The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-01-20
LEGISLATURE AT WORK
Results Will Soon Begin to APP
pear at Lansing.
THE SITUATION IN THE SENATE.

Anti Administration Men Take Action
Which Has No Precedent So Far AS
Known IN Michigan Legisiation-The
Atkinson Bili-Recess MAY BE Taken in
Order That Committees May Visit the
Various State Institutions.
Lansing Mich, Jan. 1.-THE first
real work in the line of legislation
last week, the first week having
been devoted to the speakership and
senatorial caucuses and hearing the
governors message. The legislature
may now be said to be doing actual
business. and the results will soon begin
to appear in the shape Of enacted laws.
The week has been important in that
two tests of strength have been made
and the result may have an important
bearing on various matters of legisla-
ton soon to be considered. AS intimat-
ed last week the committee appoint
ments in the house were far from be-
ing satisfactory to the state administra-
nounced before a caucus of the admin
istration forces was held and 1t was
decided to make an effort to have the
house itself name the committee to
which the railroad taxation bills should
be referred. Accordingly, Mr.. Cheever,
who is the successor OF Colonel Atkin-
son as the administration leader on the
floor of the house, offered a resolution
naming the special committee, and the
Ret,
for several hours, when a recess was
taken for dinner, and during this inter-
val a compromise was affected, Mr..
Cheever accepting an amendment
whereby the speaker was authorized
to name the special committee. The
only vote taken during this controver-
sy showed the factions to be divided at
the rate Of 43 to 40, thus showing that
the eight Democratic members who re-
Trained from voting hold the balance of
power between them.
Important Bearing on Legislation.
It Is not improba BILE that this discovery
will have an important bearing on leg
islation. Either it will place the fate
of various bills in the hands of this
minority, or the knowledge that fac
tional fight will give the Democrats an
opportunity to get all the glory obtaina-
BILE from the passage or defeat of GER
tain bills will deter the Republican fac
ton from drawing the line, and thus
tend to enforce greater harmony of ac-
ton on the part of the majority.
The administration made nothing by
having the Atkinson bill sent to a spe-
cial committee, inasmuch as it devel-
opes that decided majority of the
equal taxation, are no more in favor of
the particular bill introduced by Mr..
Cheever than are a majority of the
members Of the regular railroad COM
mittee to which the bill would have
been sent had not the special commit
tee been ordered. In fact, five men,
bers of the railroad committee were
placed on the special committee. 1t Is
very evident that a large number of
the legislators do not subscribe to the
proposition of the administration that
the Republican state platform indorses
the Atkinson bill, their contention be-
ing that the Endorsement was Of the
principles of the Atkinson BILL" and
they are inclined to insist that there
be no discrimination, but that all kinds
of property be included in whatever
equal taxation laws are passed, rather
than to be content with simply increas-
ing the taxes of railroad, telegraph and
telephone companies.