The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1899-03-29
Gov. Pingree Signs Bill Allowing
Detroit to Acquire Street Rail-
ways Without Vote of People.
EVOLVES EXPENDITURE OF sI2, 100000
Pingree Says That If the Experiment
Does Not Prove Successful Proper
~ Can he Returned tn Private
Ownership without Loss to the
Lspecial correspondenee.l

Lansing, Mafcn 20 ne pcoplc VI
Detroit are up against most serious
proposition as the result of the bill
which passed the house Thursday and
the senate Friday providing for the mu-
nicipal ownership Of street railways.
Gov. Pingree has long advocated this
system and recently entered into an
agreement with eX-Congressman Tom
l.. Johnson. who owns controlling in
terest in the Detroit street railway sys-
tenn. The result was the passage of
this bill, which provides for the APP
pointment of three commissioners by
the Detroit common council to arrange
the terms of purchase, which are sim
ply to be ratified by the common coun-
ell before the deal is closed. Attempts
TO incorporate a referendum provisions
were defeated and the people of De
troit will have nothing TO say about this
contemplated expenditure of about
SD eco 900 unless a separate referen-
dunn bill is passed. and many of the in
fuences which passed the purchase bill
are making a fierce struggle to defeat
the referendum measure.
Gov Pingree signed the bill, thus
making il law. The governor acted in
opposition 10 protests from Mayor May
bury and other citizens. He gives as
his reason for doing so that the people
of Detroit are in favor of municipal
ownership of street railways, and that
if the proposed experiment does not
prove success the people will mean
time have derived the benefit of low
fares, and the property will be returned
to private ownership without loss TO the
city. The bill in brief provides that
the common council of Detroit may at
any time within 20 years appoint com
mission of three who may buy or lease
any street railway in the city. They
may use the surplus earnings of roads
after their purchase or lease to pay
the bonds or improve the lines. and
also provide sinking fund and pledge
the earnings 10 pay present liens on
the property. Power is also given them
to hire employees and fix their com
pensation and to contract for new
equipment. etc.
Gov. Pingree has won a round in his
fight with the senate over the appoint
inent of railroad tax assessors. Attor-
ney-General Oren has given him an
opinion to the effect that he can now
appoint these assessors Independent OF
the senate. which has rejected two OF
his appointees.
The senate confirmed the following
Wednesday: Labor commissioner, .IO-
scph l.. Cox. Of Battle Creek; dairy and
food commissioner. Elliott O. Grosve
nor. of Monroe; trustee of northern asy-
trustee of state public schools, Caleb ID
Randall, of Coldwater.
The oleomargarine manufacturers
were defeated in the senate, that body
reenactiug, with amendments, the law
of two years ago prohibiting the man
ufacture/ or sale of oleomargarine col
ored i'm imitation of butter, which law
was recently declared defective by the
supreme court.
The house committee on education
has recommended the passage of bill
locating the new state normal schoo
AT Marquette. This body has defeated
the proposed constitutional amend
ment providing for equal suffrage.
Teachers i'm the public schools al
over the state are taking an interest il
the new educational bill for Detroit
evidently hoping that the bill may as
sumo much larger scope if the sys
TEN proves successful i'm Detroit.
The Chamberlain bill, providing +;
penalty for persons who advocate pc
lygamy, passed the house by unan
imous vote.
There is small probability that this
legislature will submit the equal suf
frage question TO vote of the people
After repeated postponements The
Howell joint resolution providing foi
such submission at the next genera
election was brought up on special or
der IL went through the committe,
of the whole without amendments, anC
it's friends hoped from this that il would
pass the house Although only three rep
resentatives spoke against its passage
while more than twice as many mad,
long speeches in it's support, il mus
ltItu Dub IL VI liit htNtH0di VI NObtS
30 being recorded against it. The vot,
was reconsidered and the resolution
tabled so that the resolution may b.
brought up again when more member
are present, but there is small HOPE
that the additional % votes can be Sc
cured.
The big fight over the bill repealin,
the closed fishing season was not pulle,
off in the senate, as was expected
When the special order was reached
Senator Lyon moved its postponemen
for two weeks, claiming that the sen
ators were not sufficiently informed OF
4 the subject to enable them to vote in
Y diligently. This was fought by Sen
Ator Millil<en and others, but the ma
jority professed TO he ignorant of tn
subject which has been discussed n
both ends of the capitol for tire
months to an extent equaled by onl
the Atkinson bill, and the postpone
ment was made.
Representative Dickinson has sue
ceeded in inducing both houses TO pas
the bill in which the colored citizens O
tha cfoto oro en- ,rraatIx- tnforaota1