Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-02-18

"a
IH'.'.:;NS FEW
y al Convention Responsible
a.. ror the Small Amount of
Work Last Week
MANY BILLS ARE INTRO.
DUCED.
Proposed Laws Continue to Pour Into
the Legislative Hopper-suffrase
Measure Meets With an Obstacle.
BY DOUGLAS o. MARTIN.

Lansing. Mich.-With the Republi-
can and Democratic state conventions
thing OF the past there is now a
possibility that the legislature will be
able TO get down TO work and that
something OF value TO the state may
De accomplished
Lat week the legislature convened
at o'clock in the evening for SEES
sion of one hours duration II held
sessions Tuesday and Wednesday and
n ~ for an hour Thursday morning
Then IL adjourned so that the Repub-
Hcan members might attend the Re
publican state convention in Grand
Rapids on Friday
Quite naturally there was little
work done last week The record this
week will be better, although time had
TO be taken out so that the eight
Democrats who hold seats in the legis-
lature could attend their party's state
convention. which was held i'm this
city.
Suffrage Held Up.
one OF the features of the last few
days has been the trouble which has
arisen over the partial suffrage .ocae-
ure which was fathered by Rep Flow
ers The Wayne man created surprise
by calling back his measure. announc-
ing that he had reason 10 believe il
20 be unconstitutional
The proposed bill was drafted along
tfe lines OF The partia suffrage bill
which passed the legislature of the
state of Illinois. but Nit Flowers eX-
planned that the constitutions ot lli-
nos and Michigan differed ir-t
10 make this measure one which
would not stand ,he test of the M.cai-
gan supreme court
Suffrage leaders howevo'. ore rot
AT all satisfied with Mr. Flowers in
depreciation OF the measure auo eaye
placed the bill in the hands of Senator
Henry Straight of Codwater Mr..
Straight has submitted the bin to the
attorney generals Office and has asked
an opinion relative to its constitutions
ality If he receives a favorable reply
he will introduce the measure i'm the
senate and will proceed 10 fight the
question out along wet and dry lines.
AS the bill would give women the
right TO vote on the question of local
option II is believed that it would win
the support of the dry members OF
both houses and as they hold the
majority of votes i'm both houses this
year 1t seems probable that the meas
ure would go to Governor Ferris for
his signature which, by the way II
would receive
New Railroad Bill
Senator Burrell Trpp, OF Kent conn
~ is the father of new railroad bin
which offers a novel solution 30 the
passenger fare problem which is oc-
cupying SO much of the legislatures
attention
The Trip bill calls for 2ia-tcnt
fares on all but the trunk lines Of
this state The bin makes This dis
tinction possible by making the i'm
creased rate apply only to roads
which have terminals i'm this state.
This means. OF course that the Grand
Trunk. the Michigan Central the Lake
Shore and the Wabash would not re
ceive the high rate.
The question of whether they viii
come under the law is left optional
with the railroads. If they agree 10
come under the law they must consent
10 spend - per cent Of their passen-
ger earnings in the purchase and
maintenance of passenger equipment.
Senator Trip declares that a road
which comes under this provision viii
be able to maintain its passenger
equipment and leave them lSI cents
per mile.
Rep Samuel Daigneau, of Berrien
county. has submitted 10 the house
resolution calling upon the attorney
general for an opinion relative 10 the
constitutionality OF legislative acton
delegating 10 the state railroad com
mission the right TO fix passenger rates
in this state The resolution was
adopted
Appoints Are Made.
Governor Ferris list of appoint
ments have az last been cOncurred IN
nv the state senate After iockeying
over the list for weeks. threatening
to hold it up and to do other drastic
things to il. the Republican members
of the senate finally capitulated.
Governor Ferris in reality held the
whip hand in this matter His reply
tn the senate was 10 the effect that II
his list of appointments was not con
frmed that he would remove everl
Republican now holding a state job
Realizing that he had the power to
make good his threat the senators
backed down as gracefully as pos
sible.
In revenge however they are plan
ming TO upset a scheme urged by
Major Burkhart who wants TO IT,
himself 10 the Office of secretary OF
the state board Of health so securely
that he will remain in Office after the
4 nt.H
Major Burkhart has introduced,
through a member of the senate an
innocent looking little measure which
provides that the Office OF secretary
Of the state board OF health shall here
after be filled by the members OF the
board instead OF by the appointment
OF the governor II also provides that
the salary of the secretary shall be
raised TO $4,000 year
Inasmuch as the board is now com
posed of Democrats Major Burkhart