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50 Years of Statehood
Nebraska the twenty-fourth
state, was admitted to the Union in 1867 under
an enabling act which had been adapted by Congress in 1864.
This act laid down as a fundamental condition to admission
that the legislature must pass an act providing that the right of franchise
should be denied to none on account of race or color.
David Butler was the first Governor.
Nebraska
has had three constitutions, the first adopted in 1866, which went into effect
immediately upon the admission of the state, and which continued as the
fundamental law of the commonwealth until 1875, when a new one was adopted.
This was amended in various ways and in 1920 a
constitutional convention which had been provided for by the legislature
submitted a new constitution, which was adopted by the electors, and which is
now in effect.
Nebraska’s
state governmental scheme is considered one of the most practical and
progressive of any in the country and its officials have almost without
exception been men of high administrative ability and unquestioned integrity.
Its judiciary and its state institutions are entirely
separated from partisan politics and the same is true of educational system.
There are six justices of the Supreme Court elected by
districts on a nonpartisan ballot and a chief justice elected at large, also
nonpartisan.
The state superintendent of public instruction is a
nonpartisan office and the regents of the state university, also nonpartisan,
are elected by districts.
Nebraska's one of the few
states in the Union having absolutely no
bonded indebtedness, nor has it any floating debt, save for current
expenses. On the contrary it has a
permanent school fund of three millions of dollars, invested in interest
bearing securities, the income from which is apportioned twice each year among
the various school districts of the state.
Railroads and other public service corporation are under the
control of the railway commission of three men and those who have acted in this
capacity have acquired nationwide reputations because of ability displayed.
The same can be said of other officials of the state, who
have by their sound judgment and fidelity to duty given Nebraska a reputation which extends from
coast to coast, as a well governed, prosperous and thoroughly progressive
state.
The Lincoln Sunday Star – Sunday, August 29, 1926
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