The diamond drill., 1921-04-23

congress 10 amend the LaFoliette sea
mems act 10 remove restriction
which hamper lake trade.
The senate has killed the bin I,
raise the salary OF the presiding cir
cult judge OF the state $1,000 a year
II passed the Sink bill prohibiting th'
scnping OF amusement tickets ans
the Hamilton bill to compel the teach
ing OF the constitution IN all schools
II also adopted the Wood bin TO com
pei Wayne county TO elect its dele
gates to political conventions a
primaries In committee OF the whole
! the senate had battle over the plan
TO allow counties 70 issue land alb
stracts. but the measure went on 70
third reading
INCREASE COMPENSATION.
The house has adopted the McDon'
aid bill 10 increase the maximum
workman's compensation from $4,000
to $1,000 apd clearly defining what
shall constitute injury under the law.
Il also adopted the culver bill to al.
fc~ chiropractic practitioners their
own examining board. The bill to re-
duire school districts to employ school
physicians and nurses was defeated
by the house.
New bills continue 70 come in de-
spite the lateness of the session. One
that was rushed along in the house
aims 70 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 a
gallon on gasoline used for motor
fuel
The state tax rate Is beginning 10
have its inning In the Michigan legis-
lature. the various appropriation bills
being the vehicle by which 1t 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-
tion, are reporting out the bills which
carry appropriations of the states
money. The committees are doing
their best rs economize 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.
5000, 900 SAVINGS EFFECTED.
Leading in the reductions--and
from an unexpected source--is 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 We been vastly
increased by the last two legislatures.
But Secretary of State Charles ]. 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
10 the legislature that more than
100000 could be cut from his needs
for 1921 and 1922. Secretary DeLand
furthermore indicated that he can
have the work of his department done
as efficiently under the fifty per cent
cost system he suggests as II could
be done otherwise. The legislators,
troubled by mounting costs in every
direction, and inspired with desire
20 reduce state expenses wherever
possible, now are looking towards 9TH
er state departments with an inquir-
ing eye.
Automobile men have been frequent
visitors 10 Lansing to register objec-
tions 10 the Henry bill in the senate
which would require SO driveway"
tax for every new machine delivered
by direct driving from the factory to
the place of sale. II is estimated that
more than $4,000 cars a year are de-
livered in this way in Michigan.
TO REPLACE coNsTA6ULARY.
The senate has passed Senator For
rester's bill providing for depart
ment OF public safety. This is one OF
the new departments advocated by
Gov. Groesbeck in his effort to place
state business on n new basis. The
safety department measure includes
the establishment OF a state police
body TO succeed the constabulary. A
bill 10 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.
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.
tional and haste was made by Sena-