Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-01-22
STATE CAPITOL NOTES.
Senator Robinson's Plan to do Away With
Free Passes.

The unvotcd subject of free passes
for public officers Will be given an
airing cary in the session. II senator
Robinson. of Houghton county, has
his way the people OF the state VIII al
the coming spring election nave
chance to express themselves on the
suhiect and there will be amendments
10 the constitution entirely prohibit
inc the taking of "A pass and making 1t
a misdemeanor to offer one 10 public
official.
I'm the senate tonight Senator Robi-'
son gave notice of joint resolution
under which there will be submitted
| three new sections of article Is OF the
constitution, which are TO read as fol-
| lows:
Section l6-No public officer or per-
son elected to public office under the
laws of THIS state shall directly or in
directly ask, demand, accept, receive
or consent to receive tor his own use
or benefit, or Tor the use or benefit OF
another, any free pass, free transpor-
tation. ranking privilege or discrllm-
nation i'm passenger, telegraph or tele-
| phone rate, from any person or cor
/ noration, or make use OF the same him
self or in conjunction with another
Section IA person who violate
any provision of the preceding section
shall be deemed guilty of "a misde-
meanor and shall forfeit his office a
the suit of the general. ANY
corporation or officer or agent thcreo
p VINO shall offer OF promise to publl'
officer or person elected or appointed
TO a public Office any such free pass
free transportation, trankipg PRIV
Iege or discrimination, shall also ID
deemed guilty of miSdemeanor an'
d liable TO punishment except as herc0.
. provided
a Section 1S-Provides that no officer
or agent of corporation giving passe
shall be privileged TO refuse testimon
on the subject, and shall be liable I
II criminal and civil prosecution If b
refuses to testify.
y The resolution concludes with tn
= provision that the proposed amend
. ment shall be submitted to the peopl
IN the election to be held on the frs
d Monday in April next.
h Senator Robinson's amendment is
? copy of similar provision to the con
stitutional amendments, which
u madeup of Senators Merriman, Cove
O and Thompson. II will reQnire two
k thirds vote of both houses to bring
p before the people.
The senate had twenty mlnut
Is session Monday night, in which hit
;. business was transacted. Among II
\. more important bills announced W.
. one by Senator WestcOtt, of 81. Clai
= who will try to knock out the NOR
Of paoe tax law. lie says that the la
So did not accomplish the object desire,
The tax, instead of falling on the cal
- italist. Is charged up TO the poor lenC
Is er. and the law also has tendency
g, drive capital out of the state.
no Senator Hadsell, of OwoSso, has
bill TO exempt from taxation or fro
u sale by execution any home purchase
De with pension money. The purpose
il the bill il to insure cd soldiers the
residences. The same senator has
Nv bill TO reduce rates of interest.
no would make the legal rate D instei
ok per cent OH loans. cut the contra
in rate from to per cent, and the i
- terest ON savings bank deposits fro
to 3 per cent.
ITS Senator Robinson gave formal mott
ITO of his railroad bill which provid
.ar that the rates for the upper peninsu
shall be the same as those for I
lower peninsula.
The senate need no longer 10
around for reverend gentlemen
ne open its sessions. Senator Andre
in Campbell, of Ann Arbor, isl minis
is and opened tonights session with
no ligious exercises.
Those i'm the house that favor
he adjournment for the junket have !
quit work. There is now talk of hol