The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-04-23
HARMONY IN
HOUSE AGAIN,
UndeTlylng Bone Contention
Was Ad VaIorem Bill.
MEASURE IS FINALLY PASSED.
ep"'nes and TeIegraphs Will Be
assessed In Future on Ad vaIorem
eas's-Home Rule Bill Still 70 q.
Ae'eo opon-senator Bradley Plans
TN'o strengthen Marriage Laws.

- sS" Marriage Laws.
Lansing. Mich. April 2O.-Harmonv
onoe more reigns in the house of rem.
escncaelves' When last weeks let.
Ter was written the members of the
house were divided into two factions
over the ruling OF Speaker Campbe,l
IL connection with a motion to dis.
charge committee from the further
t"nsiueration of bill. The underlv-
aug oone OF contention, however. was
"ouotiess that socalled ad valorem
'eA piu applying TO telephone and
'eiegraph companies. When the SEES
sion was resumed last week hostilities
were renewed and were continued
Win growing intensity until Wednes.
uay. The tension was slightly relieved
s"heh Tue mouse committee on general
taxation reported out the house will
on thls subject. This bill differed
from the measure which had already
kasseo the senate only to the extent
mat IL exempted telephone companies
whose receipts were under $1,000 per
year, whereas the exemption in the
senate bill was $500. The so-called
insurgents" saw in this action of the
committee a chance to precipitate a
deadlock. for the house might pass its
Dill only to find the senate in a mood
10 stand pat on the bill it had already
passed. 1t was not until Wednesday,
: when the house general taxation com.
mittee reported out the senate bill,
that
hlll was at once taken up for consid-
Grafton and passed without amend
ment and with but five dissenting
Totes. It Will now go to Governor
Warner for his signature, which will
be promptly affixed. Hereafter, there
fore, instead of paying specific tax
on revenues collected within the state
the classes of companies named will
be assessed on an ad valorem basis,
only companies which do not collect
TO exceed $500 per year being exempt.
Another feature of the bill provides
that in reporting for taxation express
companies can compute only land
mileage instead of land and water
mileage as under the present law
: 1t is claimed by some that the new
. law is unconstitutional because of the
exemption noted. Attorney General
Bird does not share this belief and
furthermore submits that even though
the exemption clause may be invalid
that fact would not destroy the bal
ance OF the law. He says that the
al nj ha
exemption provision be ignored and
all companies taxed on an ad valorem
lasis.
Tile controversy mentioned was a
tiercc one and for time bid fair to
continue throughout the balance of the
session. Now that the real cause of
the trouble has been overcome, mat
ters are In good shape and bid fair to
run smoothly throughout the balance
of the session. Just when the end
will lie reached is considerable of a
problem. The indications are that the
hope Of the majority of the house
when they adopted resolution to
adjourn May will not be realized.
So much important legislation remains
to be cared for it is difficult to see
how the calendars can be cleared be-
fore the end of May.
Home Rule Bill.
A measure of as much general inter
est and Importance as any which still
awaits action on the part of the legis-
lature is that which will provide home
rule for the municipalities of the state.
This subject was one of the principal
ones discussed during last years ses-
sions of the constitutional convention,
ard It has been very much in the
public eve ever since being consid-
cred extensively at the last annual
meeting OF the League OF Michigan
Municipalities and at a conference Of
MAYORS OF cities. legislators and mem
hers of the late constitutional conven-
ton recently held in Detroit. The leg
isiature has made slow progress to-
ward perfectiug bill dealing with the
matter Corporation Counsel Hally
of Detroit, who was a member of the
constitutional convention, has probably
given the subject more study than any
other citizen OF the state. He recent
~ completed bill which has been in
the hands OF the committee for some
days During the last week the SEN
ate committee on cities and villages
has held daily sessions behind closed
doors in order that they might not
be disturbed while preparing the bill
which will finally be reported to the |
senate. The house committee has al |
so been busy for several days. A
great many suggestions have been ,
made by officials of various cities |
throughout the state. and many OF
these will be incorporated in the bill /
to be reported for action. 1t is not |
believed that either committee will |
complete It's work duvN the present |
week. but bill will surely be re- |
ported within fortnight.
The house committee OF the whole
considered the Champion bill revising
the law governing the work OF the !