The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-12-19
LEGISLATURE TO
MEET ON JAN. 4
ELECTION OF U. S. SENATOR TO
BE FIRST ACTION OF THE
NEW BODY. OTHER
AFFAIRS.

Under the provisions of the consti-
.u''oh' the legislature will convene ON
the hrst "Wednesday i'm January. which
WIN oring 1t two days after the new
administration is indicted in oGico
Lhen' as the statute provides tha
election of a United States senator viii
De taken up on the second Tuesday NJ
.he session, ana this event win for
the hrst time in the history of the
state be a purely formal affair.
mere nave been occasions in the
past when senator was Reelected
without opposition, but there has
feVer been a contest i'm which leris-
lators who favor one candidate have
been obliged to represent the win or
thelr constituents rather than their
own preferences. 1t is a matter of oc-
caslonal comment that the legislature
TINS winter might overturn the result
Oh the primary election, but of course
no one expects them to. and the NAM
ing OF Congressman Charles Town
send To succeed Senator Burrows will
probably be done without even the Gus
tomary party caucus except one is nee
essary To arrange the details of nomi-
mating speeches, etc.
According to statements by Demo-
cratic members, not all of them will
be bound by their party primary cleo
ton, but two. or three at least will
vote for Mr.. Townsend rather than
John 7. Winship. The latter's name
viii be presented, however, it being
understood that the plan is to dele
gate this honor to Senator elect James
ii. Lee of Detroit.
Many Important Matters.
There is some speculation as to how
soon legislative matters will be got
ten under way the coming session. i'm
view of the fact that an entire new
executive program will be mapped out
by the incoming administration and
that the organization Of the house and
senate will be with new presiding Off
GERS. In the past ii has taken about
six weeks for the members to get ac-
quainted and squared away for the
work of the session.
1t was the theory of the constitution
makers that with local legislation
barred, the sessions of the legislature
should be short and sweet. There is,
however an unusually large number
of important matters to come up this
winter, among them some that are
new to legislative consideration. and
men experienced in watching the work
of the lawmakers say that the COM
ing session will undoubtedly equal in
length that Of two years ago.
one big question which attracted
utterly no attention during the state
campaign and has not been discussed
since, but which the legislature will
have to tackle, is that of the proposed
amendment to the federal constitu-
ton to provide for an income tax The
legislature will be expected to repre-
sent the attitude of the state upon this
important question.
Eight states, Alabama, South Caro-
lima, Illinois, Maryland, Kentucky
Mississippi, Oklahoma and Georgia
have passed ratification resolutions
while New York. Rhode Island Mas
sachusetts, Virginia and Louisiana
have refused. Friends of the proposed
amendment. however. are announcing
that they expect the incoming legisla-
lures of some OF these states to pass
the necessary favorable resolution this
winter II is said that Governor elect
Foss. of Massachusetts, is strongly
i'm favor of the amendment and all the
governors of the other states, except
one. No one seems to have taken any
notice of the big question in this
state.
Railroad Taxation.
While it is well known that the rail-
roads propose to present to the legis-
lature mass of data to show that
their property is not assessed fairly
and equally with other property, there
are those who are wondering what
the next step of the fact that the legis-
lature cannot very well relieve them
from paying another tax on the same
basis. even if the lawmakers are so
inclined. The state tax commission is
at present at work ascertaining the
total assessed valuation of general
property in the state, and the total
taxes assessed.
These figures will be used to ascer-
tain the tax rate which will be used
to assess the property of the railroads
and telephone and telegraph compan-
les the first of the year. The tenta-
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