The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-03-10
VOTERS To DECIDE.
Legislature Shifts Responsibility
in a Contest Case.
kerr's Seat I'm the House Declared
Vacant - Special Election Or
dered-IntercstingG Gossip
from Lansing.
TSpeciaI Correspondence. |

Lansing, March 6.--The Michigan leg
islature has violated long-established
precedent in disposing of the Baird
Kerr election contest. Heretofore,w with
out exception. the contestant has been
seated whenever his politics were in ac-
cord with the ma iority. In declaring
neither party entitled to the seat and
leaving the people to decide the ques-
tion at the approaching election move!
way out of the difficulty has been dis
covered Both Representative Baird
and Contestant Kerr are allowed 5000.
The resolution declared that neither
contestant was legally elected. owing
TO gross Irregularities on the part of the
election inspectors, and the house de-
clared that a special election be held
in the district April 5. Each of the con-
testants will be renominated by his
party.
The senate rs a committee of the
whole discussed Mason's resolution pro-
viding that electors shall be citizens OF
the United States and also be able to
read the constitution of Michigan and
write his own name before he shall be
allowed to vote The resolution does
not disfranchise anybody who could
vote January l, 1897, although he can
not read or write. The resolution failed
of passage by two votes. Afterward the
vote was reconsidered and the bill laid
On the table.
The joint resolution providing for
the submission to the people of n con-
stitutional amendment providing for
the establishment. of the referendum
VAS reported by the house judiciary
committee without recommendation
and laid upon the table. Gov. Pingree
favored the plan in modified form.
and the measure is being urged by labor
organizations. An effort will be made
to take the resolution from the table.
The proposed amendment provides that
when five per cent. of the people petit
ton for it popular vote may be taken
upon any measure passed by the legis-
lature.
AS committee Of the whole the sem
ate agreed TO the joint resolution fixing
the salaries of the members of the leg
islature at 5000 per year and cutting
the mileage TO five cents. The resolu-
ton further provides that the time for
introducing bills shall be cut from so
10 90 days. The section which pro-
vided that the members shall not re-
ceive free passes on the railroads was
chopped off by the committee.
The last thing Gov. Pingree did be-
fore leaving Detroit for Washington
was to issue a proclamation asking the
people Of the state to aid in the rail
road investigation that is now being
carried on by the special committee. He
says: 'As this investigation is in the IN
terests of the people, such persons as
may have dealings with the railroads
and have knowledge of any violation of
law. or of excessive charges or dis
elimination in rates so that one ship
per may be helped to the injury of an
other, should render the committee
such service as their information may
supply"
Both houses of the legislature on
Thursday adopted resolutions congrat-
ulating President Mckinley on his in
auguration and pledging his admins
tration unqualified support. Every sill
yer senator made an address in support
of the resolutions.
y'he bill clerk of the house has just
made out list of the bills accredited
to each member. Representative Gus
tin. of Alpena, heads the list: he intro
duced So bills. Wetherbee, of Wayne,
comes next, with 4S bills. Donovan
follows with a, and Col. Atkinson as
ksumes the responsibility for 43. Three
cf the members have introduced no bills
whatever. They are Representatives
Wing. Of Berry; Miller, of Montcalm.
and Rowley, of Macomb. The latter has
been i'll at home during the entire ses-
sion.
Interest in the beet sugar bounty bill
has spread rapidly over the state
among the farmers since Mr.. Dudley's
bill passed the house. The farmers are
flooding the representatives and sem
ators with letters and petitions asking
for them to pass the bill
The senate killed the bill to repeal
the law providing for the taxation OF
real estate mortgages. The vote was
close and the bill may pass later.
Among the bills reported favorably
TO the house was the one prohibiting
CunudN puplOSIdI'iilllS hhOhhCl Olii
reported favorably is one to place pri-
waite banks under supervision of the
banking commissioner.
The first single tax proposition which
has popped up in the legislature got n
very black eye. The bill was one pre-
pared by Judson Grenell. of Detroit. II
provided for the exemption of all build
ings of less value than $4,000. The bill
came up before the house committee
ON general taxation and was promptly
put into pigeon-hole. However, there
is another bill before the same com
1nittee more radical than the one
pigeon-holed. II provides that no
building shall be taxed. but that all
taxes shall be raised on land franchises
and inheritances. Local taxes are 10
be raised on land. and state taxes on in
heritanCes and franchises.
EMMETT.
Injured by Boiler Explosion.
Coral. March 6.-The boiler in Smiths