The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1915-04-16
ADJOURNMENT
DATE UNCERTAIN
Many important bills Yet to be Con.
sidered, May Necessitate Advanc-
ing Date to April 20.
STRAIGHT BILL FIGHT
Result of Spring Elections Augurs
Well for Passage of State Wide
Prohibition Bill.
BY DOUGLAS d. MARTIN.

BY DOUGLAS ID. MAhIlN.
Lansing, Mich.-Special.-
the question of railroad rates and of
state wide prohibition the state legis-
lature is going to have it's hands more
than full during the coming two or
three weeks.
The graduated fare bill, which pro-
vides a measure of relief for the rail
roads has passed the senate by a vote
Of "a to 6 and is now before the
house.
Senator Straight's state wide prohi-
bition measure, which would place be-
fore the people the chance to vote on
the question at the November election
in 1915, is one of the pieces of bust
ness slated for attention this week in
the upper body.
The Taylor graduated fare bill
ought to be reported out OF the house
committee sometime this week. 1t
emerged from the scrap made over it
in the senate practically unscathed.
The 26 senators who voted for it were
Corliss, Covert, Fitzgibbon, Foster,
Ganser, Hanley, Hilsendegen, Holman,
Kelley, McPhillips, Murtha Odell, Ogg,
Paul, Planck, Powell Roberts, Scott
Smith, Taylor, Trip Verdier, Walter
and Williams. Those who opposed
the measure were Damon, Del and,
Morford, GROCER, Straight and Wood
worth. Senators Barnes alid Wood
were absent.
Straight Loss. Fight
Senator Straig' S amendment which
proposed ~ - the railroads issued
transfe~' ole mileage books was de-
feste'I. Senator Straight then pro-
rosed another amendment requiring
the railroads to use the revenue de-
rived from the increase Of fares in
the improvement Of their properties
and this was also defeated. During
the course of his attacks on the bill
Straight asked Senator Taylor to ex-
plain why the Pere Marquette is ap-
praised at $66,000,000 and pays taxes
only on $25 100000 worth of property.
Senator Taylor recommended that his
colleague take his inquiry before the
tax commission.
Straight declared that he believed
the railroads were using much of their
money unwisely in that they paid hugh
salaries to officials when they could
He said it was poor business policy
for railroad to pay $4,000 salaries
when it was losing money. Such a
thing would not be tolerated in any
other business" declared the senator.
Woodwork Continues Battle.
Senator Woodwork, who has con-
sistently opposed the railroads in their
endeavor to land an increase of fares,
said that the railroad committee had
been forced to accept the railroads
own figures as to earnings. In the
past, he said, the legislature had done
this and had afterwards discovered
that they had ben deceived by the
railroads.
Their own figures condemn them,'
said the senator. "They presented one
set when they wanted their taxes low
red and another SET when they wanted
their rates increased
Look for House Majority.
The easy manner in which the bill
was showed through the senate has en-
couraged the belief that it may meet
with success in the house. The rail
roads claim that they are sure of a
favorable vote in the lower body and
the anti-railroad legislators claim just
as positively that the bill will fail to
pass.
1t is known that the railroads are
acceptingthe graduated fare bill on
the theory that a half loaf is better
than no bread. They expected and
wanted more out Of the present ses-
sion of the legislature, but as was said
In these letters some time ago there
was absolutely no chance to pass
either a straight two and one-half cent
fare or a straight three-cent fare bill
1t is up to the railroads to take what
they can get and be thankful, especial
ly as there is still some doubt as to
whether they will get anything.
State Prohibition Fight.
Just at time when it was believed
the question of state wide prohibition
was about to collapse, along came the
spring election and the local option
fights throughout the state. The ma
jorities returned in favor of the dry
cause in practically every part of
Michigan jolted the legislators as they
have been jolted by nothing during
the present session. Some OF them
came back to Lansing pretty we'll
scared over the attitude which they
had assumed earlier in the session
and proceeded to make recompense as
nearly as possible by setting up a
clamorous agitation for the passage
of statewide prohibition measure.
Senator Henry Straight's bill, which
had been lying in state of innocuous
desuetude for some time was given a
saline injection and lines were re-
arranged in both the house and
senate.
The measure was to have come up
last week but owing to the press of
business could not be reached. 1t is
scheduled for action this week, how
ever, and there seems to be, at the
time this is written, no doubt but that
1t will pass the senate.
After this 1t goes Immediately to the
house and he liquor committee which
is evenly divided and which is presided
over by Rep. Tufts, will surely report