The Detroit times., 1911-04-12
|DEMs. ENGAGE IN
VAIN F|L|BUsTER
Object to Percentage Feature IN
Flowers Primary Bill Which
Stays in, Though Reduced.
(From a star Correspondent

primary reform bill, developed the
first real filibuster OF the season III
the house, yesterday afternoon, ane
amused old-timers to bark back Z
the first primary reform debate, bach
& In Pingree's time, when the late Sher
idan Colby talked all night TO pre-
vent a vote. defeating a bill. The nj
< buster yesterday afternoon was ovei
+ IN two hours, but IL was hot while Il
lasted.
The bill was on third reading. The
(. Democrats objected TO section re
Quiring that any candidate TO receive
q nomination must receive 20 pei
\ cent of the number OF votes cast a.
the previous election. This was de
sired by Republicans in Detroit, who
alleged that the Democrats had hock
( ed into the Republican primaries and
weakened the tickets. The Democrats
considered this chip on the Detroit
members shoulder, and made des
perate attempt, II not to knock 1t on
at least, TO fuddle around and consume
time until II fell of.
Several amendments had been pro-
posed to the bill, when Rep McNaugh'
ton moved the previous questions. Rep.
Happier moved to postpone indefinite
IL, Hep. Perr7. speaker pro tenn, who
was in the chair, declared that the
previous question took precedence.
and that q motion to postpone indefn-
itely was out of order. This brought
Speaker Baker, who was on the floor.
into direct conflict with Perry, who Is
his intimate friend. Rep. Knight, Re
publican, appealed from the chairs de-
cision, but withdrew his appeal Rep.
Farmer, Democrat, Immediately look
up the appeal The chair was sus-
tanned. The minority then demanded
that the bill be read. 1t consisted
of nearly 40 long sections, end Read
ing Clerk Newkirk's voice gave out
before he had finished. Paul II. King,
clerk Of the house. took up the job.
being interrupted by frequent motions
that the bill be considered read, each
OF which required vote and was de-
feated The bill then was passed, So
70 Sc. Rep. Stewart demanded re-
consideration for the purpose Of in
Producing amendments.
Rep. Flowers then accused the
Democrats OF bad faith. saying that
he had had a conference with them
HuQ 0du Ou6Ttu u lcsStu luG ptISChI
age required for nominations. ana had
been given to understand that the
concession would make the bill &C
ceptable. Rep. Farmer replied that
he had had nothing to do with such
an agreement. Rep. Brickcr sidestep-
ped. Rep. Flowers then voluntarily
offered to make the percentage 10.
With this amendment. the bill pass
ed, ~ to 13. the Democrats standing
pat. Rep. Taylor then demanded a
second reconsideration and the final
vote was 75 to IL.
At times the argument assumed the
phase of the whole state against De-
troit, and at one time an amendment
was proposed. making the bill apply
only to Detroit's city elections. The
hnal outcome was victory for Rep.
Flowers and the other Wayne mem
bers.
Rep. Flowers bill to give married
women the right to their earnings
also passed the house, after a strug-
gle by about the same bunch that de-
feated the woman suffrage amend
ment. -.-,--- 49, ---
The statewide boiler inspection lin,
which passed the house in the morn
ing was reconsidered and passed, by
the same narrow margin as In the
morning.
Two bills were killed, one introiuc-
ed by Rep. Glasner, abolishing the
state pardon board and vesting it's
duties In the governor, the other in
troduced by Rep. Dusenbury, prohib-
fting probate judges from sitting In
cases In which they had ever drawn
papers.
A large number Of minor bills we're
passed.
Enough oratory to flll three ordin-
airy capitols for a few sessions was
uncorked In the senate committee of
the whole; Tuesday afternoon. when
Senator Newton revived his bill, en-
powering the governor and the attor.
ney-genertl to employ secret-service
men to investigate state institutions
and the conduct Of their officers. Az
ter the smoke of a mighty debate
had cleared away, the men who had
defended the governors right to en-
gage the fly cops saw their measure
defeated, and one substituted instead
which cut the governors name out
almost entirely, and gave him the
power to employ this kond OF aid only
with the consent OF the state board
Of auditors. Senator Miller was the
author Of the substitute.
Newton's bill was branded as un.
fair, inhuman, unAmerican, tyranni.
cal and swarms OF similar terms. Sen
ator Murtha took q hand in the ar
gument, declaring II gave too much
mower to n single official aud that
such action led to the government OF
a tyrant. Senators Collins, White,
and Miller, also declared that the
\ measure was more appropriate for a
government like that in Russia.
In the face OF these orators, the
state constitution reads, In article 9:
Section 2. The governor shall
have power and Il shall be his duty
except at such time a. the legislature
may be In session, 10 examine into
the condition and administration OF
any public ONCE and the acts of any
public officer. elective or appointive;
to remove from the Office for gross
neglect OF duty or for corrupt con-
duct In Office, or any other misfens-
ance or malfeasance therein. any cleo.
tive OF appointive state officer. except
legislative OF judicial, and report the
causes Of such removal to the legis-
lature as It's next session.
The Watkins bill. placing the game
warden's department and the Hsh
commission under the control OF a