Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1911-04-27
WHAT The LEGISLATURE DID


some OF the big things the legisla-
| ture did
Recognized the military and naval
| departments, cutting out the super
| fiuous gold braid and placing these
| departments upon regular army basis
Strengthened out some OF the kinks
| in the primary law. setting the date
| OF the fall primary back into the last
week in August, TO avoid collision
with Labor day as was the condition
! last fall and in general lettering the
| act.
Amended the home rule act to per
nit of the recall and initiative in
| city charters
Abolished several useless but eX-
| pensive jobs.
Passed a bill regulating express
rates.
Gave the state tax commission
| power 10 go into any county and
raise the assessed valuation.
Passed 2.cent fare law for up
| per peninsula railroads
Repealed the mortgage tax law.
Passed a bill providing a uniform
| system of accounting in state and
county.
Created the state board of equaliz.
| alton.
Passed bill prohibiting the use OF
trading stamps in Michigan
| Gave to the railroad commission
! greater powers and duties.
Passed a bill providing an inter.
| change OF telephone and telegraph
! service
Passed bin regulating the hunt
ing of game.
Created a commission TO investi.
! gate and report upon the tax sys-
| tenn
Created a commission TO investi-
gate and report on employers liza.
bility acts
Placed Michieans o. X. on the
! amendment to the federal constitu-
! tion for an income tax.
! Passed joint resolution favorng
| the constitutional amendment to pro
vide for the direct election of Unit
| ed States senators.
Passed bill providing for spe
ciic tonnage tax on vessels haillnS
from Michigan ports.
+ Improved the good roads laws.
Established central board of con
| troll for ali penal and reformatory in
| stitutions.
Created the Office OF state fire mar
| shall.
Passed bills requiring experienced
crews on railroads.
Passed bills to strengthen the con
! struction of cars on railroads.
Passed bill to tax mineral re-
| serve lands
Passed bills to foster the care OF
wood lots on farms.
These are but few OF the great
mass of bills passed, but they are the
! principal ones and a perusal of the
message of the governor will show
! that the great bulk OF his recon-
mendations have been carried out.
considerable number OF other
measures Of vast Importance to
Michigan did not pass. but in many
instances they made such Roadway
as to make it look as if they might
pass another session OF the legisla
ture. These are some of them:
| The initiative. referendum and re-
call passed the House and lacked but
few votes of majority in the Sen
! ate.
Womens suffrage lacked but -
voees of passing the House, two.
! thirds being necessary to carry IT,.
! Workngmen' compensation act
passed the House.
Tonnage tax passed the House and
made a strong showing in the Senate.
Civil service bill was introduced in
| the Senate, but killed there.
Placing Of the game warden's de
! partment under joint fish and game
commission passed the Senate. but
failed i'm the House.
These also are but a few of the
| important measures which made an
! appearance but failed for one rea-
son or another TO become law.
With the retiring of the legislature
fine bunch of political booms of one
kind or another have been launched.
| First there is the gubernatorial sit
uation. Governor Osborn will I'M
! doubtedly be a candidate for sec
ond term and Secretary OF State Fred
| c. Martindae has also announced
his candidacy IL is probable. how
ever. that If Governor Osborn makes
/ the run as he probably will he will
I have no opposition in the primaries.
In case he should not run these
will be in the field for the place on
! the Republican side: Fred C.. Mar.
tindale. Detroit: A. T.. Sleeper, state
| treasurer: G.. H. Glasgow. state rail
road commissioner: Amos Mussel-
man. Grand Rapids: John @ Ross,
| lieutenant governor. Muskegon. Pat
rick II Kelley, Lansing. and possibly
Truman H. Newberry OF Detroit.
Two members OF the legislature
seek the Office OF secretary of state
They are Senator Frank Newton.
Ypsilanti; Rep. George Lord. Detroit.
For state land commissioner Rep.
Chambers OF Gratiot county is can
didatc. and so is A c Carton. deputy
land commissioner.
John NJ. Perry. representative from
| Osceola. and speaker pro tenn of the
House. is a candidate for state treas
urer in case Sleeper does not run
for the Office again.
Auditor General O. r Fuller is n
| candidate 10 succeed himself and