The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-03-05
WISHES OF The
STATE GRANGE
Resolutions Adopted by EXGeu.
tive Committee.
LAWMAKERS GIVEN NOTICE

important Matters Which the Farmers
Want the Legislature to Act Upon.
Provisions of Cramton's Sill Revis.
ing the Law Governing the Powers
OF the State Railway Commission.
Senators Discuss the Dickinson Pri.
mary Election Bill.
Lansing, Mich, March 2.-Follow-
ing time-honored custom, the execu-
tive committee of the state grange
met here last week and adopted reso-
lutions expressive of the wishes of the
state grange regarding important mat
tiers pending in the legislature. Tho
desires and opinions of this Organizac
ers' clubs are generally reflected to q
large extent in the attitude Of the
members of the legislative farmers
club, many Of whom belong to one or
the other of these state organizations.
and, therefore, have much to do with
the fate of the measures passed upon.
The two most important matters
covered by the resolution of the eX-
ecutive committee Of the state grange
are the Baker bill, which practically
makes telephone companies common
carriers, and the uniform text book
proposition. The grange would have
the telephone companies required by
law to exchange messages, declaring
this to be of vital concern to the
users of telephones and not unfair to
the telephone companies.
Free Uniform Text Books.
Free uniform text books for the
schools of the state are favored, the
grange suggesting that portion Of
the specific tax revenue of the state,
all Of which now goes into the pri-
mary school fund, to be used exclus-
ivo'y for the payment of teachers sal
aries, be used for the purchase Of
such text books, the selection of books
to be made by state authority. The
committee also emphatically declared
against any change in the liquor law
which will make a smaller local OPP
ton unit than the county, thus taking
a firm position against the Ormsby
bill, which, as introduced, seeks to
permit cities and villages to declare
in favor Of the saloon if they see fit
to do so, regardless Of the attitude CT
the county as a whole on the ques-
ton.
For many years the grange has vain
ly advocated the adoption of the Tor
renee system of registration of land
titles, and its position on this mat
ter is again renewed, the committee
urging the passage of the bill on this
subject introduced by Representative
Baker of Cheboygan. Already one OF
the recommendation of the commit
tee has been adopted by the house.
This was that the salary of the SUI
perintendent of public instruction be
fixed at less than $1,000, the figure in
cluded in the bill passed by the sem
ate. This bill was partially consid-
cred by the house last Thursday, and
the salary was reduced to $4,000. FL
nal action on the entire measure will
probably be taken this week
Powers Of Railway Commission.
What is probably the most impor-
tant bill or the one of greatest pub
lie interest, introduced last week Is
THAT of Representative Cramton of La
peer which generally revises the law
governing the activities and prescrib-
ing the powers of the state railway
commission. Mr.. Cramton was for
merly secretary of the commission.
Mr.. Cramton explains that the act OF
1907 Is used as the basis for and is
reincorporated in the new bill as far
as has been deemed wise, and the gen.
eral outline of the old law has been
preserved The abstract of the new
bill. as furnished by it's introducer, is
as follows:
TO the list OF common carriers sub
ject to the jurisdiction of the com
mission telegraph and telephone com
panies are added and the bill gives
the commission authority to regulate
the rates which these companies may
charge for their services and also a
limited jurisdiction over the inter
change of messages by these COM
panies. The interchange required is
limited TO toll messages, and it is pro-
vided that joint rates are not TO be
charged for such messages but that
each company may charge its own 10
cal rate.
The commission is to consist, ae
now, of three members: is TO be bipar-
tisan, and the term of office of each
member is to be six years. The com
missioners are required TO devote their
entire time to the duties of the office,
and 1t Is proposed to increase their
salaries from $4,000 to $4,000 per year.
BY way OF expediting the despatch
of business and saving expenses TO
all parties concerned, it is provided
that a hearing may be held by one
commissioner. and an order issued
thereon by the full commission, with
the privilege of a rehearing before
the entire commission upon request.
When common carrier files a tariff
showing an advance in rates the COM
mission is authorized to postpone the
date when such new rates are to be.
come effective for such n time. not