The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-04-19

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study. lie will rely to large ex-
tent upon the Judgment of Railroad
| Commissioner Glasgow. III whom he
has great confidence. ana will support
the measure which has the approval
| of the commissioners.
| Bills EXempting Credits.
Within the hext fortnight probably
battle will be waged on the Davis
| bill, which cXenIpts credits from taxa
| ;ion. This bill has been favorably re-
ported by tie house committee on gen
| eral taxation and is now on the gen
eral order As preliminary to the con-
| sideratiOn OF this important bill, the
house has ordered printed 5000 copies
Of an argument by Former STATE Tax
Commissioner ]. g. Mclaughlin in
favor of the bill, and Il Ike number
Of copies of that portion Of the last
message of Governor Davidson, Of
Wisconsin. bearing upon this question.
4 law similW-to the one proposed for
Michigan has been in force in Wiscon-
sin for the past three years. Gov
ernor Davidson strcnu0usly advocate !
It's repeal. taking the ground that eX.
Uerience had shown that the legiSla-
ton has utterly failed to meet the eX-
pcctations OF its advocates, its only ef-
feet being TO exempt the owner Of the
credit without any CORE spending bCne-
fit TO the borrower and TO increase
the average interest rate. Governor
Warner has always been a consistent
opponent Of the exemption plan and
is still of the same mind. II is
claimed that fifty-nine members of the
house have pledged themselves to vote
for the bill. That number is sufficient
to pass it.
Simpson Bill Tracked.
For the present at least the Simp-
son bill making material changes in
the law governing the Michigan ma
tional guard has been sidetracked In.
asmuch, however, as ii was the hnan.
eial features Of the bill that led to
the adverse action On the part of the
house committee on ways ana means.
ii may be possible that the measure
will stand Il show of passage with the
other provisions intact. Under the
present law tax of ) cents per cap
ita rs levied for the support Of the
militia. The bill proposed an addi.
tlonal levy OF ! cent per capita fol-
the purpose OF encouraging attendance
upon regular drills. and levy of one.
twentieth OF a mill upon the taxable
property OF the state for the purpose
Of building armorics for the various
companies. The ! cent per capita tax
proposed would yield about $4,000
annually, while the one-twentieth of
a mill tax would yield $4,000 per an.
mum. BY the terms of the bill the
latter tax was TO be levied for twelve
successive years only.
Michigan at Jamestown.
The Michigan commission which has
charge of the states proposed exhibit
at the Jamestown exposition found
itself decidedly up against it, when
1t came to erect building with the
amount appropriated for that purpose.
IT will be recalled that the total ap
preparation was only $4,000, with a
limit of $500 for building. The
commission procured plans for n very
modest building and went to James
town and discovered that even the
rather inferior structure contemplated
could not be built within the appro.
priation. Materials and labor are ex.
ceedingly high on the exposition
grounds, the wages of mechanics av.
eraging more than $J per day. Elk.
Governor Rich, president of the com.
mission, was heSe last week and adj.
dressed the house in favor of an addi.
tional appropriation of $1,000 This
will doubtless be granted, the neces.
sary bill having already been al.
vGnced in the house
Primary Election Law.
Early attention will be given the pr.
mary election law. Governor Warner
is active in having the law amended
as suggested by the experience of the.
past two years. He advocates amend.
ments doing away with the provision
requiring the successful candidate to
poll 40 per cent. of the total vote cast;
also an amendment providing that. all
primaries be held on the same DAY,
and still another providing for the
nominations of candidates for United.
States senator by this method. At
present the primaries for the nominal
ton of candidates for governor and
lieutenant governor are held in June,
while those for congressman and leg
islative and county officers are held
later in the year The chief executive
would have time and expense by hav.
ing all these candidates nominated ut
the same primary. He would not he
averse to an amendment which would
call for the nomination OF all elective
state officers by direct vote instead of
leaving all but governor and leuten-
ant governor to be nominated in state
convention. He may not urge this
amendment, however.
Colby Serving Fourth Term.
One Of the veteran members of the
legislature is Sheridan i. Colby, rep.
tescntativc from Detroit. The term
veteran applies TO length Of service
merely. not TO age Although still a
comparatively young man. Mr. Colby
ls serving his fourth term, having