Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-05-27
Senator Thomnson,s attack nno,

ference committee for its communica-
ton with railroad lobbyists while in
secret session, which he terms shame
full scene. He jumps on Speaker Cor
don for his appointments on the com
mittee, intimating that the speaker
was influenced directly by the railroads
in making the appointments. The col
onel says in this connection that un-
less the people elect representatives
who represent them instead of the rail
roads the people deserve TO be OPP
pressed. lie charges that the set
speech Of Senator Thompson was pre-
pared for him by the railroad compan-
les, and characterizes much of the
speech as fiction and barefaced at
tempt to prevent facts The House in
committee of the whole agreed to an
excise bill, by which 1T is hoped to
raise $4,000 per year by tax of one
cent per gallon on all beer, ale and
porter manufactured or imported into
the state. The bill creates 80 new Of
ficers, to be known as excise inspectors,
with a salary of 81, 900 per year, to be
appointed by the auditor-general, and
to act as member of county excise
boards with the county treasurer and
prosecutor of each county. These
county boards are to issue liquor IL
censes in place of the common coun-
cils etc, as under the the present sys-
tenn. The inspectors must visit sal oons
and see that the beer sold is properly
stamped with the states internal rev.
nue. stamp. The various county .ex-
~ no, 10 N col
liquor to those who have been arrested
certain number of times. The county
treasurer and prosecutor receive no
additional salary for this work
The House passed the following bills:
For better protection against fraud in
primary elections; appropriating $780,
600 for the Central Michigan normal
school at Mt. Pleasant; providing for
the appraisal of property sold under
foreclosure sale and to prohibit sale
for less than two-thirds of appraised
values; increasing the number of stock
holders allowed military companies
and authorizing them to rent their
armories: providing for a similarity of
studies in Michigan normal schools: al
lowing building and loan association TO
create reserve fund The Senate
passed the uniform text book bill with
only one negative vote-Senator Camp
bell The bill will not go into effect
until 1899, and between now and then
the school districts must vote whether
they will adopt the free text book or
the uniform text book system. Other
| bills passed by the Senate: Prescribing
an agricultural course for country
schools; to prohibit paying labor in
store orders or other script not legal
tender; for lien upon horses and
| other animals for the cost of shooting
same; appropriating So, 900 for inn
provements at the agricultural college,
including an electric lighting plant;
appropriating SEA, 767 for the state
public school.
The beginning of the closing week
of the legislative session did not show
any great desire on the part of the
! legislators to push matters through.
! The Senate held a short session in COM
I mittee of the whole where the inherit
ance tax bill was sent away to its last
slumber; the bill was killed to provide
! for maintenance of minor children
when divorce is granted the parents
and the House cut in the mining school
appropriation was non-concurred in.
|
Requiring township boards to publish
annually an itemiZed sta cement of
township finances; fixing the per diem
Of members of the railroad crossing
board at So: permitting the annual
meeting of stockholders of Michigan
railroads To be held anywhere in the
state; repeating obsolete laws; repeal
ing the law for the collection of cereal
statistics taxing the gross Michigan
earnings of express companies per
cent. The Senate knocked out the bill
permitting the townships between
Lansing and ST. Johns TO grant electric
railway franchises Senator Thomp-
son was responsible for its defeat.
The House session was little more
lively and the following bills were
passed: Making the offense of attempt
ing TO wreck or rob railroad trains a
felony; for the incorporation of socie-
ties for the study of literature and for
educational and philanthropic work;
prohibiting employment of barmaids;
permitting state institutions during
the years of legislative sessions to draw
upon the states general funds for cur
rent expenses with the approval of the
auditor-general, the amount being
limited to one-third of previous years
appropriation for the institution max
ing the draft; providing that musical
societies property shall be exempt
from taxation. except where they rent
their halls; permitting plank road
companies to use gravel on road beds
/ instead of plank. The committee Of
the whole agreed To the antitrust bill
which provides a penalty for all per-
sons entering into agreements which
tend to lessen free competition in
the impoi tation or sale of arti-
cles in the state. or which tend
| to advance the rates or control the
price of any such articles TO the pro
Queer or consumer. The bill provides
that no property shall be exempt from
execution under the terms of the law,
and declares void any partnership
unless affidavit is made every year to
to the secretary of state that the part
nership is formed TO do business under
the provisions of the bill. 1t also ex-
cludes from the state all foreign corpo-
rations that do not do business under