Telegram-herald., 1891-01-25

ka1rt sdloarnment 10 vaas - nkAte
Inst .aklons. Senator Dorzn's nan
ssgapasat N favor Of tie short recess
wss that Aay msmb<r soald lssxn iii
about oas of shs great inst<.at.o1s N
half . day. OF eourse, every one knew
thss Eeaa>xk u ~ Smply oas Of tL.s
genial senstor's customary Jokes. No
one believed IL, 10 oas believed thas
tns Senator himssIf could accomplish
the feat and no one believed that be
hinsslf believed be could. Bat the rs-
mark sounded well and the psopossd
recoavsnaug on "Wednesday night
looked well in print. senator DorAn
viii ''poInt with pride 70 his record.
when hs Asks Tor reelection. But, il
that record 10 supplemented BY the re-
cord In bosh hoasss OF mot quorum
present" il viii not be quite 80 tisttsr-
Ing record. And yes that is likely 10
Be the result. The fact of short ad-
journmsnt Was heralded Tar and wide
and the Grand Rapids triad looked
upon II - great victory, but nothing
vas sAid about the ieAves of absence
granted, extending beyond the time Of
reAssembling.
4 greas howl went up from the
Democracy, during the campaign, over
the long session Of the last Legislature
and over the extravagant appropria-
tions TO state institut.ons- The present
Legislature, under dictatson of the
Democratic State Central Committee,
OF whom no more obedient servants are
found than the three Kent county
"reformers, starts out with two
determinations made-.o shorten the
session and to cut down appropria-
tions. They expect TO promote the
former somewhat. by taking IN ad-
journment altogether too short to be
consistent with wise accomplishment
OF the latter. Not even the craziest
''reformer' among them would admit
that 1t Is their intention TO cut and
slash at the proposed appropriations in
the dark, but rather that they will
scan, with eagle eye. every item asked
for. But that kind Of scanning takes
time, and the visiting committees will
find that it takes much longer to figure
out how expenses may be saved, than it
does TO lump off An appropriation,
The greater number of the members
are utterly unfamiliar with the institu-
tions, and those who do not visit them
will want to know many things about
them that tho committees, In their
cursory visits will not even think of.
The committee men are liable to como
back puffed up with imaginary in
formation which the prick of a few
we'll directed questions will suddenly
let loose and disslpate. The citizens Of
Grand Rapids can readily imagine Sem
ator Doran learning al about the Uni
versity Of Michigan, its mission, its
scope, its achievements. its prospects,
its merits, its necessities, and its fin
ances, in the space of half day, and
then arising to his feet in the Senate
Chamber to explain the various items
in the appropriation bill. Without 90
intimate . knowledge of the institu-
ton, it would be sheer foolhardiness to
cut one dollar Off of the appropriations
asked by the Regents, who have made
q study of the subject.
The people of Michigan do not want
any blind, senseless slashing at appro-
priations, just for the sake of saving a
few dollars of taxation now and max
ing show of retrenchment, with the
certainty of having to pay for it with
interest hereafter. There is no economy
in such retrenchment, as Indiana has
found to her cost. Democratic legisla-
lures, in the name of economy and re-
form, have often failed to provide for
q proper support of state institutions,
and have afterward borrowed money to
meet deficiencies, until the state is now
over SS,00o.000 in debt. The people
will expect the "reformers" to give a
reason for every item of appropriations
Topped off. The estimates for the var
ious institutions are all made by off,
Gals, who are servants of the people
and responsible to them, just as directly
A. are the members of the Legislature.
Their estimates come before the Legis-
lature with all the sanchty of Official
action, taken by those whose business
it is TO know what they are asking for.
The people do not regard those officials
as so many vultures preying upon
them, against whose rapacity they
must interpose the protection of q "re-
form" Legislature, but they expect
them 70 exercise their best judgment
and then TO submit their estimates to
| the peoples board of review, as it we're,
the Legislature. As the legislators are
| not, in the first instance, familiar with
the subjects to be passed upon, they are
expected to make themselves 50 famil-
iar Herewith that they can give good
reasons for any reductions made in the
appropriations
Can the "reformers" 90 inform them
selves in the time taken to inspect the
institution Judging from the slovness,