The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1901-04-19

that no barriers should be placed In
| the way of the marriage of persons
| legally entitled to make the plunge,
were too much for the contingent who
| saw in the system as it has developed
menance to the morals of the com
munity, and all after the enacting
clause Of the bill was stricken out
Thinks 1t an Unsuai Measure.
What to my notion Is an exceedingly
| unwise measure was passed by both
houses in remarkably short order last
week. This, as / understand it, is
bill that debars defaulters from hold
ing certain offices under the Grand
Rapids city government. No one can
! successfully deny the statement that
Grand Rapids has shown a decided
penchant for officials who have, while
previously serving in official capaci-
ties, failed to account for all the funds
of the municipality that found their
way into their hands, but if majority
of the electors Of the city like that
sort of thing, they should in my
|. humble opinion, be permitted to have
all they want of it. The appetite is
peculiar to Grand Rapids, and there
does not appear to be any danger that
1t will become epidemic. 1t has been
sarcastically remarked FOR a number
of years that before a man is eligible
for certain offices In the second city
he must first fail to account for all the
public funds previously handled by
him. and it would be cruel for the
legislature TO deprive the city of this
hard earned reputation and distinc-
ton. If. as is asserted by some, the
bill Is designed to humilate and dis
pose of certain individuals, the pro-
ceeding Is certainly verv shortsighted
one, for every one knows that just the
moment Il system of persecution is
resorted to for the purpose of dspos-
ing Of an individual. just that moment
his strength increases. | think |
would have voted against that bill If
the opportunity presented itself.
Will Please the Taxpayers.
The taxpayers of the state will be
pleased to knew that the ways and
means committee of the house expects
to cut this years appropriations at least
81 100000 below those of two years
ago. 4 number Of appropriation bills
have already been reported out and
others are on the way for submission
to the house during the present week,
but the schedule Is not near enough
to rock bottom yet to enable me to
give anything like an accurate esti-
mate Of the final results. The tendency
OF the senate is to be more liberal than
the house and there may be some
lively clashing on this account.
Popular Election of Senators.
BY vote of II to II the senate has
passed a joint resolution requesting
congress TO submit to the several
states a constitutional amendment pro-
viding for the election of United
States senators by the people. The
house is altogether likely to concur.
1t will be pleasing to the women of
the state, especially those club women
who have taken a great interest in the
measure, to learn that the senate has
defeated the bill providing for women
members of the boards of control of
all state institutions in which females
are cared for.
Classification of Freight Rates.
The Hardy bill providing for the
classification of freight rates was
given a hearing recently before the
joint railroad committees of the house
and senate, and the subject was quite
thoroughly gone into by several manu-
facturers shippers and railroad Of
ficials. j. w. Potter. of Lansing, who
ing to prove his assertion that during
the past ten years freight rates In
Michigan have advanced from 20 to 80
per cent. 1t was admitted by the rail
road officials that there has been an
advance from the rates in force.during
the season Of business depression be-
cause of the increased cost of oper-
alton incident to advancing prices
generally. Through rates. the COM
mittee was informed, affect local
rates, and the former, of course, can
not he controlled by the senate
committee found the problem a very
difficult one to solve, and another hear
ing will be held on the evening of the
Odd inst, when the subject VIII be
gone into more thoroughly.
Compromise on the Fish Question.
The compromise fish bill has passed
both houses and will become a law I'm
due course. Two years ago the most
bitter fight of the session marked the
consideration andpassage of the closed
season bill. This year there was no
opposition to the measure. The amend
ments extend the trout season ten
days and the whitefish season twenty
days In Lakes Huron and Erie and
Saginaw bay. and leave 1t MS fixed two
years ago in Lakes Superior and
Michigan.
Regulation of Medical Practice.
The fake doctors who succeeded in
being registered as physicians under
the worthless law of 1888, which was
superseded by the present statute In
1899. have becn cudeavor!ng all winter
to induce the legislature 10 amend the
law so that they can continue prac-
tice without passing an examination
before the state board of registration.
These so-callcd doctors never attended
medical colleges. hut purchased their
sheepskins from bogus colleges who
accepted whatever amount the apnH-
cant was gh!e. to raise v'hnther Il was