Telegram-herald., 1891-01-09

49, - 4>xtk<< III xU3<t A<4 ~ 49,
county troasaros Tor snls- ! oan nos
esAzeye thst zaaxs srrars ueakd t< oosA-
ni1tt<d ~ having the &Aie made directly
~ TIE county treasurer, ~ u - u mol
q the other Stn1ee, than under cur
present systeEn. Moro erroxs are made
~ tie Fetcra 10 the sapsrS2eoF and u
the assessment than - any other way.
and Their gong 70 the Auditor General
does not correct thee errors The pre-
sent systen adds largely to the expenee.
NV tas taxes NAY b. PAID % tbs Audi
tor General Or the county treasurer.
tader the change they must neoes-
saraly Be paid - tie latter alone. but
this iced not emtarrasa.
IF the method Is changed. great care
should be taken u adjusting the coiiec-
ton OF taxes IN the newer counties.
where 20 large per cent y returned
delinquent.
SWAMP LANDS.
The questions in controversy TO the
title TO some Of these lands between the
general and State governments. have
not. IS yet. been adjusted. The bill 10
stlil pending In the House of Repre-
eentztiyes which provides for refund
ing To the State $l.25 per acre for all
the lands that we're withheld from
patent BY tho general government that
the courts have 60 generally decided
belonged 70 the State.
1.-TWO years ago called the attention
OF the Legislature to the f1ct that suits
were pending in the Ingham county
circuit, 10 maintain the title of this
State 70 something more than l00, 900
acres of these disputed lands that were
granted 10 railroad companies and still
held by them; and also 70 . suit that
had been brought in the same court TO
set aside certain patents that believed
were mistakenly issued. One OF the
suits against the Flint Il Pere Marquette
railroad, and the suit brought to set
aside the patents referred 10, have been
decided by the court in favor Of the
State, and / think both OF them
have now gone TO the Supreme Court
for decision.
81 repeat what j said in relation TO
the Importance of adjusting these
CLAIMS, and very respectfully refer
you to the more complete statement
then made of the questions involved.
and still urge the prosecution of these
cases for the same reasons that were
then assigned.
FORFEITED RAILROAD LANDS.
"In 1856 Congress granted large tracts
of lands to aid IN the construction of
certain railroads IN the Upper PENN
sula OF Michigan. Some of these roads
have not been constructed. And
March 2, 1889, Congress passed m act
FORGETTING the unearned lands. June
Is, 1889, q joint resolution was passed
by the Legislature authorizing and en-
powerlng the Governor to rellnquish
the claim of the State to such forfeited
lands. The duty was at once entered
upon and prosecuted with diligence.
But much difficulty was met in identi-
flying the lands.
"The Land Office and the Office of
Secretary of State are the only custodi-
ans Of the records, plats, maps, etc., of
State lands. These Offices FASTENED the
work as rapidly as possible, and on the
26th day of September, 1880, quit
claim was executed to each individual
description as furnished me by the
Land Office. With some few excep-
tons, believe the quit-claim embraces
all the lands forfeited. and no Others"
The money appropriated in 1887 and
1889 for the Gettysburg monuments
has been expended, the monuments
completed and were.turned over to the
Gettysburg Monument Association,
June IL, 1889.
APPEALS TO HIGHER COURTS.
SIN the interest of the people, as we'll
as the court. earnestly recommend an
amendment to the law of appeals; so
that no case where constitutional rights
and personal liberty are not involved,
shall be appealed to the Supreme court
from the circuit court when the judg-
ment in the court below shall not be
more than 5000. The propriety of this
recon- mendation must be apparent
when it 10 known that cases lnvoling s.
are brought to the attention of the SUI
preme court, and sincerely hope that
this relief may be afforded that high
tribunal.
"And right along this line desire to
recommend an amendment to the law
of appeal from justices courts in GER
tain cases; and l am encouraged to
make this recommendation with .
greater confidence because the late la
mented Judge James V. Campbell in an
address delivered few years before his
death, after nearly thirty years service
on the bench of the Supreme court,
commended the same idea in his clear,
strong, vigorous language. In speak
| ing of the appeals from justices courts,
| he says:
"Where from the nature OF things the
cost of controversy will 90 beyond any
possible gain from it, there Is much
harm done by continued litigation. If
small cases, involving no important
principle, have once been fairly tried,
any further pursuit tends only to in
jure the public tranquility and burden
| the public treasury as well - the means
of the litigants. Persons of small
means are often injured and sometimes
ruined by prolonged legal action, and
whether right or wrong they can do but
very little against the Weather oppo.
nent who will not be seriously hurt,
| though defeated on appeal. There are
| small cases which represent important
principles that should be settled by
| courts Of last resort, such cases can be
| easily provided for by requiring leave
to appeal, which is always done In cases
| of certlorari.'
"These suggestions made by one &c
| thoroughly competent 70 treat the
question, ought certainly TO carry
weight with legislators. And now when
| efforts will be made TO create new in.
dicial districts, the question of rellef by
prohibiting appeals where sums in.
volved do not exceed so 10 worth con.
Hdering.
"THE WORLDS COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION
IL to be held in Chicago IN 1893. II
will be . marked event IN the progress
of American civilization. As . fnan.
e,al investment Alone our State ouRb,