Our Lansing Letter

The legislators all came back safely from their Detroit trip, where they went by special invitation, last Saturday, to see the elephant and sample the water and things. All of them, and those who accompanied them, agree that they had a high old time and erjoyed themselves immenaely. So they should, for the picnic cost the people of Michigan somewhere in the vicinity of $3,000 all told. Ordinarily that amount would afford a good deal of fun for a good many people - even legislators, who almost always take their fun in large, strong doses. Your correspondent did not accompany the excursionista, though invited to do so. I am told, however, they were fully recompensed for being deterred from viriting the brewery. They were invigorated by a boat ride, had their patriotism awakened at Gil Osmun's cyclorama, and were wined, dined and feted as if there never was such a thing as dyspepsia or night-mare. Besides, there are rumors of numerous incurvated incursions into the outlying districts, from which some of the boys come back to their hotels counting more stars than actually held a place in the firmament, and returned to Lansing with heads bigger than ever, the same which in all conscience is unnecessary. V Tbere is yet no certainty at what date the final adjournment will take place Any number of motions to adjourn have flashed into existence from the mental gasometers of members prolific in expedients for rearing anew such of their political fences as have been razed to the ground by disgusted constituent?. These motiona spun ihrough their little cycle and were hustled along down hito the dim vista of the past, where they will meet with a multitude of similar motions in the storehouse of oblivion. I would like to know if all these adjournment missies scored a bull's-eye or if sometimes one shot wide of the mark. The house occupied almost one whole afternoon with tke discussion of the senate amendments to the Cross insurance bill. On motion of T. H. Williams, the two provisiona added by the senate for the benefit of the Masonio compames were extended so as to include companies hereafter organized, as well as those already organized. Eighteen of the twenty senate amendments were concurred in without serious opposition. A long discussion ensued on the second amendment, which permits Masonic societies to issue certificates or policies for less their face value. The discussion covered a wide range, and brought iuto the arena the old combatant?, Cross, T. H. Williams, Goodrich, Bates, Rumsey and others who took part in the debate when the bill was first considered in the house. The amendment was at last concurred in by a vote of 55 to 17. The house refused absolutely to concur in the twentieth amendment, which struck out the section requiring companies to notify, by registered letter, insurers whose policies are about to lapse. The bill of Mr. Grenell for white, red and blue tickets to be crossed and checked opposite the candidates name in the Canadian sty'.e, carne up in the house on third reading, and was passed ; yeas 57, nays 35. The discussion upon the bill was interesting and at times amusing. Messrs. Rumsey, of Ingham, and Dickson, of Cass, made earnest speeches against the bill. Mr. Rumsey has rarely exhibited so much power. Mr. S. Baker, of Monroe, said if the protection of voters at the polls was the object sought he had a substitute which would accomplish it perfectly. His substitute as read provided for a structure in front of the polling place with a door at each end, the voter going in at one and out at the other. A long shelf to hold tickets and slips is on one hand. Only one voter is admitted at a time and no spectators are allowed within thirty feet ot the enclosure. The substitute was reiected and the bill passed as above noted. V I am not sure what they are going to do with the TJniversity appropriation bill, which was vetoed by the governor and passed over his veto by the senate. I am inclined to think, however, the house will sustain the action of the governor. Then they will begin over again and the result will be such a bill as the governor can approve of and iverythihg will be lovely. The University is not going to be crippled. V So far as railroad fares are concerned, it's simply three cents a mile or walk for the next two years, same as ever. The senate choked the life out of the two-cent fare bill without ruth or compunction. 1 wouldn't like to say there is any monopolistic tendency in the senate. Our senators are peculiarly sensiti ve, and even when I have right on my side I hesitate to render the oheek " begrutten " by the application of the correctional thong. But in my mind'8 eye I fancy I can hear, reverberating across the whole state the sound of the piek and shovel digging political graves. When the time comes there will be a great " slaughter of the innocents," and the needle-pointed shriekg of the victims will prick the very heavens in their intenaity. The graded fare bill, introduced by senator W. I. Babcock, and championed by the railroad committee, is cold in death. Lieut-governor Macdonald helped kill it, and there are people reckless enough to assert that the gentleman's exertions are but a return for favors rendered. I hope this is not true of the genial lieutenant governor. Could the people of Michigan fully understand the extent of the lobbying done, and know just who were here working against the fare billa and other restrictivo railroad measures, there would be some surprised people among them Some of the most prominent officials and politiciaus in the state are on the list. V Mr. Pierce's bill amending the truant laws, to which I referred last week, ha passed the house. Thip, 1 conceive to b an excellent measure, and under it many an incorrigible boy, and girl as well, wi! be "brought up standing "in their down ward career. V The Monroe banking bilí will become a law just as soon as the governor can at tach bis autograph. It passed the house by a vote of 53 to 7. A resolution introduced in the house read as follows: "Resolved, That the committee on supplies and expenditures be directed to procure one and one hal pairs of boxing gloves and a set of Mar quis of Queensbury rules, for the ux o the evening sessions." It was referred to the committee on the reformatory a Ionia. The Saginaw charter bill was so amend ed by the senate cummittee that consolidation will not take effect until 1891 Bay city will be heard from next. Lansino, June 14, 1887.