Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-04-03
LETTER FROM The
STATE CAPITOL
TWO BIGGEST MEASURES BEFORE
PRESENT SESSION JUST ABOUT
FINISHED THEIR COURSE.
CONsTABULARY BILL ADOPTED
The Meoonsld-Youns Compensation
Gill Was Adopted BY A I'm
snimous Vote.
by William Lee Calnon
lansing. Mich.


The bill establishing the state cor
stabulary and the bill amending tn
workmen's compensation law. two OF
he biggest matters before the presenl
legislature practically have finished
lneir course through the lawmakini
mill aud Will 70 to the governor as
loon az the house agrees TO som
: slight amendments made by the sea
o,e
he con,tabulary bill pas cd a..
after body on vote OF % to 4. OH /,
.enltors Brennan. Rowe, Wood AM
-aker voting against &c. Efforts of IN
rpposiCon 20 delay The bin and 10
attach referendum on il calling for
q vote in November. 1920. met with
/ failure The only changes the senate
made In the house bin were to reduce
The salaries OF captains to $4,000 a
year and OF lieuteuants to $500 a
year
The Mcdonald. Dung compensation
bill was adopted By unanimous sen.
ate vote. one slight change made 10y
he senate makes II mandatory for Il
compensation claim TO be- filed within
TWO years from date OF injury.
The senate has killed OF finally The
Brennan bill to allow moving picture
shows and baseball games on SUNDAY
in all communities that do not speci
fically vote not to have them The
system OF accounting for state instifu
tons was adopted by the senate with
one amendment. calling for a chief
accountant and nine assistants 60 DO
the work
Both houses are speeding up their
work these days and the appropriation
bills are rapidly coming up for action
II has been noticed that the bulge,
bills all call for the raising by taxa
ton OF the money allowed each in
stitution and department This would
mean that all OF the states expenses
would have 10 be paid with money
raised directly by taxation As the
state gets about $4,000. 900 a year from
fees and in other ways and has this
available for expenses il IL not nee
essary to raise that amour, BY direC
taxation. Some way Is being sought
10 make allowance for this $4,000. 0on
and prevent the necessity OF leyying
it on the taxpayers OF the state.
Work has progressed so far. how
ever. that it is expected the end Of
another week will find the Legislators
In a position to set definite dat, for
the ending of the session Some time
in late April now is expected to see
the finish
Battles over proposed laws have be-
come a daily occurrence in the house
several I'm one day frequently enliyen.
ing the sessions. One OF the fights was
over the Ross bill to abolish the state
fish commission and transfer its duties
10 the public domain commission The
house finally refused 10 pass the bill.
20 members voting against il and only
IL for il The sponsors OF the bill
accused the commission OF being do
nothing body and OF not having built
fsh hatchery in Il years The de-
nders OF the commission retorted
that il was the legislatures fault the
commission didn't do more. as the
money was not given 10 II
Another long drawn out argument
in the house was caused by the Moore
bill TO replace the state board OF
health with a state health commits
/ sioner, backed by an advisory council
OF five members. The original bill
called for the naming OF the health
commissioner by the council OF Ave.
after II had been named by the gov
ernor An indefinite term OF Office wa
given the commissioner. This aroused
so much opposition that Rep. Moore
amended the measure to make the
commissioners term one OF four years
and TO have him appointed by the
governor and confirmed by the senate.
Wide powers are given the commits
sioner by the bill. as he would have
supreme control In times OF epidemic
and could. with the consent OF the
council OF Ave, close all public places.
quarantine towns and direct the ener-
gies OF all local health authorities In
its amended shape the bill passed the
house by a vote OF IS 10 40
After the various reports TO the
house this session as 10 the glarine
| faults OF various state institutions II
was refreshing TO have the committee
on the Lansing school for boys report
that the institution is being conduct
ed now in first-class style by SUPP
| Frost Rep. Toepel. OF the commit
tee. makes a public appeal for the do
nation OF books to the library of the
school. said library having but few
volumes at present
The expected battle over public util
tiles legislation still is being awaited
but definite lineup has been had anc
il is thought the house will thresh ou
matters as between the two sides. On,
stands for laws that will give all cite.
the right to regulate public utilities
within the cities including power ove'
rates and service. while the other side