The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-01-29
PROBE STATES
WATER POWEI.
Solons Will Investigate Pres
emf Conditions.
VISIT TO INSTITUTIONS

Week, but the Start Will BE Made
Friday-Liquor Traffic Bills Of In
portance introduced in the Legisia
ture-Favorahle Report on the Anti
Lobby Bill.
Lansing, Mich, Jan. 26.-The solons
did not get away on their committee
visiting trip to the several state insti-
tutions last week as they expected and
as l stated in my last letter they in
tended to do. Their intention wes all
right, but it was discovered that the
salary appropriation bill could not, un-
der the new constitution, be enacted
into law so that the members could
draw pay for services SO far rendered
the state in time 81 have pocket
money for use on the trip if the start
was made last week. 1t will be re-
called that the new constitution makes
new provision for paying members of
the legislature, providing salary
OF $500 for regular session.
None of this salary could be drawn,
however, until a law providing the
necessary machinery was enacted.
This preliminary has now been dis
posed of and the start will be made
on Friday of this week, at which time
the two houses will adjourn until Mon
day night, February s.
Water Power Investigation.
The senate has decided to have a
part in the investigation of the water
power conditions which was inaugu-
rated in the house, as related last
week, having adopted a resolution
offered by Senator Ward of Mecosta
providing for a committee of three to
&C, either in conjunction with or in
dependently of the special committee
Of the house. The senate committee
consists of Senators War, Weter of
Macomb and Anhut of Wayne. The
two special committees have decided
10 cooperate and Chairman Curtiss of
the house committee will be chairman
of the joint committee. The work has
already been commenced and the in
vestigation will be exhaustive and is
expected to result in the recommends
ton by the committee of laws designed
to protect the rights OF the state in
the premises.
| Two liquor traffic bills of import
ance, in view of the fact that they
are generally accepted as embodying
| the views of the liquor dealers, were
| introduced last week by Representa-
| tive Clarken. One of them provides
| there shall not be more than one sa-
| loon for each 500 of population and
| that any retail dealer who is three
times convicted of violating the law
| shall thereafter be debarred from Sc
| curing a license.
The other measure seeks to indem-
| Nifty dealers who are forced out of
business by the adoption of local OPP
| tion in any community, giving such
dealer the right of action in the cir
| cult court and providing that what
| ever damages may be awarded him
| shall be assessed against the taxable
property in that district.
Power to Issue Search Warrants.
On the other hand, as coming from
the anti-saloon league, Senator Dick
inson has introduced a bill which in
vests magistrates with power to issue
search warrants covering places where
1t is suspected that liquor is being
sold in violation of law. This pro-
posed legislation is designed to root
out alleged blind pigs" in local OPP
tion counties.
Senator Dickinson has also, within
the past few days, dropped into the
hopper three bills which have for their
object the prohibition of the manufac-
ture, sale or use of cigarettes in Mich
igan. One of these bills makes 1t
misdemeanor Tor any person to use CT
garettes, but as there is some doubt
as to the constitutionality of such !
prohibition as applied to persons who
have reached their majority, the sena-
tor has, in another bill, embodied the
provision of the Illinois law which has
stood the test of the courts. This
bill makes It unlawful for a persoI
under eighteen years of age to smo..e
cigarettes.
Anti-lobby Bill.
The senate judiciary committee has
favorably reported the anti-lobby bill
recommended by Governor Warner
and its consideration Is fixed for this
afternoon.
In both houses there is desire on
the part of the legislators to know
more about the real facts relative to
the cost OF school text books the feel
ing being that these necessary articles
are too expensive. Senator Aitkin of
the Sanilac-Huron district lead the
way by having adopted a resolution
to investigate this whole subject, and
he was followed by Representative
Ogg of Wayne, who had the house
adopt q similar resolution. The Ohio
system Of printing and furnishing
these books through dealers whose
profits are limited 10 10 per cent finds
much favor here.
Improved Primary Bill.
Senator Dickinson, of Eaton. who,
as member of the last house was
the champion of the primary election
bill which embodied the views of the
.sdminist alton, has introduced the pri. |
mary bill On which he has been work. !
ing for some time. The bill 10 consid-
cred by Its friends to be a great inn |