The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-03-31

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BILE tn. ,-.. 80.
suit had not tne gCve.!oi Gtt,-. .--@
advice of lawyers that he was not
obliged to submit any more nominations
Of railroad assessors to the senate and
made the appointments direct. There
was considerable worrying of the other
nominees, but one by one they made
their peace with the senator's until the
close Of the week finds all but one con-
hrmed and in possession of his office
for the next two years Those who
have landed on their feet are Game
Warden Morse, Food Commissioner
Grosvenor, Insurance Commissioner
Campbell, Labor Commissioner Cox and
State Salt Inspector Caswell, In addi-
ton to several members of boards of
control of state institutions. This
leaves, of the principal nominees. only
Chase s. Osborn, for railroad commits
sioner unconfirmed.
No Action Before May 4.
In his case the senate has formally
decided to take no action before May 1,
In order that the present force Of the
commissioners office may make the
computation of railroad taxes for the
current year before retiring. This is
technical job, and the senate wisely
concluded not to turn It over to novices.
When this is completed Mr.. Osborn
will doubtless be confirmed.
Having nominated three railroad as
SCISSORS previous to the expiration Of the
first five days after the Atkinson law
became operative. Governor Pingree
maintains that his duty to the senate
ceased, and that he is not legally re-
quired to submit new nominations In
the place of Robert Oakman and Edwin
M. Irish, whom the senate rejected. In
this opinion he is sustained by Attor-
ney General Oren as we'll as by sew
eral other competent attorneys He
has, therefore. reappointed Mr.. Oak
man, and appointed George w. Buck
ingham Of Flint, Colonel Irish having
refused to accept a place on the
board Mr.. Oakman has already quail
flied and Mr.. Buckingham will do so at
once. AS George B. Horton was duly
confirmed by the senate, this makes the
board complete II the governors con-
tention that he has authority to make
Independent appointments is correct.
Several lawyers in the senate deny this
right and sooner or later the courts
will be called upon to pass upon this
question II II sustains the constitu-
tionality of the Atkinson law which 1t
now has under consideration.
Sugar Beet Question.
The sugar beet question still con-
tinues to be burning" one in the leg
islature. Both houses have now de-
feated resolutions providing that COM
mittees make an investigation Of the
books Of the Michigan Sugar company
for the purpose Of ascertaining the prof.
its Of the past season. The house has
defeated this resolution no less than
four times. In each branch the men
who represent the district in which the
sugar factory Is located have fought
the resolution vigorously, as have all
the rest of the outspoken friends of the
manufacturers, present and prospective.
This fact has given rise to the sus-
picion, whether justified or not, that
the company has something to conceal.
or rather that an investigation Of the
books would reveal profit Of such lib
eral proportions that some legislators
might be convinced that there is no
need for continuing the bounty. The
result is that more votes are being
lined up against the bill making an APP
preparation for the bounty for the en-
suing two years. The disinterested OBJ
server is impressed with the idea that
the friends of the bounty are over
reaching themselves in so strenuously
opposing this investigation.
The farmers have scored a victory In
the senate by passing the bill prohibit
ing the manufacture or sale of colored
A.
first round in the house by having a
similar bill favoraby reported by the
committee to which ii was referred. The
upper peninsula senator's made an un-
successful attempt to have that section
of the state exempted from the opera
tion Of the bill, and the friends of the
bill In the house will have to fight the
same proposition.
Will Probably Win the Fight.
Food Commissioner Grosvenor will
doubtless make winning fight for this
bill, but he will fall down in his at
tempt to induce the legislature to in
crease the appropriation for carrying
on the work of his department. He
has had $4,000 year for the past two
years, and is asking for $4,000 addition
al for each of the years 1899 and 1900.
He will not get it. however, the senate
committee on approp iatlons and finance
having already not fed him that he will
be restric ed 10 the former figure.
The bill TO repeal the optional uniform
text book law enacted two years ago
has passed both houses and will be
signed by the governor 1t will prob
ably be replaced by measure more d.
rect in its provisions, although the edu-
cational authorities Of the state are
agreed that the free textbook system
Is the ideal one.
All the members of the legislature
will have an opportunity on April z to
Investigate for themselves the needs of
the Michigan university. Both houses
have accepted President Angells invi-
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