The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-05
OUR LANSING LETTER.
legislative News Which Is OF
General Interest.
WAITER OF FINAL ADJOURNMENT.

-, ruportant of the Railway Bills
v..k-New scheme to Pay Ac-
counts.
lansing Mich, May 1.-The matter
., anal adjournment is no nearer a set
,,aroent new than 1t was last week.
n,so honse finally passed resolution
a,i;ng for a cessat ton of business, other
thon the engrossing OF bills, etc. on
saturday. May 20. and for final ad-
s"urnment at noon on the Slst inst The
mate however, sent this resolution to
tha table. some of the senators being of
Tho oninion that ii was yet too early TO
sat a date with any degree of accuracy
-. daAniteness, while others do not be-
rava that there will be time between the
Doth and 3lst for the engrossing clerks
IN dispose of the great number or bills
that are always passed during the last
hours of the session. 1t is probable that
the two houses will get together on this
ouestion during the present week.
THE vote last Thursday on the Rob-
inson bill reducing the passenger rate
On upper peninsula railroads from
tc cents per mile, was somewhat
of a surprise TO both the friends and
opponents of the measure, neither be-
Iieying that ii would receive the num-
her of votes that were recorded in its
favor. 1t received IA votes, while 10
were cast against ii and three senator's
were not present when the roll was
called. An attempt to bury the bill be-
yond resurrection by moving to table
a motion to reconsider the vote by
which the bill failed to pass, was not
carried, and another attempt Will be
made to pass the bill.
Speculation INDUCED In.
Much speculation Is now being in
dulged in as to whether this vote is an
index of the probable action of the SEN
ate on other railroad and corporation
bills now pending. If 1t is, this class of
bills will come much nearer passing
than has been expected by any one
previous to the vote on the Robinson
bill. 1t is evident that the railroad peo-
pie are much more nervous just at pres
ent than at any time since the session
commenced.
This week the senate will take action
on one of the most important of the
pending railroad bills. This is the Mer-
Ram bill providing for an increase OF
! per cent. in the specific tax paid by
railroad companies, which has been
made the special order for tomorrow.
There has been a feeling for some time
that this bill might pass thereby in
creasing the revenue of the state from
this source 10y some 100000 annually.
The passage of this bill might have the
effect of defeating other so-called anti
railroad bills, the argument being that
this would be all the increased burden
that should be heaped upon the COM
panes at this time. Taking this view
Of the matter it would not be surprising
IL the companies turned in and advo-
Gated the passage of the Merriam bill
in the hope of ending the matter there.
Two anti-express bills have been re-
ported out favorably by the house COM
mlttee on private corporations, but have
not yet been acted upon by the house.
One of these prohibits companies from
making any extra charge for delivering
packages anywhere within the limits of
city or village; and the other pro-
hbits charging a greater rate for car
rying packages which have to go over
two lines than Is charged for carrying
like package the same distance over
single line.
The farmers Of the house scored a
point the other day when the Graham
game bill was under consideration.
They succeeded in having 1t amended
so as to prohibit the hunting of quail
with dogs 1t was conceded that the
tendency Of this provision would be to
decrease the number of hunters and
thus reduce the amount of trespassing
on farm lands which has been the trial
of the farmers for years.
New Scheme to Pay Accounts.
new scheme forpaying accounts con-
tracted by state institutions has been
advanced by State Treasurer Steel. II
cropped out in the report of the commit
tee on the Soldiers home a few days ago
and may be made to apply to all other
state institutions Under the system
which has been in vogue for years the
resident of each board of control of a
state institution has been the treasurer
OF the board. These treasurers draw
from the state treasury such sums as
they see fit, place the money In a loca
bank and check against 1t as the occa'
sion requires. 1t is now proposed to dc
away with this plan so far as the Sol
diers' home is concerned at least, the re-
port referred to recommending thai
hereafter the board of control audit the
accounts as usual, but, after they are
N'ieOu, ScHu lHtin 10 the bcn
eral for payment by the state treasurer
on the formers warrant. This plan viii
Keep the money i'm the state treasury OF
us designated repositories. assuring Il
the state much more interest than II
now received on daily balances, nothing
being realized on the large sums o
money which are lying around I'm banks
selected by the treasurers of the severa
boards. 1t is not improbable that thu
change will be made to apply to all stat'
institutions.
Case Of u Monroe Man.
Much interest centers in the forthcom
ing decision of the supreme court in tn
case of Monroe man who was convict
ed OF violation of the pure food law
Ills defense was, and the fact was con
ceded by the prosecution, that he sup
posed that the goods were pure when h
purchased them and that he sold then
IN good faith. The trial Judge was no
disposed to find him guilty under thes
circumstances but did so under protes
IN order that case might be got befor