OF THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN 1917 Printed by virtue of an act of the Legislature, under the direction and FIFTY-EIGHTH DAY. Lansing, Wednesday, April 4, 1917. 2 o'clock p. m. The Senate met pursuant to adjournment and was called to order by the President. Religious exercises were conducted by Rev. C. B. Hawkins, of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, of Lansing. The roll of the Senate was called by the Secretary. The following Senators were present: Messrs. Bolen, Bryant, Condon, Covert, Damon, DeLand, Forrester, Foster, Hanley, Harrington, Holmes, Koehler, Martin, McRae, Miller, Morford, Murtha, Penney, Planck, Roberts, Scott, Scully, William W. Smith, Stewart, Tripp, Tufts, White, Wilcox, Willison, Wood-30. The following senator was absent without leave: Mr. E. V. Smith—1. On motion of Mr. Morford the absentee without leave was granted an indefinite leave of absence. PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS. Petition No. 253. By Mr. Bolen: Petition of W. J. Cameron and 88 other residents of Rochester, in favor of the passage of the bill providing for censorship of motion pictures. The petition was referred to the Committee on State Affairs. Petition No. 254. By Mr. Bolen: Petition of M. L. Fear and 20 other citizens of Three Oaks, on the same subject. Same reference. Petition No. 255. By Mr. Planck: Petition of the members of the First Evangelical Church of Benton Harbor, on the same subject. Same reference. Petition No. 256. By Mr. Planck: Petition of F. E. Bennett and 15 other members of the First Congregational Church of Baroda, on the same subject. Same reference. Petition No. 257. By Mr. Wilcox: Protest of the Teachers' Club of Battle Creek, against any amendment to the teachers' retirement fund law. The protest was referred to the Committee on Education and Public Schools. Petition No. 258. By Mr. Wilcox: Protest of Superintendents of Schools and Boards of Education of Ishpeming, Negaunee and Marquette, on the same subject. Same reference. Petition No. 259. By Mr. Condon: Protest of Rachel McKinney and 25 other teachers of Detroit, on the same subject. Same reference. Petition No. 260. By Mr. Miller: Petition of Harold F. Lamb and 4 other citizens of Coral, on the same subject. Same reference. Petition No. 261. By Mr. Miller: Petition of J. W. Nickerson and 26 other residents of Stanton, urging the passage of Senate bill No. 159, providing for state aid to certain adult blind persons. The petition was referred to the Committee on Finance and Appropriations. Petition No. 262. By Mr. Miller: Petition of Charles O. Sherwood and 20 other citizens of Vestaburg, on the same subject. Same reference. Petition No. 263. By Mr. Miller: Petition of H. D. Pew and 6 other citizens of Palo, on the same subject. Same reference. Petition No. 264. By Mr. Miller: Petition of W. L. Wright and 33 other citizens of Bloomer township, Montcalm county, urging the passage of House bill No. 148, relative to good roads. The petition was referred to the Committee on Roads and Bridges. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE SECRETARY. The Secretary announced the printing of the following entitled bills and that said printed bills were placed on file in the Document Room of the Senate April 4, 1917: Senate bill No. 328 (file No. 304), entitled A bill authorizing a war loan and providing for the disbursements of the proceeds therefrom and for a war loan sinking fund for the purpose of liquidating the loan. House bill No. 549 (file No. 324), entitled A bill authorizing a war loan and providing for the disbursements of the proceeds therefrom and for a war loan sinking fund for the purpose of liquidating the loan. 7 The President announced the appointment of Senators Foster and Roberts as members of the Committee on Federal Relations in accordance with Senate resolution No. 51. MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE. The President announced the following: House of Representatives, To the President of the Senate: Sir: I am instructed by the House of Representatives to transmit to the Senate the following concurrent resolution: House concurrent resolution No. 16. Whereas, On September 24, 1819, Lewis Cass, Governor of Michigan territory, entered into a treaty with the Chippewa Indians, on the banks of the Saginaw river within the present limits of the city of Saginaw, thereby acquiring title to six million acres of land; and Whereas, These acres now comprise the richest and most highly developed agricultural lands in this State, and Whereas, It seems fitting and proper that the one hundredth anniversary of this event be celebrated in a fitting manner; be it Resolved, By the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the Governor of Michigan is hereby authorized and empowered to appoint a committee of three citizens of this State to investigate the desirability of making it a State and National affair, and to report their findings and recommendations as to the proper course for the State to pursue at the opening of the Legislative session of 1919. Which has been adopted by the House of Representatives and in which the concurrence of the Senate is respectfully asked. Very respectfully, CHARLES S. PIERCE, Clerk of the House of Representatives. The President announced that the concurrent resolution would lie over one day under the rules. The following message from the House of Representatives was received and read: To the President of the Senate: House of Representatives, Sir-I am instructed by the House of Representatives to return to the Senate the following concurrent resolution: Senate concurrent resolution No. 22. Whereas, Russia has in recent years furnished a striking example of the progress throughout the world of the evolution of democratic principles; and Whereas, the Government that has come into existence in Russia is founded upon those conceptions of freedom, right, and justice, which in spired the founders of the American Republic; and |