Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-02-21
DOINGS AT LANSING.
WORK OF THE STATE LEoIsLA.
TuRE.
An Impartial Record Of the Work
Accomplished by Those Who Make
Our Laws-How the Time Has Been
Occupied During the Past Week.
The Lawmakers.

The Lawmakers.
Petitions for the submission to the peo-
pie of constitutional amendment pro-
hibiting the liquor traffic were received
from several thousand voters ut the brief
session which the House had Monday.
All petitioners are referred to the Com
mittee on Liquor Interests, which will
soon report bill to make the liquor tax
uniform at $500 and give the saloons
more lenient laws than they were ever ac-
corded before. A bill was introduced by
Representative Foster to repeal the act
of 1887 making municipalities liable for
injuries received on defective sidewalks
Bills were introduced in the Senate
Tuesday for the establishment of q per-
manent State weather service, and pro-
viding q graduated tax upon inheritances,
the proceeds to be for the benefit of the
primary school fund. Bills were passed
appropriating $4,000 to mark the posi-
ton of Michigan troops at the battles OF
Chattanooga and Chickamauga; provid-
ing for vestibules for the protection OF
motormen on electric street railways after
Jan. 1, 1896; providing jury commission
for the upper peninsula, and authorizing
judges of probate to determine when in
sane persons have been restored to sound
ness of mind. Senator Clapp introduced
resolution urging members of Congress
to use their best effort to restore silver
to its proper position in the United States
as a money metal. The resolution went
on the table by vote of II to 10. In
the House bills were introduced fixing
the rental for telephones in cities of not
more than 10000 population ut $1.50 per
month, and at So when in excess of that
number; repeating the law authorizing the
commencement of suits against cities for
injuries received by reason of defective
sidewalks, and to abolish the office of
Food and Dairy Commissioner.
The lower house of the Legislature
Wednesday agreed to a constitutional
amendment increasing the salaries of GER
tain State officers. 1t was for illegal can
vassing of returns on an amendment of
this kind that several State officers were
last year indicted and removed. The res
olution agreed to provides for increasing
the salary of the Attorney General from
$500 per annum to $1,000; that of the
superintendent of public instruction from
$1,000 to $4,000; commissioner of the
State land office, $500 to 2,500 and the
Secretary of State and State Treasurer
from $500 to $500. An amendment to
require the State officers to reside in Ian
sing was defeated. In the Senate Sena-
tor Clapp succeeded in getting his free
silver resolution taken from the table and
made a special order for Tuesday.
Thursday ninety bills were introduced
in the House, and nearly half that num-
Der were sent to the secretary of the Sem
ate. Among the bills started on their
way were several by Senator Fitzpatrick
which were prepared by the commission
to provide uniform legislation among sew
eral adjoining States. They provide for
uniform divorce laws, laws fixing weights
and measures and other measures relating
to the probate of wills, marriages, etc.
A hearing was given Mayor Pingree and
other Detroit citizens by the House Com
mittee on Public Health, upon the bill to
reconstruct the Health Board Of the city
of Detroit The House failed to pass the
joint resolution submitting a salary
amendment to the people, but the vote
was reconsidered and the resolution laid
on the table.
The House Friday passed the special
registration bill without having consid-
cred the measure in committee of tho
whole. 1t provides for general re-regis-
tration of voters in this State previous to
the coming spring elections. Every per-
son who wishes to vote must re-register.
In cities the voter must personally appear
before the Board of Registration. 1t will
not even be lawful to give his name to a
member Of the board. The registration
days in all cities outside of Detroit will
be Thursday, Friday and Saturday pre-
vious to election; in townships, on Friday
and Saturday, and in Detroit the board
will sit four days, commencing OH the
Wednesday previous to election. Every
person, without regard to age, color or
previous condition, must register. Sena-
Tor fitzpatrick has liquor traffic bill
which provides for uniform tax of 5000
on the business of retailing liquors. Not
only that, but it provides that any person
convicted of violation of the act shall
forfeit the tax paid and be forever de-
barred from engaging in the business. A
joint resolution was reported favorably
in the Senate to transfer the st. Mary's
ship canal to the United States. Senator
Briggs has a bill to protect newspaper
subscribers by preventing the publisher
from collecting pay for n publication ia
ken from the postofiice after the term for
which the subscription was given has ex-
pired.