The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1903-06-12

lature, but the bill was passed never.
| theless. 1t Is believed to be the judg-
ment of the legal department OF the
state that the provisions of the bill
clearly violate the constitutional pro-
hibition against the state taking any
| part in the work Of internal improve
ments. Doubtless an early test of
this question will be made.
After a fight which lasted almost
| the entire session the bill amending
The registration law has passed and
been signed by the governor. The
new act amends the old law in several
particulars, but principally in that it
requires every applicant for license
10 practice medicine in Michigan to
pass an examination before the state
board Of examiners. The fact that an
APPLICANT may have diplomas from a
half dozen medical colleges will not
save him from this examination.
This feature of the bill was attacked
with considerable vigor. Another i'm
portant feature of the new law is one
that provides for the revocation of
the license Of any doctor who resorts
to questionable or more properly
speak suggestive" advertising.
State Prison Board.
After November next, the member
ship of the state prison board will be
reduced and the pay Of the members
increased, the bill mentioned in my
last letter having been passed by both
bouses. There is no doubt that it
will have the governors approval. It
suit in more effective and painstaking
investigation of applications for par
do2.
Public officials throughout the state
who are required by law to give bonds
for the faithful performance Of their
duties will be interested in bill now
before the governor and which will
probably become a law. 1t provides
for the giving of surety companies
bonds, and for the payment by the
municipality interested of the premium
charged for such bonds.
The people of the state will not have
a chance to vote next year on the prop
osition to amend the constitution so as
to provide for paying members of the
legislature an annual salary instead Of
per diem. The house passed the nee
essary resolution fixing the annual
salary at $3.50, but the senate cut this
to $500 and then killed the measure
on third reading. This farce has been
enacted every session for the past ten
years or more.
Supreme Court Membership.
There has been left to the eleventh
hour for action the important bill
which seeks to increase the member
to eight AS stated last week this
has been passed by the house. 1t was
favorably reported last Thursday by
the senate judiciary committee, and
the senate subsequently called upon
the clerk of the court for statement
showing the number Of cases COM
menced in or heard by the court dur
ing each of the past seven years. This
Is doubtless desired for the purpose Of
showing whether or not the work Of
the court has increased during the past
few years. or since the membership
of that tribunal was increased from
four to five. There are those who be-
lieve that the Importance of the cases
heard rather than the number Of them
is what determines this important
question, and it is strenuously declared
by those who ought to know that for
some time the justices have not been
able to give cases the attention their
importance demanded.
The fight over the proposition to per-
NIT liquor dealers to give bonds
furnished by surety companies instead
Of individuals has finally ended, the
result being the passage by both
houses of the Kirk bill which au-
thorizes the common councils of cities
and villages having population Of
5000 and upwards to accept surety
bonds.
In the Monument Business.
Although the project to erect
soldiers and sailors monument in the
statehouse yard at an expense of $3.50
600 has evidently been effectually
killed, the legislature has invested in