Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-24
Lincoln Bureau of The Omaha Bee
p. A. Barrows, Correspondent

one member of the legislature. For
instance, Douglas county has, flve
senators and II representatives
elected as whole from that coun-
ty. The new plan would be to di-
vide that county into five senatorial
and II representative districts, al
lowing each district to elect its sem
ator and representative, thus giving
sections of the county which have
had little voice in former elections
Of these officers better chance tor
representation. This would also
apply to Lancaster, Dodge, Sanders,
Gage, Hall, Custer, Buffalo repre-
sentative districts and Lancaster
senatorial district.
There is also sentiment favoring
the changing of the secretaries
under the code bhl and placing the
departments under the state Off
GERS, but continuing the general sys-
TEN OF the code bill, but doing away
with the secretaries, making the
chief clerk in each office the etflc-
iency man and making the state
officers cabinet to the governor
which should handle all matters OF
statewide importance.
The sentiment which first ap-
peared to prevail along the lines OF
the short ballot, electing the gov
ernor and lieutenant governor and
then having the governor appoint
the rest of the state officers, does
not appear to have gained much
ground, although there are some
advocates of the plan among the
delegates.
One House Legislature.
The sentiment for a one-house
legislature has some advocates, but
it does not appear to be very popu-
lar, neither does the sentiment tor
cutting down the membership OF
each house appear to be very strong.
There is a strong sentiment among
attorneys that omething ought to
be done to take the load off the SUI
preme court which comes to it from
lower courts involving minor mat
ters. Much of the time of the court
is taken up with cases in which less
than 500 is involved. There ap-
pears to be some sentiment to have
The supreme court handle only large
cases. Just how this could be done
has not yet been shown.
There is some advocacy of plan
to elect members of the Legislature
in different years, one-half selected
ore year and the other half the fol-
lowing two years. This. of course,
would mean a four-year term unless
the state went back to yearly cleo
tons. In connection with this plan
it has also been suggested that the
state officers should be selected for
four years also.
New Legislature Plan.
Another plan is for the legislature
not to meet until year after the
election. As the matter is now, state
officers. and legislature all come in
at the same time. In many instances
it maybe an entirely new set of state
officers. unfamiliar with their duties
and unfamiliar with state affairs. A
majority of the legislature may also
be unfamiliar with the needs of the
state. The suggestion is that if the
legislature would meet a year later
the state officers would have become
familiar with the business needs of
the state and could better present
their claims to the legislature.
In connection with this plan it is
suggested that the legislature elected
in 1920, for instance, should not
convene until December l of the fol-
Lowing year. 1t could then organize,
appoint its committees, introduce its
bills and at the end of the 20-day
limit for the introduction of bills,
adjourn for 80 days. During the re-
cess the members would have time
to go carefully over the bills, con-
suit with their constituents over
matters important to them, prepare
their amendments and send to the
chairman of each committee and
then week before the reconvening
of the session the committees could
meet and work out the%bills ready for
the legislature when it convened.
This would give the members of the
committee more time and prevent
congestion of work at time when