The Yale expositor., 1909-01-22
THE LEGISLATURE
BECOMING ACTIVE
THE TWO HOUSES NOW HAVE
SOME IMPORTANT WORK
IN HAND.
GRAPHIC SKETCH GIVEN.
Water Power and Taxes, Telephone
Rates, Railroad Fares, Good Roads,
and other Live Topics Considered.
Especial Correspondence
Lansing, Mich. January IS, 1870:

active work during the second week
of the session.
Among the more important matters
which received attention was the APP
pointment of a committee consisting
of Reps. Curtiss, Yaple and Davis to
investigate the waterways of the state
and the terms and conditions under
which they are held. The state hopes
to find the situation such it may Sc
cure reasonable rates for power for
factories and prevent the big COM
panies from merging and. incident
ally, to get more taxes out of these
concerns. The committee has broad
powers in the investigation.
Telephone Tolls.
1t is stated that an investigation Of
telephone rates in the state will be
asked for soon. 1t is held that the new
constitution gives the legislature
power to regulate these rates and 1t
is claimed they have been boosted ex-
cessively the past three years. The
rate of 90 cents from Lansing TO De-
troit, as against the former rate of 20
cents, is pointed to as an example.
Railroad Fares.
The railroads have shown their
hands in a way that has stirred up
considerable feeling. They announce
that they will ask for measure COM
polling persons who pay on trains in
stead OF buying tickets to pay once
and half the price of tickets. 1t is,
however. evident they do not expect
so strong measure to pass, and it is
said they will be satisfied with less.
hot fhnrn &c IN oiu
them is an extra charge of 10 cents,
which amount is subject to refund on
presentation of receipt slip at the of
flee of destination.
New Tax Proposed.
1t is hoped the revenues of the
state will be swelled by about six mil
lion dollars by house bill soon to be
introduced taxing all copper and iron
mined in the state so cents per ton. II
is expected strong opposition from the
upper peninsula will be in evidence.
Joint Resolutions Stopped.
The new constitution puts a crimp
in one of the strongest prerogatives
the legislature has heretofore enjoyed,
that of joint resolution, which had the
force of law while in effect. The con-
their work should be disturbed, for
without a joint resolution no one
seems to know how an amendment
can be submitted to the people.
Members Pay.
Whether members of the legislature
shall draw So or Sc per day until they
finish their work or use up the $500
per session which the new constitution
provides is a question which has Great
ed quite a division as which would be
the greater incentive to work Many
hold that at Sc the members would
work harder so as to secure a larger
balance at the end of the term and
they would have to finish by May II
or work thereafter for nothing.
The Junket crimp.
The senate resolution designed to
put a crimp in the upper peninsula
junket by permitting only one mem
Der from each committee TO go met
a sudden fate by being tabled. 1t is
said, however. that the statute provid-
ing actual expenses only will be en-
forced by both houses and the prev
ious 10 cents a mile will not be al
lowed.
The Anti-Lobby Bill.
The governors anti-lobby bill has
been introduced in the senate and pro-
vides a penalty of a thousand dollar
fine or one year in the state prison for
failing to properly register as a lobby
list before doing that kind of work. II
also carries a penalty of one thousand
dollars a day for every day after the
time set for filing his itemized expense
account that the report is missing.
Senator Watkins. of Manchester, has
charge of the bill.
To Pay Stock Owners.
The recent necessity of sacrificing
valuable cattle on account of mouth
and hoof disease has caused Repre-
sentative McNaughton, of Ada, to pre-
pare a bill which will compensate
stock owners for cattle ordered killed
because of contagious diseases. Mr..
McNaughton claims that such a meas
ure will have the result of improving
health conditions among cattle. The
farmer will not fear a loss and will not
be seeking to conceal an infected ami
NAL to prevent its condemnation by
state authorities.
Work Prisoners on Roads.
Representative Sanders, of Ingham
county, is drafting a bill which will
give the counties of the state authors
ity TO place short time prisoners out
In the township constructing roads,
leaving it to the boards of supervisors
to say how and where prisoners shall
be used. Mr.. Sanders has ascertained
that other states are getting good re-
suits from this kind of law and he
believes our jails are receiving many
chronic Migrants who come from
states where jail sentence means
hard work.
New State Institution.
The latest benefaction in the way OF
state institution is proposed by Rep
resentative Heckart, of Paw Paw. in a
bill Endorsed by the State Federation
of Womens clubs, State Board of
Corrections and Charities, as well as
by many prominent individuals. IL pro-
vides a training school for crippled
children. The bill carries an appropri-
alton of 81 for site, $4,000 for build