The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1915-02-05
NO PROBE FOR
PARDON BOARD
REP. FoRD'S RESOLUTION KILLED
BY IT TO IS; VAN VORcE CASE
STILL UNSETTLED.
NEW RAILROAD BILL
Provides Rate of 2H Cents For Roads
Earning Over $4,000 Per Mile
Earning That Amount Cents
Per Mile.
BY DOUGLAS D. MARTIN.

BY DOUGLAS D. MARTIN.
Lansing, Mich.,-(Special)-Reso-
buttons may come and resolutions may
20 in the Michigan House of Repre-
sentatives, but it will be full many
q moon before there will be a resolu-
ton which will create as much ex-
cited talk and ruffle the feelings of
as many statesmen as the Ford reso-
luton, to probe the doings of the par
don board.
Before this resolution was laid to
rest, Rep. Ford had openly charged
Rep. Biggerstaff with either having
cold feet, or being bought off by
promise of political pap and had
created a scene on the floor OF the
house when both Rep. Biggerstaff and
Speaker Smith approached him and
asked him to either explain or apollo
gize.
The day following the verbal bat
tie the resolution was called up and
killed by an overwhelming vote OF
II to Is. Several strong speeches
were made against the resolution by
influential members and these coupled
with the bad flavor which the unseen
ly affair OF the previous day had lett,
accomplished the death OF the attempt
to free Merle Van Vorce from Jack
son prison.
One OF the surprises of the week,
and it was not an agreeable one to the
legislators, was the announcement by
the Pere Marquette that 1t would With
draw its bill asking tor fiat increase
of one-nalf cent per mile in favor OF
a bill winch Will be backed by all rail
roads, asking for an increase Of from
one-half TO "a full cent.
The new measure has been introduc-
ed by Rep. John Stevenson, OF De
troit 1t provides that all roads earn
ing $4,000 mile ana more may charge
and one hal cents per mile for
carrying passengers, and that roads
earning less than $4,000 mile may
charge three cents. 1t provides that
ali branches must be figured in when
the earnings of the road are computed.
The bill practically means the es-
adjustment of straight three cent
fare in Michigan, the possible excep-
tons being the Grand Trunk and the
Michigan Central.
Legislators are afraid of the bill
and what the people will say about
it. They point out the fact that the
measure would take Michigan back
beyond the Pingree days. AT that
time roads which earned $4,000 per
mile were limited to charge OF two
cents per mile for passengers. Those
earning between $4,000 and $1,000
were allowed to charge two and one
half cents and those earning below
$4,000 a mile were allowed to charge
three cents.
Lieut-Governor Opposed.
Lieut-Governor Dickinson has not
hesitated to condemn the proposed in
crease. THE railroads" declares the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, come before US
with a mass of data, much of which
In Of a technical nature and exceeding
ly intricate. How can this legisla-
ture, in the brief time allotted to it,
be expected TO go over this data and
pass INTELLECTUALLY on a question
which involves an average increase
OF thirty per cent in the passenger
rates of this state?
"The thing is too big to be dispos-
ed OF in SO short time. 1t is an
issue of great Importance and requires
time and study. l am sure the Pere
Marquette needs the relief which it
asked, but am not so certain that all
the other roads need the assistance
they seek"
New Marke. Measure.
Another measure which was intro
duced and which Is certain to at
tract much attention, not only in the
legislature, but throughout the state,
was the bill which provides for ex-
tending the dairy and food depart
msnts' power and for increasing the