Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-20
TAKING THINGS EASY.
The Michigan Legislature Tackles Legisla
tion Tn . Leisursly Manner.

Correspondence Of The Evening Star
| GRAND RAPIDS, MICK, Jan. 10, 1893.
The state legislature has got fairly down to
business, but nothing in Its early action would
indicate that the desire for reform has made a
very deep impression upon the minds Of the
statesmen The republicans carried the state
last fall on platform pledging short and bus
iness-like session Of the legislature. The first
act OF the session after effeoting an organiza-
ton and holding the senatorial caucus was to
AXE a fre-day vacation Last week Speaker
VIM Aldrich Tateum endcavored 10 hold the
house for a Saturday session and succeeded in
keeping . majority Of the members in the capt.
tai city, but tho senate followed long estab-
iished custom by adjourning Friday until Mon
day night, and the house will in all probability
| follow the senate's example In the future.
resolution emanating from the democratic
| SIDE OF the house to forego the regular junkets
and the state institutions, a perfunctory cere-
mony which gives the visiting committeeman a
| chance to put good sized sum OF mileage and
per diem in his pocket without rendering any
| real service TO the state in return, was voted
| down by the republican majority and the
junkets will be enjoyed as usual this year.
4 resolution naming April as the dav for
final adjournment was voted down and q reso-
luton binding the members to pay their own
railroad fares instead of riding on free passes
met the same fate.
Two or three bills have been noticed which,
II passed, will prohibit the acceptance of passes
or mileage books by the members, and making
! II an offense punishable by fine for railroads to
tender them, but if passed ut all these proposed
laws will not take effect until after the adjourn
Inent Of the present legislature.
Tho last republican Legislature, that of 1889.
present indications, Inst fully as long, unless
the law makers should suddenly take eco
nomical streak and close things with q rush q
few days earlier.
In appointing the house committees Speaker
Tateum did not bestow charmanships upon
some OF those who thought they were entitled
to favors. Representative Mckinley of Detroit
was particularly aggrieved in the places given
him, and at a caucus last Friday night when
the speaker pro tenn. was under consideration
Tsteum and Mckinley almost came to blows,
and the Detroit statesman will be stumbling
block in the pathway Of the speaker from this
time until the close Of the session.
In distributing his appointments Gov. Rich Is
having hard row to how and bowls of disap-
pointment are being..heard in Detroit, this city,
Muskegon and other parts Of the state. Tho
rnral supporters OF the farmer governor have
thus far captured most OF the plums and from
the governors policy it is apparent that this is
going to be afarmer administration throughout
BILLS OF GENERAL INTEREST.
Among the bills thus far presented in the
legislature of general interest are: To pro-
hibit members of the legislature and state off,
Gals accepting free passes from the railroads
To repeal the Miner electoral law and return to
the old system OF electing on general ticket To
abolish the central boards of control for the
state institutions and establish new boards; this
is for the purpose Of allowing the republican
governor to appoint republican boards of con-
troll to succeed the democrats appointed by
Gov. Winans. To amend the election law in
various ways. one of the several bills offered
providing that candidates on two tickets shall
have their names printed under only one
vignetie, thereby multiplying partial fusion be:
tween two political organizations. To request
Congress to submit to the several states a con-
stitutional amendment for the election of Sen
! ators by direct vote Of the people. To regulate
charges for telephones. Beside these bills.
which are OF more important and general
nature. raft Of bills have been introduced for
desired local legislation and minor changes to
existing laws.
REVISING THE CONSTITUTION.
The question of a general revision Of the
state constitution was submitted to popular
vote in the recent election, and in a total vote
of 33, 1853 the affirmative had majority of 9O3
The total vote of the state on governor was
i66, 600. and eminent attorneys hold that, as
the constitution reads. the measure was lost
because not a majority of the cleo tors voting at
the election favored the revision.
The question will probably be tested in the
supreme court before the constitutional con-
vention is held, and in all probability it will go
down.
The present state constitution was adopted
ir 1850. In 1856. a constitutional convention
was held to revise the instrument and its efforts
were rejected by majority of 30, 900 at the
polls. In 1883 constitutional commission
was appointed to do the work again and its
efforts were received in the same way by q ma
jcrity of about 80, 900.
The old constitution is in many respects q
back number, but it is doubtful if any whcle-
sale revision would be observed by the voters.
Some Of its crudites have been overcome by
separate amendments and the same course will
have to be followed in the future. Several bills
have been noticed calling for the submission of
amendments and some Of these will be submit
ted if it is decided the general revision does
not 60. One of these bills provides for the
division Of cities entitled to more than one
member Of the house into single districts in
stead Of electing all the members one ticket<
Another is to give the state road law a general
overhauling. Another provides for an increase
in the salary of the secretary Of state and
other Office holders from $500 and 81 600. the
1850 standard, to $4,000 and s2.5O0. Still an
| other is to relieve the supreme court OF the
business which has been piling in upon it and
steadily accommodating To place all municipal
charters under one general enactment instead
Of having all such legislation come before the
legislature is the purpose OF another proposed
amendment. and to pay members of the legis-
lature q lump salary instead of a per diem is
still another. Most of these changes in the
constitution are needed and will in time be
brought about, but it may take years to accom-
pIish it.
TIE FEDERAL OFFICES.
The distribution of the federal Offices among
the democrats is a living issue, but Inauguration
day is still some distance away and the fight has
not become pronounced as yet in any quarter.
1t is universally conceded that so far rs
Michigan is concerned all favors will pass
through tho hands of Don NJ. Dickinson
Dickinson cannot. of course, spread himself
personally over the entire state and the western
Michigan patronage will be passed up to him
for his approval by friends upon whom he can
rely. Eight years ago I. NJ. Weston was in
command over this part of the state. but Wes-
ton is now president of the state worlds fair
commission, is at the head of the democracy .
organ in western Michigan and has numerous
business enterprises to look after, and will not
give that undivided interest to politics which
he did eight years ago.
The command will devolve upon Edwin F.
Chl. with ID. q. Watson, John s. Lawrence and
DR.. Chas. s. Hazelttne as advisers, and among
| them they will arrange slate for the federal
| appointments here. which will be at once
clean and solid for Dickinson. The democratic
members of the legislature in caucus last week
| Endorsed Dan j. Campau. chairman of the cam
! paign committee, for United States Senator.
/ This WAS not TO the taste of Bckfpson's friends