Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-01-21
MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE

Opposition to Governor Pingree was
shown by Lieutenant Governor Dunstan
and Speaker Gordon Tuesday, both NAM
Ing standing committees opposed to all
the proposed Pingree Legislation thus far
announced. The Senate Railroad Com
mittee Ii solidly against the Governor,
and the House Committee nearly 80.
Anti-Pingree men are In large ma
iority on all other important committees.
| especially those which will handle the
Pingree bills. Senator Thompson was
made chairman of the Committee ON
Cities and Villages, TO which all of the
Governors pet bills affecting Detroit will
be referred. Bills were noticed embody-
ing Pingree's plan of abolishing party
caucuses and nominating candidates by
he people direct; also abolishing the fee
system of paying county officers, and pro-
viding for the election of railroad, insur-
ance, banking and labor commissioners
and oil inspector by the people.
Governor Pingree returned to the capt.
tai from Detroit Wednesday afternoon,
but as the Legislature had adjourned for
the day he could not send his appoint
ments to the Senate. Bills were intro
duced in both branches of the Legisia-
tuiC W PAOhiOit tic buic VI ifhitdtiOh Uos-
ter, and it Is expected that these meas
ures will bring formidable lobby to the
city. A bill prohibiting the sale of cigar
cites was also introduced.
Gov. Pipgree sent his first nominations
to the Senate Thursday and they were
promptly confirmed by a unanimous vote
without reference. Sybrant Wesselius of
Grand Rapids was appointed railroad
commissioner; w. L. White Of Grand
Rapids, quartermaster general; Col. Ed
win NJ. Irish of Kalamazoo. adjutant gen.
eral. 1t was expected that additional
nominations would be sent to the Senate
and the fact that they were not has given
rise to the well-authenticated rumor that
the result of Wednesday nights confer
ence between the Governor and his politi-
cal cabinet was the SCATTERING of the pre-
viously arranged slate and the retirement
of several heretofore promising eandi-
dates. Much of the time of the last Leg
islature was devoted to the consideration
of the general incorporation bill for cities
of the fourth class, under which about
fifty cities are now Incorporated. Thurs
day a bill repeating this important law
was introduced.
Bills paving the way for protracted con-
tests were introduced in the Legislature
Friday. The telephone bill will be fercely
fought by the Bell interests, as it contem-
plates making the Bell company exchange
business with the numerous independent
lines which have sprung up all over the
State, and whose business is seriously
hampered by their inability to give salts
factory State-line service because of the
refusal of the Bell company to do BUSH
ness with them. Gov. Pingree's recon-
mendation that building and loan asso-
Citations be placed under the supervision
of the State banking department and be
subjected to the same restriction and reg
ulation as State banks has been embod-
led in bill which was introduced. The
question of whether an adjournment of
ten days shall be taken to enable the COM
mittees to visit State institutions caused
a deadlock between the two houses. Every
Senator voted in favor of recess of ten
days. but by a majority of 50 the House
decided to the contrary. Both sides are
firm and long jangle is looked for.