Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-04-16

From 0ur Own Correspondent
LANSING. April g.
Quitting. as both branches Of the Legis- |
lature did. at noon ON the I'd. TO afford the |
members and officers time and opportunity
to go to their homes and vote on to-day,
the week was very short one IN
a Legislative way, yet considerable was
accomplished, and on Wednesday more lllis
were passed by the House than are some
times passed. in whole week--twenty-nine
bills and joint resolutions in all.
WORK DONE TO DATE.
Under this heading it may interest those
who are interested in the doings OF the law
makers TO know that up to this time the
enate has passed IS Senate bills, 80 House
bills, Senate Joint resolutions, and House
joint resolutions, total OF 179 In all;
while tn House has passed lSl House bills,
81 Senate bills, ii House joint resolutions,
and Senate joint resolutions, total OF
23l. OF the totals passed by the two houses
perhaps 100 have passed both houses and
become laws by receiving the approval OF
the Governor.
MORE APPROPRIATIONS.
gave in my last a long list of appropria-
tons that had either passed one house or
the other or been reported favorably ana
were in fair way to be passed at an early
day. Since that report the House has
passed the bill appropriating 81, 5OO Tor
completing, heating and furnishing the
asylum for insane criminals now Deing
built at Ionia the Senate the bill formerly
passed by the Housed appropriating $57, 500
for the ent expenses of the Agricultural
College for 1885 and 1886; while the House
has passed bill appropriating $50, 600 for
| building and heating an inhrmary and
| building n kitchen at the Michigan ,kala-
maZoo) Asylum for the Insane.
|. AN INVESTIGATION AND A RESIGNATION.
Early in the session Representative
| Dodge, of Ingham, moved the appointment
| of committee to ascertain II any frauds or
shortcomings existed in any OF the State
departments, if any savings could be et-
| fected in any way, etc. OF course this
made him the Chairman, with one other
/ Democrat and three Republicans. Early
last week il began to be noised abroad that
| the committee had summoned State Super
! intendent of Public instruction Herschel
II. Gass before it, and in a secret session
asked him if the story that he was exacting
$33. 33 per month from his deputy, w. IL.
Smith, whose salary was u, 800 per year,
in order to equalize that with his own salary,
which was only 81 900 per year. He de-
MED the charges in every particular, and
the deputy was subpenaed and testified
that he had paid Mr.. Gass the money as
as charged for January, February, and
March, and that he had done so because he
understood from Mr.. Gass in order to be
appointed or to hold his place afterward.
Mr. Gass was then recalled and told what
Smith had sworn to, when he broke down
and acknowledged that his first story was
not true, but that it was told under
great excitement, and that the charges made
were true, only that he had given the
money back to Smith an hour before, end
after he knew he was to be investigated.
His act, in the nature of bribe-taking,
coupled with the worse one of giving false
testimony so thoroughly disguised Repub-
lcans as well as Democrats that he thought
best to send his resignation to the Gov
ernor early next morning 1t has been ac-
cepted, to take effect as soon as his success
sor is appointed, which will be as soon as
the Legislature meets this week. The
resignation of the deputy who gave the
bride for his position and then "squealed,
with the evident intention of getting Mr..
Gass ont, was then demanded, and VIM.
+. Clark. a clerk in the Office, was at once APP
pointed to the deputyship. Corruption of
any sort does not thrive in connection with
THE MILITARY INVESTIGATION.
The investigation of the Quartermaster
Generals department by the military COM
mittees of the two houses has progressed
somewhat but Palmer. who collected
the $42 600 from the Government, is
still in Washington and has not yet been
examined, but will be as soon as he can be
reached. Shakespeare and others. con-
nected with the Begole administration, have
testified, and the end is not yet.
GEN. GRANT RESPONDS.
The following communication is self-ex-
planatory:
NEW YORK, March "a, 1885.
Hon. H A. Conant, Secretary of State, Lam
sing, Mich:
DEAR SIR-Your communication of the
18th inst, transmitting q concurrent reso-
luton of the State Legislature, was re-
ceived. Gen. Grant wishes me to express
his thanks to the Legislature and Governor
OF the State for their action of March 18th
in passing the resolution. Very respect
fully, F. d. GRANT.
PLANT TREE.
Following Is the run text or the -Arbor
Day" proclamation recently issued by Gov
Ager:
To the People Of Michigan:
In compliance with concurrent resolu-
ton passed by the Legislature of the State
of Michigan, approved March 16, 1881, and
reiterated by the Legislature of 1885, re-
questing the Governor TO call the attention
of the people of the State to the inn
portance of planting trees for ornament,
| pIoIectlou, ana bnaue, DY naming DAY
upon which this work shall be given espe-
cial prominence, 10 be known and desig-
mated as 'Arbor Day." which custom pre-
walls IN many of the States;
Therefore /, Russell A. Alger. Governor
Of the Slate of Michigan, do hereby desig-
nate Saturday, the 18th day of April, A. d.
1885. as Arbor Day. and earnestly RECON-
mend that on that day we plant trees by the
roadside, by our farm houses, in our fields,
parks, villages, and cities, around our
school houses and in the cemeteries where
sleep our beloved dead. Let us plant for
uses rs well as for beauty. We may not
| live to enjoy the full fruits of this work,
but our children and our children's children
will receive the benefits of our labor.
In testimony whereof, have caused the
great seal of the State to be hereunto af-
fixed, at Lansing this 25th day of March,
! in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty-fve.
RUSSELL A. ALaER
BY the Governor: II. A. CoNANT,
Secretary of State.
GENERAL MENTION.
A funny circumstance has happened
in regard to the village of Roscommon.
A new charter passed through both
houses, in which was a provision that
all who vote at their first election (desio-
mated in the bill to be held on a certain
day. must have resided there at least
ninety days. Those who didn't like the
clause let IL go on the ground that il was a
local BILL aud they should have il rs they
wanted it. Surprising, of course, that the
Governor would approve the BILL the cleo
ton was held last week and now tha