its own laws
without interference from the legis-
lature as long as those laws did not
conflict with state laws or the con-
stitution. .
Change Judges Election.
However, another resolution by
Davies of Boyd would elect supreme
judges by districts and the chief
justice of the supreme court by the
entire state. This idea seems to be
especially popular with the out
state members.
Evans of Adams introduced a
similar resolution, except that it re-
lates to regents of the university
and would elect one regent from
each congressional district. Svoboda
of Howard has resolution which
would convene the legislature in
December following the election in
stead of in January as at present.
Lehman of Hitchcock county in
troduced a resolution which en-
powers the members of the bar as
sociation to nominate candidates for
supreme Judge. but permits the peo-
pie to elect them.
Name Chairmen.
Eleven additional committees of
the constitutional convention met
Wednesday and selected chairmen as
follows:
Legislative department, Norton of
Polk; executive department, Stew
art of Lancaster; judicial depart
ment. Hessty of Jefferson; suffrage,
Spillman of Pierce; education, Nye
of Buffalo; insurance and financial
institutions, Junkin of Gosper; rev.
enuc and taxation, Pollard of Cass;
state and county boundaries, Bige-
low of Douglas; irrigation, drainage,
water power and natural resources,
Cornell of Cherry; initiative and
referendum, Sidner OF Dodge;
amendments and requisition, Hol-
brook of Dodge.
The constitutional convention hall
is a very frigid place today and
many Of the delegates were COM
pelled to wear their overcoats dur
ing the morning session. As a re-
suit Vice President Jackson moved
that the convention adjourn until
the first Monday in January. Cor
nell of Cherry sought to amend the
motion by moving that when the
convention adjourns at the end of
the week, it be subject to the call
of the president, but not later than
January 5, Pollard of Cass offered
a substitute that when the conven-
ton adjourns at the end of this
week it reconvene at 3 the follow
ing Monday. Pollard's substitute
carried after considerable discus
sion, the delegates favoring the mo-
ton saying that morning session
could be had each day and then the
rest of the time could be spent by
the delegates in going through the
state library and state university
looking up information relative to
the work before the convention.
This motion carried by vote Of
81 to II.
The convention then adjourned
until 10 Tomorrow morning.
Propositions Introduced.
Following are the Is new propo-
sitions introduced:
No. 81, by Davies-Provides that asso-
ciate justices Of the supreme court shall
be elected by districts and chief justices
by the entire state.
No. 50. by Wilson (Dawss)-Takes reve-
nues derived from leasing Of state school
lands out Of the permanent school fund
and makes It subject to distribution.
No. SO. by Ross-Authorizes county
Judge when the latter is absent from the
county and confers upon him full powers
of the district judge at such times. ex-
from the county court, hold jury trials or
jeets.
No. 81, by Evans-Forbids the supreme
court to hold any act Of the legislature
or any initiated law unconstitutional, ex-
cept by unanimous vote.