The Michigan Statesmen

LANSIXG, Miel).. Feb. 25.- The three Inlependent senators who were elected last 'all have held the balance of power in thE ienate all winter. Yesterday by an adroil Jank movement on the part of the Democrats, the three were toppled headlong 'rom their cemmanding position and the Democrats have a clean majority. The ienate has had twp coutested election cases on hand for sorae time, Democratie contestants laying claim to the seats of Horton and Morse, both Republicans. The comrnittees held back their reports because it was clearly understood that the ;hree Independents would not vote to seat the contestants, their votes being necessary. lapscd in Their Vigilance. Yesterday several Republican senators attended tne state convention at Jackson and the Democrats seized the opportunity. The cominittee's reports unseating Horton and Morse were presented and adopted, and James H. Morrow and Charles Fredlinder were declared elected in their places, thus giving the Democrats a clear majority. All the Republican senators have been wired to return at once, and an attempt will be made to overthrow ;be action. Lansing, Mich., Feb. 26.- The majority report in the Coldwater school case was made to the house yesterday. The report was signed by all the Democratie mem tors of the investigating committee. It charges that Saperintendent Newkirk and the board of control were dereliet in their duty and guilty of gross carelessness in permittrag Nellie Griffin to be taken away to her death by Canfield, and recommends that Newkirk be removed and the Doard sevcerely ensured. The Demócrata in Charge. The Republicans who returned to Lansing Tuesday night to flnd that the Democrats had captured the senate in their absence, made a desperate effort yesterday to overthrow the action. The Democrats were able to block them at every turn. They swore in Fridlender and Morrow, the new senators, and placed their names on the roll in place of the men unseated. The two were thus enabled to vote on everything from the beginning of the session, giving the Democrats a working majority. Laksing, Mich., March 4.- A bil! giving women the power to vote at school, township, and city elections was brought up in the committee of the whole in the 3enate yesterday. Smith of Detroit moved to kill the bill by striking out all after the enacting cause. Milnes of Coldwater turned upon him and asserted that the motion was an insult to every woman in Michigan. He denounced as cowards any senators who would attempt to kill such a measure in committee of the whole to save placing themselves on ree ord. Only Park and Smith, both of Detroit, voted for the motion to strike out, and the bill was advanced to tbird reading.