Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1903-03-26
MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE.

up the docket without having III lls
possession the bill calendar. rms doc
umcnt Is made up by the clerks III Doth
house and senate Immediately alter
the close of the 50-day limit for the
introduction of bills. Last session the
calendar was I'm the hands of the leg
isatOrs by March }. Now on the 2oth
not even the proof of the calendar has
been received for correction. III TINS
delay continues" said Mai. Johnson,
ahe governors secretary, there Will be
all kinds OF trouble The law gives the
governor but five days after final adj
journment i'm which to sign blllS. III
the work piles up, as it threatens 10,
there will be so many bills that the
governor will have to select only
few of the most important and let the
others go by default. or the legislature
may have to take long recess TO al
low him TO catch up, but that would be
outrageous. As the expenses Of the
legislature go on at the rate of Hl.OOo
II Gay until the final adjournment
After treating Representative Greu-
sci in the most discourteous manner.
the house committee on city corpora
tons announced that it would report.
Viding for the submission of cOnst-
tutiOnal amendment TO enable cities 10
acquire and operate street railways.
The question will at least get re-
spectfu hearing on the floor of the
house. 1t may even pass as il stands.
or. ut any rate so amended as to con
fer power on the city OF Detroit Ii
the Detroit United railway is opposed
to the passage of the measure its OPP
position will probably be conferred in
the SENATE.
Senator Vaughan. secretary of the
Republican Press association. says the
meeting Of that body, which is to be
held i'm Lansing next week, was real
ly planned last fall, it being decided
that the association should hO.d IA
meeting during the legislative session
in order that pending legislation might
be discussed. Il suppose, said he,
'tnat Il primary election bin will be
considered among other matters, but
/ think that most of the editors in the
body are "A favor Of primary reform.
There is nothing in this talk about the
association being used To work up
sentiment against the direct voting
plan"
One OF the results Of rushing local
bills through without reading them,
simply because the member or senator
from the district affected ssys the bin
is all right, is that some wonderful
things are given the sanction of the
legislature. Although many of these
measures are drawn by lawyers who
ought to know how 10 prepare Il BILL
at least well enough 10 make sense
many are put through in such IA way
that they mean nothing, and ia some
cases will be imperative.
Despite the scheme to defeat it with
out bringing odium upon the senate.
the Kelly bill to exempt from taxation
mortgages and land contracts was
passed by vote OF Il To 10 The plan
was to have the bill amended so ms to
exempt all credits. He induced Weekes
to offer such an amendment. He knew.
of course. that the house would never
pass the bill with such an exemption.
The senate held no session Friday.
The committees on finance and on asy-
Jun for the feeble minded were author
lied to visit the Lapeer institution to
ascertain what facilities ii had for tax
time IN starting on the iunket, and
their absence, with the fitting Of those
senators who always hurry home on
Thursday, destroyed the quorum.
Senator Browns bill to regulate the
sale Of merchandise i'm bulk was
passed 1t amends the present laws so
az to make it mandatory for mer-
chant who desires to sell part OF his
stock TO give his creditors five days
notice The object of the bill is to pre-
vent fraudulent sales of stocks Of
goods with the purpose of defrauding
creditors.
The judiciary committee Of the sen
ate reported favorably Senator Mort
arty's bill making it II felony for a
convict of penal institution to es-
cape. The bill provides for sentence
of not less than two years or more
than five. which sentence shall com
mence at the expiration of the regular
sentence for which the convict is com
mitted.
There will be another committee
hearing on the Van Zoeren bill. that
is intended TO Kill the st. joe marriage
industry. Several county clerks have
been notified, and an interesting SEES
sion is being anticipated. Clerk
Church, Of Berrien county. i'm which
St Joseph Is situated. is making
strenuous efforts TO kill the bill.
r.. V. Chilson. secretary Of the sen.
ate, is taking an active interest I'm
the bill appropriatng S125.0O0 for the
worlds fair exhibit. and il is said
that il the salary OF the secretary OF
the proposed Michigan commission Is
up to ChilsOn's standard he will try
to get the snap
1t looks ~ II the house Of repre-
.sentatives intends To stand by primary
election reform-thC rural members in
Guided \ careful poll shows that
more than half OF the house is ready
60 vote for bill to provide for the
whole reform.
A member Of the house from De
lroit says the bill cXempting mort
cages from taxes Is Of no value what
ever unless all credits are included
and that correction must be made 10y
the house 10 render the bill operative
The house ut the request Of Gov.
Bliss and Senator Earle, listened
for 10 minutes 10 Highway Commits
..a.,ow T.rnoo n Macdonald Of ron