The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-03-05
RECORD IS BROKEN.
Bills and Resolutions Introduced
at Lansing.
PROSPECT OF A LONG SESSION.

Unless ~ Decided Improvement In Haste
Is Made the Legislature May Drag Along
Until August Dudley Beet Sugar Boun-
ty Bill Passed by the House Pro-
vidine for Reduction of Salarics-Pe-
trowslxi's Liquor Bill.
Lansing, Mich, March 1.-THE pres
ent legislature has broken one record
and unless the statesmen comprising
that body speedily acquire hustle and
work 1t vigorously they will make an
other, which will not be calculated to
please their constituents. The first rec
ord relates to the number Of bills intro
duced, and the prospective one to the
length of the session. When the con-
stitutional limit of fifty days during
which bills could be introduced was
reached last week, the files contained
total of 1889 bills and joint resolutions,
an excess of 1873 over the number intro
duced two years ago when the high
water mark was reached. Each house
smashed the record, the totals for the
senate being $40 bills and twenty joint
resolutions, and for the house 1882 bills
and forty-seven joint resolutions.
An examination Of the files by gentle
men who have been connected with the
Legislature for many years, warrants
the statement that If there is any SUBJ
ject not treated or of any reform not
provided for in the vast number Of bills
now awaiting consideration, no one has
yet discovered what they are. Every
good or cranky notion that ever en-
tered any ones head has found express
sion In one bill or another.
Session May Last Till August.
The unusual number of bills intro
duced suggests the thought that the
legislature has not been making re-
markable haste in dsposing of its work.
and unless a decided improvement is
shown in that regard, the session will
drag along until the 1st Of August. The
danger of this is all the graver because
so many of the bills are in the line of
decided innovations and are likely to
provoke prolonged discussion. The gov
ernor's reform bills alone are suffi-
ciently numerous and important to fur
nish work for an ordinary session.
very pleasant feature Of the pres
ent session is the social side which is
being cultivated to a greater extent
than ever before. More than the usual
nupber of legislators have their wives
or daughters with them and are keep
ing house. They constitute quite col
onv and are much given to social pleas
ures. Lieutenant Governor Dunstan
and Speaker Gordon have each enter
tanned at two very enjoyable card par
ties, and these, in addition to numerous
informal gatherings, have served to
make the winter pass very pleasantly.
most iyoportopt mr. "a et1re that ha Q
thus far passed either house received
a majority vote in the lower house last
Friday. This was the Dudley bill pro-
viding for the payment of bounty for
beet sugar of Michigan production,
mention of which was made in these
columns a fortnight ago. The unanim-
ity of the vote in the house augurs well
for the fate of the bill in the senate.
although it is probable that it will meet
with greater opposition there.
No Limit to the Aggregate Bounty.
The bill came up for final passage in
the house late Friday afternoon when
but Ga members were present. The vote
stood 81 for the bill and against it.
AS passed it provides for a bounty of
] cent a pound, such bounty to be paid
for seven years unless the federal gov
case Michigan is to cease paying one.
There is no limit to the aggregate boun-
ty to be paid in any one year. an
amendment to make the limit 100000
having been voted down. Some of those
who opposed the bill thought that there
was danger Of the amount becoming so
large as to become extremely burden
some, but the friends of the measure
90 Nn1r oclra nd
California, each of which pays a boun-
ty, as proof that this need not be feared.
If the bill passes the senate it will be
promptly approved, Governor Pingree
having long since declared himself to
be in favor of It.
Homeopathic Department of University.
Although bill to coerce the regents
of the university into removing the
homeopathic department OF that insti-
tuition to Detroit has been introduced
in the senate, 1t is not unlikely that II
will not be pushed to vote. The bill
was introduced at the request OF the
legislative council Of the State Homeo-
pathic Medical society, and 1t provides
that the one-sixth mill tax for the sup
port Of the university shall not be avail
able unless the removal is made. Some
SuCn cOerC1Ve measure WlS necessary III
view of the fact that the supreme court
has declared that the law ordering re
moval, which Yves pc ssed two years ago,
cannot be enforced, the regents being
a constitutional body whose discretion
in conducting the affairs of the univer-
sity cannot be supplanted by the dis
erection of the legislature or any other
body. The council had the bill intro
duced on the understanding that 90 per
cent. Of the members of the homeo-
pathic profession in the state favored
removal. A few days ago, however,
Professor Copeland Of the homeopathic
department, met the members Of the
council here and asserted that fully IS
per cent. of the profession were in ia
vor of letting the matter rest this year.
At his suggestion the council decided
to make another canvass Of the profess
sion before deciding whether to push
the bill to a vote. If Professor Cope
lands claim 10 sustained the bill will
be permitted to die in the committee.
Reduction OF Salaries.
A number Of bills on the files of each
house provides for reducing the salaries
of public officials, most all classes OF
public servants being included In their