Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1905-04-13
STATE LAW MAKERS
Primary Election Laws Are Ac-
cumulating.
Grinding Away at the Grist Of Bills
Introduced ana Making some
Headway.
Lansing, April 10.


Primary election bills are accommodating
upon the files of the two houses and OF
their elections committees, and are fast
assuming first place in the attention OF
the members and of outsiders as well
Some of the bills differ so little from 9TH
ers that they do not seem to have been
greatly needed, and some have so little
relationship to the primary method of
nominations that they seem to have small
claim to that classification. But among
them all not less than ten general bills
now in both houses, besides as many local
bills they cover about every feature of the
subject that has been discussed or pro-
posed in this state, and out of them all
will undoubtedly come an act that shall
satisfy all views as well as it is possible
for any act to do, and which we may
reasonably hope will approve itself upon
trial
At the public hearing upon the Hudson
local option bill by the liquor traffic COM
mittees of the two houses, Wednesday
night, the opposition was strongly repre-
sented by Detroit and Grand Rapids
speakers, arguing mainly in the interest
of the hotel business. When their case
had been presented Representative
Holmes of the house committee expressed
a desire to hear the argument from the
standpoint of the saloon keeper who is
not hotel keeper but that interest was
kept in the background, and there was no
response, and some time was occupied by
friends of the bill
The house passed Mr.. Mag's anti-cig-
arctic bill with substantial unanimity. and
also passed the Ming anti-hazing bill,
which provides fine of twenty-five dol
lars, or a possible five hundred dollars
where the hazing results in Disagreement
Of the victim. These and the Holmes
bill have all reached the SEN
ate. NJ. Ming was .Fsi Titted 70 see his
anti trading stamp tlll safely through
the committee of the whole, and to pass
bis fishing billthrough the house of Thurs
day by vote Of flfty-seven to twenty,
repeating the act Of the last legislature
which prohibited submarine nets. The
repeal waa urged in the interest of the
small fisherman as antagonized by the
big fish trust.
Senator Baird's Sunday closing bill for
businesses. which was special
y urged by the butchers, passed the SEN
ate after rejection Of amendment to in
olude cigar stores, pool rooms, ball grounds
and theatres, and the bill is now sent to
the house. The joint resolution for
amendment to the constitution allowing
an unusual legislative salary of six hun
dred dollars. failed of the necessary two
thirds in the house, but was the following
day amended to make the salary five
hundred dollars, and passed with but one
dissent. Mr.. Garfield of Alpena, who
thought it useless to propose amendments
that the people would not ratify. But it
IS believed the people will ratify this, if it
IS fairly presented to them.
A bill of Representative Whelan, of OF
tawa, appropriating fifty thousand dol
lars for state hospital for consumptives,
and fifteen thousand dollars a year for
has been agreed to by the
house committee on public health, the in
stitution to be restricted to citizens Of
Michigan and it is now submitted to the
ways and means committee. Senator
Fyfe's bill for investigation of the subject
Of old age pensions has been reported
with amendment to cut the six Thousand
dollars appropriation in half, and has
been submitted to the committee on fl
nance and appropriations.
The bill changing the date Of the an
nua school meeting from September to
the second Monday in July, and the
school census from August to May, has
become law. This will have some eff
feet upon the distribution Of the primary
school moneys, as children are then
mainly at their homes, and cannot be
enumerated at summer resorts, to the d.
version Of moneys from their proper
channels as sometimes happens.