The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-03-24
From lansing.

Michigan like other Sister States o! the | n
ION. has legislature composed Of all kinds Of
material. No great talent is displayed and no
peculiar meanness is observable. One remark
is true in regard to the body that enacts the
laws for the people they seem to be honor
able men, In fact, no opportunity occurs to
test the honesty of the members. Their hon.
esty is therefore undoubted' The wisdom
Judging from the prayer OF an officiating cler-
gyman-is called in question, said prayer, or
norton of it was as follows 1--WE thank thee
Lord tha. thy great wisdom exceeds ours dur
ing thy foolishest moments" This is the first
time that ever heard the wisdom OF the Al
mighty compared 10 that Of q Legislative body.
And Just here may I relate a little incident that
occurred under my own observation. \ bill for
the organization Of l mon School district, was
under disc ussion. 4 reutonic member whose
thoughts may have been right, but whose de-
livers was sadly in fault, was speaking and closed
with this remark: 81 hope dat de shentlcman
vii vote for dis Till on de corruption OF de noer-
its" The bill was tabled.
The members OF both branches OF the leGis-
lature are from all the various classes that go
TO make up the American peoples and am hap
DIV to state that not a few are honorable mem
bers Of the editorial fraternity.
N nv short stay have observed the usual
amount Of knowing Observation-Disclosures With
out ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS with no force-wit with
no point-sarcasm without edge some have
an idea Git was alone go was easily captured and
and has never found companion) and that they
4 o;vl,+o aaio M
matter as 10 the relevancy OF the same. An
honorable Senator was Obliged to enquire twice
IN one short debate what the question before
the Senate was" And then, IN speaking, 80
far forgot the point he was discussing that he
commenced TO inform the Senators who in bis
opinion. was the abIest jur1st IN the State.
The life of a legislator becomes monotepous
without some bill in which he lie interested
is before the house. Writing, reading, talking,
Iouneing in the cloak room, smoking, making
acute angles on green cloth with spherical bits
of ivory. or anything else the taste OF the mem
Der indicates. occupies bis time. There are
working members and to them belong the hon
or of that that is OF worth in the several enact
ments passed, and they are also credited with
the general control Of any fat job that may pre-
sent itself for their serious consideration This
is not true, for no Sob" of any great moment
has been before the legislature and none will
appear this session.
The people Of Michigan are not troubled with
wealthy corporations seeking able leglsla-
ton at the expense Of the people. The time
NAV come. when they will endeavor to accom-
plish here. what they annually do in Albany,
by majority of the legislators but the day is
distant. and may we pray that 1t never arrives
think 30. The appropriations called for, IN
the aggregate, amount to large sum nearly
double those of any previous session. many
OF them are absolutely needed, whilst many
could be dropped out. During the war, ana since
then. during the close times, no extensive APP
propriat,ons were made because government
taxes were excessive but now the growing in
,aros,s of the state demand attention The
Insane ASYLUM, the Deaf and Dumb asylum,
,be state Prison. the Agricultural College. the
Resorm School-all call forlarge appropriations
The State needs State House and here an
annropriaton will be made. But many OF these
anpropnations need scanning closely. grand
orsb ia attempted in what is known as the Mil
,tary Bill. asking for $50. COO to equip num-
her OF regiments of Home Guards Some are
moving heaven and earth TO get it through,
The whole upshot will be, lot OF fuss and
feathers" and large expenditure OF money
with no good resulting from 1t. The Third
Uouse. better known as the lobby, Is well or
panized-having large number OF experienced