The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-05-14

prevail OF plRs' and specifications for
power lines made necessary Rates
may be invektigated upon receipt O..
complaints from either individuals or
municipalitiel, and the commission is
empowered. after a full hearing OF the
matter. TO fix the maximum charge
| that may be made in all cases where
| the rates are not prescribed in the
company's franchise.
Two very important matters which
II will be necessary for the two houses
to get together upon this week are
the home rule and primary bills. Each
house has passed bill on each Of
these subjects as intimated last week,
and, although they are not very far
apart as to either, yet it is necessary
for the members of the conference
committees to exercise diplomacy in
the work of reaching an agreement.
AS finally acted upon by the house,
the home rule measure took the shape
of substitute for the bill passed by
the senate. This substitute does not
give cities any increased representa-
ton on boards of supervisors, a con-
cession granted by the senate and
greatly desired by the municipalities,
which deem the present representa-
ton very unfair, placing them at the
mercy Of the townships, although for
the most part they pay the greater
portion of the county taxes. The sub
stitute deals with the liquor question
by providing that each city may have
the power to regulate and license &C.
equations and trades within its bound
aries, including the sale of intoxicat-
ing liquors and the number of licenses
to be issued therefor and location of
saloons so licensed, but no charter
shall provide for the sale of intoxicat.
ing liquors in counties coming under
the operation of the local option act.
Auto License Boosted.
The Schantz automobile license bill
as passed by the house makes the fee
IS per year for each automobile and
SO for each motorcycle. Manufacture
ers are to pay $40 for each class OF
machine manufactured, and chauffeurs
will have to ante up $4 per year if
they drive for hire. THIS scale is esti-
mated to yield the state $4,000 per
year for the good roads fund. The
present license fee is only 81.
The question of taxation of credits
with special reference to real estate
mortgages, was quite exhaustively con
sidered by the house last week The
bill first considered was that of Rep
resentative Giles which provided fol-
a tax Of one-seventh of one per cent
annually on all credits. This bill was
finally sidetracked, however, by sub.
shutting therefore Senator Taylors
measure which provides that all real
estate mortgages shall be taxed one
per cent at the time they are present
ed for record and an annual tax Of
onequarter Of one per cent thereafter.
Before the bill was agreed to, how
ever, the annual tax was increased 10
one-half of one per cent.
Although supposed to have been en-
balmed some days ago, the senate bill
providing for the appointment by the
him by circuit judges of jury COM
mission of three members in each
county of the state was revived in
the house and passed after being
amended % as to place the appointing
power with the county clerk, register
of deeds and probate judge of the
respective counties. This will be a
decided innovation in the long pre-
vailing custom of having township and
ward supervisors file lists of names
from which jurors are drawn.
Drastic.
The house devoted all of last Friday
mornings session to the consideration
of the Warner-Cramton liquor bill and
passed the measure on third reading
before dropping the subject. The bill
as passed is moro drastic than any
liquor legislation Michigan has ever
had on its statute books. 1t requires
wholesalers to pay an annual license
fee of $500, with an additional charge
of $50 for each warehouse and re-
stricts their sales to licensed retail
dealers. A retailer is defined in the
bill as one who sells liquor by the
drink or in quantities Of less than
three gallons. 1t is provided that no
ex-convict or woman may engage in
the business, and the employment of
barmaids is prohibited. Druggists are
prohibited from selling malt or brewed
liquors, except malt extract, and may
sell other liquors only for medicinal
scientific or sacramento purposes.
Sales for medicinal purposes may be
made only of a physicians prescrip
ton. The closing hour for saloons is
fixed at II o'clock, with permission
to cities, villages and townships to
extend the time to midnight. No new
saloons shall be established within
400 feet of church or school unless
the proprietor has the consent of all
property owners within 300 feet. NO
signs advertising liquor of any kind
will be permitted outside of saloons
where such liquors are sold. The mum.
Der of saloons In any city, village OF
township shall not be greater than the
number existing in the respective
municipalities in April, 1909. If the
number is greater than one to each
| 500 of population, no new licenses
/ shall he Issued until that ratio is