The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1915-01-02
TONNAGE TAX
MOVEMENT FAILS
NoT ENOUGH SIGNATURES SECURED
TO BRING ACTION IN APRIL
TINE GRANGE IS DETERMINED
Latest Reports are That Movement
VIII be Continued and the Vote
Brought Two Years Hence

The movement OF portion 0t the
grange to impose tonnage tax upon
the mines OF the upper peninsula has
failed for ths time Deing owing to
the inability OF the leaders 70 get the
proper number of signatures TO the
petition In order TO file IL last Satur-
day.
Saturday was the last day for filing
initiative petitions and the NUMBER
OF names available fell far short Of
the So 600 required ~ +. Hull, "a
leading granger. and president OF the
Grange Isurance association, blamed
red tape for the failure to obtain the
names required. We have had lots Of
trouble over THESE petitions, ne sail.
The law requires that all signatures
be sworn to by the person, or persons,
who secure them. In many cases petit
tion came TO Us which had been cIreulat-
ed by at least four and sometimes half
dozen persons When we found we
had to nave an affidavit from each one
Of them II was too late to send them
back an nave the afiidavits made.
Only last week thousands of signatures
came lin which could not be certified
and returned before next week
Mos well informed persons believe
that the matter will come before the
legislature IN the form OF common
bin for the purpose Of keeping the
agitation alive until the newly initia'
tive petitions have been secured. It|
Is stated on good authority that there
are 42 members in the present house
pledged 60 the measure. III this is
true the other nine necessary to carry
ths bill successfully through the house
! easy. Just what the alignment is
in the senate we have no information
upon.
Should the bill successfully pass the
Legislature, in case one is presented,
the anti-tonnage tax interests will
petition for a referendum vote and the
question will then 20 to the peopl at
the November election, in case the
necessary humber Of signatures are
secured and as the number is com
paratively small. there is little doubt
their being secured.
The Michigan Equal Tax Associa.
tion, formed at Marquette short
time ago for the purpose Of fighting
the tonnage tax should 1t come to a
..D.o t.aa b,n ,vraaafn0 tho tds cat.
ting ready to slide into action. The
fnance committee has met and an
appeal il 70 be made to the several
counties interested for funds with
which 20 carry on the fight, The
removal OF the date for a light back at
least two years has lessened the
pressure considerably aud the associa-
tion will take its time IN making pre-
parationa meeting Of the executive
committee was to have been called for
next week but ii will now be- delayed
several weeks at least and an effort
made to have representative from each
cJuty board meet with the committee
10 that conuties who donate TO the
cause -may know how the money
asSed for ia 20 be spent
iTyno failure Of the Changers TO get
the necessary number Of signeIs bas
seen source 81 much comfort TO
the grangers Of the upper peninsula
opposed 20 the movement one Of
them ps Leo NJ Giesmer Of Houghton
and IN letter to the writer Tuesday
he expressed himself as follows
In front page article Of December
"a, the Lansing Evening Prss states
The stat Grang has faild to secure
the required number Of signatures 70
submit the matter Of the tonnag tax
TO the legislature under the initatlye
and referendum Tomorrow Il the last
day allowed for presenting the
petitions TO the secretary of the state
~ the law requires they be filed
: ten days before the opening of the
Legislature Deputy Dairy and food
Commissioner Lincoln who has been
In charge OF securing the petitions
Tor the executive committee Of the
\ gr2nge gave mp the ghost late 70 day
Hydeclareu that there was absolutely
no nope y getting the required mum.
bAr OF signatures
Among other things the article
states that the tonnage tax fight will
not ~ given up and Lincoln threatens
10 do a lot of things 10 the iron mines
Meanwhile Wa can afford 20 wait IN.