Charlevoix county herald., 1921-04-22

points ana IN resolution asking
congress to amend the LaFollette sea-
mems act to remove restrictions
which hamper lake trade.
The senate has killed the bill to
raise the salary of the presiding cir
cult Judge of the state $1,000 a year.
1t passed the Sink bill prohibiting the
scalping of amusement tickets and
the Hamilton bill to compel the teach
ing of the constitution in all schools.
II also adopted the Wood bill to com
pei Wayne county to elect its dele
gates to political conventions at
primaries. In committee of the whole
the senate had battle over the plan
to allow counties to issue land alb
stracts, but the measure went on to
third reading
Increase Workman's Compensation.
The house has adopted the Melon
aid bill to increase the maximum
workman's compensation from $4,000
to $1,000 and clearly defining what
shall constitute injury under the law.
1t also adopted the Culver bill to al
low chiropractic practitioners their
own examining board. The bill to re-
quire school districts to employ school
physicians and nurses was defeated
by the house.
New bills continue to come in de-
spite the lateness of the session. One
that was rushed along in the house
aims to provide $4,000 for the family
of Harold Anderson, state trooper
killed while pursuing bandits near
Novi. State troopers do not come un-
der the compensation act. Another
new bill proposes tax of one cent
gallon on gasoline used for motor
fuel.
The state tax rate is beginning TO
have its inning in the Michigan legis-
lature, the various appropriation bills
being the vehicle by which it may be
judged. The ways and means commit
tee of the house of representatives
and the finance committee of the SEN
ate, after long and careful considera-
ton, are reporting out the bills which
carry appropriations of the states
money. The committees are doing
their best to economic and are slash
ing the budget requests heavily. The
general prediction in Lansing is that
the total expenses of the state for the
next two years will be reduced from
thirty to forty per cent of the original
estimates made last January.
Office Force Cut in Half.
The house adopted the Ramsey bill
allowing cities of less than 100000
cent of their assessed valuation for
water systems, to three per cent for
lighting plants and to four per cent
for all other kinds of public utilities.
Leading in the reductions-and
from an unexpected SOURCES the
secretary Of states office. Expenses
of the latter have been standardized in
recent years and no one looked for a
decrease there, especially as the
duties of the Office have been vastly
increased by the last two legislatures.
But Secretary of State Charles j. De-
Land opined that he could run his
department for the next two years on
just about one-half the amounts esti-
mated to be necessary and suggested
to the legislature that more han
100000 could be cut from his needs
for 1921 and 1922. Secretary DaLand
furthermore indicated that he can
have the work o: his department done
as efficiently unGoI ne fifty per cent
cost system he ~ ssts as 1t could
be done otherwise The legislators,
troubled by mounting costs in every
direction, and inspired with a desire
to reduce state expenses wherever
possible, now are looking towards 9TH
er state departments with an inquir-
ing eye.
Senate Votes New Department.
The senate has passed Senator For
resters bill providing for a depart
ment of public safety. This is one of
the new departments advocated by
Gov. Groesbeck in his effort to place
state business on a new basis. The
safety department measure includes
the establishment Of a state police
body to succeed the constabulary. A
bill to abolish the constabulary was
passed by the senate recently. Be-
cause of this fact the fate of the
safety department bill was thought
by some to be in jeopardy in the
senate. i
Senator Hicks has introduced a bill
designed to stop any leaks in the pro-
hibition enforcement act that might
result from the recent decision of the
state supreme court in egard to search
and seizure. The court held that the
section of the Wiley act affecting
search and seizure was unconstitu-
tionai and haste was made by Sena- |
tor Hicks to put in his bill giving state
courts the right to issue search war
rants when sufficient evidence is sub
mitted to satisfy the Judge that
warrant should issue.
More Revenue From Motors.
A most welcome piece OF news to |
the legislature, beset with items OF
extra expenses, is the information
from the Office of Auditor General o. |