The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-03-24
TO SPUR LAWMAKERS
Adjournment Resolution Intro.
duced in the House.
NECESSITY FOR SAVING WOOD.

Hardly Probable That the Two Houses
Will Agree to Fix = Date for Adjourn
ment just at Present-Governor PIN
gree's Nominations for Railway Asses
sors-Much Interest In Senator Ora
hams Inheritance Tax Bill
Lansing. Mich. March 21.-The legis-
lature has been reminded that time is
still adhering to it's old habit of flying
and that due consideration to the rights
OF the taxpayers of the state requires
that something be done. This reminder
came in the shape Of resolution Of
fered by Representative Chamberlain
providing that final adjournment be
fixed for Wednesday, May II. This date
Is two weeks to day earlier than ad-
tournment was reached two years ago,
when business was considerably further
advanced at this date than 1t Is this
year. For this reason II Is hardly prob
able that the two houses will agree to
fix a date for final adjournment just at
present. 1t is doubtful If the introducer
really expects favorable action, his
principal object being to bring his fell
low legislators to a realizing sense Of
the necessity for saving wood very
steadily from now on, IL final adjourn
ment is to be reached before midsum-
mer.
Now that the Atkinson bill has become
q law there is much speculation as to
what Governor Pingree's slogan will
be In the next campaign, the impression
being general that he will be a candi-
date for third term. A member Of his
cabinet for the past two years, and who
has just been nominated for another
term, told me the other day that it
will probably be the repeal of the spe-
Railway company.
Belief of the Pingree Man.
There are bills to repeal this charter
pending in both houses at the present
time, but this Pingree man expressed
the belief that they cannot pass this
legislature. If they do not. he said.
the governor will, in his opinion, go be-
fore the people on that issue and fight
for q legislature that will repeal this
charter. Without such repeal the Mich
igan Central cannot be made subject to
the provisions Of the Atkinson law, al
though 1t is the particular road the
friends Of the new system Of taxation
desire to reach.
Speaking of the Atkinson bill sug-
gests the thought that 1t will not be
long before the supreme court will hand
down decision disposing Of several
points raised as to its constitutionality,
II, indeed, the opinion does not cover
the entire question. The cases involv-
ing the validity Of the law of 1881 under
which telephone and telegraph compan-
les are taxed, which were instituted by
Governor Pingree and the Tecumseh
Telephone company, were argued last
week by some Of the most eminent
lawyers In the state. The array Of
counsel included Attorney General May
nard, Alfred Russell, Benton Hanchett
Ashley Pond, Henry M. Cheever,
Charles Flowers and John j. Speed. 1t
Is supposed that all the constitutional
objections to the new law were present
ed to the court, but It may develop that
the railroad attorneys have retained a
few cards up their sleeves for use fur
Their on in the game.
The Board of Assessors.
It does not look much as II the board
which Is to make the assessments under
the Atkinson law will get to work be-
fore the legislature finally adjourns,
and If this proves to be the case, there
will be a chance for the opponents of
the law to fight the legality Of the
board. Governor Pingree failed to sat
isfy the senate when he nominated
Robert Oskman Of Detroit and Colonel
q. M. Irish of Kalamazoo for places on
this board. The nominees succeeded in
capturing only five votes between them,
fH,1o n inc hair hxyt ha
ate almost unanimous. Pingreeites, an
ti-Pingreeites and Democrats appeared
to have objections to them. There was
some doubt as to their confirmation, but
the unanimity Of the vote was q great
surprise to everybody. Equally as sur
prising was the fact that George B.
Horton Of Fruit Ridge, master Of the
state grange, was confirmed without q
dissenting vote, although two sena-
tors refrained from voting The fact
that Mr.. Horton strayed away for
time during the last campaign Of 1896
led to the belief that he would encounter
some opposition in the senate. Just
what will happen next In this connec-
ton is problematical. Governor Pin
gree has said that he will keep on send
ing In the names of Irish and Oakman
until the senate gives some reason for
rejecting them. Inasmuch as the SEN
ate does not give any reason, and IL
well aware Of this fact, It Is quite i'm
probable that the governor will be able
to ever gain anything by this pro-
gramme. Another proposition is that
he will now wait until the senate adj
journs and then reappoint the two gen.
tlemen.
What Mr.. Oakman Says.
Mr.. Oakman declares that he has COM
petent legal advice to the effect that the
provision of the law relative to these
appointments is so worded that II Is
not necessary for the governor to send
the names to the senate at all unless he
wants to- and that he (Oakman) is Just
as much an assessor now as IL the SEN
ate had confirmed him. In fact, he de-
clares that he is already working at the
Job, and will proceed to draw his salary
at the proper time. II will be seen from
all this that there are interesting de-
velopments ahead in this connection.
It is probable that the nominations
OF Milo d. Campbell for insurance COM
missioner, Mrs. Mary G. Spencer for
state librarian, and Joseph L. Cox for
labor commissioner will be confirmed
without opposition. except possibly that
of Cox, who was a tri1e too active in