The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1910-07-02
On Feb. 28, 1899, motion was made
to take the said bill from the table.
Mr.. KERR VOTED AGAINST THE Mo-

TIoN.
The bill was then placed upon its i'm
mediate passage.
Mr.. KERR VOTED AGAINST FHE BILL.
To test the constitutionality of the
act Gov. Pingree had suit brought
against the auditor general and the law
was declared unconstitutional. Govern
or Pingree called the attention of the
legislature to the decision and asked
that law along the lines of the Atkin-
son bill, but avoiding the unconstitu-
tional features of the latter, be passed.
The legislature refused to act in the
matter and adjourned.
Governor Pingree then called spec
ial session of the legislature for the
purpose of passing a resolution submitt
ting to the people an amendment to
the constitution permitting the enact
ment of law providing for equal tax
alton of railroad property.
The resolution came before the house
on Dec. 20, 1899 and but eight members
voted against allowing the people to
express their opinion in the matter.
Mr.. KERR WAS ONE OF THOSE EIGHT
MEMBERS.
The session refused to pass the resolu-
ton and the session ended.
Governor Pingree Immediately after
wards sent in special message asking
the legislature to increase to specific
tax 30 that railroads would be made
pay their fair share of the taxes. A
bill TO that end was Immediately in
troduced and passed the house by a
vote of 72 to Is Mr.. KERR WAS ONE
OF The Is THAT VOTED AGAINST The
BILL.
Governor Pingree called the legisla-
ture together second time in special
session in October, 1900 and the joint
resolution, rejected by the senate at
the first special session, was passed by
both houses. But three votes were re-
corded against it at this session. Mr..
KERR BEING ONE OF The THREE.
The amendment was adopted by the
people by majority of 383.672 votes.
Governor Pingree again called a
special session for the purpose of pass
ing law in conformity with the con-
stitutional provision which the people
had just adopted.
A bill designed for such purpose
passed the house, only 13 voting against
its passage, Mr.. KERR WAS ONE OF
Tar .13. The bill failed in the senate.
| Mr.. Kerr was reelected to the 1901
Legislature. Shortly after the legisla-
ture convened the Chandler bill, prac-
tically the same as the Atkinson bill,
was introduced and passed both houses.
Mr.. KERR WAS ABSENT FROM The
29tTH OF MARCH TO The 9Th OF MAY,
the time when the bill was voted on in
the house, and did not vote.
Mr.. KERR's ATTITUDE ON SPECIAL
CHARTERS.
Special charters had been granted
railroad companies in the early days Of
the state giving the companies special
privileges in regard to taxation and to
the rates they might charge for freight
and passenger business. No thorough
taxation reform could be had, until
these charters were repealed. "
The matter came up at the special
sessions of the legislature called in 1899
and 1900. On March 80. 1899 Mr.. Kerr
voted to indefinitely postpone resolu-
ton looking to repeal of the Michigan
Central charter. On Jan. A, 1900 he
voted against repeating the Michigan
Central charter. On the same day he
voted against repeating the d. & M.
charter and again on the same day he
voted against repeating the charter of
the Michigan Southern.
MR. KRRR,s ATTITUDE ON PRIMARY
| ELECTIONS.
On March %, 1899 Mr.. Kerr voted
against a bill providing for primary
elections in Wayne county.
On Jan. 81, 1901 bill to provide for
primary Elections in Wayne. county was
passed. Mr.. KERR WAS NOT PRES
ENT FROM THE 8TH OF JAN. TO
THE 5TH OF FEBRUARY SO did not
vote.
On April nth, 1901 the house passed
a bill providing for a state wide primary
election. MR.. KERR WAS NOT
PRESENT and did not vote.
On March q a bill to provide for
primary elections in Wayne and Wash.
tenaw counties passed the house, only
members voting against it. MR..
KERR WAS ONE OF THE7.
On May q, 1901 he failed to vote on
the bill providing for primary elections
in Grand Rapids.
Mr.. KERR's ATTITUDE ON OTHER
QUESTIONS.
On April 6, 1899 bill to prevent de-
ception in the manufacture of oleomar-
garine, process butter, imitation butter
or butterine came up in the House.
! Mr.. Kerr voted to exempt the entire