Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-08-26
JUDGE v A REDICK
URGES REFORM OF.
ELECTION LAWS
Favors Abolition Of Woman
Suffrage and Restriction In
Number of Elective
Officers.

Abolition of woman suffrage, a
great restriction in the number of
elective officers, in state, county and
city, and the abolition OF the initi-
alive and referendum provisions Of
the law are advocated by District
Judge w. A. Redick in a letter writ
ten to the Nebraska constitutional
convention survey committee. The
committee, which was appointed by
Governor McKelvie, asked number
of questions 70 which Judge Redick
replied.
only male citizens of the United
States, able to read and write and
understand the English language
should have the right to VOTE" says
Judge Redick. Preservation of do
mestic tranquility, the ideals of
home life and the moral and spirit
ual superiority of women are much
more to be desired than political
equality of the sexes which tends to
the destruction of all these"
Wants Judges Appointed.
Judge Redick states it as his
opinion that all judges of the su
preme court, district courts and
courts of appeal should be appointed
by the governor and confirmed BY
the senate instead of elected as at
present Their salaries should be
fixed by the legislature. he says.
Power should also be provided in the
new constitution for the creation of
courts of domestic relations and
courts of Cancellation.
On the subjects of the initiative
and referendum the Judge says:
These provisions are subversive of
and inconsistent with a representa-
tive form of government, and sub
stltute the voice of an uniformed,
unframed, irresponsible, unthinking,
rassion-led electorate for the delib-
crate judgment of properly elected
representatives of the people"
Laws Regarding Impeachment.
He advocates giving the power of
impeachment to any three citizens
Of the state who shall present COM
plant to the supreme court against
a1y state officer except judges of the
supreme court. If the court finds
probable cause for impeachment it
shall proceed to a trial of the case.
Similar power should be conferred
on the district courts to try county,
municipal and township officers
against whom complaints may be
filed.
He warns against the adoption of
mere theories of axation, such as
the single tax" and against dis
crimlnatory taxes as to classes of
persons or property"
Tax on Religious Bodies.
"So-called religious, charitable and
educa tional institutions which carry
on a commercial business in COM
petition with other citizens or asso-
Citations which are subject to tax,
should not be exempted from taxa
ton" he says. The property of
such institutions which is not actual
ly used for such purposes but held
vacant for speculative profit should
be taxed"
Municipalities should be granted
the greatest measure of home rule
consistent with the interest of the
state at large, and absolute as to
all purely local matters such as
public improvements, police and san
itation, he says.
All these things which he advo-
Gates, Judge Redick points out, are
parts of a preventative govern
ment, and the things which he op-
poses are inherently socialistic, he
declares.
THE division of the government
into the executive, legislative and
judicial departments, is the most
successful ever devised and the in
dependence of each department
must be preserved if our liberties
are to be secure" he saws.