FIFTEENTH DAY. Lansing, Thursday, January 25. The House was called to order by the Speaker. 2:00 o'clock p. m. Religious exercises were conducted by Rev. C. S. Sisler, of the Church of God, of Lansing. The roll of the House was called by the Clerk, who announced that a quorum was present. Messrs. Anderson, Brower, Chapin, Chew, Culver, Diehl, Ewing, Farrier, R. L. Ford, Francis, Gettel, Hallett, Jackson, Lamphere, McGillivray, Martin, Moore, Nelson, Newkirk, Petermann, Peterson, Root, Rose, Stearns, Stevenson, Vine, Warner and Weissert were absent with leave. Messrs. Flowers, Houghton and Martz were absent without leave. Mr. Harris moved that the absentees without leave be excused from today's session. The motion prevailed. Mr. Toepel asked and obtained leave of absence from the balance of today's session. Mr. Woodruff asked and obtained leave of absence from the balance of today's session and from tomorrow's session. Messrs. Gayde, H. L. Schmidt, Wood and C. J. Reed asked and obtained leaves of absence from tomorrow's session. Mr. Crawford asked and obtained leave of absence from tomorrow's and Monday's sessions. Mr. Sheridan Ford asked and obtained leave of absence until Tuesday, January 30. Mr. Hassenger asked and obtained leave of absence until Wednesday, January 31. Mr. Lewis presented PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS. Resolutions adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Van Buren county favoring the repeal of Act No. 142 of the Public Acts of 1913 and Act No. 254 of the Public Acts of 1915, or the amending of such acts so as to provide for the payment of a higher percent for the filing of mortgages, etc. The resolutions were referred to the Committee on General Taxation. Mr. John Schmidt presented Petition No. 21. Resolutions adopted by the Osceola County Pomona Grange No. 46, favoring the passage of a law prohibiting the bringing of liquor into the State, except for mechanical, medicinal and sacramental purposes. The resolutions was referred to the Committee on Liquor Traffic. Mr. F. A. Smith presented Petition No. 22. Resolutions adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Wexford county, favoring an amendment to Act No. 264 of the Public Acts of 1915, relative to the assessment and collection of a tax upon dogs. The resolutions were referred to the Committee on General Taxation. ANNOUNCEMENT BY CLERK OF PRINTING OF bills. The Clerk announced that the following named bill had been printed and placed upon the files of the members Wednesday, January 24: House bill No. 7 (file No. 11), entitled A bill to provide for the regulation of certain public utilities operated within the State; to create a public service commission and to define the powers thereof; to abolish the Michigan Railroad Commission and to confer the powers thereof on the public service commission hereby created; and to prescribe penalties for the violation thereof. The Clerk announced that the following named bill had been printed and placed upon the files of the members Thursday, January 25: House bill No. 59 (file No. 12), entitled A bill to amend section 41 of chapter II of Act No. 314 of the Public Acts of 1915, entitled "An act to revise and consolidate the statutes relating to the organization and jurisdiction of the courts of this State; the powers and duties of such courts, and of the judges and other offi cers thereof; the forms of civil actions; the time within which said civil actions and proceedings may be brought in said courts; pleading, evidence, practice and procedure in civil actions, and proceedings in said courts; to provide remedies and penalties for the violation of certain provisions of this act; and to repeal all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with, or contravening any of the provisions of this act," and to add thereto a new section to be known as section 58 chapter II of said act. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES. The Committee on Printing, by Mr. C. J. Reed, Chairman, reported The written request of Mr. Edwards for the printing of House bill No. 43, entitled A bill to fix the standard tread of draft sleighs within this State, and to prohibit the use of any draft sleigh, not of standard tread, upon any public highway in this State without the corporate limits of any city or village. With the recommendation that the request be granted. The report was accepted and the committee discharged. The question being on concurring in the recommendation of the committee, The recommendation was concurred in, and the bill ordered printed. MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE. A message was received from the Senate transmitting Whereas, A peculiarly vicious and acute situation is existing in this State regarding the marketing, delivering, purchasing and securing of coal; and Whereas, There have been many diverse press and private opinions offered in explanation of this oppressive condition, but no satisfactory solution has been yet obtained; and Whereas, The consumers of the State of Michigan are entitled to know the legitimate situation and reason for the unusual scarcity and high price asked for this indispensable commodity and with a view to ascertaining the actual conditions in the coal markets of Michigan, and if necessary to formulate and present a bill to this Legislature, to relieve the present situation and to guard against any such conditions in the future; therefore be it Resolved, By the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That the Attorney General be and is hereby authorized and directed to make such investigation as he may deem proper of the conditions and their causes relating to the apparent "hold-up" in coal in this State, and report the result of his investigation to the Senate and House of Representatives as soon as possible. Resolved further, That all necessary expenses incurred pursuant to the provisions of this concurrent resolution be certified by the Attorney General to the two Houses of the Legislature, one-half, as near as may be, to the Senate, and one-half, as near as may be, to the House of Representatives, and thereupon vouchers shall be drawn in payment therefor. The question being on concurring in the adoption of the concurrent resolution, Mr. Croll moved that the concurrent resolution be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. The motion prevailed. A message was received from the Senate transmitting To provide for investigation of the advisability of establishing a central purchasing board. Whereas, The various State institutions of the State of Michigan yearly spend large sums of money for the purchase of food, supplies and material for such institutions; and Whereas, At present the only co-operation that exists in the matter of making such purchases is a purely voluntary association composed of the stewards or agents of a portion of such institutions; and Whereas, The opinion seems to prevail in the State at large that a considerable sum of money could be saved if all of such purchases so far as practical were made by a central purchasing agent or board; therefore be it Resolved, By the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That the President of the Senate appoint forthwith a committee of three of the members of the Senate to act jointly with a similar committee of three members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, which committee shall proceed at once to investigate the advisability of establishing such central purchasing board or agent, and if deemed advisable, formulate and present to this Legislature not later than sixty days from date a bill containing its conclusions on this subject. The question being on concurring in the adoption of the concurrent resolution, Mr. Amon moved that the concurrent resolution be referred to the Committee on State Affairs. The motion prevailed. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. Mr. Croll introduced House bill No. 112, entitled A bill to repeal Act No. 208 of the Public Acts of 1913, entitled "An act to exempt certain cut-over and wild lands from taxation in certain cases," approved May 7, 1913. The bill was read a first and second time by its title and referred to the Committee on General Taxation. Mr. Thomas Read introduced House bill No. 113, entitled A bill to provide for the appointment, defining the duties, and fixing the compensation of an assistant law librarian, and to make an appropriation therefor. The bill was read a first and second time by its title and referred to the Committee on State Affairs. Mr. Kooyers introduced House bill No. 114, entitled A bill to provide for the validating, confirming and legalizing of certain city charters of the State heretofore adopted. The bill was read a first and second time by its title and referred to the Committee on City Corporations. |