The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1903-05-01
passed on third reading, but from the

cOuSlueTeQ Dy- the cOllIulltee, IL 10
generally believed that 1t will pass.
If the senate concludes to go step
farther than it took when 1t passed the
Kelly bill an interesting experiment
In taxation will be made In Michigan.
There has been some talk during
the past few days about having the
legislature take recess until fall in
order to await the decision Of the SUI
preme court as to the legality Of the
action of the state board Of assessors
In arriving at the average rate Of
taxation to be paid by railroad COM
panies. That question was argued at
length before the court last week and
taken under advisement by that tri-
bunal. Those who favor the recess
argue that should the court decide
against the action of the assessors
special session Of the legislature will
be necessary in order that remedial
legislation may be enacted. The
proposition Is not, however, being seri-
ously considered by any large num-
Der of legislators and there is no
probability that it will ever come to
vote.
Sunday Marriage Industry.
The biennial battle over Michigan's
gretna green has been waged again,
and once more the forces Of cupid have
left the field victorious. The final en-
gagement was fought in the house q
few days ago, the result being that all
after the enacting clause of the Van
Zoeren marriage bill was stricken out.
| This bill sought to do away with the
| Sunday marriage industry at st.
Joseph by requiring that licenses to
marry be procured five days previous
| to the solemnization of the marriage
and prohibiting the issuing Of licenses
on Sunday. The friends of the bill
put up a stubborn fight in behalf Of the
measure, but they were outnumbered
and went down with their colors fly
| ing. Those who led the fight against
the bill insisted that conditions at st.
Joseph had been greatly exaggerated
and that the marriages performed
there have been proved to be just as
successful and happy as a like number
| performed anywhere else under ordin-
! airy circumstances. 1t was also con-
tended that passage of the bill would
! interfere with the happiness Of poor
| couples who cannot afford to indulge
in the luxury of formal wedding cere-
monies.
The women Of the state surprised
themselves last week by securing an
unexpectedly large vote in favor of
their bill making it obligatory upon
the governor to appoint women on
boards of all state institutions In
which females are cared for. The vote
was SO to 10, and the bill is now in
the hands of the senate, where the
women are laboring valiantly to secure
its passage. According to the proyis-
ions of the bill there must be one
woman on boards composed Of three
members and two on boards composed
Of five members. Present members of
boards may be reappointed.
Want an Office Building.
It is quite evident that the present
legislature will not make any provis-
ion for constructing. an addition to the
state house. 1t Is generally conceded
that the state should stop paying
rent for quarters for it's officials and
| give those who are now herded to-
gether like sheep in pen decent
quarters in which to transact the bus
| mess of the state, but the legislators
apparently think that the desired re-
suit can best be accomplished by erect
| ing modern office building at much
less cost than the $250,000 provided for
in the state house addition bill. The
ways and means committee. has dill
gently held on to this bill, and on
test vote Thursday the house decided
by vote Of nearly two to one that it
was not DESTROYS Of having the meas
ure reported out. Chairman Neal Of
the committee, who opposes the addi-
ton, favors the erection Of an Office
building that can be erected for about
| 100000. He argues that IL at any fu-
ture time it is deemed advisable to
enlarge the capitol, the Office building
could be disposed Of to advantage.
Early in the session considerable OPP
position developed to the bill appro-
propriating $1,000 per year for the sup
port Of the state agricultural society.
This opposition gradually disappeared,
| however, and the bill has now passed
both houses. Michigan gets off very
cheaply in this connection. Many of
the states have appropriated practi-
cally all the money used by their state
agricultural societies, even the amounts
invested in handsome, commodious
and grandly equipped fair grounds.
Committees so to stiiiweil.
Under the concurrent resolution
mentioned last week, the two houses
appointed committees to visit Still
water, Mimi, for the purpose of in
vestigating the manufacture of binding
Irvine at the state penitentiary at that
place with q view to establishing the
industry In Jackson prison. The joint
committees left for saltwater last
night and will be absent all the week.
The absence of these legislators may
retard action on important measures,
noticeably the primary election bill
now before the senate. :