The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-10-25

have concluded to give it my approval
While should have been glad to have
presented to me for my signature a
much stronger and better bill, the ad-
vantageous provisions just mentioned
are, even with the obnoxious provisions
insisted upon by the sixteen senators
who have so successfully defeated the
will of the people, better than no bill
at all.
If the rejection of the bill designed
to as far as possible eliminate the lobby
evil is in the interest of the people of
the state, it is certainly incumbent
| upon those who defeated this measure
to prove it. Thus far the people have
been quite unable to appreciate in what
respect they have been the gamers by
the presence in the capitol during ses-
sions of the legislature of lobbyists paid
to represent special interests
The people of Michigan will also re-
quire not little education before they
will be able to understand just how
their best interests have been subserved
by the refusal to pass the bills pro-
viding for the taxation of telephone and
telegraph companies on an ad valorem
basis in common with all other property
OF the state and for the elimination of
ocean mileage from the computation of
express companies made as a basis for
taxation. The rejection of these two
bills has enabled the corporations in
terested to escape the payment of many
thousands of dollars in taxes annually
a payment which should be exacted
from them as matters of simple Justice
1t is notorious fact, which no one has
yet seen fit to challenge, that under
existing laws, these corporations are
not carrying their just proportion of
the burdens of state government. Yet
they are powerful enough in this legis-
lature to still further postpone the day
when they will be called upon to con-
tribute in the same proportion as is re-.
quired of the humblest taxpayer in this
state. In the meantime, as intimsted
aboue, the people will be interested in
being advised just how and in what
particular this postponment operates to
their advantage.
STOCK WATERING.
For reasons which the people Of the
state will be eager to learn, the legis.
lature at this extra session has also seen
fit to refuse to enact law to prevent
over-capitalizaton and stock watering
by railroad corporations, all Of which
is now done at the expense of the gen.
eral public. Thus far no reason worthy
of the name has been given, and make
bold to remark that no valid reason can
be given, now or hereafter.
The assertion that any bill was re-.
jected because of lack of time for con.
sideration is amere subterfuge advanced
by those who could think of no valid
reason for their action in opposing the
measures. No new or intricate question
was involved. For the most part. the
matters had been subjects for considera.
ton at previous sessions and in no case
did bill embody anything but simple
straightforward proposition which
could readily be understood at sight.
The lobby bill merely embodied pro-
visions of laws which have proved to be
effective in other states. The details of
the other bills were familiar to every
member of the legislature and were
plain provisions requiring certain cor
porations to pay just taxes which they
are now permitted to escape. The cry
of lack of time for consideration will be
credited by no one. 1t is so puerile as
to be childish.
During this special session as we'll as
during the regular session which pre-