The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1903-05-01
POT IS STILL BOILING
Nothing Substantial, However.
Has Been Accomplished as
to Primary Elections.
ADJOURNMENT IS YET FAR OFF
Grain Inspection Bill Now Before the
House-Talk OF legislature TAX
ing Recess Until Fall.

Lansing, Mich, April 2S.-The
primary election pot is still boiling
vigorously, but thus far nothing sub
stantial has been the result so far as
the senate is concerned. The friends
of the Colby bill in the house declare
that they will have that or nothing
and not few of them insist that they
will never vote for any sort Of COM
promise measure. On the other hand
there is much opposition to the Colby
bill in the senate, and like proper
ton of the members Of the upper
house are equally as positive in as
sorting that they will never vote for
the Colby bill. In the meantime va
rious senator's are working on q bill
that will be less sweeping in its ref
ormation of the present system than
tie Colby bill, the desire being, it ap-
pears to retain the state nominating
convention. conceding, however, the
election of delegates to such conven-
ton by direct vote instead of under
the caucus system.
Final Adjournment Uncertain.
Pending determination of this
matter all bets as. to final adjourn
ment have been declared off. During
the past week two attempts have been
made in the house to secure the adop-
ton Of a date for the cessation Of
business, bat both have been una
vailing Notwithstanding the fact that
one Of them fixed the time for final
adjournment as late as May %. The
house members are" prepared to make
a stiff fight for their favorite measure
and are not inclined to consider any
final adjournment resolution until the
primary election question has been
definitely disposed of. They think
they scent in any attempt to fix date
at this time for closing the session a
scheme to commit them on this point
and then have handed out to them a
compromise measure which they will
be compelled to accept If they desire
any legislation whatever along this
line.
The grain inspection bill, which the
millers of the state want enacted into
a law, is now before the house, having
been reported by the committee on
state affairs. 1t is being opposed by the
Detroit board of trade, and q delega-
ton representing that organization
appeared before the committee and
spoke against the measure the. day
before the report was made. The i'm
preston is general that the bill will
meet the same fate here that a similar
measure encountered in the Illinois
legislature a few days ago.
The movement to establish a sepa-
rate institution for the care Of epilep-
tics has been abandoned, and what
ever additional accommodations are
needed for the care Of this class Of
unfortunates will be provided in con-
neetion with the home for the feeble
minded and epileptics at Lapeer in
accordance with the original plan of
the latter Institution. The forces
which were behind the movement to
establish the separate institution for
feeble-minded transferred their sup
port to the bill making an appropria-
ton for working home for the
adult blind and succeeded in getting
through the senate a bill making an
appropriation Of $137, 900 for this pur-
pose.
Blind Men Impress Members.
A number of blind men Of the state
recently appeared before the joint
committees in support of the latter
movement and made "a decided i'm
preston upon the members. The bill
as passed by the senate provides for
the establishment Of an institution to
be known as the Michigan employ
ment bureau for the blind, the object
being to furnish the blind means for
| making themselves more largely self
supporting OF the total amount ap-
propriated. $1,000 is for a site, $4,000
for buildings. $4,000 for machinery,
etc, $4,000 for current expenses for
1904 and $4,000 for current expenses
for 1905. 1t is proposed to locate the
new institution at Saginaw although
the place is not designated in the-bill
The house has yet to have its say on
the proposition.
If the senate follows the example
set by the house, the people of the
state will have an opportunity at the
next general election to say what they
think about amending the constltu-.
ton empowering the legislature to
provide for fixing a schedule of uni
form freight rates with view to do
ing away with the discrimination
which 1t is alleged is now generally
practiced by the railroad companies.
Should the resolution pass the senate
and the people approve the project,
the matter will be taken up by the
next legislature.
The house surprised not few care
full observers Of legislation when, In
committee of the whole, 1t agreed to
the bill exempting not only real es-
tate mortgages and land contracts, but
all credits of whatever nature, from
taxation. The senate had previously
passed the Kelly bill which exempts
real estate mortgages and land con
tracts, but the house went it one
better, and that, too, without a dis
senting vote in committee.
Final Tes< Yet TO Re Made.