Charlevoix county herald., 1916-11-17
1917 State
Legislature
RECORD TASKS WILL HAVE
TO BE FACED
Railroad Fares, Wet and Dry
Legislation. Tonnage Tax, Anti
Injunction Act All Looming Up

Lansing Nov. 13.-The 1917 legis-
lature, chosen at the polls last week
Tuesday, will face more difficult legis-
lative problems than any of its pre-
decessors, and unless all signs fail, the
next session of the solons will be the
most important the state has ever seen.
Wet and dry legislation, which is just
now engaging the public mind, APP
parently, will be among the least OF the
legislatures troubles, which include
another effort by the railroads to boost
passenger rates, efforts by the Grange,
real estate dealers and the Michigan
Federation of Labor to put through
laws started by initatory petitions, and
last but by no means least will come
the wrestle with the rising total of APP
= ropriations.
THE TONNAGE TAX LAW.
Nfhe Grange is getting initiative sig
natures TO a tonnage tax law, the old
bone of contention in Michigan legis-
lative politics, which has appeared ais
most every session as "bogey man"
but which has never faced the music of
an open vote on the floor Officers of
the Grange insist that election day they
collected what they think are plenty
signatures and will have their petitions
ready to file with the secretary of state
about the middle of December, as
prescribed by the constitution.
= TORRENS BILL PROPOSED.
The real estate men, in conjunction
with the Grange, have petitions out to
initiate the Torrens system Of land
transfers. another law which has been
kicked about from pillar to post ever
since the advent of what can be termed
progressive" legislation. IT got into
the legislature last year for time, but
was pulled out again. This time its
sponsors insist it will 90 through and
they say they will have the votes to
back it up. This bill will receive the
condemnation of every title and abstract
man in the state, for it practically
abolsheS their business.
LABOR UNIONS AT WORK.
The Michigan Federation of Labor is
at work initiating an anti-injunction bill
similar to that passed by the democratic
congress at Washington. This promises
q real fight between the labor unions
and their opponents in the house and
the senate. There have been rumors
that the required number of signatures
were not being sec red by this law,
but the union officials say otherwise
tuesdays election, in bringing about
the defeat of Marshall Oakley, member
of the house from Bay county, deprived
the unions of one of their hardest fight
ers and the man who in all probability
would haye led the fight for the bill on
the floor of the house.
RAILROAD RATE RAISE.
But beyond the promised initiated
measures there will be several others
which will cause splits most notable of
which is the bill to raise the minimum
railroad fare from two cents a mile,
either to two and one-half cents or to
three cents. This proposition was de-
feated in 1915 by the bare margin of
half dozen votes, and now that their
avowed and arch enemy, Grant Fellows
has been placed on the supreme bench,
where he cannot direct legislative
fight, the railroads apparently think
that they can win. Merlin Wiley, mem
ber from Chippewa county, who led
the fight in the house against the raise
in rates, is returned and is expected to
appear in his former role.
RAILROADS LOOKED EN- OVER. "
On this proposed bill, although there
has been no definite statement from the
railroads that they were going to make
, the attempt again, nearly everybody al
the capitol is aware that another move
IN to be made. A sort of cooperative
scheme has been in operation since the
legislature adjourned, and the candi.
dates before the polls Tuesday were
given a good "look over" by the rail.
roads, just as the Michigan anti-saloon
league did on the wet and dry question
LIQUOR LEGISLATION.
On the liquor legislation, there is nc
apparent plan by either side yet in
sight, nor can anyone begin to tell what
= ths-complexion of the senate is. The
house is known to be dry, but the
standing of several of the members o.
the senate is unknown here, chiefly
because Of democratic upsets in severa
districts. While it is thought that the
entire legislature will vote to place the