The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-03-31

him in the least. However, as the
matter stands now, the blame for kill.
ing the bill rests entirely upon the
senate.
The senate passed the Holland.
Bricker bill which provides for the
taxation Of mineral reserves. THIS bill
is of the greatest importance to pros
pective settlers in the upp;r peninsula.
Land owners in that section of TIE
state most invariably retain the min
eral rights on lands. This seriously
hampers the settlement of these lands
| by actual farmers. AS result of this
bill the state may in the future become
the possessor of ore mines, as the bill
provides that should the tax upon min.
| eral reserves remain unpaid and be-
come delinquent, such reserves will
become the property of the state as
result Of the tax lien held by the state
against such reserves. The senate
went further than the house and in
cluded oil, gravel, salt and coal lands
In the bill.
Oppenborn After Frauds.
Not discouraged by the failure OF
his first bill prohibiting advertising
frauds and the exploitation Of wild
cat mining schemes through the news.
papers and periodicals published in the
state, Representative Oppenborn has
introduced another bill which exempts
all advertising published in the news
papers by mercantile establishments. |
This bill is Of great interest to the
press of the state. The original bill
after being defeated by the house was
reconsidered and by Mr. Oppenborn's |
motion referred to the committee on
state affairs. The bill will finally be |
reported out with the Objectionable
features eliminated.
Central Board Bill Passed.
The house passed the central board |
bill abolishing all state boards and |
combining their power into one central |
board consisting Of three members In
committee of the whole. Representa-
tive Graves managed to amend the
bill by attaching a rider on same
which abolishes the pardon board and
changes the central board of control
with the powers and duties now per-
formed by the advisory board in the
matter of pardons.
FraternaI Bill Passed.
The house passed the Ashley bill
formulated on the plan adopted by
the national fraternal congress. An
amendment offered by Representative
Warner was attached to the measure
providing that within six months after
the bill goes into effect a referendum
must be had by the members of the
societies who wish to come under the
provisions of the act
The bill was vigorously opposed by
a number of smaller insurance COM
panies The main feature of the bill
provides for valuation of all insur-
ance societies doing business under
the fraternal plan in Michigan 1t has
the support OF every insurance com.
missioner In the Union and It tends
to put fraternal insurance on a safe
basis, insuring to the members great
er stability and the same protection
as now enjoyed by the policyholders of /,
the old line companies.
Two Cent Fare Bill Out.
The Symonds bill, providing for
two cent fares on all upper p2nin sula .
railroads earning $1,000 per mile or
over, was reported out by the railroad |
and passed the committee
Of the whole. A number of amend.
ments attached to the bill upon sug.
gestion OF the railroad representatives
and adopted by the railroad commit.
tee were stricken out of the bill In
committee of the whole. Seeing that
the fight against reduction IS use
ess, the railroad representa- ives
agreed on reduction to two and one.
half cents per mile. This was siren.
lously objected to by Representatives
Symonds, HAPPIER and Knight The bill
will pass the house, and the railroad ]
are now bending every
effort to prevent its passage in the
senate. Senator James, assisted by
Senator Fowle, will fight for the bill to
4 finish. The chances for the bill in
passing the senate are good
Workingmen's Compensation.
A new employees compensation
Measure which reflects the ideas OF
he labor interests was introduced In
he senate by Senator James. The
committee Of the house,
which Is composed of lawyers, report
ID substitute for the six compen-
'ation bills before that committee.
The substitute provides for action
AIKEN in court OF law In any case
where damages are asked for as the
esult of injuries received while in en-
'loyment in any factory or manufac.
uring institution IN the state. The
abor interests desire that court ac.
ion be eliminated and that settle.
nent should be compulsory without
he Intervention of the courts
Recall Bill Discussed.
The joint resolution introduced Ivy
Dunn and Woodwork
providing for amendments to the con.
titutton by which the initiative. ref
rendnm and recall may be incorpor-
ted in the constitution was made spe.
ial order for March 2gth A public