The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1907-10-25

HOUSE RESPONSIBLE FOR KILL
ING TWO GENERAL BILLS
AND SENATE FOR ONE.
SEN. FULLER EXPLAINS.
Conflicting Opinions and Lack of In
terest Result in Defeat of
Measures.

terest Result In Defeat Of
Measures.
or three general bills that the spe-
cial session of the legislature failed
to pass, two are chargeable to the
house and one to the senate. The
bill placing telephone and telegraph
companies under the ad valorem sys-
tenn OF taxation was passed by the
senate, but met defeat in the house
by operation of the rule requiring a
two-thirds vote to take a bill away
from committee or to suspend the
rules.
The fight TO prevent the passage
of the measure was led by Represen-
tative Campbell, of Grand Rapids, and
| Representative Galbraith, of Calumet,
who succeeded in convincing a suf-
tcient number of the members that
the passage of the bill would endanger
the continuance of the Independent
companies throughout the state.
The explanation made by Represen-
tative Benton, of Wayne. as TO why
he voted for the bill, illustrates the
conflicting opinions that were aroused.
He declared his belief that the meas
would vote for it because a majority
of the members of the house wanted
ii. On all sides il was conceded that
sooner or later the companies involved
would have TO come under the prin-
ciple of ad valorem taxation, the same
as other property, but the excuse was
made that it would be only fair to
! serve notice on them so that they
I Vrn h., yss,1
bill at the next session of the legisla-
ture.
SquabbIe over Lobby.
The anti-lobbying bin had a chance
! in the house, but there arose such
! a wide difference of opinion as TO
what it's provisions should be that
the measure was finally tabled and al
| lowed to die there. AS originally
drafted the bill made no reference to
lobbying on the part of state Off
/ Gals and employees, and there was an
/ almost unanimous opinion that these
! should be restricted, as it Is well
! known that in the past state officials
/ have exercised a very potent influence
/ upon legislative matters. After being
| discussed the bill was sent to the
/ judiciary committee, which made no
| effort to draft a sensible measure.
/ Later the house took it away from
! the committee and played horse, put
| ting on amendments that made it a
! ludricrous document In that shape
! few would vote for It. and the bill
was tabled as a last resort, no one
/ being interested enough to whip it
into presentab,e shape.
The bill to prevent stock watering
on the part of steam and electric rail
roads by giving the state railroad com
mission supervision over the issuance
! of stocks and bonds of these corpo-
rations was deliberately smothered by
! the senate committee on railroads by
a unanimous vote of the five members
G. the committee, three of whom are
administration senators.
mo One Knew"
I'VE had a meeting and took up the
bill" said Senator Fuller in explain
alton, but no one seemed to know
anything about it. We did not know
who il was going TO hit. so we unani-
mously decided to postpone further
consideration
THE primary bill that was passed"
said Lieut. Gov. Kelley today. lacks
! OuI TWO lhlHSS 10 MAKE IL a HISI CLASS
measure. One is that primaries were
not provided in all the counties for
electing delegates to the county con-
ventions. The other is that the sub
mission of the primary proposition was
not made compulsory in all senate
rial districts. instead of requiring pc
titions to have it submitted. How
ever, think it will be a good thing,
as il will lead to a general demand
for the primary system in every coun-
ty in the state. Aside from these two
points the bill is TO be commended.
am glad that bill was passed. as
| am convinced that If we had ad-
journed without one no state primary
could be held next year under the pres
ent law, for the reason that there is
no provision for one"