The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-05-31
ADJOURNMENT
NOW IN SIGHT
Business in the Legislature
to Come to an End
| June II.
DEADLOCK ON PRIMARY BILL
Settlement Near on the Make.
up of the Coming Constitu-
tional Convention.
The Anti Cigarette Question Will Not
Down-Appropriation for State
L University-Three Reap
portiOnnent Bills.

Lansing. Mich, May 2S.-It is pos
sible that the end Of the present legis
,lative session may be in sight. A few
days ago the senate took from the la
bic, where it had been slumbering fol
fortnight, Senator Peek's concurrent
resolution providing for final adjourn
ment on June 10, routine business to
cease on June 6. This was amended
ness session of the two houses shall
come to an end on Friday, June IA,
and final Adjournment be reached on
June 20, the intervening days to be
given the clerks for clearing up the
business of the session and getting the
late bills to the governor for his sigma
ture. AS amended the resolution was
adopted.
Primary Election Bill.
No particular progress was made
during the past week with the pri-
mary election bill. The senate is still
equally divided on the question Of re-
quiring the successful candidates for
governor and lieutenant governor to
poll 40 per cent. Of the total vote cast
at the primaries. The administration
forces paved the way for again test
ing the opposition by introducing
through Senator Fyfe bill providing
for the submission of this question to
the people in the following form:
"Shall the electors of each political
party in this state be permitted to
nominate by direct vote its candidate
for governor and lieutenant governor
without the requirement that 40 per
cer'. of the votes cast by the party
shall be necessary for either Of such
nominations" The bill provides for
the submission of this question at the
general election in April, 1908. This
would give plenty of time for the de-
termination of the question before the
next nominations are made. This bill
will doubtless be reported out during
the present week, and there is much
speculation as to the attitude toward
submission Of those senators who
have thus far opposed the elimination
of the 40 per cent. clause.
Constitutional Convention.
The conference committee appears
to be in a fair way to effect a settle
ment Of the differences existing be-
tween the two houses on the makeup
Of the coming constitutional conven-
IN haC O.,
convention composed of sixty dele
gates, while the house stands for 100.
1t is probable that the committee will
agree on ninety-six, or three from
each senatorial district.
The interests which made a vigor-
Gus fight against the adoption by the
people at the election in April last Of
the amendment to the constitution
eliminating the prohibition of the
teaching Of mechanical trades in
the prisons Of the state, have just lost
out in contest over another phase Of
the same campaign. The principal par
ties in interest were some manufac-
turers of chairs who desire to have
nullified the contract of the Reed
Chair company for the labor of a num-
Der of convicts confined in the state
reformatory at Ionia. These parties
requested Attorney General Bird to
institute proceedings to have this con-
tract declared void. this request being
made prior to the April election. The
attorney general did not reply until
after the vote cast at that election had
been canvassed and the result official
ly declared, when he took the position
that the constitution nov provides for,
or rather permits, such contracts. At
torneys for the chair companies then
attacked the regularity of the proceed
ings, submitting the proposed amend
ment, claiming that the notice given
by the secretary of state was insult
ficient and that the provision of law
requiring instructions to voters to be
printed in various languages had not
been complied with. They asked the
supreme court for an order directing
the attorney general to show cause
why O mandamus should not issue to
compel him to take steps to have the
contract declared void. The supreme
court mas re1usen 10 issue the desired
order. Although no written opinion
was fled in the case the action OF the
court is accepted as sustaining the
regularity Of the proceedings. thus
ending an agitation that has extended
over a number Of years.
Another Anti.Cigarette Bill.
The defeat by the house last week
Of the Dickinson anti-clgarette bill
has apparently not disposed OF that
question for the session. Senator VIII
liam Mckay Of Tuscola has now in
Produced a bill equally as drastic In
its provisions. On the day following
The introduction Of This bill the senate
tassed Senator KinHane's bill, which
Not only makes Il ~p ofSense to sell
cigarettes to minors under the age Of ]
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