Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-03-11

DiS>tN Ol lut t'Sh11 W DiOfiat III q
Michigan exhibit at the Tennessee ex-
position, but an attempt will be made
to reconsider the vote on the ground
that il was illegal to introduce a bill
after time limit had expired. Other
than this bill only local measures were
disposed of in the Senate. Rep. Lusk's
home rule measure was the first on the
general order but being thought too
important to act upon without more
consideration it was laid upon the table
and 1000 copies ordered printed. A
special day will be set for its consider
alton. 1t provides that the people
may vote on a constitutional amend
ment under which the people of cities
and villages may amend their own
charters instead of having the legisla-
ture act at all in such matters; the leg
islature to obtain the power TO amend
city charters as to taxation, borrowing
money, contracting debts and loaning
credit; judgeships to remain elective.
There was test of the economic feel
ings of the farmers of the House when
the appropriation for the state library
came up. The ways and means com
mittee had cut the amount from Sl4,-
900 TO $4,000, of which Si 900 was 10
be used for the travelling library. This
amount was raised to $4,000 in com
mittee of the whole. The farmers had
no object to this feature of the bill, but
they objected to the regular appropria-
ton. The amount was raised to $l3, 200,
however, and the bill passed. The
bills providing that municipal corpora
tons may be garnisheed in circuit and
justice courts were passed by the
House. Speaker Gordon appointed as
the committee to investigate the vot-
ing machines with view of recon-
mending one of them for use in Michi-
gan at all elections Reps. Hoffmeister
and Wetherbee. After wading through
the March slush until they tired of IL
the Representatives passed resolu-
ton calling upon the state auditors TO
keep the capitol sidewalks clean.
There have been numerous complaints
that the lighting of Representative
hall was very poor and Speaker Gordon
appointed committee to investigate.
Gov. Pingree has again sent the
name of Gen. VIM. Hartsuf, of Port
Huron, to the Senate, this time as n
member of the board of control of the
Soldiers Home. John McCrath, of
Grand Rapids, was named for a
like position and both were re-
ferred to a committee. The Senate re-
ferred to the committee on state affairs
the House concurrent resolution to com
memorate in the legislature March 16
as the sxtieth anniversary of the adj
mission of Michigan into the Union and
the fiftieth anniversary of the found
ing of the capital at Lansing. The
auditor-general reported to the House
that the state prisons TO date have cost
the state the following amounts: jack
son. 81 .454, 657. 65; Ionia, Sl,336, 900. So;
Marquette $3.50, O57. 90; board of female
prisoners at Detroit house of correction,
Sl3. 500. IS. Total, SO, 294, 4s6.12. Rep.
Eikhoff. of Wayne, who asked for this
report. hopes to show by a compilation
of figures that the great benefits of the
present system of convict labor accrue
to the contractor to the detriment of
the state. The House passed rcsolu-
| tlOnS upon the QcaLu Oh ~. ID. IOrIeT
of Lansing, formerly secret ary of state,
and a committee was appointed by
! Speaker Gordon to represent the legis-
lature at his funeral. The House
passed the bill. which the Senate had
already passed. providing for the com
pilation, printing and distribution of
all laws of Michigan, inclusive of 1897.
This means an expenditure of about
! $50. 600. In the House committee of
the whole three important bills were
agreed to, viz: To permit fraternal
! bene ficiary organizations to deposit
a guarantees fund of not less
! than $4,000 in the state treasury;
providing that all lands not in TIE linn
/ It's of incorporated cities and villages,
on which taxes subsequent to 1890 had
been or shall be delinquent for three
years shall be decided to the state, to
be subsequently offered for sale at 81,
IS. 80 and % cents per acre, in accord
ance with the year after the deed was
! given TO the state, or to be subject to
homesteaders at 10 cents an acre; pro-
viding that all township officers shall
be citizens of the United States.