The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-05-24

from circulating the petitions OF can
didates for nominations. A majority
Of the senate refused to concur in
these amendments, and it was then
supposed that the opponents OF the bill
controlled votes enough to defeat It,
Every senator was present, and on the
final passage of the bill the vote stood
16 to 49,, Inasmuch as the president
OF the senate has not. under the con-
stitution, the right TO break a tie vote
on third reading, the bill did not pass.
BY another tie vote, which president
Kelley broke, the bill was sent back
to the friendly committee on elections,
where it will remains until its friends
believe they have enough votes to
pass it.
Bone OF Contention.
The principal bone of contention is.
as stated in previous letters, the pro-
vision of the present law which re-
quires the successful candidate to poll
10 per cent. of the total vote cast.
The. nineteen senators who voted
against the bill because it did not con-
tain this provision did not discuss the
question at all, but simply voted. That
their solicitude for the 40 per cent.
provision attaches principally or solely
to nominations for governor and lieu
tenant governor seems to be evidenced
by the fact that one of their number
has, since the abSSe vote was taken,
Introduced bill providing for the
nomination by simply a plurality vote
at primaries of candidates for United
States senator. Both sides are max
ing strenuous efforts to win over one
vote. that being all that is necessary
to land a victory. 1t is possible that
the events Of this week will determine
the ultimate fate of the bill
May Affect Other Measures.
An unfortunate feature of the stu
alton is the chance that the sharp Iii
vision OH the primary bill may have
It's effect on other measures, the con-
troversy having apparently engen-
dered much feeling. The senate has
passed a bin making an appropriation
for new prison in the upper PENN
sula, while the house has passed the
Ting factions on the primary measure
in the senate are arrayed against each
other in their support of these two
bills. If the feeling continues, there
is danger that one bill will he held off
against the other and both fail. There
are other important measures in this
same condition. 1t will he seen, there.
Ia +Jn ,c Il; iii
may possibly he far reaching.
Railroad Commission ELL.
1t is expected that today will wit
ness the conclusion of the hearing be-
fore the senate railroad committee on
the bill rcoviding for the creation of
4 state railroad commission with very
extensive powers of regulation of rail
road companies. Two hearings have
already been given. the time on each
occasion being fully occupied by rep
resentatives of the companies which
unanimously and most vigorously op-
pose the bill. This opposition is based
on every cc4ceivable ground. The
companies insist that the bill is so
drastic in its provisions that it prac-
tlcally provides that the management
Of their business be turned over to the
proposed commission. They also calm
that certain provisions of the bill are
unconstitutional. inasmuch as they del
egate to the commission legislative ana
judicial powers. The friends of the
bill are not greatly disturbed by these
attacks, claiming that precisely the
same tactics are being resorted to by
the companies in this case as in all
other cases where states have sought
to enact restrictive and regulative leg.
islation.
Commercial Fishing Question.
The commercial fishing question
promised to engage the attention Of the
legislators in the near future All the
tugs used by the fish trust in their OPP
erations are equipped with steam APP
planes for lifting their nets. Senator
Ming's bill requiring the owners to pay
a license fee for every tug so equipped
has been favorably reported by the
committee and will be considered by
the senate as a special order tomorrow.
Representative Campbell has secured
the approval by the house of his bill
prohibiting the sale of any fish taken
in any of the inland lakes of the state,
and Senator Bland has introduced n
bill wholly prohibiting the taking of
fish from the Michigan waters of the
great lakes for period of five years.
The claim is made that nonresident
fishermen are rapidly depicting the
supply Of fish.
Cigarette Bill.
l. The regular biennial fight over the
bill to prohibit the sale Of cigarettes
in Michigan has been 'fit' for the pres.
ent session and. as usual, the victory
is with the opponents of the bill. The
opponents of the bill contended that
the present law Is ample to protect the
youth of the state and objected to tell
Ing grown up men that they should not
smoke what they pleased. The lew
| now on The statute books prohibits the
| sale of cigarettes to minors under Il
| years Of age. There were, however,
| thirty-one members Of the lower house
who believed that the law should he
L A.