The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-24

the necessary appropriation.
The so-called Lusk resolution provid-
ing for the submission to the people of
constitutional amendment comforting
home rule upon cities was defeated in
the house a few days ago, but another
attempt to pass ii will be made. This
Is one Of the most important bits of leg
islation that will be considered this ses-
sion. 1t was. i'm fact, conceived and put
In form by Speaker Gordon who gave
1t to Representative Lusk to introduce.
In substance IL confers upon cities the
power, by popular vote, to amend their
own charters rather than to come to the
legislature to have this work done. 1t
was urged in favor of the resolution
that the plan proposed placed in the
hands OF the people the power to legis-
! late as to matters concerning them
selves. and furthermore. that its adop-
ton would shorten the biennial sessions
of the legislature to sixty days, where
as the minimum has been five months
for number OF years past. 1t is fact
that fully one-half Of the time OF the
legislature is taken up with the tinker
! ing OF charters. On the other hand the
| undesirability of breaking away from
the established order of things was
urged against the measure. Inasmuch
| as ii takes two-thirds vote to submit
| a constitutional amendment 1t is not
! likely that the resolution will pass this
session. The vote was AZ for to 80
against, fourteen members being either
absent or not voting. 1t is not deemed
! probable that twenty more votes can
4 be secured by the friends of the project.
| However, the vote by which IL failed to
/ he
| ton tabled with a view to making an
other effort to pass it,
Mortgage Tax Repeal Bill.
The prospects of passing the mortgage
tax repeal bill through the house, which
were generally conceded to be very
| bright one week ago, have grown de-
| cidedly simmer during the past few
days The returns from the country
districts had not been received before
the senate passed the bill. Their tenor
led to a change in sentiment and this
was so marked that a Republican eau
Gus decided that the bill should not be
considered until after the spring cleo
ton, at least. The bill has been re-
ferred to the committee on general tax
alton which will coddle 1t for several
weeks
will give hearing on all pending in
surance bills on April Z. Some of the
bills propose very radical changes In
existing laws. The revenue Of the state
from these companies now amounts to
about $4,000 annually, but 1t Is pro-
posed to increase the rate of taxation
per cent on the gross earnings In
Michigan. This would make the rate
for fire companies per cent, and that
of life companies per cent. In oppo-
sition to this increase the argument IL
made that the assured would, in fact
be compelled to pay the increase, the
rate for insurance being based upor
the expense of doing business In the
, state. other bills provide for a loca
tax Of per cent for the maintenance
of fire departments, and provides that
|. in case of total loss, the full face valu
Of the policy must be paid regardless
, Of what the property destroyed ma!
, actually have been worth.
Soldiers Home Investigation.
, Another matter which will not b
, taken up until after the spring election
Is the investigation of the management
? discipline, etc, of the soldiers home
) which was authorized by the senate
and which will be made by the regula
senate committee of that body. Chair
, man Jibb promises that the investiga
ton shall be thorough, the purpose be
ing to either establish the charges O
: , restore confidence in the institution
q Members Of the board of managers hav
r heretofore resigned to accept ofilcia
Z positions at the home. A bill now peno
: ing prohibits any member from becom
|, ing an official until two years after Tn
o expiration of his term as manager. I'm
8 impression prevails that there Will o
: some changes as the result of the ir
n vestigation.
r The Widoe railroad investigation CON
9 mittee has about consumed the thlrt
O DAYS allotted to 1t for its work, an
q so far as others than members or tf
@ committee know, not great deal
progress has been made, it being under
stood that complaints Of discriminate
: in freight rates, ETC., have not CON
a in as extensively as was anticipate
: No witnesses have yet been examine
: bv the committee as contemplated, ar
:, the committee has asked for an extei
O sion of time until April Z, in which
, complete its work. There appears
"a have been much more smoke than I'll
t about this affair.
a Beet Sugar Bounty Law.
e Although Governor Pingree recon
t mended the enactment of beet sugi
j. bounty law in his inaugural messag
). it is not improbable that he will eith
n veto or send back for re-enactment u
Il Dudley bill providing a bounty OF
e cent per pound. which has passed BOZ
5. houses and is now in his hands. Whi
e makes this probable Is the fact that
% has been advised by Representati'
n John Atkinson, in whose legal abilil
It he has the utmost confidence. that q
e Offering of bounty Is an appropri'
l. ton Of public money for private pu
s. poses, and consequently the bill shou
II have. under the constitution, receive
= a two-thirds vote In each house.
= fact, however, 1t received a maJori
= vote only. Movements are on foot
= organize heavily capitalized corpor'
y tions at Saginaw and Port Huron 4
Is the purpose of erecting beet sugar r
e fneries. 1t is stated that the sug'
,r trust is paid s25o,oO9 annually by Il
IS dealers of the Saginaw valley alon
lie, Oa