The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1901-04-05

or the commissioner of railroads.
The great increase of this class
OF roads during the past few
years, and the certainty that many
more will he constructed in the near
future, renders this matter one OF
great general interest. The scope OF
the Chandler bill is very broad. II
provides for bringing electric compa
MES under the general railroad law
Tor all purposes, subjecting them tC
the same taxation that steam roads
pay. providing for condemning prop
erty Tor right of way, compelling them
10 report to the railroad commissioner
etc. 1t is proposed to credit the rev.
enue derived from the taxation of these
ROADS In the genral fund of the STATE
instead of in the school fund to which
all other railroad taxes are credited
Senator Humphreys bill providing
Tor the establishment of rural higl
schools has been passed by the senate
and is now in the hands of the house
committee on education. The chances
are favorable for it's becoming n law
Such schools are not to be established
or course, unless the proposition is
ratified by majority Of the taxpay.
US VI AilC dltCltU L.
Compromise Garnishment RnL.
A compromise garnishment bill has
been reported by the house judiciary
committceas the result of the long and
somewhat bitter controversy over the
Nevins bill. The compromise meas
ure provides for IN exemption of S.
and so per cont. of the balance of the
weekly wage up to $50. The so pei
cent. additional exemption will not ap-
ply to sums m excess of $50.
Another move has been made i'm the
direction of establishing an addition
al normal school I'm western Michigan
the senate committee on education
having favorably reported the Kelly
bill after amending it in several par
ticulars. AS amended the bill does not
locate the proposed institution, but
leaves the location to he selected by
the state board of education and the
education committees Of the two
houses. The former Is to select the
site, and the appropriation for equip
ment Of the building. which Is to cost
$4,000, Is reduced from $4,000 to So,
co.,
Amendments to Tax Law.
Representative Dennis of Lake has
secured the enactment Of two laws
which are of great Importance to the
taxpayers Of the northern counties OF
the state, these new statutes making
amendments to the general tax law
Heretofore while the law made the
taxes lien upon the real estate from
the first day Of December in the year
In which the assessment was made
until ctInh to mid {
no provision for enforcing this lier
from the time the township treasurers
made their returns Of delinquent tax.
es until the lands were bid off Mt the
tax sales twenty-six months after the
making Of these returns. thus giving
the owners of the land more than two
years In which to cut the timber and
leave the land with the accumulated
taxes, to he carried by the township
county and state until some one decid
ed to purchase the land for taxes. The
amendments mentioned make 1t I'M
lawful for any one to remove any for.
est product from such lands until The
taxes are paid, and gives county treas
lirers power to collect the taxes in al
such cases at any time after the lands
have been returned delinOuent.
The indications are that the very
general complaint Of double taxa
tion under the mortgage tax law
which has been in force for number
Of years will he done away with by
the passage Of the Lowry bill. an ex-
PLANTATION Of which was given In n re-
cent letter. Briefly this bill provides
for the taxation Of mortgages TO the
mortgages in the taxing district In
which the realty by which they are
secured Is located. the owner Of the
realty to he taxed only upon the value
Of his equity in the property. The
mortgages are to be taxed as an inter
est in the realty.
Graduated Income Tax.
The pierson graduated income tax
bill has been agreed to by the senate
In committee of the whole. hut It was
so vigorously attacked during the dis
cussiOn that the introducer feared
that he could not pass II on third read
Ing Mt that time and therefore had II
tabled IL Is very doubtful II It eve,
becomes law.
The house committee on aDportion-
n,ent has uracticallv agreed to the
bill aprortioning the legislative dis.
tr'cts. But few changes are made ir
the present representation. Wavnt
county's represortrticn Is increased by
enc. and the ONLY reductions madn are
IN Ionin. Montcalm Nacomh. Monroe
ard Eaton. each Of which loses one
member
little None for So Called Phvsicsans.
There ~ vorv litt'o hone in the pros
cnt situation for the so-cnllcd physi
slams who have heen graduated from
fa'5, medical COLLEGES or diplom:
mills. The plain fact OF the matter
Is that these gentry as rule hav'
purchased their diplomas for so mucl
cold cash. more II thcv had II and less
II they were shy. They were nevc'