Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-06-06
LAWMAKERS RECORD
synopsis OF the Most Inn portant Meas
ures-some that Failed to Pass-Tax
Levy Greater than Ever Before-Al.
legged Reason for 1t.


Friday In the presence of half score OF
legislators who had remained to witness
the closing scene. Most Of the unusual
measures and those bills which were con-
sidcred of great importancebecause of the
interests they affected failed to pass. VI
the railroad bills which failed to become
laws were those repeating the special char
ter of the Michigan Central, reducing the
passenger rates in the upper peninsula,
and increasing the rate of specific taxes
The repeal bill failed principally because
of its alleged unconstitutionality and the
assertion that the State would be requir-
ed, under the terms of the company's spe-
cial charter. to pay damages accruing
from such repeal which damages were es-
timated at $250,OOO per annum; and the
failure of the tax measure was largely due
to the fact that, because of special char
tiers, the companies making the most
money could not be reached by it, while
those on the verge of bankruptcy would
be the only ones affected.
None of the bills introduced at the insti-
CATION of the furniture manufacturers and
labor organizations and designed to abol-
ish or restrict the convict contract labor
system became laws, the Legislature be-
less with free labor than any advocated by
its opponents. All the unusual measures,
such as the anti-treating bill and the bill
designed to regulate and restrict the
lobby, died also, although each was passed
by one of the bodies. The capital pun
ishment and the woman's suffrage bills
were other important bills which went
into the waste basket.
Important Bill Goes Through.
Considerable important legislation was
enacted, however. The educators Of the
State scored victory in having the COM
pulsory education law so strengthened
and IA years will henceforth be obliged
to attend school at least four months every
school year. The penalty for violation
of this law is such that parents and guar
dams will not seek to evade the statute.
The Reform law provides that all teach
ers in city schools must hold certificates
before they can teach, the penalty being
the forfeiture by offending districts Of all
primary school interest money.
The most important enactment affecting
the prison is one establishing the parole
system Of dealing with convicts. This
bill was given immediate effect, and Gov.
Rich proposes to put it into operation by
the paroling of number Of convicts at
once. 1t is believed that this law will go
far toward solving the problem of convict
labor.
The pure food laws of the State were
also greatly strengthened and an appro-
priation of $4,000 made to aid in their
enforcement. The factory inspection law
was amended so as to give the inspectors
increased powers and to absolutely pro-,
hibit the employment of children under
IA years old in any of the factories of the
State. The law was also made explicit
and exacting relative to the use of ele-
vator gates, blowers, and other appliances
designed to protect the lives and health
of the employees.
A law providing for the incorporation Of
labor organizations so that they may sue
and be sued was passed. 1t is believed
that it will tend to the more ready settle
ment of disputes between capital and
labor.
Much legislation concerning elections
was enacted. The most noted of these
measures is the so-called anti-fusion law.
AS originally passed this law prohibited
the name of candidate from appearing
on the official ticket more than once, re-
CARELESS of the number of different par
ties nominating him, but it applied only
to State and county elections. A subse-
quent bill was passed making the same
rule apply to all elections, State, county,
municipal and township. The Barnard
law makes it unlawful for delegate to
any political convention to give proxy,
| ,rn u;I ;pc fbat oil al Al 90 h., LII
by a vote of the balance of the delega-
ton. 1t also makes it unlawful for
candidate to hire any one to work for
him in a convention.
Miscellaneous Legislation.
Miscellaneous bills of much Importance
establish an additional normal school ut
Mount Pleasant; establish training de-
partment at the State Normal School;
provide for the removal of the homeo-
pathic department of the university to De-
troit; empower county boards of super
visors to condemn the right of way of
plank road companies; the Donovan bill,
providing for the issuance by all railroads
operating in Michigan of interchangeable
and redeemable mileage, good to be used
by any member of the purchasers family;
making it unlawful for employers to re-
quire their employees to insure in any par
ticular company; requiring companies ac-
cepting a bonus for locating manufactur-
ing plants to refund the sum received with
interest in case they remove any material
portion of the plant within five years;
providing for permanent State weather
service; creating the Office of State tax
statistician.
The State tax levy for the ensuing BIZ
ennial period will approximate $4,5OO,OOO
which is the largest in the history of the
State. This condition is said to be due
to the fact that the Legislatures of 1901
and 1893 failed to incorporate in number
of appropriation bills clause providing
for the incorporation in the tax levy Of the
sums appropriated. While this kept
down the levy Of those years, yet the day
of reckoning has come and the present
Legislature had to provide for this accu-
INFLATED deficiency, which approximates
100000.
A total of 531 bills were passed by the
Legislature. OF these 100 were Senate
bills and 1852 were House measures. The
total is 81 greater than in. 1893. Some
fifty bills were left in the hands Of the
Governor.
Rules for Pedestrians.
Figaro of Paris proposes the folliw-
ing code Of rules for wheelmen and ne