Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1907-06-27
THINGS DONE
AND UNDONE
THE WORK OF THE LEoIsLA
TuRE BRIEFLY REVIEWED.
AT THE CLOSE
THE SESSIONS FEATURES
Rose Above Mediocrity and Did Some
Good Work as Shown by a Glance
at the Results.


HS ~ tS-lOuIlH session or the leglS-
iature adjourned at :35 o'clock We'd
nesday afternoon, though officially it
was noon when the gavels fell in the
mouse and senate, BY it's work of the
last ten days this legislature has rails
ca ltself above the plane of medioc-
rity and established a record that will
compare favorably with previous SEES
sions. Fractional differences always
stand out sharply in political matters,
so that the battles between the senate
ana administrationists and the social
ca boxers have tended to blind the
VISION as TO the really good work that
mas Deen accomplished. With the
exception OF the primary bill, every
sharp contest has resulted in some
good being accomplished and the pres
ent primary law could have been per-
iected but for the fact that the adj
minlstration insisted on having the 40
per cent provision stricken out.
The work that has chief prominence
was the passage of the railroad two
cent passenger fare bill; the consti-
tutional convention which is to con-
vene October %; the establishment
of system of juvenile courts through.
out the state; the repeal Of the limi-
ted liability act and the change of
venue act; making railroads common
carriers of livestock; the department
insurance bill regulating the conduct
or such companies; banking bill COM
pelling directors TO audit the accounts
under oath semi-annually and report
10 the banking department; its corpo- |
ration bill which prohibits the issu-
Ing OF watered stock on the organiza- |
tlon OF industrial companies; the bin
DER tWine plant, and the cash tax |
highway improvement bill
The GROWING feature of the closing
days OF the session was the passage
or the railroad commission bill the
agreement of which surmounted al
most impossible obstacles. Other bills
passed that deserve notice are the
one abolishing wild cat bucket shops.
cutting down the interest that can he
charged by chattel mortgage sharks.
and one that regulates the interest to
be charged by pawnbrokers and loan
agents to the legal rate and 3 per
cent additional
or the bills that failed, may be men
toned the repeal of the mortgage tax
law; the bank bill authorizing the or
ganization of state banks in small
places with lower capitalization than
is now required; the Michigan United
Railway bill, which was an effort to
change the law relative to the bonds
that could be accepted by state banks.
1t was simply that this company found
they could not float their bonds under
the present restrictions and wanted
a more lenient provision, but it was
defeated by the state bankers. On a
m a inrif NFrfn o h.. l,sI II d.,
but an effort to discharge the commit .
tee Of the whole failed, a two-thirds /
vote being required, and care was TAX
en- that the house never reached the
general order. The house failed 70 '
pass the bill giving the tax commits &
sion power to review assessments of !
its own volition, it being pigeon-holed {
In committee, the alleged reasons be-
ing that the big mining companies OBJ s
jected. as they don't want the tax com. 6
TO walk into the copper and
iron counties and boost the assessed
The last bill passed by the senate 7
lust before adjournment was one rails.
ng the salary of Mrs. Mary Spencer. !.
state librarian, to $500 and then :
every one sang so Long, Mary"
There was almost a slip-up on the
bill appropriating $1,000 for a silver a
service and colors for the battleship
Michigan. The house committee
struck out the names of the delegation !,
famed In the bill and the conference y
committees appointed forgot to meet
Senator Bland finally got busy and a
he senate accepted a verbal report by "
which the senate receded and the gov %
rnor will name the delegation. u
The house finally adopted the sug P
'estion of Atty.-Gen. Bird and passed
he joint resolution proposing an
mendment to the constitution pro-
iding that public utilities shall be as. B
essed under the ad valorem system SO
y whomsoever owned. At present al
My public utility corporations are SO OF
ssessed and advantage was taken 70 W
wade the law by firms and co-partner- 81
hips. the amendment is an import W
mt one. Va
BY reducing the general purpose tax of
$1,lOOOOO, the budget appropriated tr
y the legislature was kept down 70 VIC
8, $50, 555.12. The governor decided hi
n this move after consulting with the SO
uditor-general and learning that IN
lere is now nearly $4,000 in the ct
ate treasury, which is ample to meet
ny deficiency that may arise. AT the
st moment the house agreed TO an
of $4,000 for a Custer
onument to be erected at Monroe
I'D the highway department appropri- ~
ion, which was raised to $3.50. 900 81
as given immediate effect an
-
Charles a. Davis, aged 81, OF vii. co