Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1877-05-26
LENGTH OF THE SESSION.


days after the members disperse, for tn
clerks to finish their work and the pres
dent of the senate and speaker of tn
house to enroll bills. This is the long
est session ever held i'm the state, and
may form the topic of some criticism
Before newspapers pitch in wildly an,
demagogues raise large cutlery, the,
should consider all the pertinent facts.
For the purpose of comparison w
take session 26 years ago and anothe
II years ago, or about midway. The ses
sion of 1851 lasted SO days, and tina
of 1865 lasted IS days. Of course the inn
mense growth of the state and the devel
opement of its varied interests has
brought up wide class of new subjects
for legislation. The regular session OF
1873 and the extra session of 1874 togeth-
er amounted to al days. If no extra ses-
sion is held i'm 1873, the present legisla-
ture will nearly equal that following the
presidential election of 1872 i'm the length
of its sessions.
INSTRUCTIVE COMPARISONS.
The session of 1877 will be about so
per cent. longer than that of 1865 and 1877
per cent. longer than that of 1851.
But in 1851 Michigan had less than one
third, and 1864 she had but little more
than one-half, OF her present population.
Reckoning upon population, the session
might this year be about 16O days long
and not outl un 1851 or 1866.
Furthermore, in 1851 our total popular
vote cast was only One-eighth. and n
1864 it was less than one-half, as large rs
i'm 1876.
The acreage of improved land in Mich
igan increased between 1851 and 1854
about "a per cent, and from the latter
year to 1874 about 81 per cent. The
number of acres of land set down as tax
able in 1851 was less than one-third, and
in 1864 it was not half Gas large, as. in
1876.
The number of acres of wheat harvest
ed in 1851 was less than one-half, and in
1863 it was less than two-thirds, as large
as in 1876.
The equalized valuation of the assessed
property of the state was not quite
One-twentieth as much i'm 1851, and less
than one half rs much in 1866, as in
1876.
In 1851 we had only three cities teas
ing the the legislature TO tinker their
chartres /; in 1864 there were 20 cities,
and in 1876 there were IL. Everybody |
knows that weeks of legislative time are
spent over cssy charters.
The miles of railroad in Michigan in
1851 Were only One-ninth as many. and
in 1864 but little more than quarter as
many, as in 1876.
The production of salt, iron, copper.
plaster, stone, lumber, etc, was immense
Y greater in 1876 than i'm sither of the
previous years selecred for comparison.
We cannot give the figures complete be-
he quantity of salt was almost two and
times as great in 1876 as i'm 1854.
The amount of specific taxes received
ntO the state treasury in 1866 was less
han twO-tifthS us much as in 1876.
The appropriations for the various in. |
itutiOn5 were less than One-siXteenth as $
lnch in 1851 as in 1864, and only two
fths as much in 1864 as in 1876.
There MRS only one incorporated bank .
/ the state in 1851. while in 1864 there
ere Incorporated banks, and i'm 1876
here were q banks incorporated under
ate law. beside II national banks, not :
ne of which existed 20 years ago.
Banking. railroad. and manufacturing ,,
apit&l require great deal of legislation,
+ ut least they hatch out q great many
Ills to be considered. T
The number of pupils in the common n
:hools in 1851 was only one-thlrd, and q
1854 it was less than two birds, as a
rGe as in 1876. u
The number of university graduates i'm o.
81 was IS; in 1864 it was ia; and in u
'76 it was 334. Thus, there were al P
Ost double the number last year that S.
lere were IL years previous, and more 81
I'm 20 times as many as i'm 1851. Let tr
be rendered, just here, that while the h.
,ople OF Michigan are proud of their o,
diversity, and it is our glory abroad. >,
It it costs much money in the way of re
xes, and in the frequent windy speeches IN
those who are sent to the legislature
d think they must glOrify the univer-
y by their eloquence ; also, in the in 90
and criticisms which is justi- In
ii and demanded by the taxpayers in Oh d,
gard to wrOng-dOing at that institution, re-
fore they pay more taxes to support
Consider another point: the bocal bills, OF
hich have consumed great deal of nc
Ne, were not so early introduced, as ca
neral rule, that they could be acted on dt
hen but little else stood i'm their way. eli
ishels of them were showed in at the be
'sine moment. During the two last tn
VS. of introducing bills the journal Ju
ows that 4S9 were presented, being al CO..
the whole number at this ses- n nl'
N. Had the localities or the parties:ask-
= for legislation got sheir bills prepared fol
d introduced early in the session. they pe
ght have gone through committees or EFT EFT
en- disposed of long ago. The session j
CHIT have been shortened month i'm
IS way; but the localities and parties
10 Jagged behind. merit the criticism.