The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1917-01-27
TOWNSHIP AFFAIRS THROUGH.
OUT STATE BID FAIR TO occu-
PY MUCH ATTENTION DURING
THE 1917 SESSION.
MANY NEW BILLS COMING IN
Senator Trip, Of AIlegan, Has Asked
for Committee From Both Houses
to Inquire Into "High Cost
Of Living"
(By w. l.. CALNON.)

(By w. l.. CALNON)
Lansing-Township affairs through
out the state, and the methods OF
township government. bid fair to oc-
cupy much of the limelight during the
1917 session OF the legislature, judg-
ing by the bills pouring into both the
senate and house since the two COM
pleted organization. Half dozen i'm
portant proposals affecting townships
are already I'M committee for consid-
GRAFTON, and others are in course of
preparation by various members.
Rep. Patrick OBrien, of Iron River,
would like to make drastic change
by amending the constitution so that
township highway commissioners no
longer would be elected, but would
be appointed by the township trustees.
His idea Is to get greater efficiency In
road work by having only experienced
men employed, who would have to
work In connection with plans pre-
pared by the county surveyors Rep.
whole good roads movement would be
systematized in the counties, under
the general direction of the surveyor,
Just as the county work Is systema-
tized under the general direction Of
the state highway commissioner. II
Is hard to tell here whether the 1900
or more township highway commits
sioners in the state will agree with
Mr.. O'Brien, but the latter intends to
find out If the legislature will agree
to submit the matter to a vote.
Ire Iron River legislator also would
like to have township tax assessments
published just before the boards OF
review start work on them. He would
make 1t impossible for any assess
ments to be changed after such publ
cation, except by direct, open action
of the board of review. At present,
he contends, the assessments get al
tered sometimes when the taxpayer
isn't looking and he doesn't know IL
until he comes to pay his taxes. Then
he can kick until he loses his voice
without its doing him any good, says
pat"
Rep. Hulse, OF Clinton county, has
introduced a bill putting all village
presidents and trustees on salaries of
not to exceed s25 a year each. They
would be paid one dollar each for
each meeting they actually attended,
but IL more than 25 meetings were
held in any one year the payments
would stop when the s25 limit was
reached.
Senator Covert, of Oakland county,
has presented a resolution to amend
the constitution by electing all town.
ship officers to two year terms instead
OF one year terms. He contends that
greater efficiency could be obtained
in that way Senator Condor, of De-
troit, wants to give townships the OPP
tion of keeping the polls open In pri-
mary elections until s p. m. instead
OF their being forced to close them at
6 p. m
The high cost OF living Is under fire.
as was expected Senator Trip, OF
of both houses to inquire into the rea-
sons for the shortage Of coal and the
high prices for what Is obtained Sen.
ator Koehler is asking for resolu-
ton informing the Michigan delega.
ton in congress that an embargo
should be placed on the shipment of |
food stuffs and fuel supplies out of
the country in order to drive prices
down here. And Rep. Stevenson has |
put in bill to prevent the killing OF |
bulls under two years OF age, cows |
under four years OF age and sheen
under one year of age. He believes
that II this bill becomes law 1t would |
furnish the market with more hides,
milk and wool. even II 1t did take veal |
and baby lamb dishes off the menu. |
Rep. Merlin Wiley has introduced a
bill calling for the Transforming of |
the state railroad commission into Il !
public utilities commission. The bill |
makes no especial change in the com.
missions powers, but would raise the |
salaries OF the commissioners to $1,000 |
q year each.
Another big proposition advanced |
early in the session is to erect an
$500 900 state office building in Lansing |
on plot OF ground owned by the state |
and located three blocks southwest OF |
the capitol. Governor Sleeper favored
an Office building In his inaugural |
message.
The usual grist of road bills and
tax bills also started to come out early |
in the session. Rep. John Schmidt