The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-03-19
average rate of taxation paid by all


instruction and that the Office Of rural
school supervisor shall not be created.
The senate was inclined to hold out
for a $4,000 salary
There is little disagreement, how
ever, over the Agens bill, which, as
passed by the house, made the trout
fishing season from May to Sept. l..
The senate extended the season to
Sept. Is, and the house promptly re-
fusd to concur. Thus the matter
stands, but a compromise or agree
ment will doubtless be effected.
Present indications are that the cir
cult judges of the state will not have
their salaries increased $4,000, as
provided by the Flowers bill and which
was favorably reported by the house
committee on judiciary. IN commit
tee of the whole the house cut the
salary TO $4,000, and there was much
support of a further cut to $500
Beffort will yet be made to make the
salary $500.
Civil Service Bill.
The Mapes-MacKay civil service
bill, which w$g all. but killed a fort
night ago, wastiefinitely put to sleep
last Thursdayk when, by a vote Of
II to IA, the senate refused to recon
slider the vote by which it failed to
pass. An attempt to introduce and
pass another bill similar In it's inn
port is likely to be made, it being
claimed that such bill can still be
introduced and entertained under the
rules. Whether the Woodwork grad
ed salary bill, which provides a max
imum salary Of $1,000 for ordinary
clerks in state employ, witR a further
provision that the avera,se salary of
this class OF clerks In any one de-
partment or institution shall not ex.
coed $1,000, will pass the senate is
problematical. 1t is certain that a
number of senators who favored the
civil service bill are opposed to the
Woodwork measure.
The Stewart bill, providing for the
reorganization of the states military
establishment, which has been the OBJ
ject of mucn discussion, has been
amended in some OF its most i'm
portant features and reported out by
the house military committee with
the recommendation that it pass. AS
introduced, the bill proposed to abol-
ish the positions Of quartermaster
general and inspector general with
rank of Drigadier general and center
all the authority in the adjutant gen.
eral. who was to retain the rank
named. This was vigorously opposed
and it is said that Governor Warner
declared that he would veto the bill
If 1t passed in this form. The bill has
been amended so as to retain the
present system in this respect. The
most important change made by the
amended bill, which will now have the
support of the former DIRECTORS. is
that provision is made for promotion
by seniority above. the grade of Sec
'ond lieutenant on examination. 1t is
believed that this will greatly increase.
the efficiency of the guard.
Bills have been prepared in the af-
torney generals office at the sugges-
ton of the commissioner of insurance
with view to eliminating from the
insurance statutes a number of laws
which have been on the books for a
number OF years, during which time
no companies have been Incorporated
under their provisions. Several of
these measures were evidently enact
ed for the purpose of meeting or
filling suppC sed need which has LONG
since passed away.
Others seek to repeal several laws
providing for the incorporation of mu.
tual companies without assets OF anv
kind for the purpose of transacting
some or the most hazardous lines of
insurance. No such companies exist
and the Insurance department, believ.
ing that such companies. without eth.
or capital stock or reserve. would he
positive menace to the insuring pub
| lie. desires to dispose OF these laws
before use Is made of them to the Diet
| riment of the public.
| Dangerous to the Public.
Among the laws it is proposed to
| repeal are those which provide for mil
tual companies for insuring livestock
and plate glass. The danger to tho
| public in these measures is shown nv
the fact that the only companies ever
organized under these laws have gone
into the hands of receivers. who wound
up their affairs at heavy expense and
loss to their members. Michigan
wants no more Of them
1t is also proposed 10 Yepeal that
section of the law providing for the
incorporation of farmers mutual fire
insurance companies, which permits
the incorporation of companies 70 in.
sure all classes of hazards in all parts
of the state, provided they do not in
sure farm property The operations
of companies which insure farm nron
erty are confined by law to three con
tiguous counties, and these companies
have generally been very successful
whereas, with single exception tbe
ten or so companies which undertool
to do a general business throupbou
the state have gone into the hands n
receivers. The last of this class q