The Detroit times., 1911-04-08
DENIS. OPPOSE
PRIMARY BILL
Say 20 Per Cent Clause Might Re
suit in No Nomination-Baker
With En-.
1From n staa Correspondent

LANSING, Mich, April the
Flowers bill, unifying the spring
primaries and otherwise reforming
the general primary law, passed com
mittee OF the whole Of the house ana
was advanced 70 third reading. yes
terday, after an all-afternoon fight.
| The great contest was over pro-
vision intended 10 stop the enrolling
of members OF one party under an.
other marty utilization for the sake or
nominating a weak candidate as mas
been charged TO have been done in
Detroit. notably In the nomination OF
Proctor X. Owens, for mayor las'
fall. The bill provides that TO entilie
a candidate 10 a place on parry
| ticket, he must receive 20 per cent OF
the vote cast by that party at the last
preceding general election. speaker
Baker took the field with the Demo
Gratis, and said that this provision
would prevent nominations In many
cases where there was little interest
In the primary. In the case OF nomih-
ations for circuit judge, the entries
are to be filed with the secretary OF
state instead OF the county clerk.
The spring primary is fixed for the
first Wednesday in March prior 10 the
election, and the fall, primary is hxed
the last Monday in August. Candi-
dates are allowed 10 procure coioreo
facsimiles OF ballots for the instrue-
ton OF voters. Independent tickets
are provided for, voters being allowed
to enroll as members OF new poliu-
cal party at any primary election.
Some changes are also made TO SIM
plify election boards. Other changes
are made TO correct minor defects III
the present law. The matter or wo-
men voting at primary elections for
school inspector IL taken care OF In
separate bill, now in the senate.
This and the military bill. were the
principal features OF long grist OF
work disposed Of by the committee OF
the whole.
The following appropriations were
approved: Mt. Pleasant normal
school, $l61, 900; school for the blind,
sl99, 600: Michigan reformatory st
Ionia, $4,000; home for epileptic and
feeble minded at Lapeer, $4,000. The
senate appropriation OF S366,OOO Tor
Jackson prison was referred to the
ways and means committee. The APP
propriation includes 1925, 900 for re-
placing the old cell block, an object
which was thought TO be absolutely
imperative, but over which some
doubt has arisen In certain quarters;
81, 500 for purchasing a prison farm
and $4,000 for improving 1t. The ap-
preparation for Kalamazoo asylum.
s23,509, was referred back to the
ways and means committee. The
authorities are making a strenuous at
tempt To get an additional appropria-
ton for a fire-fghting equipment
The bill for state inspection OF boil
ers was passed by committee OF the
whole after an amendment had been
introduced specifying that the insfec-
tors. who are placed under the state
factory inspector, should be specially
qualified. The Verdier bill, standaruiz-
ing fruit and vegetable measures, was
also passed after fight About 70
bills of lesser importance were passed
by the committee OF the whole, and
advanced TO third reading.
The house holds Saturday session.
Speaker Baker gave the members
friendly talk yesterday, telling them
that they ought to cut out converse
ton on foreign subjects during the
session and try TO dispose Of the bust
ness as fast as possible. Gov. Os-
born said, yesterday afternoon, that
he was much pleased with the houses
efforts the last week or two. The SEN
ate adjourned till Monday, having DIS
posed of all the matters ready for II.
Under q concurrent resolution by
Senator Taylor, which came over
from the senate and passed the house
Yesterday, the Grand Rapids q Indi-
ana railway may be compelled TO stop
mulcting passengers OF an extra half
cent a mile when they cross the state
line into Indiana. Two-cent fare laws
are in effect in both states, but when
a passenger purchases a ticket from
one state to the other, he pays ~
cents. The resolution directs the
state railway commission to take
such steps as are necessary to cor
rect the abuse.
A senator interested In the town
ship unit bill, which was slipped into
the senate the other day, while being
held back by the liquor committee or
the house, states that the bill has no
chance whatever IN the senate. His
poll gives % votes against II and 10
for II. Under an agreement between
certain vets and drys in the house,
under which the Martz-Stevenson-
Kemerling bill was passed, II Is
thought the bill stands little chance
there.