The Yale expositor., 1919-04-24


The legislature has decided to wind
up the business of its regular 1919
session on April 20, being prompted
thereto largely by the necessity OF
waiting until after May Z for action
on the enabling acts to put into force
the good roads program made posi-
BILE by the bond issue vote In the April
z election.
A special session, to be held late In
May, or about June /. will be called
to take care of the road bills. II Is
possible also that the question OF q
public utilities commission and its
powers may be left for the special ses-
sion to handle. This could be easily
done. as special session may con-
slider only such matters as the COVER
nor may place before It and II only one
matter is up. one house has to sit idle
while the other acts ON the single
piece Of legislation.
But the members insist they want to
dispose of the utilities question In the
regular session il possible. Also they
want to dispose OF the aftermath OF
the state prison inquiry and the pro-
posed railroad rate legislation. The
chief prison proposal is to advance
Jackson prison $500. 900 from the state
treasury so that il may build new
prison which will be free from the
faults of the ancient properties now
occupied The prison is to repay the
state treasury out of its earnings.
The senate got itself into a mess
over a resolution to thank former
President William Howard Taft for
his address to the Michigan Legislature
on the league of nations plan. Sena-
tor Brennan offered the resolution.
Other senators declared it read like an
outright endorsement Of the league OF
nations and went too far for such
resolution. They postponed it for sew
eral days and finally defeated it on a
tie vote, IA to IA. So Taft remains un-
thanked by the state senate.
But then Mr.. Taft was the guest OF
the house on the occasion of his visit
and the house adopted resolution OF
thanks to him the next day, sending
him an engrossed copy OF 1t. The
senators heard the Taft speech as
guests of the house, the same as did
state officials, members of the SUI
preme bench, and others. So there
was no more real occasion for spe-
cial senate. vote of thanks than there
was for a vote from the citizens who
occupied the benches in the galleries.
The senate has taken the initiative
away from the house in the matter OF
public utilities legislation, reporting
out the Lemire-Brower bill favorably.
This bill creates new public utili-
ties commission in place of the state
railroad commission, leaves to cities
their present control over rates of a
few utilities and broadens the state
power over all rates and service. the
house, at this writing, still has its
eight utilities bills tied up in COM
mittee. 1t may decide to wait on the
senate bill, now that start has been
made there.
The budget bill again has gone to
the governor, after once being recall
ed for some technical amendments.
While the bill was back the two
houses changed one section so that
the legislature hereafter will audit
,oka d{raot frav,, tho afato
treasury its own expenses. The men,
bers became peeved at the auditor
generals Office for minor pruning Of
expense bills.
At the last moment when It was
possible to put in bill and still have
any chance for 1t to be acted upon by
both houses, Senator Penney, of Sag
NAV, came out with time bill which
would compel all towns and cities In
the state to use the same time. This
is aimed to stop Detroit from swing
ing an hour ahead of the rest of the
state when central standard time is in
force.
Two important house bills to go
through the senate and thence to the
governor for his signature are the
Reed agricultural seed bill and the
Dafoe fisheries bill. The first sets
severe penalties for any one who false
ly advertises the merits of any seeds
The other puts all commercial fishing
in Michigan waters under the supervl
sion of the state game department.
The house also has adopted tho
Daprato bill for the issuance of GER
tificate by the secretary of state in
connaction with the aaIa NJ evarv coo