Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1921-03-04
may ASK VOTE ON
STATE INCOME TAX
VOTERS MAY ALSO DECIDE ON
QUESTION OF PRIMARY
OR CONVENTION.
JACKSON PRISON SYSTEM 0.K'D
Complaints Against Warden Huber
Not Based on Facts, Says
House Committee.

come tax law has been proposed in
the senate by Senator Macarthur.
The resolution provides that the
voters shall instruct the Legislature
whether. they want laws for the ad.
ministration Of state income tax.
Members of the judiciary commit.
tee have not yet agreed on the Hart
bill providing optional capital punish
ment In Michigan. Rep. Russell A.
bill, has declared that he will demand
that 1t be reported out by the commit.
tee for consideration on the floor of
the house.
Initiative Not to Be Changed.
Nomination of all constitutional
state officers by direct primary, is
provided for in constitutional
amendment presented by Rep. George
Lord, Detroit. The measure would
also make these officers thus nominal
ed, delegates to state conventions for
the purpose Of formulating party
platforms and issues.
II.
ment will bring a showdown on the
question of primary versus convention
systems. He also declares that II will
abolish for all time the power OF poll
tical bosses in the state, making the
elective officers directly responsible
to the people. The governor and lieu
tenant-governor are now the only
state officials subject to the primary,
the other officials being nominated at
the party conventions.
Other bills are pending which would
go to the other extreme and abolish
all primaries.
After sharp verbal battle in the
house, the joint resolution to increase
from 10 to 20 per cent the number OF
signatures required to place an
amendment on the ballot failed OF
passage for lack of a two-thirds vote,
The resolution was proposed by Rep
Moore, st. Clair, who had as his prin'
cipal opponent in debate Rep. Aaron
Miles, MecOsta county.
Prison "Paddiins" Justified.
Rather than criticism for the seven
instances in which corporal punish
ment have been resorted to in Jack
son prison during the last Is months,
Warden Harry Hubert should be
commended for the fine discipline in
the institution, according to the re-
port filed by the house committee
The report states that those who have
been demanding removal Of the war
den on this score have taken action
based on entire ignorance OF condi
tions existing at this institution" The
report was submitted by Rep. Frank
lin Moore, st. Clair, chairman Of the
committee.
Declaring the report OF the pardon
board incomplete, and for that reason
inaccurate, Rep. Charles Evans in
troduced a Joint resolution in the
house calling for the appointment oil
a Joint committee composed OF two
senators and three representatives tc
investigate the work Of the prison and
pardon board since 1906. On motion
of Mr.. Evans, the resolution was
placed ON its immediate passage and
adopted.
Senator James Henry, Battle Creek
has declared the report OF the com
mission in charge of the construction
Of state office buildings as unsatisfac
tory, and further investigation will be
made this week. Total appropriations
of $1,75O,O00 have been provided fol
the work but additional funds have
been requested which will bring the
cost of the building to about $4,000,
900.
FIrearm Bill Passes House.
Weathering a barrage of amend
ments, aimed to destroy its effective
ness, as well as a series Of assaults In
an effort to drive 1t into the oblivion
of a committee room pigeon hole, the
Lennon firearm bill was passed by the
house by a Sc to 20 vote. In support
ing his bill, Rep. Lennon declared
that the alien had brought the nee
essity for drastic action upon himself
by a consistent refusal to obey the
laws of the country and conduct him
self as a peaceful citizen.
Among the bills passed by the zen
ate is included the following: tha
proof copies of ballots be submitted
to county candidates; that a joint re
solution to restore Fort Mackinac Il
the United States be repealed; thai
the importation, sale or running a
large of diseased sheep be prevented
that notice of formation or abolition
of new election precincts must bt
filed with the secretary of state; ant
Senator Riopelle's bill to prevent thu
marriage of girls under 16 years o
age.
The house passed Rep. Albert Reut
ter's bill which doubles the minimum
penalty for automobile stealing, ais,
the bill which amends the state high
way law so as to prevent counties re
turning to the township unit for roat
building purposes. 1t was given i'm
mediate effect at the request OF thu
state highway commissioner.
The state is now paying more thar
$4,000 annual rental for branches o
the state departments located in DE