Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1903-04-02

STATE LEGISLATURE
Brief Chronicle of Matters OF Imp0nantance


OF the legislature as to whether Their
IS row between Gov. Bliss and tn
members of the advisory board OF
laruohs, II being taken for granted
tilat there Is trouble because of hi
tAcellehcy'S move 10 have the member
snip or the board cut down from fou,
10 TWO. The board is said TO be behinC
Win It's work and the plea is mad,
tllat with an extension of the time 70,
when they may draw pay and an
increase OF the per diem, they would
90 SO. 1t is claimed that an investi
saloll or every case before them has
caused the work 10 drag and that
FORMER boards acted on very many
cases on the secretary's reports to
them.
An important proposition, which is
Hkely 10 be considered by the house
committee on ways and means, is that
there shall be attached to every an
! preparation bill for supplies at state
institutions a proviso that such sun
plies, II they be such things as clothes.
ROOD or furniture, shall be purchased
from Michigan persons, firms or cor
pora lions. Much of this business is
claimed TO have gone to Chicago and
Milwaukee in the past.
There is a scheme behind the bill
recently passed 10y the senate. permit.
ing brewers 10 establish branch agen.
cies upon payment of 500. conditional!
upon their paying one brewers license
or $500. ut least, that is what an ex-
perienced man in liquor matters saws.
4 N ..l.af.. 81, "A Al.
through, big cities like Detroit are like
~ To lose about one-half Of the revenue
lhey now derive from saloon licenses,
ana IN Detroit this runs something
over S250,0O0 year.
Senator Baird has perfected his long
threatened primary reform bill for the
whole state, Tfere is in the bill no
provision whatever for any direct vote
OF the people on nominations. state,
congressional. county or city. 1t pre-
serves county conventions to elect del
egateS t. state conventions In fact.
all the principal features of the pres
ent system of making nominations are
retained. The principal change pro-
posed Is that caucuses all over the |
state shall be held ON the same day |
designated on the bill. so that the |
swap caucuses for the election of |
delegates to all conventions to be held |
IN year, now so often held I'm coun-
try disticts, may be done away with.
Should the Colby bill. providing for
dlfect nominations. pass the house. IL |
Will go 10 Baird's committee on cleo
tons in the senate and there is little
doubt that Baird will substitute his
Dill for Colby's, and the concessions
made to friends of primary reform by
Baird are likely to be all that they
viii get in this legislature.
State taxes are small compared to
What the people Of Michigan pay for
cities. counties, townships.
school districts and villages. Judging
~ what the state tax commissioners
ay in an adCendum to their annual
eport. In fact, state taxes have de-
reased, while municipal taxes nave
umped. The report says: I'VE in
lie the attention OF taxpayers to this
act: that for every 81 SIS paid for the
Import Of the state administration
ii 81 is paid by them for local pur-
'oseS. The average American citizen
) too apt to find fault with those
hlngs for which he is largely TO blame.
rumbling at the great increase I'm
iXation was employed in attending to
ne selection OF proper officials to adj
llnlster the assessment and taxation
Tvs, there would be such a reduction
taxes paid within the next two years
ldt the work OF the tax commission
'ould bear its full fruition and the
undreds of millions of dollars which
mas added to the rolls so equaliZe
lie expenses of government thar they
ould no longer be an unreasonable
lrden TO any property holder In the
ate"
The legislature is taking things easy.
FAR. Both house and senate meet
II an hour or less every Monday
ght. On Tuesday. Wednesday and
they usually devote about
rec hours every afternoon TO the re.
ptlon of committee reports and TO
of, and action on. bills
committee Of the whole and on third
aiding. Short sessions of the house
e held Friday morning, while sell
III 90 enough senators remain in
Wn 10 make quorum OF the SEN 4
G Tor the weekend session. OF
urse during three forenoons and as
my evenings of each week consider.
lie comHittee work is done i'm both
anches OF the legislature. Legisla-
IS, who, two months ago, were pre- <
ting that this legislature would |
ally adjoarn by The first week in i
Nv. now shake their heads dubious I;
and say: 1T looks as though wen Y
Eept grinding mere unit! June :" Y
The prospects for legislation on
light rates are growing dim. 1t had z
IN proposed that in the April cleo ;
n the electors Of the state should be w.
ted to vote upon an amendment of
constitution permitting the estab-
lment OF freight rate commission.
ilroad men asked for a heari.g and
was fixed for Tuesday night of the
d. but the committees were then in q
med that the Michigan Central and II
e Marquette lawyers were not B
dy. Hence the hearing was de- 4
red for two weeks. which will make y
90 late for action before the cleo -
]. and the proposition will not 60 to =
voters until the fall election of n
!. even If the bill should pass the "
"a,