The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-02-18

mission 90 appraise lining property
will be introduced and take the place
OF the tonnage bill
During the past week representa-
tyes OF the mining companies attend
ed an open meeting OF the house and
senate committees on taxation. Many
arguments were made pro and con
Governor Osborn, who was an inter.
ested listener To the discussion, was.
Mt the end OF the debate. invited by
Senator Kingman, chairman OF the
Joint committee. TO express his views.
Governor Wants Square Deal.
In few words. Governor Osborn
made his position clear 10 the audi
ence. MY ideas about tonnage tar
ought 20 be pretty clear" said the gov.
ernor. During the past campaigns
frequently expressed my views on this
question. ! am against a tonnage tax
because ! deem Il unjust and unfair.
] am for fair play and square deal
] want fair and equitable taxation OF
all property in the state. The mines
share OF the public burden. They
should be appraised as carefully as
II the state intends 10 purchase them
THIS can only be accomplished by a
non-partisan commission OF experts
And then the tax commission must
have greater power and the means 10
enforce their decisions.
Initiative and Referendum.
Representative Charles ID. Symonds
OF Menominee county has prepared the
joint resolution TO be introduced in the
legislature TO submit TO the voters OF
the state the amendment 10 the consti.
tuition providing for initiative and ref.
erendum.
In order 20 get the views OF tho
members and other interested persons.
meeting was held I'm tho rooms OF
the executive office Thursday. w. +.
kox, state chairman OF the Republican
central committee. presided. Senator
Watkins and Speaker Baker were
charged with the duty TO take poll
OF the members OF tho senate and
house respectively and work up sent.
ment for the proposition. Senator
kingman OF Calhoun county spoke
against the recall and denounced n as
vicious. The initiative and referendum
are strongly Endorsed by the Grunge
members. and the possibilities OF tho
resolution passing both houses arc
very bright
Must Practice Economy.
Governor Osborn has intimated In
the strongest terms possible that tho
legislature must practice the strictest
economy and that all bills carrying ex.
cessiye and unnecessary appropria-
tions will be promptly vetoed when
they reach his Office II Is the idea
OF the governor to put the state back
on cash basis and pay up all obi.
cations. With the strictest economy
the budget for the next two years will
be higher than at any other period dur
ing the history OF the state. The Os-
born administration is carrying the n.
nancial burdens OF the former admin.
istrations But the governor is deter.
mined that political reasons shall not
interfere with the tax levy. and that
two years from now Michigan shall be
square with the board.
oppenborn Wants Normal.
Representative oppenborn from AL.
pena has introduced a bill providing
for the erection Of a normal college at
hlpena II looks like, for economic
reasons. this project will be laid over
for two years. oppenborn has also
introduced n bill 10 amend the tax
law which provides for the separation
OF all state and county taxes. II this
bill becomes a law. Il will result In
the dismissal OF nearly half OF the
Office force now employed in the audi
tor generals department
A similar experiment was tried a
number OF years ago. but proved un.
satisfactory. and the law was repealed.
Judges Protest.
Senator Vanderwerp stirred up n
hornets No. when he introduced his
bill pTovidA-x for tho general redis.
tricting q the judicial circuits and
reduction In the number Of circuit
judges AZ the hearing before the Ju.
dicial committee thirty judges appear.
ed 10 protest against such action A
number of the judges admitted that
their districts did net give them work
enough, and are wili1g 20 take on new
territory. but the question . who is
to lose his job? No one seems 70 be
willing 10 sacrifice himself for the sake
OF giving some other Judge more work
Legislature Has Made Progress.
A number OF bills nave passed the
house or the senate on third reading.
No bill has as yet passed both houses.
but during the coming week some OF
the bills will pass on their final pass,