Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-04-19
HIGH LICENSE NOW.
UNIFORM LIQUOR LAW
FIXED AT $500.
THE VOTE ON THE BILL WAS
II TO 20.
Epitome of Legislative News
nnr snecial 'nrresnnndent.

From our Special CORRESPONDENT.
LANSING, April li-lIigh license men
have won another victory. From the
first day of the session there have been
members who have devoted all their ener-
gies To an effort to reduce the tax levied on
the trailic'in slimuients, thereby diminish.
ing by several hundred thousand dollars
the total revenues from this source.
Tip Aplin's liquor bill Vas made the
special order in the house the other after
noon, and after several hours hard fighting
the bill was amended so as TO provide for
uniform tax OF $500, and then striking
out the rest of the bill, making it conform
TO the present law in every other respect
The bill passed by a vote of - TO %.
The action of the house in fixing the
rate for liquor licenses at $500 Is some
what of surprise to many who
have been working to have an entirely
new liquor law One effect OF the measure,
if 1t become law. will be to stop the sale
of whiskey on beer licenses a procedure
which has become exceedingly common
defrauded the state and pocketed the pro
ceeds have been allowed to go Scott free.
The bill is given immediate effect
Tremendous as was the fight in the
house on the liquor bill, it is a mere baga
telle compared with the struggle which
awaits it in the upper house. The fight IN
the senate promises 10 be one of unpar-
alleled intensity in the attempt to defeat
the action of the house. \ strong effort
will also be made to so amend the bill as
TO allow saloons TO remain open and do
business on holidays.
Wednesday of this week the subject Of
good roads was discussed by the house.
AS the law stands now the entire cost of
( the improvement Of highways shall be de
frayed by the county at large. The
amendment which is now being strongly
urged provides that only half of the cost
shall be borne by the county, the other
half to be levied on the property benefited.
The pure food bill was taken out for
another airing the other day. Secretary
peared IN behalf of the bill and the repre-
seutatves of various baking powder and
Oleomargerine manufacturers in opposition
TO IT. The strongest argument advanced
against the bill was that 1t might in Ger
tam cases be construed As an infringement
on interstate commerce privileges, rather
than an exercise of the police power Of the
state.
The senate adopted resolution last
week to do no work after May IS, and TO
take final adjournment 81 The resolu
ton as introduced fixed the dates "A week |
earlier 1t was taken from the table, !
amended and passed by a vote of 20 To l. |
each step being accompanied by an ami |
mated debate Senator Jewell said the
resolution was Inspired by practical amhi |
ton 10 make "A record, and he for one was
not afraid to 60 before his constituents
and say he voted against II. He thought !
the legislature ought 10 work hard and
quit when it got through but was opposed
TO such an arbitrary choke off" AS that
fixed by the resolution.
The committee Of the whole in both !
houses mas agreed To the bill fUf the parol |
ling of convicts The bill authorizes the
governor to 90 at large 10 any prisoner
who is now. or may hereafter be placed |
in confinement except those who are serv
ing life sentences, or those who have
served two previous sentences for felony.
No prisoner can be parOled except by rec |
concentration of the board Of control Of
the prison where the prisoner is confined. !
The prisoner remains in theory always in
custody, his parole not acting as release
He NAV be taken back 10 the prison at any
time on the warrant of the governor.
Clerks of all courts Of record are to send
TO the board of control of the prison TO
which the prisoner Is sentenced a state
ment of the case, with names aud resi- |
dences of jurors, the character Of tho evi
dence, previous character of the prisoner |
the circumstances Of aggravatiOn or mitl
cation of the offense. The object OF this
provision is 10 give the board of control
full information about all prisoners IN
their charge, so far as may be developed
on the trial
Nothing has been said in any Of the let
tiers of the social life at the state capital.
But there is such a side, and in the next
few weeks il promises to be unusually in
teresting movement has been started
for "a subscription dinner In which 100 leg
islalors and state officers are to participate,
and which is to take place May l.
Nearly the entire membership of the sen
ate will participate and the guests of honor
will be GOV Rich, Lieut. Gov Mines and
Speaker Gordon In addition to this a
number Of brilliant social events in the
Lansing homes of legislators are being
planned. And Lieut. Gov Mines resig
nation and departure from the capital will
be the occasion for a brilliant reception
and farewell dinner
r
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
The house has agreed 10 Senator Pres