Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1905-01-19
THE LEGISLATURE.
Work of the Session Now ON

/
! have not AL drawn important commit
tees. Newer members have been located
where some OF the StalWaftS OF tine last
session wished To be- But Detroit is con-
graduated OH the committees 10 which
her senators were assigned.
/ The discussion OF the committees Of
the senate is general. In the house it
settles around the committee on cleo
tlons, Of which Rep. Stone. of Lenawee,
! Il primary relormer, IS chairman. An
/ informal poll was taken of the members
Yesterday. ana il was found that nine OF
them were in favor Of some kind of 4
local option scheme. while two were de
cared tor statewide" bill. Several
members of the committee have bills IN
preparation
That struggles are coming on the sub
/ jects of taxation, primary reform, or
rather methods OF nominating candl-
dates, and so-called home rule are evil
dent, though the primary matter is not
clearly definite ut the present time.
Economy is a watchword ana AL seem
to be imbued with ii. Ii the members
Of the two houses DO business promptly
and are economical without parslmOny,
the record will be novel as well as salts
factory. The question is: VIII it be Il
short and economical session?
Something will be done to abolish
Junkets, as they have been made here
tofore. IL Is talked that the committees
for various institutions can inspect
them-each COMMITTEES going TO only the
institution whose affairs il has i'm
charge and pass directly on its needs,
the cutting to be done before the ways
and means committee. But there is the
/ IL -, "a =
sye and insiStent Yet il may be set
back and there is an undercurrent In
the direction of more strenuous opposi-
tion to the log rolling than has been
met for several years.
Senator Van Akin's bill TO enlarge the
capitol by additions or other buildings
ut an expense OF $4,000, to be raised
in taxes during the next three years,
aroused discussion. but there was not
any particular interest manit ASt 70. tllc.
passage of the bill.
At sessions of the two branches on
Wednesday evening the standing COM
| mittees were named. In the makeup
OF the senate committees Senator
Baird, of Saginaw, again heads the
committee oil elections, which will
handle any primary election bill that
will come up. Heine and jerks, the
other two members, are new members.
Senator Moriarty succeeds Senator
Doherty as chairman of the railroads
committee. and the latter Is chairman 4
of the committee on state affairs The
committee on taxation Is made up as
follows Jones, Smith, Doherty. elias
gov and Martindale. Among the
house committees. that on railroads
consists of Read. Higgins. Thomas.
Gordon, Knight, Prosser, Bunting, O.
III. Adams, Mapes.
Bills that come up and suspension OF
the rules is asked To pass them VIII
not be railroaded through. Two local.
fisheries bills brought in Thursday
with request 10 suspend the rules and
pass them failed to get consideration
till they come up in regular order.
p,oitep. Skonv-@f - introduced
-e-is;S2lnyT~s.-s@,r ft0ft STRENGTHENING thu
powers and extending the duties Of
this department. The bill passed the !
house two years ago.
Rep. Beal introduced 4 bill to regu-
late pharmacy, an entirely new piece !
OF legislation, To give the commission |
more power TO punish violatorS, TO re-
qure registration and to stamp out |
the sale of liquor.
An echo OF the water scandal trials
Is heard in the bill Of Rep. Mapes
Of Kent. providing that the jury list
in that county be kept secret from all.
Rep Higgins of Cass has bill to
make the Office OF tax Commissioner
elective, one commissioner supervising
all the county assessors.
That some railroad legislation Is
coming now seems assured. so that
railroads will give concessions TO
shippers in the matter of furnishing
ears and switching charges. and to
the public at large in passenger rates.
Bills covering these matters are being
held back just at present, as the alb
rogation of the J0-day limit for intro
duction Of bills makes haste unneces-
Sary. such bills are coming. and there
is feeling that they will he fair to
the railroads as well as the public. 1t
is also limited that steps will be taken
to bring about settlement of the
pending tax suits between the state
ana the roads that some. at least. OF
The vast amount may get into the
treasury
Woman suffrage is matter likely
to come up. Mrs Bliss. wife Of the
has sent letters to the
legislators asking these questions:
What is your attitude towards wo-
man suffrage: Do you favor il? An
early reply is requested" Some smile
over the subject and are skeptical of !
any results from the Introduction of b
such a measure. 5
\ measure providing for the inspec- S
ion of gasoline is coming. as there {
Is widespread complaint of the quail a
~ now sold. Other states imnose I,
regulations for the sale of gasoline. | =
md why should il not be done in ;,
Michigan. Some aver that this regu-
alton would bring in a matter OF
10000 or more in fees to the state. Il
a resolution calling for a special
election to vote on the matter OF Ia
General revision OF the COZ stitution is ~
o be introduced by Senator Fyfe of fl
irand Rapids. b.
Rep. Waters introduced a bill to
mend the game laws. The bill col .,
ncts all game laws into enc and adj ii
FISTS them Ii protects quail for four | -