Telegram-herald., 1891-01-09
TIE TWO IESSACE
0ev. Lac Yizss He Parting oAsf,
Followed ~ Gov. Wanans,
PrlEl lnINss. FEEER DolRDs

4&U4 RAtX@S3 AeW A~S
- Durehe. - 1hsas snGgessieas - ths
6>t~ss- ~ nans ks<emnsads keaa~
eDy go kesssnshmsns and The
Abeatstsn - ss~s omssA
The outgoing and lncoming Govern-
ors yesterday sent their last and hrst
nls ages respectively 10 the legislature.
synol sss of which are appended;
Gsatasmen 81 tae seasse ana House 81 Repre-
senIaIisxss
although no longer discharging the
duties or assuming the responsibilities
OF the executive Office, ! AM. ~ the
pEovlsioHs OF the constitution, required
To give to you information BY message
OF the condition OF me State. and 10
recommend such measures - are
deemed eipedlent; and In dischaTglng
this duty snail confine myself more
particularly 70 giving 10 you such IN
iormauon rs four years OF close and
intimate relations with the Affairs Of
State and Its institutions have enabled
me 10 obtain. leaving the Recommended
tions largely 70 my successor, who Is
for the next constitutional term 20
share with you the responsibilities Of
laws enacted, and 70 discharge execu-
tive duties.
"lou assemble under pleasant and
favorable auspices. Aknd Providence
has smiled upon the efforts of all. dur
ing the last year. As rule our peo-
pie have enjoyed the choicest OF earthly
blessings-good robust health. The
fields have yielded bounteously TO the
touch Of the husbandman. Gold,
copper and iron mines have given forth
beautifully of their buried treasures,
and there is = constant increase In the
products OF the salt wells.
'sFor ali of these, and many other
an all-wise, ever kind, overriding
Providence.
INDEBTEDNESS.
"For some years ample provision has
been made for liquidating the bonded
debt, but a. all OF the bonds had not
matured, they were not paid IN until
within the last year. And now for the
first time in our history, we can with
pride declare that the last dollar of
this class of indebtedness has been
paid; the last bond issued by authority
Of the Legislature has been cancelled"
The Ex-Governor expressed the be-
lief that the main features of the new
election law "meet with the approval
of the people," He recognizes the
necessity and recommendssomec changes
for the protection of the law, and then
says:
"And again, the circulation of tickets
at the polls outside the booths should
be absolutely prohibited. In many
election precincts these measures are
not required, but the citizens of such
localities will willingly incur some
trouble and expense in order to insure
the purity of elections in places where
they are needed.
"All of these precautionary measures
are recommended in the interest of
honest elections. and are submitted to
your candid, deliberate Judgment for
consideration.
TEMPERANCE LEGISLATION.
1.-THE Legislature of 1889 passed two
very important bills relating to the
manufacture, taxation, regulation and
prohibition of the business of manu-
featuring, selling, OF keeping for sale
intoxicating, spirtuOus or brewed
liquors. What is known as the local
option law has been declared by the
Supreme Court constitutional. No
amendments to this act are required.
1t furnishes counties, who 90 desire, an
opportunity to prohibit the manufac-
ture and sale within their jurisdiction.
Van Buren, county is the only one that
has thus far availed itself of the rights
given by this law. There, by . vote of
and the traffic is now prohibited in that
county.
"The decision of the Supreme Court
was rendered but recently, and 1t is be-
heved that in this is found the reason
why other counties have not called
elections under the provisions of the
local option law,
Another law was passed increasing
the tax upon the sale of malt or brewed
liquors, from $500 to $500, making the
tax the same as upon spirituous liquors.
One of the reasons for this increase was
| found in the belief that the law was
evaded, and spirituous liquors sold un-
der the malt or brewed liquor tax. A
mistake was made in enrolling the bill
and certain provisions were omitted
from the enrolled bill, and for this res.
son the entire act was declared uncon.
stitutional by the Supreme Court; and
l urge upon your attention the pro.
priety of re-enactlng the provisions
that should have been enrolled in the
law of 1889. The same reasons exist
now that existed two years ago why
this should be done. The evils of in
] temperance are such that / doubt no,
this Legislature will, like its predeces
sor, desire TO enact such laws, and
adopt such measures as shall reduce
these to the minimum"
The necessity of prison discipline j.
dwelt upon and the suit for damage!
against Warden Watkins explained
"a very turbulent, fighting convict wa.
strapped in the Ionia House of Correc
ton, for gross and violent conduct
! and be claims TO have suffered mater
ial injury, not directly through the
punishment, but by IN accident that
occurred during the punishment. Upor
| his release At the expiration of his term
| he went 10 Indiana and commenced
suit against the State of Michigan
| through the warden Of the IoniA Hous<
of Correction, for damages. Relieving
that much Importance attached to thi,
decision. in the general discipline oil
| the prisons. the case was defended, but
a verdict was rendered against the war
den for something over 1890. Tit
punishment was not inflicted by the
| warden himself, but by a subordinate
and it is believed that under no circum
stances could the warden be held per
sonally liable or responsible. and tn,
4 expenses of the suit were audited and
vs-d he the b~,s RI "a the III ua g. ~,