Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-01-18
VOTING FOR SENATOR
The Two Houses Of the legisla.
ture Cast Ballots Sep
arately.
QUESTION OF EQUAL TAXATION
Important Subject Uppermost i'm the
Minds Of the Members OF the
Legislature


!; Of six years from March 1 next This
action was taken N compliance with
the statute which provides that on tn"
second Tuesday after the converting
OF the legislature In years when such
al election is TO occur. each house
shall vote separately for senator, each
representative and senator rising IN
his place rs his name - called and
announcing the person OF his choice
|, TOday's voting was Of course, st3ict
ly in line with caucus action Jane,
Mcmillan receiving the vote OF every
Republican legislator while the one
Democratic senator and nine Demo
cratic representatives east their votes
for Thomas r. Barkworth of Jackson
Early in the ion II was announced
that the Democrats would east their
votes Tor Daniel j Campau, chairman
OF the Democratic state central COM
mittee. but the minority concluded IN
caucus that mas much as Mr. Cam
pau had been honored with this com
| plmentary vote on several previous
occasions, 1t would be proper to pass
| the honor OH this year In taking this
action the minority were careful To
resolve that no diSrespect TO Mr. Cam
pau was intended
Election OF senator.
The election of senator will not be
an accomplished fact until high noon
tomorrow for the reason that the
statute provides that on the day sue
| cceding the taking of the vote separate
~ in the two houses the house and
senate shall meet IN joint convention
al Il O'Clock, noon and again cast
! their ballots 11iuOrrow. therefore,
Senator Mcmillan will have had this
! distinguished honor conferred upon
him for the third successive time
A. might BE- expected. in view OF
the numerous sessions Of the last leg.
iSlature Al which this important queS-
ton was considered. the subject Of
equal taxation Is uppermoSt apparent
~ In the minds Of the members Of the
present legislature. II is evident hat
there will be- no lack If IDEAS and
bills several OF the latter having been
already introduced Will" others have
I been noticed for intr0luct on Son
ator Atwood has introduced and had
| printed for the use Of the committee
on taxation a bE creating n commits
sion 10 assess the PROPERTY OF railroad
| companies only for taxation on an al
valorrm basis In the house Repre-.
sentative Chandler has had similar
course taken with q Lii which j.
! practically copy of the Oreu hill
excepting that II creates separate
board OF assessors instead of putting
that duty on the tax commission. ard
which includes the property of rail
road telephone. telegraph and express
other bill on this subject rs has Rep
resertatlve D'ngley ard il is under
stood that Still others are IN the course
Of preparation.
Much Pruning md Trimming.
II would be- Improbable To- enter into
n discussion Of any OF these measures
At this time for the reason that there
will he a great deal OF pruning and
trimming before Legislative sentiment
settles down sufficiently 10 enable one
e. give with any degree of certainty
che details of the Hill that j. likely To-
become n law. There is every reason
90 believe. however that when the leg
| fslature finally squares itself away
and does business I'm this connection
the expectations of the people OF the
state viii he fully met
Representative Dingley Is the author
OF two joint resolutions proposing Inn
pOrtant amendments 10 the conStitu-
ton. One Of these has for its object
the doing away with direct taxation
for state purposes. the idea being to
raise all money required Ivy the state
by specific taxation. leaving all direct
taxation to be levied by the munich
palties for their own needs Govern
or Bliss called attention I'm his inau.
rural tf1ncsoUa will ha
10 the desirabllity Of deviSlng some
means TO increase the receipts OF the
general fund OF the state arguing that
under the present arrangement in
creased specific taxation bids fair ~
make the primary school fund very
top-heavy In Offering this PROPOSE
tlon 10 amend the constitution Repre-
sentative Dingley is carrying out the
Instructions Of his constituents. the
Kalamazoo board Of supervisors. who,
az recent meeting adopted resolu-
ton urging that this change be made.
salary Of ~ 900 ~ Term.
The other Dingley measure to which
reference was made proposes a con-
stltutiOnal amendment relative TO the
pay OF members of the legislature It
Is proposed to substitute for the pres
ent per diem system terms salary
OF Sl,OW, WIFI no eNlId COulpenSH llon
for legislators from the upper PENN
srla. Years ago when railroad facili-
ties were not what they are now. up
per peninsula legislators found II nee
essary 10 remain at the seat Of gov
eminent practically from one end OF
the session TO the other. and. because
OF this extra expense which was not
entailed upon the other legislators. n
bill was passed AT every session allow
ing the former an extra 50 per day.
II has become more and more diff
cult TO pass this bill Of late years the
measure furnishing more opportunities
for vote lodging than almost any 9th
er that comes mp during the session.
A bin making this provision was In
PRODUCED last week. and an effort was
made TO pass Il under suspension OF
the rules. hut an objection sent II TO
the judiciary committee, where II still
remains.
The people Of the state will doubt
less be pleased TO learn that there Is
quite discussion on the part Of the
legislature TO economic In various