The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-05

he has embodied i'm IL one provision
which should be eliminated This seeks
TO limit the number of pages which GER
tain reports shall contain. For instance
ii is provided that the report of the
state board of health shall not exceed
300 pages. In the very nature of things
this committee can have no adequate
idea of what subjects should be treated
of i'm a report Of this kind or of how ex-
tensively they should be handled. The
reports Of the Michigan state board OF
health on the causation of sickness and
other subjects are authority throughout
the world and will be just as valuable
fifty years hence as they are now The
subject which the board proposes to
treat in its next report relates to con-
sumption and its causation and treat
ment
Statistics Gathered for Years.
Statistics and other material for this
report have been gathered for a long
series of years in order that the de-
auctions and results announced may be
accurate and of value in the treatment
of this disease. which causes far more
deaths in Michigan annually than any
other. If the Perry bill passes all this
work will be rendered absolutely value
less and the board will be compelled
to put out report which will be worse
than useless and disgrace to the state.
The folly of committee of laymen say
ing what and how much or how little
persons engaged to make special in
vestigation shall publish in their re-
ports is apparent. Not being Informed
on the subject it is impossible for them
to intelligently deal with this branch of
the subject, so whatever they might
provide would be clearly arbitrary.
Another noticeable provision of the
bill is one requiring that the proceed
ings of the numerous farmers institutes
held throughout the state shall be
printed i'm sufficient quantities so that
each member of each local institute shall
have a copy. This would require the
printing of a great many thousand
copies, and while it would be clearly
class legisla ton, farmers alone profitng
by 1t, there can be no question as to its
value. The Inconsistency of the COM
mittee, however, is shown by its re-
| ftsal TO provide for the publication of
| but 1000 copies of the proceedings OF
state sanitary conventions. which have to
| do with the lives and health of the peo-
| pie, and are of vital concern to all the
people of the state
If it is desired to do the greatest good
| to the greatest number of citizens OF
| Michigan this bill will be radically
| amended before it becomes a law.
Scale Appropriation BiIIs.
IT is doubtful If the senate committee
on appropriations and finance will hear
| any objections to its announcement that
| ii will be able to so scale the appropria-
| ton bills as to reduce the state tax levy
| for the years 1897 and 1898 at least $780,
| 600 from that of the two years last past.
| The levy for the past two years was $5,-
| 0S2, 45S.14, and the committee proposes
| to keep that for the ensuing biennial
| period down to 81, 500 900, and there in q
! chance of its going slightly below that
| figure All appropriation bills have been
] carefully scrutiniZed and every dollar
! that could possibly be pruned from them
| was eliminated. Every institution has
or will come In for a pruning at the
hands of this committee, but those which
| will be cut the most are the upper
peninsula hospital at Newberry. the
Home for the Feeble Minded at Lapeer
and the state fish commission. The two
| institutions named are asking for very
I large appropriations for new buildings
and these will be badly slashed. The fish
commission is asking for "a much larger
sum than in former years, but the mem
bers can congratulate themselves IL
they get as much as two years ago. &c
say nothing of any advance.
The passage finally of the resolution
appropriating $500 for a Michigan ex.
hibit at the Tennessee centennial ex-
position was a great surprise. The house
has several times voted adversely on the
measure, and even on the morning OF
its passage had refused, by decisive
vote, to take ii from the table. The
commissioners appointed by Governor
Rich can be depended upon to get the
best possible results for the state, but
there are many who doubt the ex'
pediency of making such an exhibit.
Determined Warfare.
1t has developed within the past few
days that determined warfare is to be
made on express and telephone compan
les. One bill pending in the senate pro
vides for the increase of the specific ta>
paid by express companies to per cent
Of the gross business in the state. ano
another increases 1t to 4 per cent. There
is little doubt that the present revenue
of the state from this source will bt
/
Gently introduced a resolution instruct
ing the attorney general to proceed
against express companies to collect
taxes, which it is claimed they have
been avoiding for some years. This
claim grows out of the fact that thu
companies have been paying on th'
gross collections within Michigan, In
stead of on their gross business in thu
state, all interstate business being ex
cluded. The present rate is l per cent.
and the amount paid has been about 49,
600 per year. According to Senator
Warmers resolution the revenue from
this source should have been between
SIS. 900 and $4,000. and 1t is this differ
ence that he wants the attorney genera
| TO proceed to collect His resolution
went to a committee which Is looking
into the natter
Representatives Moster and Eikhon
the labor leaders In the house. will! maxi
| another attempt to enact an anti-con
! tracts convict labor law. They nav