Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-02-07

ers, sang Nearer my God to Thee" Judge
Pealer read the resolutions prepared by the
Joint committee, and short addresses were
made by Gov. Luce, Chief Justice Sher-
wood, President OF the Senate Ball and
Speaker Diekema. Speeches were also
made Ivy the following, the members Of the
senate and house alternating: Mes srs.
Blackwell, Whelton, Colgrove, Eaton, Pal
mer, Randall, Glddings. Common, Holbrook,
Goodrich, Fox, Baker, German, and N. j.
Brown. The resolutions were then adopted
by rising vote.
Mr.. Tyrrcll of Jackson gives notice of n
bill in the house for the preservation Of
deer. He proposes that Bois Blanc island
in the straits of Mackinac be made park
whore fawns may be stocked and allowed
TO run wild for period Of 10 years. There
are %, 900 acres of land on the island, part
ly state and partly government, aifording
ample room for the deer, and the isolation
Of the island is well calculated TO render
protection surer than on the mainland.
Representative Wachtel's bill 10 protect
fish prohibits the catching of specked trout
or land-locked salmon from September | 10
May i following; grayling or California
trout from November 10 June following;
muskalonge, black, strawberry, green or
white bass from March 10 June Is follow
ing; whtehsh from November 20 TO March
or sale of hsh out of season. The speariug
of fish. except mullet and suckers, is pro-
hibited in the months Of March, April, May
and June of each year in any waters except
those of the great lakes. The section which
makes il unlawful TO use any species of nets
except in the waters of the great lakes is
amended so as 10 permit the use OF dip nets
in catching mullet and suckers. In prose
cutions for attractions of this section IL is
made sufficient for the people TO show that
nets were used TO catch fish, and the burden
of proof is on the defendant TO make ii
plain that none but suckers and mullet
were caught in the net. 1t is unlawful to
catch speckled or brook troat, grayllng or
any species Of bass except with d hook and
line. This bill is one of four prepared with
the advice of the state game warden, some
what modifying the laws about fishing. No
changes are made in the regulations regard
ing nets. the size of meshes or other features
of the existing laws.
There is a bill in the hands Of the cenate
committee on railroads which, If il becomes
a law, will take many thousand dollars
from the Lake Shore q Michigan Southern
railroad and convey the money into the
state treasury. Senator Mines will intro
duce the bill, which is to amend the law
under which the aforesaid railroad com
pany's charter was granted. The main line
Of the Michigan Southern was originally
state railroad, but was sold in 1876 TO a
private corporation for $500, COZ, and the
purchasers were granted a special charter,
making their rate of taxation one half OF /
per cent on their capital stock and bonds.
This rate has obtained ever since. The
Mines bill is 10 compel the company TO pay
2pcr cont of their gross earnings where
they do not exceed 81 600 per mile Of road
operated, and per cent where the earnings
exceed $1,000. II also taxes all
real estate owned by the road thaS IS rot
actively used in tie exercise of its fran
chises. On the ll6 miles Of the main line
this increased rate OF taxation would give
the state an additional revenue of from
$50, coo 10 : o Coz annually. The Michigan
Southern company claims that IL is still
special charter road and exempt from gen
eral taxation; but when the Michigan
Southern was consolidated with the Ohio
system of roads under the name of l. >. "
NJ. =. il took advantage of the general law
of Michigan TO effect that consolidation
and it is claimed by virtue of the act, the
Michigan Southern waived all its special
charter privileges. The supreme court Of
Michigan has held that the Michigan
Southern is still a special charter road, but
the supreme court of the Tn ted States
holds that it is general law road, and
therefore subject TO general taxation. y
similar law TO this Mines bill was passed
by the house several sessions ago, but was
defeated in the senate, after a hard fight.
The bill 10 punish Burning or setting fire
10 mines, materia in mines and mine
buildings has been approved by the govern
or
a bill has been introduced making the
tax upon the sale OF beer and whisky uni
form.
The 'oint resolution to submit To the PEG
t,la m innrnoga Of tho gularN a. tho
or to $4,000 failed in the senate.
The idea of many senators was that
the best way 70 &C 'omplish the reform was
TO take out from the constitution the see
ton regulating salaries, in which case the
legislature would have full power TO settle
the question.
A local option bill has been introduced.
1t is framecd upon the principle that the
option Whether or not the manufacturing Of
and traffic in Liquor shall be prohibited in
any county, shall be left with the board
of supervisors and not in the first instance
or absolutely toa vo @ of the people. While
the bill provides for an election on such
proposition, it is mainly 10 get an express
ion OF the sentiment of the people in each
county, relying upon the instruction there
by implied that the board of supervisors,
as the direct representatives of the people,
shall comply with such expressions.
IL seems that this course is the only one
under the constitution to bring the matter
under the local option OF the people in the
several localities.
The section of the constitution referred
to is this
Sec. IS of art. ": The legislature may
confer upon organized townships, incorpor-
ated ties and villages, and upon the board
of supervisors of the several counties such
powers of local, legislative and admins
trative character as they may deem proper.
The county is thus made the unit OF OPP
I on and not the township. the latter course
being deemed impracticable by the trainers
of the bill.
The bill provides for all the details OF an
election and how, upon an affirmative vote
of the people in any county, the board of
supervisors shall proceed to direct the pro-
hibition of the manufacture and sale of in
toxicatng liquors 1t also provides for tho
suspension of the general laws of the state
regarding the taxation and regulation of
the t~affic in such counties when prohibit
ton is ordered, and for penalties for the
violation thereof.
Representative Randall has bill amend
ing section 6295 Howell, which authorizes a
woman to retain under her individual own
| ership all property, real and personal, &C
quired before marriage, and property to
which she may afterward become entitled
by gifts, grants, inheritance, devise or in
any other manner, which property is TO re-