The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-04-09
EFFORT TO END
LEGISLATION
Informal Conference Of Senators
on Question.
KELLEY NAMES A COMMITTEE

WIN view to- faciitating t"e
Work-House May Have "a Similar.
Committee-Death Of Representa-.
tive Agens--Lit'Ie Doing In the Way
OF Liquor Legislation - Governor
Boosts Wire Tax Bill.
Lansing. Mich, April GA deter.
mined effort is to be made to bring
The session CT the legislature to close
early this month. An informal econ
ference OF senators was held last week
on this subject and as result Presi-
dent Kelley named Senators Ming,
WHITE and MacKay as a steering COM
mittes to direct pending legislation
WITT view to facilitating the work.
An lefort is being made to have a
similar committee appointed in the
house. Much important legislation re-.
mains to be considered, and heroic
treatment must be resorted to if the
desired result Is achieved.
Last weeks work of the legislature
was rudely broken in upon by the
death of Representative M. Ivy Agens
OF Mason county. Mr.. Agens had been
SICK for several weeks. He at first
suffered with la grippe, but this was
soon Followed by serious complica-
tlons. and spinal meningitis finally
resulted in paralysis and death. Mr.
Agens was highly regarded by his
colleagues and all who knew him. He
was an experienced legislator and was
serving his third consecutive term at
the time Of his death. His course IN
the legislature had always been
straightforward and consistent, and
nls death Is severe loss to his dis
trict and the state. He was fifty-four
years OF age and Is survived by a
widow and three children. Upon the
announcement of his death a commit
tee OF six from the house and FIVE
from the senate was appointed to ar
range for the funeral and accompany
the body to the place of burial, and
q further Joint committee was named
~Ippresent suitable resolutions and ar.
rarge for a memorial service to be
held in tne near future.
4 There has been very little doing in
the way of consideration of liquor leg.
isation during the past few days The
YOrmsbee bill, which has been de-
AT length in these letters, is
ad," and there is no chance of
resurrected. The Dickinson
.eesk md seizure bill, which was
AZtp by the senate In commit
the whole. has been sent to the
~ .hittee on judiciary to be revamped
ff$certain particulars, Attorney Gen.
teral Bird having declared unconstitu-
Nouai the provision which made it ap-
plcshle to local option counties only.
Nit Is amended so as to be statewide
is application. its passage is doubt
XGysrnor Warner took a hand at
1stihg the bill putting telephone
elegraph companies on an ad
basis for the purpose of tax
which has been in the hands
house committee on general
ion for several weeks. He sent
house special message in
he urged that the bill be passed
/. !ce, declaring that it was simply
act of justice between taxpayers.
yention was called to the fact that
party platforms declared in favor
he bill during the last campaign
all candidates for governor advo-
ed 1t and, furthermore, that it
ply sought to place these COM
-ss4on the same taxation basis IS
3ther taxpayers of the state. An
report by the committee is an
ated.
penator Collins of Bay has intro
iced new bill providing for de-
ttment OF public accounting as re-
red by the new constitution. Some
elfs- ago the Bay senator presented
III ON this subject, but he believes
y the new measure is a marked
Syement over the former one and
the plan it embodies is more
skable The new bill provides for
fau to consist Of a chief account
1.-TWO assistant accountants and
nee clerks, all to be appointed by
governor, and this bureau is to
Emulate a uniform system of ac-
inting and auditing to be adopted
all state institutions and depart
nts, counties, cities, townships and
lool districts. The governor, secre-
~ Of state and the chief accountant
IL constituted> a board to determine
be number of examiners necessary
rryrfhto effect the provisions Of
i'll. The salaries of the account
examiners and clerks and the
a,s of the bureau are to be paid
the state treasury, but the state
lrer is required to collect from
municipality, By way Of reimburs-
ae state, its pro rata share Of
alaries and expenses.
Aeue is now little, IL any. doubt
N tSH Clarken bill to abolish con-
act latlbr in the prisons of the state
kill becbme law. Although similar
measures have been defeated at previ-
fous sessions OF the legislature, the
Clarken bill has been passed by the
present house without a dissenting
vote and bids fair to go through the
crate without opposition. The bill