The Yale expositor., 1900-10-19
SPECIAL SESSION poINos.


spent an entire day on the 18th. wrest-
| ling with the resolution proposing TO
amend the constitution, without reach
ing a settlement, il was thought the
matter would not bc Strengthened out
in hurry. The senate from tho start
maintaining n strenuous opposition To
| the clause permitting the classified
ton of corporations for the purpose of
taxation, and substituting the aver
age rate" The senatc's average rate"
proposition was referred back to the
house, and that body and the members
! of the state tax commission protested
! against the senate amendment on the
ground that under it all corporations
wonld hereafter be included in the
average rate" should the proposed
amendment pass, and that il would be
impossible for the state at any time in
the future To pass any laws, such rs
are in force in other states, for fran
| chisc tax on street railways, or enable
the adoption of any plan to support
the state by corporate tax. After con-
siderable oratory the house finally re-
ferred the measure, inclusive of the
! senate amendment, TO the house judic-
larry committee and the members of
that body, together with senators and
the tax commissioners reviewed the
matter thoroughly. The senator's in
sisted that TO provide in the constitu-
tional amendment that railroad and
other corporations should be taxed at
the average rate" Of taxation in the
state would forever provide equitable
corporate taxation: that no objection
whatever could possible be made TO
these corporations paying the same
rate of tax rs all other property. They
urged that an average rate" would
stand in court If it was the same rate
found by tho state board Of assessors.
When the house met the following
morning this compromise state of af-
fairs was we'll understood. and that
body adjourned TO give the senate time
in which to recall its constitutional
amendment and effect the desired
changes. This accomplished the house
by n vote of 81 to passed the consti-
tutonal amendment measure for ad
valorem taxation of railroads. as it
came from the senate, and il DOW only
needs the governors signature to in
sure that the people will he given an
opportunity to vote upon il this fall
Only Reps. Burdick and Scully voted
against the measure in the house.
The only bill aside from the railroad
measure that was passed was the one
appropriating So, 500 for rebuilding the
condemned wall at the Industrial
School for Boys. The house buried
the intermediate court amendment by
tabling it, and in like manner put to
sleep bill designed to authorize the
payment of the salaries and expenses
of Prof. Cooley and the other experts
who are appraising the value of rail
road property Notwithstanding the al
legged uuconstitutionality of the act.
Gov. Pingree transmitted special
message strongly urging the passage
of this bill Another project TO fall by
the wayside was an attempt made by
Rep Anderson to have the house ask
the governor for massage under
which "A bill could be passed repeating
the charter of the Grand Rapids lily.
draulic company.
Both houses met promptly AT noon on
the 10th. and after the usual religious
exercises. the formality was gone
through of appointing the customary
committees To notify the governor it
being arranged that n joint session
should be held at 2:3O O'Clock i'm the
afternoon for the purpose of hearing
the governors message. The roll call
Al
first, but a number came in during the
day, while in the senate the only one
not in his seat was Senator Potter, and
he sent n letter explaining that he was
tied up with lega matters The chief
business OF the first days session was
the reading of the governors message
by Clerk Miller. Following the read
ing of the message Speaker Adams and
President Robson started the ball
rolling by delivering short addresses
before the house and senate where they
preside.
The Pingree idea of the proper rcso-
luton TO adopt was introduced in the
house by Representative Wayne. of
Midland, on the 10th. and il went to
the committee on Judiciary. In this
committee the classification part was
quickly knocked out, and when the
committee got through with it the
resolution was much like the senate
idea, except that the paragraph pro-
posing to limit the amount per capita
that should be turned into the pri-
mary school fund had been stricken
out.
All the business of the session hav-
ing been transacted by the 18th. the
house adjourned until the 18th, Just as
the senate had done few moments
before: This ended the special session,
for the presence of only the presiding
officers and chief clerks arc required
in bringing n session to it's final end.
Most OF the Legislators left for home
on the night trains
A resolution was introduced by SEN
ator Sayre ON the nth. calling ON Gov.
ringrce TO send i'm n message asking
the legislature TO make an appropria.