Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-04-07
HOUSE VOTES TO
ADJOURN APRIL 29
SENATE HOLDING UP ACTION ON
DATE SET, SIZING up
WORK REMAINING.
SCHOOL HEAD GIVEN INCREASE
Superintendent OF Schools to Receive
$1,000 In 1928; Department
Members Named.
(From star correspondent,

Lansing.-The heavy grind OF the
legislative session now has begun and
the house of representatives daily
calendar has grown to huge proper
lions. The amount OF work thus
placed in front OF them does not
cause the members to hesitate over
taking time for verbal battles over
many of the measures that come up,
however, and nearly every day has its
special attraction in the way OF a
fight over some bill.
Death Penalty Again Defeated.
Several big measures fell by the
waysde as the result Of these fights,
chief interest being in the fate OF the
capital punishment bill, which was
revived by its author, Rep. Hart, after
apparently having been disposed OF
for the session. The bill again re-
ceived a majority of the votes cast,
the ballot standing 40 to As, but it
still lacked two votes Of the necessary
81 to adopt it, Two votes had been
gained for the bill since it was up be-
fore. those of two members who had
been absent at the Marquette prison
inquiry when the bill previously failed
with only 40 votes in favor Of IT. But
Rep. Dean, who stood for the bill, was
absent on leave and Rep. Jewell, OF
Houghton. switched over TO the oppo-
sition as the result OF an appeal by
L Go ifa a
death penalty. Rep. Hart again had
the bill tabled and may call it up once
more. but il is hardly likely that he
can gain the vote needed to replace
that Of Jewell.
The house killed the Holland S-hour
day bill by an adverse vote OF 80 To
s, members declaring in the course OF
the debate that the present condition
Of business in the state and nation
was such that an S-hour law was about
the last thing wanted. The. house also
killed the O'Brien bill to bring re-
ciprocal insurance companies under
the control Of the state insurance de-
partment, only eight votes favoring
the measure. Most members believed
that mutual companies would suffer il
this bill became law.
House Votes Salary Raise.
A bill to increase the salary of SUI
perintendent of Public Instruction
Johnson from $4,000 to $4,000 a year,
was adopted by the house after hot
fight, but two attempts TO give It inn
mediate effect failed, the second one
losing by a single vote. a third eff
fort to bring the matter up again was
ruled out Of order. Immediate effect
was necessary if Supt. Johnson is to
get the salary increase during the
next two years. If the senate concurs
In the house amendment which re-
duced the salary from the $4,000 mark
allowed by the senate the bill will
take effect next summer, but without
applying to the term Of Office which
Johnson will begin on July l. The in
crease will therefore not be paid UNI
til after July /. 1928.
Another important bill which ap-
pears now to be lost is the income
tax measure, which was tabled after
falling to receive 81 votes. House
gossip has it that six members who
voted for in have changed their minds
and will vote against it now If 1t is
taken from the table. The bills spon-
sors are marking time while trying TO
line up 81 votes.
House Speeds Up Work.
To speed up the work Of the ses-
sion in the house, members finally
have begun to allow the attaching of
roll calls to bills on which there is no
disagreement. About ten minutes is
saved each time and a long grist OF
bills on third reading is more readily
handled by attaching the names OF
members prosent as voting favorably
on the bills which no one opposes.
Speed is a prime requisite IL the leg
islature is to get through its business
by April 90, the adjournment date
adopted by the house as an amend
ment to a resolution to adjourn April
a. The senate is holding up the adj
journment resolution to see IL it is
possible to have all the appropriation
bills on the ways so that the date may
remain unchanged after once being
set.
The house ways and means commit
tee has reported out nearly all the big
appropriation bills and they will be
considered together at an early ses-
sion, and sent to the senate after
adoption. a slash in the budget re-
quests that totalled S5,750,000 was
made by the ways and means commit
tee on seven state institutions, the
four normal colleges and three state
| hospitals. Other severe reductions
are to come in the committee on addi-
tional appropriation bills and it is
expected that still more reductions
will be attempted on the floor OF the
4 houoo opd cauofa