Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-07-04
MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE

LIBEL bill was passed by the Senate on ths
2lst, which, although not as favorable 10 the
press libel bill recently killed In the House is
long way In advance OF the present law. It's
provisions are that IN actions for libel il there
IS no proof OF express malice, or the court
jury shall md that there was no such malice
then no exemplary or punitive damages shall
be awarded, but such malice may be inferred
from the nature and tone OF the statements
claimed To be libelous. No action for
libel shall be brought or maintained un-
less the plaintiff shall, before bringing suit,
give notice by mail or otherwise to the defend
ant TO publish a retraction Of the libel, and
allow the defendant a reasonable time in which
to publish such retraction and make such
amends as are reasonable and possible under the
circumstances of the case and proof the publi-
cation Of any such retraction or correction shall
be admissible in evidence under the general
issue on the question of the good faith of the
defendant and In mitigation and reduction OF
damages; provided that the retraction
shall be published in tho samo type
and the same editions OF the paper as the
original libel, and, so far practicable, in the
same position. The Senate attempted TO recon-
slider the vote by which the Chapman graded,
fare railroad bill was passed but failed. This
sent tt back to the House, from which it had
been recalled the day before. 1t was referred to
the omber. DiE IN 1ns the no
mittee from further consideration of it, and
after long struggle and some parliamentary
entanglements, the bill was put upon its pas
sage aud passed by a vote of 60 to 20. IL pro-
yides 2-cent per mile fare for the larger roads.
IL Is claimed that 1t applies to but one railroad
M.
The Senate passed the House tax bill Both
houses adjourned till Monday the 2lth.
The attempt to reconsider the vote by which
the Senate Chapman graded railroad fare bill
was passed failed in the House on the Gath.
The motion for reconsideration was tabled by q
vote OF A to 49, This finally disposed of the
bill SO far as the Legislature was concerned.
NO other business was transacted in either
house.
A BILL for the better protection of children
employed In mercantile industries passed the
Senate June 25 Both houses agreed to the bill
creating State Board OF Arbitration to adjust
labor troubles. The board is TO consist of three
members to be appointed by the Governor, and
they are to receive 80 per day for actual service.
They are given power to issue subpenas for
witnesses and to compel the production OF
books the same as court of record.
the consolidation of Saginaw and East Saginaw
under the name of the City OF Saginaw. The
new city will be the third largest in the State.
The consolidation act takes effect ninety days
after the end OF the legislative session. An
other consolidation bill uniting tho towns Of Au
Sable and Oscoda into the City OF Au Sable
fHiled 70 pass the Senate A bill requiring the
children and women in factores Sas fa aid &erea
tile establishments. The Senate bill providing
for imprisonment for evading the Sunday OBJ
servance law was killed by the House. The
House adopted substitute for the Gilmore
railroad bill, amended to provide for the sale of
1000mile tickets for $50 in the lower and 1925 in
ton, the earnings do not exceed $3 900 per mile,
three cents per mile may be charged and IL less
than IS, 600 not to exceed four cents. The
Huebner BILL which proposed to vastly increase
the taxation of the railroads by imposing spe-
cific tax on their rolling stock and a tax on all
their other property in the same manner as
that imposed on private property, was killed in
the House. 1t being indefinitely postponed. The
House adopted a Senate resolution for final nd
journment July D.
THE House bills prohibiting the sale of adul-
terated vinegar and forbidding the employment
OF children under IA years OF age without tho
consent OF their parents or guardians passed
the Senate June 26. A bill requiring passenger
cars to be heated either with heater, APP
proved by the Railroad Commissioner, else
by steam from the locomotive, passed both
houses. The House passed the antitrust bill
and the bill requiring all railroads to transport
State troops when under military laws at cent
q mile. When the bill containing the graded
2-cent-a-mile clause and providing for ,OO0-mlle
family tickets reached the Governor, it was
found that 1t repealed an act OF two years ago
authorizing railroad TO tunl 4 the St. Clair
River at or near Port Huron. A large forco OF
men is at work on the enterprise. When this
fact was discovered the bill was returned TO tho
Senate, where 1t was amended, but failed to DO
re-enacted.
scene, ON June 81, of bitter fight between th9
representatives of two great mining companies
the Arctic and Iron Cliff, controlling jointly
1900 acres Of iron lands near Negaunee. The
struggle was over the amending OF new mining
bill that had been passed by the Senate, which
the Iron Cliff people claimed was fatal to their
title From the sensational speeches made the
House had no difficulty in understanding that
big steal was involved, but could not decide on
which side IL was located and, therefore, re-
fused to pass the bill. Both houses agreed TO
the Damon bill, making the retail liquor tax
sleeping-car rates at S1.5O for the lower berth
ard Al for the upper.