The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-03-19


minutes after the polls closed.
The Molster bill abolshing convict
labor and providing for farming out
convicts in blocks OF twenty to the va
rious counties for work on the high
ways. has been favorably reported by
the house committee on labor interests.
There is not much reason for believ-
ing that 1T will pass, however, the pros
pect being that the present system OF
employing the convicts will not be dis
turbed. President Barter and Secre-
tary Crewe of the State Federation of
Labor have been here constantly since
the beginning of the session working
for the adjustment of the contract sys-
tenn. While they have made some con-
verts, 1t is not believed that a suffi-
Gent number have been secured to pass
the bill.
Will Ruin Tishermen's business.
A hearing will be given by the house
committee on fisheries tomorrow night
on the bill requiring the use of nets
with larger meshes than those now in
use by commercial fishermen. 1t is
proposed to increase the size of the
mesh from 21s to 5 inches. The fisher
men say that If this is done their bust
ness will be ruined, as a mesh of the
size proposed will permit the passage
Of almost every food fish found in the
waters of the great lakes. This same
fight has been waged every session for
the past ten or fifteen years, the con-
testants being the commercial fisher
men on the one side, and the state fish
commission on the other. Thus far the
former have invariably scored a vic
tory, and it is not improbable that they
will do so again. A memorial recently
read in the house against the passage
of this bill shows that the annual catch
Of fish in the great lakes averages as
follows: Lake herring, 35,740,960
pounds; other white fish, 0.327 ,09S
pounds; pike and pike perch, 14,934,94S
pounds; yellow perch, 8,642, 311 pounds;
lake trout, 16,279,973 pounds; catfish,
1,063,134 pounds; sturgeon, 1,42G,5S4
pounds; total, 96,619,671 pounds. 1t will
be seen from these figures that the
commercial fishing industry is one of
much Importance and is entitled to due
consideration at the hands of the legis-
lature. The value of the annual catch
exceeds $1,000,0O0, the capital invested
in the industry equals that figure, and
the industry gives employment to about
5000 men.
The members of the house committee
on towns and counties are in Lake
county this week looking over the stu
alton so that they may act intelligently
on Representative Fleschauer's bill
providing for the dsorganization Of that
county, and the annexation of the ter
ritory to the county of Osceola. The
claim is made that about six townships
in the eastern part of Lake county bear
substantially the entire burden of taxa
ton, the pine having been removed
from the other townships which have
thus been rendered practically value
less.
Money for State Prisons.
1t appears from a report made by
Auditor General Dix, in response to
resolution of the house, that, since
Michigan became q state just sixty
years ago, there has been appropriated
total of $3,296, SS4.99 for the support
of the prisons of the state. This total
has been divided as follows. State
prison at Jackson, 1,454, 657.65; state
house Of correction at Ionia, $780,
969.53; branch prison at Marquette,
$4S9, 057.09; Detroit house OF correction
for caring for female prisoners, $13,-
S00.S5
Senator Mason has a liquor law
which Is considered a most drastic
measure by saloonkeepers. 1t provides
that licenses shall be issued by the
circuit court instead of by the county
treasurer, and then only "eto- IT,
vcv lilo saloonkeeI as FL 3D.. -
rj.-at.cu therefor set il 3urt. nj prs.
ent and past occupa on ana to- : .rl
that he Is not the ploprietJr uf ,'ay
other saloon in the same county. his
application is to be published, so as to
afford the general public an opportun-
ity to offer whatever objection they
may have to his being given license.
The bill is designed to break Up the
practice some men have of running a
series OF saloons in the same city or
county.
Another Job for Clerk Miller.
Chief Clerk Miller of the lower house,
who, during the past two years, has
made new compilation of the statutes
of Michigan, has been given another job
by the present legislature. This is to
include in the compilation the laws of
1897 Mr.. Miller will receive $500 for
his work under this bill, his compensa-
ton under the first bill having been
Sc 600. Those who have examined the
say that the work has been
exceptionally well done, and the COM
piler has been highly compiimented by
the commissioners appointed by Gov
ernor Rich to examine the compilation
on behalf of the state. 1t has been a
most laborious and responsible task.
The Legislature has also made provision
for printing, binding and distributing
the new compilation. The work is to
be done by the state printer, and 10000
volumes will be printed. The total cost
OF the work is estimated at $4,000.
To Expedite Work.
The necessity for doing something to
expedite the work in order to reach
final adjournment in any kind of sea-
son has led Speaker Gordon to hold
q conference with the chairmen of the
various standing committees of the
house. The result of the conference was
the appointment of O steering commit
tee whose duty it will be to sift the
pending bills wedding out the worthless
ones combining those relating to the
same subject or seeking to accomplish
the same object, and pushing the most
meritorious to the front This COM