Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-06-03
MlicHIoAN's LEGISLATORS.


ference committee, and Rep. Atkinson,
who has all along fought tooth and
nail for much higher tax than the
report contemplates, had one of the
hottest debates of the session, but fin
ally the Pingreeites agreed to accept
the conference figures and when it
came to vote the report was adopted
by the vote above stated-S9 to /. AS
passed the bill will increase the spe-
cific taxes on railroads and depot COM
panies sos, 900 over the present law
1t requires only the governors sigma
ture to become law. Gov. Pingree
saws he will not decide upon his course
in the matter until he sees how the
people take it. The Lusk home rule
bill, permitting cities and villages by
popular vote to amend their charters
except in the matter of increasing
representation, raising the limit of
taxation, borrowing money or extend
ing limits, passed the House by vote
of "a to13. The antitrust bill was
killed, owing to Rep. Adams, who con-
tended that the bill was dangerous
one. The House also passed the fol-
lowing: Increasing the franchise fee
of corporations from 4 to / 4 mills on
the dollar, and making the minimum
fee $50 instead of S.; appropriating
S12, 900 for the state factory inspectors,
an increase of $4,000 over old appro-
priation; preventing appeals from JUS
tice courts in cases involving less than
S25. The House concurred in the
Senate amendments to the Gra-
ham uniform text book bill, and
all it needs now is the signature
of the governor to make it law.
The Senate passed the following bills:
Providing half-pay pension for disabled
and retired Detroit police, providing it
never exceeds $50 per month; amend
ing the divorce law so as to protect the
interests of minor children; providing
that the reserve funds of mutual and
cooperative benefit associations shall
be deposited in the state treasury;
changing the time for the sale of de-
linquent tax lands from December to
Nav. Senator Blakeslee's hanging
bill was favorably reported by the SEN
ate committee on state affairs.
Gov. Pingree again stirred up the
animals" by sending message to both
the House and the Senate calling at
tention to the numerous bills of great
est important which are beng allowed
to die in each of the houses without
any effort being made to act upon
them. He also objected to the passing
of large appropriation bills which were
not brought in until within few days
of the time set for adjournment, thus
preventing proper and intelligent in
vestigation Of them. The governor,
therefore, asked that the session be
extended at least two weeks that the
bills mentioned might be disposed of
: and the appropriations investigated.
When the message was received the
, Senate and House each had IA bitter
fighvose.it1 Tire House passed res
olution making the day of adjournment
June a. The Senate refused to con-
l cur. The House then appointed con-
, ference committee. The special inves-
tigation committee on the soldiers
t home reported to the Senate, condemn
: ing the management as eXtravagant.
: Then, upon the report being adopted,
4 the Senate passed the Jibb bill provid-
: ing that no member of the board Oh
4 control of The soldiers home shall be
: eligible TO 'reappointment or to hold
the Office of commandant or secretary
of the board for a period of two years
after the expiration of their term oil
J office The Robinson bill, for three
f, cent passenger fare in the upper pen
n l.; in hn ta hu !.
j, vote of 10 to IL The Adams genera
e insolvency bill has been hung up in the
? Senate. The following bills have
i passed the Senate: Raising the price
S of license for hunting deer from so tC
. rs cents-50 cents of the license to e
! to the state; for the garnishment O
e municipalities authorizing township
n boards to establish a closed season
t on forest and prairie fires, during
). which fires canpot be set without 2
hours notification TO neigh bors; 70
the branding of limitations of leather
+ restricting the printing of state docu
G ments to $4,000 annually; providing
n that husband and wife may testif,
S against one another in cases of bigamy
r providing that constitutional amend
e ments be printed on separate ballots
d requiring notice to be given TO recove
e damages on account of death and per
n sonal injuries; to have trespass agent
h adjust and collect all trespasses com
n mitted on state tax lands; to incorpo
q rate societies for the study of litera
y ture approprlating $1,000 for the erec
Y. ton of physicians residence and din
ing hall and 5000 for hospita
building at the Kalamazoo asylum
ID S5s, 700 for the Newberry asylum, an
at S., 900 for the promotion of horticu
in tural interests. The Blakeslee hang
I. ing bill was lost III the Senate by on
il. vote. but was reconsidered and TABLED
lie The House had a fight lasting nearl
I'd three hours over the fish commissio
te appropriation, which was finally CT
nv from $50, 900 to $40, 900, and its expenC
rs iture confined TO inland lakes an
ID streams. The Eikhoff bill to perm
as liquor dealers to keep their saloor
a open on New Years, Labor day an
Fourth of July was buried in I'll
House. The House passed the follow
ing bills: Authorizing the Detro
re board of public works to make fv