Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-01-16

property from equal taxation. The granting
OF special privileges 10 any class affords just
cause OF complaint 10 the masses. i commend
this subject OF exemptions TO your careful
consideration.
Many who have given thought TO the sub
Ject favor return to the county system for
the collection OF delinquent taxes. 1 believe
~ would be less expensive and more efficient
than the present system, which Is, In my
opinion, cumbersome and costly.
III each county we're required TO pay TO tbs
state It's proportion OF the state tax, and thea
given full control OF all proceedings 70 enforce
large saving TO the state would follow, and il
would make the officers of the townships and
counties more watchful Of their duti 2 in see
ing that the tax Is properly and legally laid.
and the enforcement OF the law would be more
certain.
Another feature Of taxation which should
have your attention is the taxation OF real es-
tate on which there is mortgage emcumbrance.
Justice to the owner OF the real estate forbids
ievying tax on larger interest than he may
have in the land, yet, for various reasons, il
may be difficult TO ascertain his exact interest.
All agree that the mortgage is evidence o
gagor and mortgage should, between
5se The P%y taxes 9n tho full gS
owner of the land, and such proportion of the
tax so paid as the Indebtedness bears 10 the as
ssessed value becomes a legal set-oif against
the mortgage. AS our law stands, the owner
OF the land pays tax on the full value. be his
real interest great or small, while the mort
gagee, who is usually the better able to pay.
eltner escapes taxation, or pays another tax
on the same property. IL the MORTGAGE Is
nonresident OF The state he pays no tax, which
is discrimination against our own people
who have money TO loan. In the interest OF
equal taxation call your special attention &c
this feature.
| consider this question of taxation the most
important with whic you have To deal. Nearly
all questions would be easy OF solution if tho
cost was not TO be considered. but every move
costs money. and in the end the people mus,
when DtOUle
mand that unnecessary taxation must cease
state taxes must not increase, Let every re-
quest FOR public aid be sternly denied unless i
can be shown that the money Is needed 70,
public purposes.
STATE BOARDS.
In this line of economical thought call your
attention to the number Of state boards of
from three TO six members now authorized by
law There are fifteen ex-oflicio and thirty
Official boards, the latter comprising more
IMAM 100 different members. No salary is Iaid
the members, but many Of them receive eX-
penses and per diem compensation, and some
are allowed a secretary or clerk at a fixed
salary. Aside from the question Of expense
believe the public interest would be better
served by abolshing many OF these boards.
favor having one board of control for all our
prisons and reformatorics instead of one for
each institution, as at present. Such "A board
would have the advantage of being able 10
compare financial and reformatory results in
the different institutions. and could establish
UNIFORM system OF bookkeeping so as to make
could be reduced and more economical and
efficient administration Of these institutions Sc
cured. such a board would be as well qualified
TO advise in the matter of pardons as the board
nov organized for that special purpose, and
could also perform the duties now entrusted
to the state Board of Corrections and Chair.
ties. single board controls the prisons OF
England, another those OF New York State,
and am informed the same policy is followed
in most other states of the union.
\ similar board could control our education
al Institutions. We already have a state
Board of Education whose principal duty is
the management of the State Normal school
/ believe good results would follow if all our
state schools except the University and the
AGRICULTURAL College were managed by the
state Board of Education, and their present
boards Of control abolished.
With "A third Board of Control for our asy.
iums and charitable institutions We would
have five boards instead of a dozen or more for
the management of the institutions named.
The establishment Of single Board of Con.
troll for each class Of institutions. penal chart.
table, and educational, with full control over
and responsibility for their proper manage
ment would secure better supervision of these
important interests. The business of the state
should have the best executive talent obtain
able, and, so far as practicable, the officers
should not be liable TO interference except for
business reasons. 1t is for the interest of
every citizen that the business of the state be
done correctly and economically and based
upon true theories.
The duties of the State Board Of Health con-
sist largely Of the collection of statistics of
sickness and meteorological conditions which
affect the health of our people, and Of scicn-
tifc experiments relating 10 the nature and
causes OF disease. Provision is already made
for the collection of these statistics in many
other ways, at public expense, and such other
information as is useful could | e collected and
published by the Secretary OF State.
I ne last Legislature appropriated more than
ss,uD for ~ state Weather Service which If
continued should give us the meteorological
statistics needed. The medical department
of the state University is supplied with an
able corps Of professors, and with all the facil-
fiaGf far riVet.ar t,auf,
the nature, causes and prevention of diseases,
and thousands of intelligent physicians, edu-
Gated under these advantages, are scattered
throughout the state. The state Board of
Health costs the taxpayers $1,000 or more an
nually, ana suggest that you consider
whether the iscontinuance OF this beard
would be inJur Gus 10 the public health.
INSURANCE POLICY COMMISSIONER.
We have an Insurance Policy Commissioners,
who, with the Commissioner Of Insurance and
the Attorney General. form a commission 10
provide n standard form OF insurance policy.
| suggest the discontinuance of this commits
sion and that the Commissioner of Insurance
be required to perform its duties.
STATE GAME AND FISH WARDEN.
The preservation Of our game and fish from
wanton and unnecessary destruction should be
wisely guarded by law. The present law pro
vides for the appointment of n State Game and
Fish Warden, AZ n fixes, go .,ry, whose duty il
Is with the aid OF CO Stnin deputies, to enforce
the statutes rel9i ing t1 birds, game and fish
There seems 10 be no valid reason why this
class of laws cannot 10 enforced, like any
other, by the proper prosecuting and police
officers OF the counties. i am Informed that
the Game Warden has very rarely conducted
"a prosecution in person, but IL Is done by the
local prosecutor at his request. Without such
request it is still the duty Of a pros ecutinc
attorney to see that all offenders are punished
The Deputy Game Wardens must get their
pay through the Boards OF Supervisors, and in
many cases the boards have refused any rea-
sonable compensation, and hence the law has
been uncnfoTced.
recommend that the law be SO amended that
tlA Constables Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs OF
the counties be especially intrusted with its
fCrcement, such officers TO receive the fees
| that are allowed them in other criminal mat
tiers. IL the changes suggested are made, thu
office of State Game and Fish Warden would
seem unnecessary, and in such case | Suggest
| it's dscontnuance. The opportunity you have
| for the discontinuance of appointive offices.
without being charged with partisan motives.
should be improved where it will serve the
public good.
THE WORLDS COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION.
The Worlds Columbian Exposition, to be
held in n neighboring city, will be an event OF
great interest TO the world ut In 90 .,ad par
| ticularly TO the citizens of the United States.
| The Federal Government has literally aided in
providing the funds needed by the ma mage.
ment and Michigan is honored In the s.,lec.
1 -. III.