The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-02-17

question. i am against tonnage tax
because | deem 1t unjust and unfair.
| am for fair play and square deal
| want fair and equitable taxation of
all property in the state. The mines
should be compelled to bear their
share Of the public burden. They
should be appraised as carefully as
II the state intends to purchase them
This can only be accomplished by
non-partisan commission of experts
And then the tax commission must
have greater power and the means to
enforce their decisions"
Initiative and Referendum.
Representative Charles d. 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 to the consti.
tuition providing for initiative and ref.
erendum.
In order to get the views of the
members and other interested persons,
a meeting was held in the rooms Of
tiiO SACSullNC OulCc w.
Kox, state chairman of the Republican
central committee, presided. Senator
watkins and Speaker Baker were
charged with the duty to take a poll
OF the members of the senate and
house respectively and work up senti
ment for the proposition. Senator
Kingman of Calhoun county spoke
against the recall and denounced it as
vicious. The initiative and referendum
are strongly Endorsed by the Grange
members, and the possibilities of the
resolution passing both houses are
very bright.
Must Practice Economy.
Governor Osborn has intimated IN
the strongest terms possible that tie
legislature must practice the strictes'
economy and that all bills carrying ex.
cessive and unnecessary appropria-
tons will be promptly vetoed when
they reach his Office. 1t Is the idea
OF the governor to put the state back
on a 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 o.
born administration is carrying the ii
nancial burdens of the former admin. ]
istrations. Bat the governor is dete :
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.
pera has introduced a bill providing
for the erection of normal college a
Alpena 1t looks like, for economic
reasons, this project will be laid over
for two years. Oppenborn has also
introduced a bill to amend the tax
law which provides for the separation
of all state and county taxes. If this |
bill becomes a law, it 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
number Of years ago, but proved un.
satisfactory, and the law was repealed
Judges Protest.
Senator Vanderwerp stirred up. a
hornets nest when he introduced his |
bill providing for the general redis. |
tricting of the judicial circuits and
reduction in the, number Of circuit |
judges. At the hearing before the ju
dicial committee thirty judges appear
ed to protest against such action. A |
number of the judges admitted that |
their districts did not give them work |
enough, and are willing to take on new |
territory, but the question is who is |
to lose his job? No one seems to be |
willing to sacrifice himself for the sake |
of giving some other Judge more work. |
Legislature Has Made Progress.
A number of bills have 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. |
age. Among the important bills up for |
the week beginning Feb. 10 are the |
Hale bill, which provides for the or
ganizatoin OF mutual insurance com
panfes which protects farm products
against hail. Also Representative |
Lords bill 20 reorganize the tax com.
Representative Straight has
a bill which is of great importance to
all cities. II provides for a commits
sion to govern the city school, instead |
Of board of education.
Bradley investigation.
The senate committee charged with
the investigation of the. scandalous
charges against Senator Bradley By
Former Assistant Sergeant-at.arms
has completed It's hearing
but could not arrive at a conclusion
after considering the testimony behind |
closed doors for. several hours. Il is |
thought that the committee will report |
to the senate next Wednesday and Will |
make no recommendation but submit |
their testimony TO the body and let 1
the entire senate he the iudse