The Unicameral – Kearney’s View
Upon reading a Nebraska History past article on formation of the
unicameral – wondered about Kearney’s view and action at that timem
Surprised to learn a unicameral legislature – not a new idea
Georgia had one for a short time in 1777
Pennsylvania until 1790
Vermont until 1836
Idea discussed in several different states in late
1800’s and a couple of states got as far as voting on it, but the idea was
defeated
What was happening
in Nebraska?
Nebraska had a
regular two-house legislature – Senate 33 members, House 100 members
Switching to a unicameral legislature is not something Nebraska rushed into.
First Unicameral session began in 1936 but the idea first surfaced 23
years earlier
1913 – John Norton, Representative from Osceola,
proposed a joint committee be appointed by legislature to consider
legislative reforms – Approved
and Norton chaired the committee
1915 – Final report included
possible proposal for one chamber of 33 to 100 members
– No action taken
Kearney’s
reaction to the report
Reported in a news item but no mention made about the proposal for a one
chamber legislature.
What
did the Nebraska Legislature do next?
January 1917 [the next session?] – Both houses approved resolution
calling for a proposed constitutional convention to be placed on the ballot
in the next election [1918] for the voting citizens to decide
Kearney’s reaction to the proposal
Early August 1918 – “The Hub has not been eager for a state
constitutional convention and is not now.”
Late August 1918 – Buffalo
County voters approved the calling of a constitutional convention.
Statewide – Resolution passed
State Constitutional Convention
Convention met over a two-year period, 1919-1920
Jan. 1920 –
Norton proposed a one house legislature called the State Assembly of
Nebraska with at least 100 members, no more than 133 to be voted on by the
people
Proposal narrowly defeated by convention but picked up an
advocate – Sen. George Norris
Next move – since the state legislature would not do anything – Get
it on the ballot
Locally, (it’s now September 1923) it was
reported petitions were ready to be circulated to collect enough signatures
to place the issue on the ballot – apparently failed
1925 and 1933 –
attempts by two different state legislatures to get proposal on ballot
failed
Locally, in April 1933 –
Woman’s Club History & Civics department discussed the unicameral concept as
part of their meeting program.
Senator Norris started taking a more active role
Petitions were being circulated to get the unicameral plan on the 1934
ballot Possible candidates for
governor that year were either for or against the plan
- seemed to be the main platform issue
Action in Kearney in 1934
January – State Farmers Union
came out in opposition to a unicameral
March – Buffalo County Taxpayers
association, with about 60 farmer-taxpayers attending in
Pleasanton, appeared to be in sympathy with the proposed
unicameral system.
Early May –
Two-day state League of Women Voters convention was held in
Kearney. On evening of first
day, following dinner at Ft Kearney Hotel, there was a discussion,
pro and con about unicameral system by head of political
science dept at UNL (for) and a state senator (against)
– Their arguments were featured in a long Hub article
By
late May – Petitions were circulating in Kearney to get the unicameral on
the ballot
September –
Buffalo County Bar Association adopted a resolution
opposing the unicameral plan.
October – A representative government defense association against the
unicameral plan was organized
A state-wide organization, a Hooper man was elected president with 5 vice
presidents from around the state.
One VP was Fred Mueller of Kearney.
An executive committee was also formed to draw up their plans of action was
made up of one person from each
of the 5 congressional districts with J. C. Tye of Kearney representing the
5th district.
October news item – “A
survey of Nebraska editorial opinion, expressed during recent weeks,
revealed that almost without exception Nebraska editors view the plan with
little enthusiasm.”
Sen. Norris
opened his campaign for a unicameral in Hastings [evening of Oct. 8]. Then
he came to Kearney to speak to the Nebraska State Grange convention.
State-wide Election Results
Initiative petition to amend the state constitution for a Unicameral
plan with at least 30 but no more than 50 members, passed
In Buffalo County
Record number of voters.
Official results not published
until Jan. 3, 1935
Unicameral plan - for 4,747 against 3,697
State legislature was now in a unique
position
It was to convene
in January to work out the details for the new unicameral and then close
themselves down.