Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1907-06-29
THINGS DONE
AND UNDONE
THE WORK OF THE LEGISLA-
TURE BRIEFLY REVIEWED.
AT THE CLOSE.
THE SESSIONS FEATURES
Rose Above Medocrity and Did Some
Good Work as Shown by a Glance
at the Results.
Things Done and Not Done.


The forty-fourth session of the legis-
lature adjourned at 1885 o'clock We'd
nesday afternoon, though officially it
was noon when the gavels fell in the
house and senate. BY its work of the
last ten days this legislature has rails
ed itself above the plane of medioc-
rity and established record that will
compare favorably with previous ses-
sions. fractional differences always
stand out sharply in political matters,
SO that the battles between the senate
and administrationists and the social
ed boxers have tended to blind the
vision as to the really good work that
has been 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-
fected but for the fact that the adj
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-
of a 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
of such companies. banking bill COM
polling directors TO audit the accounts
under oath semi-annually and report
TO the banking department; its corpo-
ration bill which prohibits the issu-
ing of watered stock on the organiza-
ton 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
Of 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 be
charged by chattel mortgage sharks,
and one that regulates the interest to
be charged by pawnbrokers and loan
agents to the legal rate and per
cent additional.
OF 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
more lenient provision, but it was
defeated by the state bankers. On
majority vote the bill would have won,
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 to
pass the bill giving the tax commits
sion power to review assessments OF
it's own volition, it being pigeon-holed
in committee, the alleged reasons be-
ing that the big mining companies OBJ
jected, as they don't want the tax CON-
mission to walk into the copper and
iron counties and boost the assessed
valuations.
The last bill passed by the senate
just before adjournment was one rails
ing the salary of Mrs. Mary Spencer,
state librarisn, to $500 and then
every one sang $50 Long, Mary"
There was almost a slip-up on the
bill appropriating $1,000 for a silver
service and colors for the battleship
Michigan. The house committee
struck out the names of the delegation
named in the bill and the conference
committees appointed forgot to meet.
Senator Bland finally got busy and
the senate accepted verbal report by
which the senate receded and the gov
ernor will name the delegation.
The house finally adopted the sug-
gestion of Atty.-Gen. Bird and passed
the joint resolution proposing an
amendment to the constitution pro-
viding that public utilities shall be as
sessed under the ad valorem system.
by whomsoever owned At present
only public utility corporations are SO
assessed and advantage was taken TO
evade the law by firms and co-partner.
ships. The amendment is an import
ant one.
BY reducing the general purpose tax
to S1,100,000, the budget appropriated
by the legislature was kent down To
s9.150,555.12. The governor decided
on this move after consulting with the
auditor-general and learning that
there is now nearly 100000 in the
state treasury, which is ample to meet
any deficiency that may arise. At the
last moment the house agreed to an
appropriation of $4,000 for a Custer
monument to be erected at Monroe
and the highway department appropri-
alton, which was raised to S250,OOO.
was given immediate effect.
Charles II. Davis, aged 67, of Will
son township, civil war veteran.