Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-05-20

MONDAY, IN the Mouse, the k1oimes lien
bill was passed, 50 to 10. Nothing else
Of Importance was done by either house.
Gov. Pingree sent to the House his veto
of the cigarette bill, alleging that 1t was
the duty of parents, not the state, to
guard their children; also that to fine or
imprison a child for violation Of the law
would be to put upon him disgrace worse
In its effects than the habit OF sraoking
cigarettes. The Governor maintained that
the present law restricting sales of to-
bacco was more stringent and susceptible
Of enforcement than the proposed law.
Railroad legislation occupied the atten-
ton Of the lower house Of the State Leg
islature Tuesday with scarcely an inter
mission. The bill providing for tho local
taxation of railroad property in lieu Of
specific taxation by the State was discuss
ed at length in committee of the whole and
was finally agreed to. The bill reducing
passenger fares in the lower peninsula to
2 cents a mile was under discussion for
several hours in committee of the whole.
Col. John Atkinson led the anti-railroad
forces and many arguments were made on
both sides. The bill was finally agreed
to without amendment the vote being
81 to 33. Gov. Pingree is strongly in ia
vor Of the bills agreed to and strongly
opposed to the Merriam bill, which in
creases the specific taxes of Michigan rail
roads about 100000. If this bill is pass
ed the Governor says he will veto it. Both
houses of the Legislature have agreed to
adjourn May 81. The Donovan inter-
changeable mileage bill, which passed both
houses two years ago, but was vetoed by
Gov. Rich, is again doomed to defeat, the
House Railroad Committee having decid-
ed to report it adversely. Under these cir
cumstances it's author says he will not
push it further. The committee has taken
similar action on the bill requiring COM
panies to sell 50O-mle books for $40, but
a fight will be made for this bill, notwith-
standing the report.
A bill passed the lower house of the
Legislature Wednesday which raises the
specific taxes on railroad earnings in
Michigan from 100000 to fully twice
that amount. The rates are as follows:
Roads earning less than $1,000 per milc,l
21a per cent; from $1,000 to $4,000, A per
cent; from $4,000 to $4,000, 6 per cent;
over $4,000, 10 per cent. A bill for local
taxation of railroads was re-referred to. q
committee. If the Senate passes the spe-
ciic tax bill the local taxation bill will
probably not be pushed. Gov. Pingree
said: "These companies ought to pay
$4,000 or $4,OO0,0OO but these are
pretty hard times, and 100000 would go
a good way. We might accept the bill
and then in two years from now make the
companies pay what they ought to pay"
The House passed another bill, which
repeats the special charter of the Mchi-
gan Central Railroad Company and
brings that road under the operations of
the general railroad law, thus depriving
it of many privileges it now enjoys. In
the Senate the Committee on State At
fairs favorably reported the Warner bill
increasing the tax paid by express COM
panies to per cent. on their gross earn
ings in Michigan. The present rate is /
per cent. This body has passed the bill
abolishing days of grace.
The bill increasing railroad taxes,
which was passed by the House, was
tabled by the Senate Thursday. The
Senate bill to repeal the mortgage tax
law has been killed in the House by the
farmer members. Gov. Pingree has APP
pointed George Coester of Detroit State
veterinarian, f. o. Clark of Marquette,
member of the Board OF Control of the
Marquette prison, and II. II. Goodell, of
Houghton. trustee of the Upper Peninsula
hospital for the insane. In executive ses-
sion the Senate refused to confirm Gov.
Pingree's nomination of ex-Mayor T. c..
Brooks, of Jackson, as inspector of the
State prison.
Gov Pingree has come to the aid of the
House amendments increasing the raise
made by the Senate in railroad taxes by
announcing that special appropriation
bills for the relief of the Ontonagon fire
sufferers and for improvements ut Mack
inaw island State park will be held up
pending the settlement of the differences
between the two houses. The Senate has
non-concurred in the House amendments
by vote of four to one, which demon
strates that the upper body will never in
dorse the radical action of the House.
The House Thursday instructed the
Speaker to appoint conference commit
tee, and like action will be taken in the
Senate. The House has agreed to a bill
making the legal rate Of interest q per cent
and the contract rate per cent. 1t has
killed the bill to compel express companies
to charge no more for carrying package
over two lines than for the same distance
over single line.