The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-06-02

stltutlon, 10 enact Dlndlng contract.
Declared Unconstitutional
Notwithstanding this recommends
ton. no further legislative action wa.
taken In connection with the matter
and until last week the policy com
mission act, although universally con
coded to be unconstitutional, has re
manned on the statute books and tn,
standard policy drafted by the com
mission has been the only fire policy
issued in Michigan. Last week, how
ever, the supreme court found it nee
essary to the determination Of a case
before 1t, to declare the legislation un
constitutional. This situation leave!
the companies and each individual in
surer to agree upon any form Of policy
contract they desire. In view Of the
fact that the standard policy was
drafted by representatives Of the state
in the interests of the assured and
that, during the many years it has
been used In Michigan, the supreme
court has passed upon numerous cases
growing out Of such use and has thus
settled the law under it, the commits
sioner of insurance enlisted the serv
ices of the attorney general in the
preparation of a bill embodying the
precise form of policy contract so long
recognized in this state. This policy Ii
now before the legislature, the com
missioner having addressed a com
munication to each house requesting
It's passage In order that existing con
ditions may remain unchanged.
First Governor of Michigan.
After next week the remains of Stew
ems Il. Mason, the first governor OF
Michigan under the constitution OF
1885, will rest in Michigan soil. Agi
tation favoring the removal Of the re.
mains to Michigan was started several
weeks ago. the result being that the
legislature acted on the suggestion OF
Governor Warner and provided for the
expense attendant upon the transfer
Of the remains to Detroit and their in
torment in Capitol Square in that city
The members of the commission ap-
pointed by the governor are Former
State Treasurer Daniel Mccoy of
Grand Rapids, ex-senator Arthur L.
Holmes of Detroit and eX-Representa-
tive Lawton T. Hemans of Mason,
These gentlemen will GO to Detroit
this week to escort the casket and sur
viving relatives of Governor Mason to
Detroit where the ceremonies will take
place on Monday, June 3. Former
United States Senator Thomas W. Pal
mer has been invited to make the prin-
cipal address and an historical address
will be made by Commissioner He
mans. Following the ceremonies in
Detroit, Miss Emily V. Mason, sister
of the former governor, and other rela-
tives will come to Lansing to partici-
pate in the Mason day exercises in con-
nection with the annual meeting Of the
Michigan Pioneer and Historical So
ciety. Miss Mason, who is past 80
years Of age, is still very active. Dur
ing her stay In Lansing Miss Mason
will be the guest of Mrs. Claudius b.
Grant, whose father, Former Governor
Alpheus Fetch, was one Of Governor
Mason's close friends.
Appropriation Bills.
The present week will witness a
rushing through of appropriation bills.
Not a great deal has been done in this
connection thus far, and the great bulk
of appropriation measures have yet to
be enacted. This will not consume a
great deal Of time, however, as prac-
tically all the details of the appro-
priations are fought out before the
financial committees of the two houses.
One Of the more important bills that
Is still I'm the air is that which seeks
to provide for a new state tax com
mission with fewer members and less
power and smaller force Of clerks.
AS passed by the house some days ago
the bill continues the members Of the
present commissioners in Office until
September, 1906, and provides that
they shall then be succeeded by three
commissioners to be appointed by the
governor. It was supposed that the
senate would unquestionably pass the
bill In this shape, and 1t may do so,
although there appears to be a formh-
able movement on foot to induce that
body to make an amendment to the
bill which will retire the present COM
missiOners thirty days after the bill
becomes a law. In fact one Of the
senatorial advocates Of this amend
ment has stated that he has the
pledges Of twenty-ope senator's that
they will vote for the proposed change.
This week will tell the tale, and will
also doubtless determine the fate Of
the bill passed by the house which
provides for the exemption of real
estate mortgages from taxation. Much
interest is being manifested in the lat
ter measure, the subject being one that
has received much attention In this
state during the past few years. Opin-
ion as to the merits Of the repeal bill
appears to be sadly divided
Now Apportionment
The constitution provides that fol-
lowing the taking Of each decemdal
state census the legislature shall new
~ apportion the senatorial and repre-
sentative districts among the counties
of the state. The state census having
been taken last year, the present legis-