NEBRASKA. 



519 



ward was the leading candidate of the Republic- 

 an members, but there were so many others that 

 no choice was made till March 7, after Mr. Hay- 

 ward had been made the caucus candidate. He 

 was elected by a vote of 74 against 58 for Mr. 

 Allen. Among the candidates were 1). E. Thomp- 

 son, J. L.Webster, G. M. Lambertson, and Messrs. 

 Field, Reese, Hinshaw, Haincr, Weston, Foss, Van 

 Duzen, 'Adams, Cornish, Talbot, and J. S. Morton. 

 Mr. Hay ward died before taking his seat, and the 

 Governor appointed William V. Allen. 



An important amendment to the law for the 

 registration of voters was adopted, making it 

 the duty of the registrars to provide an addi- 

 tional column in the registry list for the name 

 of the party with which each voter claims to be 

 connected. The object is to prevent frauds at 

 primary elections by votes of men not belonging 

 to the party; and committees in charge of pri- 

 maries may take copies of the registry lists. The 

 voter is not obliged to declare allegiance to any 

 party, but if he refuses so to register he can 

 not vote at any primary. The use of voting ma- 

 chines was authorized. 



A general law to prevent corrupt practices 

 at elections was adopted. Candidates and politi- 

 cal committees must file statements of expendi- 

 tures; the expenses of candidates are limited, 

 the maximum from $100 to $650. Contributions 

 to defray expenses of naturalization are prohib- 

 ited. Changes were made in the form of the 

 oallot a return substantially to the style of the 

 Australian ballot as adopted in the State in 1891. 

 No candidate may have his name on the ballot 

 more than once; if one is nominated by more 

 than one party, the party designations must be 

 set at the right of a brace. 



A committee was appointed to investigate 

 charges against the conduct of the Auditor and 

 his examiners in the affairs of the insurance de- 

 partment; and in consequence, presumably, of 

 this inquiry, an act was passed taking the de- 

 partment from the charge of the Auditor, and 

 making the Governor the insurance commis- 

 sioner, with power to appoint a deputy. The law 

 also provided for an increase of fees from insur- 

 ance companies. The Governor appointed a dep- 

 uty, but the Auditor resisted the enforcement 

 of the law, taking the ground that it was uncon- 

 stitutional, in that it created a new executive 

 office, contrary to the constitutional prohibition. 

 The Supreme Court decided in December against 

 the validity of the law. 



Other laws affecting insurance authorized the 

 incorporation of mutual companies to insure 

 against loss of hogs by disease; provided that 

 only resident agents may issue policies on prop- 

 erty in the State; that brokers may be licensed 

 to act as agents for companies not authorized 

 to operate in the State ; and extending the powers 

 of mutual benefit life associations. 



Another committee inquired into charges of 

 newspapers against the Supreme Court and the 

 commission that has been in existence about six 

 years, the object of which was to give help to 

 the court until the number of judges should be 

 increased by constitutional amendment. The 

 charges seem not to have been sustained, as a 

 bill was passed continuing the life of the Supreme 

 Court commission, but it was vetoed. 



A law was passed, at the instance of labor 

 leaders and the confederated women's clubs, regu- 

 lating and limiting the hours of employment of 

 women in manufacturing, mercantile, and me- 

 chanical establishments, and requiring that seats 

 be provided for them. The limit is ten hours a 

 day or sixty hours a week. 



Children under ten may not be employed in 

 manufacturing or mercantile establishments, nor 

 children under fourteen except in school vaca- 

 tions with some exceptions. A record of the age 

 and residence of every employee under sixteen 

 must be kept at each establishment, and be open 

 for inspection. 



The law relating to deposits of State funds 

 was amended; the interest on daily balances was 

 reduced from 3 to 2 per cent.; and the officers 

 of a bank seeking to qualify as a depository are 

 ineligible to sign the required bond. Warrants 

 issued by the State will draw interest at 4 per 

 cent., instead of 5 as formerly. 



It was enacted that any precinct, township, or 

 city of 1,000 to 25,000 inhabitants may issue 

 bonds, and the maximum rate of interest was 

 reduced from 8 to 6 per cent. Provision was 

 made for the refunding of bonded indebtedness 

 of counties, villages, and second-class cities. 



A board of medical examiners was created. 

 Other boards that were created were: For exam- 

 ining barbers, for licensing embalmers, for ex- 

 ercising supervision over brands and marks. 



Further acts in the interest of health and safe- 

 ty were: Creating an emergency fund for the 

 suppression of epidemics and contagious diseases, 

 to be under the control of the State Board of 

 Health; providing that it shall be unlawful to 

 build fire escapes without permit from the depart- 

 ment of labor and in accordance with its direc- 

 tions. 



Some amendments were made to the laws re- 

 garding irrigation districts and the levying of 

 taxes in them. The law providing for a bounty 

 on trees along section lines was repealed. Dogs 

 were declared personal property, and owners were 

 made liable for damage done by them. Cities 

 and villages of 100 to 25,000 inhabitants are 

 permitted to collect a dog tax of $1 to $3, 

 instead of $3 to $10. The law relating to de- 

 struction of grasshoppers was repealed. 



Mutual bond companies were authorized to in- 

 sure members in offices of responsibility. 



A food commission was created, and regula- 

 tions were made for preventing adulterations of 

 food; $5,000 annually was appropriated for the 

 department. The power of the Legislature to 

 create the office seems to have been disputed. 

 A packing company applied for an injunction 

 restraining the commission from interference, 

 attacking the legality of the act creating the 

 commission. The court had not passed upon it 

 at the eno! of the year. 



A compulsory education law requires children 

 between eight and fourteen to attend some pub- 

 lic, private, or parochial school, and the board of 

 education is required to serve notice on parents 

 of delinquents. Public high schools must be open 

 to nonresident pupils free of tuition to the pu- 

 pils; but the county where each one resides must 

 pay for him 75 cents a week. A one-mill Jevy 

 for the State University was made a law. 



The Governor vetoed a resolution commending 

 the conduct of the First Nebraska Regiment in the 

 Philippines, objecting to the clauses which spoke 

 of the men as " defending the principles of our 

 Government and adding new glory to the flag." 

 The Senate passed the bill over the veto, but the 

 House had not the necessary three-fifths vote. 



Among appropriations made were: $25,000 for 

 the purchase of an executive mansion; $13,500 

 for buying the site of the Soldiers' Home at 

 Milford*; $48,000 for new buildings at the Bea- 

 trice Institute for Feeble-minded Youth; $40,000 

 for a new wing at the Lincoln Hospital for the 

 Insane; $20,000 for a new building at the Hast- 



