The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1899-03-15
The House by Unanimous Vote
Passes the Atkinson BIZ as
Amended by the Senate.
IT AWAITS The GOVERNORS SIGNATURE.
VIII Undoubtedly Become Law
Its Validity Will Then lie TeS'e"
I'm the Courts-Mining Companies
Are Making "a Fight on Pending
Bills.
Especial Correspondence

u,
phone property on basis similar 10
that upon which other property
taxed. passed its final stage In the
house Thursday afternoon, when thai
bodv concurred in all the amendments
to the bill made by the senate. Ihere
were no dissenting votes upon the
question of concurrence, and the OIL
now goes TO Gov. Pingree for signature,
which it Isl expected TO receive without
doubt. The bill, as finally enacted re-
peals former acts under which rall'
roads were taxed in proportion to their
gross earnings. 1t provides for APP
pointment by the governor, with con
sent of the senate, of board oil asses
sors the members of which shall nave
access to all accounts OF the com
panies to whom il applies, and VINO
shall assess these companies properly
at the average rate of state, county
and municipal taxes upon all property
within the state. The enactment oil
the bill, which has been subject OF dis
cussion for years past, is considered
a triumph for Gov. Pingree, and 1t Is
not believed that the amendments
made by the senate will detract from
the objects of the bill TO any extent.
Gov. Pingree says that he will sign
the Atkinson bill. After he has signed
1t. he continued, he has five days IN
which TO make his appointments AND
he will make them within that time.
Then. if the senate does not confirm
he will wait until the legislature has
adjourned and make the same appoint
ments again. This is exactly what the
senate tried to prevent.
The railroads insist that the bill is
clearly unconstitutional in several par
ticulars and they are confident that II
will be so declared as soon as the su
preme court can pass upon IT. The
railroad commissioner will levy the
taxes against the railroad companies
this spring under the specific tax sys'
tenn now i'm force This act may pre-
cipitate a controversy which will bring
the Atkinson bill before the courts
within a short time.
The passage of the Atkinson railroad
tax bill has aroused the mining cor
porations of the upper peninsula. ann
they have instituted lively campaign
against pending bills which provide foI
changes in the method of taxing min
ing properties. These bills propose
both a specific tax on ore and tax or
the par value of all the stock of these
corporations for the benefit Of tht
primary school fund. The latter bill
was we'll advanced in the house. hav.
ing been favorably reported by the
taxation committee. but the agents OF
the mining companies have succeeded
in having il sent back to the committee
so that they may make arguments
against ii. 1t is insi sted that either
system would be ruinous to the indus
try, but the disposition of the legisla
ture is to increase the revenue from
these companies in some manner
Nearly 1900 pupils of the public
schools of Greenvile. Belding, Ionia
Portland and Grand Ledge, who came
TO the capital city Wednesday on the
d., G. II. e. w. railway, enjoyed an OBJ
ject lesson in government They fair.
~ swarmed at the capital, where they
saw the Lawmakers in session ano
shook hands with Gov. Pingree. The
grand spectacular effect came off in
the house, however, when the afternoon
session was opened. The visitors
thronged on the floor and in the gal
Jleries of representative hall. They were
welcomed by Representative Duff in q
glowing speech. But the scene was
grandly effective when Representative
Lusk from the clerks desk led in sing
ing Michigan, My Michigan" Mem
bers rose from their seats and all Joined
in the grand state anthem, making the
rafters ring. Other state institution.
were visited, and the pupils from
abroad found the day pleasant an6
profitable.
Representative Gilam's amendment
to the general tax laws, providing tina
personal property may be seized any
where in the state for the unpaid taxei
on real estate, has been referred bacl
to the taxation committee on Dudley's
motion and with Gillam's consent, foI
an amendment providing that mar
may deed his real estate to the state
in lieu of all taxes against it. This will
DTODdDll NC ltlicl W SOOQ many
owners of northern Michigan stump
lands which are not worth paying tho
taxes on, and the owners of which
would probably be glad to escape al
further liability by turning the land
over to the state.
The man who has introduced mos
bills this year is Colby, of Detroit, VIII,
introduced &c. Next to the high maj
is Gustin. of Alpena, who stood first
at the 1897 session. This year he ha
40 to his credit. Heineman stands
third with 81. Lusk introduced 80
Eikhoff, of Detroit, and Anderson, o
Grand Rapids, each introduced "a.
Both branches of the legislature hav,
now passed the joint resolutions sub
hitting constitutional amendments t.
the people providing for the establish
ment of a state printing house and tn,
creation of an intermediate court be
tween circuit and supreme courts.
The house labor committee will in
spect the coal mines of the lower PENN