The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-03-31
LANSING
LETTER
MUNICIPALITIES LEAGUE
FIGHTS UTILITIES CONTROL
Senate Approves Measures Previously
Considered Lost; Department of
Safety Bill Submitted.
(From San correspondent)

and a determined battle is in progress ,
over the bill introduced by Senator 1
Don Osborn of Kalamazoo to give the
public utilities commission absolute |
control over all public service cor
porations The latter are reported to
favor the Osborn bill and the league |
of municipalities is openly fighting
the measure.
The league adherents will be salts
fed with nothing except city control
OF utilities and declare that II the
Osborn bill gets through the legis-
lature 1t will only do so with ref
erendum clause attached and that 1t
will be defeated at the polls when the
city people get chance to vote on 1t.
Some members are threatening to put
in bills to abolish the public utilities
commission.
LoG-RoLLING CHARGED.
Vote trading and log-rolling were
charged to the senate after one after
noon session in which two apparently
dead measures were taken up and
passed along with the Bryant bill to
abolish the state constabulary. The
latter measure went through with
scarcely any comment except that &C.
casioned by the fact that the new de-
partment of public safety bill is to
dispose of the present state police
body and supplant it with another.
The constabulary has many deter
mined foes, however, and they re-
joiced over the senate action on the
repeal bill.
In connection with the passage of
this bill opposition was dropped to
the proposed constitutional amend
ment to allow counties to establish
commission form of government If
they so elect. The joint resolution
providing for the submission OF this
amendment was taken off the table
where it has reposed since its failure
to get the needed two-thirds vote and
was passed with several votes to
spare. Then the senators put through
the bill to reduce auto license taxes
one-quarter on all licenses purchased
after April of each year. The house
already has gone on record as opposed
to this idea.
INCOME TAX BILL DEFEATED.
The administration bill for the de-
partment OF safety would place in the
hands of this department the enforce
ment of prohibition, the duties Of the
state fire mashal and of the state oil
inspector. 1t would abolish the con-
stabulary next June. The bill pro-
vides for $4,000 year commission
er to have charge of the department
The house was the scene OF pretty
battle when the proposed state in
come tax plan came up for discussion.
II would require an amendment to the
constitution to have such a tax and
ii takes a two-thirds vote to submit
an amendment to the voters. After
much heated debate and with the
WAYNE delegation standing solidly
against the plan the house vote
showed Ga members favoring the in
come tax, Just three less than two
thirds. The matter then was tabled
temporarily while the advocates Of the
tax started to campaign for the nee
essary additional three members sup
port.
The house adopted the Groesbeck
administration bill to substitute new
department of labor and industry for
the present state labor commission.
The bill is the third of the series of
administration measures. 1t calls for
a commission of three members who
will be paid $4,000 year each and
who must devote their entire time to
the work OF the department.
DISCUSS MOVIE CENSORSHIP.
The bill to establish state welfare
commission to supplant the present
boards of all state institutions has
been introduced in the house. 1t pro-
yides for $4,000 year welfare COM
missioner, with four commissions
serving under him. One would have
charge of all prisons. another of state
hospitals, third of corrective institu-
lions and fourth OF charitable in
stitutions. Each commission would
consist OF FIVE members to be appoint
ed by the governor and to be paid $40
a day each for time devoted to state
work.
Both houses have passed the Len
non bill to prevent aliens from own
ing firearms and it has gone to the
governor for his consideration.
There is much interest in bill be-
fore the senate to establish new
trunk line highway across the state
from the Indiana line below kalama-
ZOO to Port Sanilac, via Ionia. Stan.
ton. Ithaca and Saginaw and to be
known as the Colgrove highway In
honor of Phil T. Colgrove. of Hast
iugs. an ardent advocate of good
roads.
An unusually heavy number of petit
lions concerning censorship Of NOV
ing pictures is coming in to the sen
ate from all parts of the state. This
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