Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-02-04
STATE LEGISLATURE.

IN DOM HOUSES some Time ago, PROVIDES
for tax of . per cent on all incomes
over $1,000. Rep. Graham, of Kent,
thinks that il doesn't cut deep enough
and has bill To tax all incomes over
$3.50 per year | per cent. The taxes
thus raised must go into the primary
school fund, according to the constitu-
ton. Rep. Green. of ST. Clair. has a
bill for the taxation of inheritances.
The legislature of 95 exempted farm
ers who used wagons with certain
width tires of one-fourth of their road
tax. This has caused such loss to
the road Improvement fund that Rep.
Bricler wants To repeal the law. Rep.
holster has bill to submit To the peo-
Pile the proposed amendment to the
constitution for the referendum
which gives the people vote ON all
legislation. Other important measures
are: Providing penalty for the adul-
iteration of bucllwheat flour; to have
all poisons put up by druggists in bot
ties with a pricl1ly surface; to cut off
the first edition of the Michigan manual
and thus save the state almost one
half of the expense of that costly work.
Pingree legislation is becoming more
in evidence. Rep. Moster, of Wayne,
has noticed a bill to prevent the eX-
tending of franchises to street railways
until the expiration of the term for
which they are granted. This is in
tended to strengthen the hands of
Mayor Pingree in his fight against the
street railway combination at Detroit.
The latter will put up strong battle
against the measure The Pingree
bill for fiat two-cent passenger fare
on all railroads of the state is all ready
to be brought to light and will occasion
another fight. The House committee
on judiciary reported favorably the
bill prohibiting prosecutors from de-
Tending criminals in the county that
elected them to Office and it seemed
that it would pass until Rep. Atkinson
spoke against it and it was tabled.
Rep. Eikhoff, of Wayne, has introduced
bill to provide that the finding of
nine jurors shall constitute verdict
A bill for the sale of the vast amount
of lands held by the state has been
noticed by Rep. +. Nj. Shepard, of Che
boygan. Two years ago IA SIMILAR bill
was passed, but vetoed by Gov Rich.
Among other new and important meas
ures are these: Providing that the
property of the st. Marys falls ship
canal and the SOS, 900 in the canal fund
be turned over to the United States,
providing the government shall build
with the funds either dry dock for
disabled vessels or marine hospital;
providing that two years service as
clerk of court of record shall exempt
applicants for admission To the bar
from the necessity of serving two years
in an attorneys Office before they can
secure certifica te emitting them TO
practice; providing that criminals who
escape punishment on plea of insanity
shall be committed to the state insane
asylum; to make express and fast
freight companies liable for damages;
TO prevent publishers from collecting
money for publications sent through
the mails beyond the expiration of sub
)scription time.
.rrS tabof win~l1i1Hve -consideraD1eT a
: tention judging by the bills introduce
!. Rep Eikhoff, of Wayne, wants som
thing more permanent In the contr
;, of prison labor than the mere passas
). of statutory law which may be r
pealed at the next Legislature in IL
a interests of prison labor contractor
: His measure provides for a state far
h for convict labor and an amendment
; the constitution so that hereafter Il
: prisoners sentenced to penitentiarie
a prisons, iails or reformatories, wheth,
@ under state, county or municipal co
S troll, shall not work while und,
sentence at any trade, or occupatiC
# whereby his work or profit shall
d contracted, given or sols to any pc
a son, firm or corporation. But the pri
# oners must be employed upon sta
;, farm. The prisoners are to be class
S fed into 10 classes and are to produ,
r every article consumed by themselv,
n or used for their maintenance. II
d bill also provides for the appointmel
! of a commission by the governor
= carry out the provisions of the &C
2 Rep. Molster would utilize convi
: labor at road-making. Another bi
i by Rep. Eikhoff is to prohibit the pa
4 ing of wages in any thing but cas-
E Rep. Fuller desires to increase IL
S salary of state game warden to So on
, per year. Rep Ierrig, of Saginaw
says that Abandoned salt wells lie
l open injure other wells, an
e he would have the state il
S spector stop up unused well
E Rep. Petrowski, of Wayne, has bi
to compel street car companies in a
e cities over 1900 inhabitants TO ru
cars at least every five minutes.
r some cities the companies run the ca
e without reference 10 the accommod
ton of the people. Rep. Green, of $
e Clair, is opposed to graveyard" an
e juvenile insurance of the life of an
S person under II years of age or ov,
) 65. The idea of annual sessions of I'll
{ legislature is the subject of measul
J fathered by Rep. Pearson, of Sanila
r who would have To 50-day limit fl
. the introduction of bills in the legisl;
7 ture constitute one years session {
e the legislature, the session of the sui
Y sequent year to be devoted TO action O
, the bills introduced at the previou
.