The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-03-03

LANSING, Feb, 81, 1892.
When Your correspondent laid down his re-
portorial pen at the close Of long and busy
session of the Michigan Legislature in June
last, it was with the expectation that the Legis-
ature would be called together again ty Gov.
Jerome at some time during the present win
ter, to consider the bill to be prepared by
the then newly-created Tax Commission, and
to redistrct the State into ten and probably
eleven. Congressional districts. In the course
of human events that expectation has been re-
allied, and the Legislature firds itself again in
session, and, by q serious and devastating dis
pensatlon of Providence, with another and
more important subject than all others upon
It's hands-that Of providing means without
which many of the unfortunate sufferers by
the recent forest fires must ao.ually suffer
starvation and death.
The work of organizing the two houses and
GETTING READY FOR BUSINESS
was very light. all officers and committees
holding over, and there being only few va
cancies among the former. The ranks of the
members OF the Senate was unbroaen either by
death, resignation or removal; while in the
House only one vacancy had been made, and
that by the death or Representative Frank
Kendrick, OF Lapeer, whose place had been
tlied by SPECIAL election.
- u
meeting esd the two houses were in joint
convention. and ready to hear the
GOVERNORS MESSAGE,
which was quite short and was considered by
oil who heard it a. straightforward, many
statement OF facts. As you have gwen, or viii
give In the same Issue with this, the message
and appendix complete, we leave all comment
upon IT to each reader. While something of
surpri.e was manifest at the number of sub
for ,l,atc
to be good reasons were given 10y the Governor
in the case of each subject presented
AS indicated at the outset, the subject OF
perhaps the most real and pressing Importance
Is the
RELIEF For THE FIRE SUFFERERS.
Senator Wmsor's blll, introduced on the oath
by one who lives i'll Sanilac, one OF the coun-
ties that suffered most Ii entitled "A bill max
ing an Appropriation for the relief OF sufferers
by the great fire OF 1881, i'll several counties OF
this State" il yet in the hands of the Commit
tees on Appropriations and Finance OF the Sem
ate. and Ways and Means of tho House. hut
will be reported back (probably with little If
any change) at an early date, and will quite
likely pass one, il not both houses by the Time
this letter reaches Its readers. Ii lis matter of
such general interest to the whole State, and
proposes to appropriate so large sum of
money (S265, OOO) that we give it entire, as fol-
lows:
SECTION 1. The People of Michigan enact,
That there shall be and HEREBY IL appropriated
out of the State treasury the sum OF S250,O00,
TO be expended for the following purposes In
furnishing subsistence, either III provisions or
money, to the sufferers by the great fire OF 1881
in Sanilac, Tusco!a, Huron and other counties
affected thereby III furnishing subsistence for
teams of said sufferers during seed time; in
procuring seed for spring crops OF said suffer-
ers, and in paying the taxes for the year 1891
of said sufferers, and in reimbursing those who
have already paid their taxes for that year.
Sec. 2. There shall be and is hereby appro-
priated out of the State Treasury the SUN of
$4,000 to be expended III assisting to rebuild
or pay for the rebuilding Of schoo-houses in
the several school districts IN this State in
which scbool-houses were destroyed by tho
great fires Of 1891. The Comm ssioners herein
after mentioned shall pay to the Assessor OF each
Of said districts the sum apporhoned their re-
spectve districts, which sum said Assessors
shall place TO the credit OF the building fund
Of Their respective districts.
SEC. The several appropriations made by
this act shall be expended or disbursed as the
case may require by the Relief Commission
heretofore appointed by the Governor of this
State, consisting of Hon. Henry p. Baldwin,
Chairman, A. II. Dey. ID. O. Wildwood, George
G. Codd, 4. w. Swift, G. T. Gcrham, Omer ID.
Conger, who are hereby constituted n commas
sion for that purpose.
SEC. 4. The commission herein provided for
may from time to time make acquisitions upon
the Governor OF this State for such sums OF
money out of the appropriations herein made
~ they NAV deem necessary for the several
purposes herein provided for, submitting with
such acquisitions all information In regard to
the necessity of using said appropriations which
the commission shall from time to time obtain
through it's agencies.
SEC. 5. The Governor, upon examination OF
the acquisitions, and information presented to
him, under the provisions OF section four Of
this act may from time TO ,ime, by hiS certfi-
cate in writing, require the Auditor Gensral to
draw his warrant on the State treasury for such
sums OF the money hersDy appropriated as he
may deem necessary from the information sub
mitted to him. And the Auditor General is
hereby authorized and required upon present.
alton of the Governors certificate 10 draw his
warrant as therein required, payable to the
Chairman of said commission.
FEC g. Tacre shall be assessed upon the tax
able property Of this State in the year 1882 tho
sum Of sl250 and in the year 1888 the iur-
ther sum OF S1i0,0 TO be assessed and levied
IN like manner as other State taxes are by law
assessed, levied and paid, which tax when coli
lccted shall be- cred ted mp - 10 the general
fund to reimburse 10 the same the sum 10 be
n A. Ill. - 80