Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1903-05-14
GAMlEGlSlATURE.

done. Duuu ~ ting members
slipped on, 1 time to catch
trains. until at-l0:3O only 81 were left,
and as the lightest opposition would
kill any bin. with only that many pres
ent, an adjournment was taken. Con-
ditlons appear TO be more favorable 10
an early date for final adjournment
than at any time during the last
month. There are fewer bills on the
general order than ut any time for
several weeks. and 1t looks as If all
business being seriously considered
could be cleaned up inside of week
or less, as soon as the primary election
bill Is out OF the way The fight OH
this measure bids fair to be n warm
one and may prolong the session.
Whether compromise can be made
or not Is the burning question. Some
aver that no compromise can be made
and that the effort will be wasted
even If state and county conventions
are retained. This week will develop
the situation more clearly, but the re-
suit OF the struggle ending favorably
to any bill Of worth being enacted Is
doubtful
The law In regard to the liability Of
employers for accidents to their men
from defective machinery is now so
constructed that masters may set up
in defense the knowledge Of their men
that the machinery was not safe. Rep
resentative Shea's bill providing that
such knowledge on the part of an em-
ployer should not constitute valid
defense in damage cases came up on
third reading in the house Saturday,
and Representative Paddock. of Char
levoiX. offered an amendment provid-
ing that IL the employer did not know
the machinery was defective he could
not be held liable. The amendment
was adopted, but Shea did not try TO
put the bill through. fearing that with
the small number present ii might fail
of passage. lie will try to pass It
later
Senator Scripps rose to a question
of personal privilege Tuesday and
stated his views ON the conduct of leg
islative business He told his col
leagues a combination had been form
ed against him, with the result that
state business was suffering. He con-
cluded by telling the gentlemen who
were opposing him that his appeal was
taken before the tribunal of the state
Of Michigan lie then moved that his
art museum bill be taken from the
committee on cities and villages. There
was no discussion Of the motion. but
the senators. by their votes, showed
m "A
difference in the sentiment of the ma.
jority, the motion being defeated.
For the first time in many years
railroad company comes to the legis-
lature with request for the passage
of a bill which would practically raise
nxkd accordinlt6. earnings. in the low
err Heninsula, tlIc Rates heing p IL
and cents n mile T. J. O'Brien, who
is attorney for the Grand Rapids * In
diana, asks the house railroad commit
teg to report bill which would knock
ouS the provision for fares at IL
cents, leaving them either at or 3
cents. Under its present rate of earn
ings. the Grand Rapids & Indiana has
to carry people at ID cents. and the
proposed change would give that road
he 3-cent rate.
1t is proposed, by the terms OF a bill
to be introduced by Representative Jo-
seph Greusel. OF Detroit. in few days,
to enable Detroit to bond itself for the
sum of S5.000,O0O, and to institute con-
demnation proceedings for the ac-
QUESTION Of the tracks and overhead
equipment Of the Detroit United Rail
way. The purpose of the bill Is to ac-
quire the tracks. etc, and then lease
them TO the person or persons tender
Ing the lowest rate of fare, not TO eX-
coed however, three cents for each
passenger
On Tuesday twenty senator's held n
of a primary election reform bill. 1t
was said after the meeting that they
decided TO refuse TO support any other
measure which included the selection
Of candidates for governor or state Of
tcers by any method other than that
provided for in the convention system
They did not decide whether to sup
port the measure offered by Baird of
Saginaw or one of two slightly more
liberal bills prepared by Kelly of Mus
kegor.
BY vote Of IS to 6. the DENLY cor.
poration bill was passed by the house
Tuesday. This is the measure for the
introduction of which DENLY was ac-
cuscd Of being the representative Of
the corporations There was no word
OF opposition spoken on the floor, and
the amendments moved by DENLY him
self were accepted without a word.
One limits the EQUALIZATION TO $50
100000. aud another cuts out the pro-
vision that one corporation may hold
the stock OF another
In committee Of the whole. the house
Tuesday put through the bill knocking
out Game Warden Brewster. the bill
being amended so that IL in no way
changed the status of Game Warden
Chapman.
The house passed what was once the
Bingham bill as TO corporations, but
which Is now principally made up of
the ideas of Representative DENLY. The
bill was amended. the limit of capital
ization being fixed at S2j.000.000 ana
provision permitting one corporation 10
hold the stock or bonds Of another be-
ing Knocked out
The bill to exempt from taxation
all credits. including mortgages and
land contracts. was defeated in the