Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-31

| Lansing correspondence.
Unless all signs fail the session Of the
| Legislature which will commence san. u
| will be the lveliest of any within the
memory of the oldest inhabitant The
people generally are demanding reforms
Enough of the various representative as
sociations of the State have already met
and formulated their demands to give a
very fair idea of the most important leg
| islation that will come up for considera-
ton.
First, it may be well to mention the
several reforms which Governor-elect
Pipgree proposes to urge upon the Legis-
lature in the manner for which he Is
famous. The following are the ones
| which he has announced his intention of
giving most attention to:
The reduction of railroad passenger
fares In the lower peninsula to 2 cents
| per mile.
The local taxation of railroad, telegraph
| and telephone property, instead of the
| exaction of a specific tax on earnings as
| at present.
| The prohibition of stock watering, over
| capitalization, etc.
The prevention of the consolidation OF
railroad and street railway companies.
The abolishing of ward primaries, so
that candidates shall be nominated direct
ly by the people.
A law providing that franchises shall
be submitted TO a vote of the people of
municipality before being given TO cor
porations, etc.
Home rule for Detroit
The repeal of all dead letter statutes,
of which there are scores on the statute
books.
While this has been announced by Gov
ernor-elect Pingree as constituting his
plan of Legislative action. no one acquaint-
cd with him believes that it includes all
of the measures he will be found father
ing. He is a man of quick impulses, and
it is doubtful if day will pass that he
will not find some new bill to champion,
and it will not be until the fifty days pro-
vided by the constitution in which bills
can he introduced in the Legislature have
expired that the full measure of his re-
forms will be known.
What the Farmers Want.
For two years the farmers clubs of the
State, which embrace in their member
ship all of the representative farmers Of
Michigan, have been unusually active,
they have decided to concentrate their
efforts in an endeavor to secure the leg
islative Endorsement of the following
propositions:
That all county officials be paid in full
for their services by stated salaries, and
that it be made criminal offense for
such officers TO receive any fees or other
perquisites in addition to their salaries.
Furthermore, that the fees collected in
county offices be readjusted on an equita-
BILE basis, and that hereafter all such fees
be paid into the county treasury.
That no State institutions be establish
ed by the next Legislature, and that there
be general wedding out of all unprofit-
able institutions already in existence and
of unbusiness-like methods of manage
ment wherever they exist.
That Michigan prisons should, in the
aggregate, be made self-supporting.
That not more than the 1-6 mill tax
be granted the Legislature for the coming
two years.
That no changes be made in the road
laws whereby the maintenance of the
highways shall be made more burdensome
than at present.
That n more economical and effective
system for the collection of taxes on non
resident lands be devised.
That the tax system be so amended az
to secure more equitable distribution on
the burdens of taxation upon both real
and personal property, and upon both cor
porate and private capital.
State Grange in Evidence.
The State Grange indorses the farm
ers' clubs, and demands that the prisons
be made self-supporting and that the fec
system of paying county officials be abol-
ished. 1t also asks that boards Of county
officers be substituted for the present
large boards of supervisors, and that all
food consumed in State institutions be
purchased in the State. The licensing Of
professional and business vocations, such
as hotels, restaurants, ETC., is asked for,
and it is recommended that the rate of
specific taxes paid by railroads and other
corporations be increased and made to
reach more property. Another constitu-
tional amendment asked for is one under
which an inheritance tax may be levied,
the inheritance tax law enacted few
years ago having been declared unconsti-
tutional by the Supreme Court. 1t is de-
sired that the general tax law be amend
ed so as to make it obligatory, instead of
optional as now, for assessing officers t.
swear all persons before examining them
as to their property.
At the recent annual meeting of the
Michigan Federation of Labor it was
decided that the federation should con-
fine its efforts before the next Legisla-
ture to bill abolishing contract convict
labor. The federation had nothing to
offer as substitute for the present sys-
tenn of working convicts further than a
proposition that they be worked on the
highways as far as possible, but the dele
gates were a unit in demanding that con-
tract labor be stopped. This demand will
meet with the united opposition of the
managers of the several prisons.
Needs of State Institutions.
Among the more important matters to
be acted upon by the Legislature will be
those suggested by the State Board Of
Corrections and Charities. The parole
law is criticised as inadequate, and an APP
peal is made for constitutional amend
ment under wi IA an indeterminate SEN
tence law can be legally enacted. The
board says that the prison law of 1893
partially restored the object in view
when the State reformatory was estab-
lished, but 1t urges the Legislature to pro-
vide that only first offenders be sent to
this institution, SO that this class will
not, as now, be herded with hardened
criminals and the place made school of
crime rufher than a reformatory.
1t Is recommended that inmates of
prisons be enabled to contribute, in a
measure, to the support either Of their
own families or those whom they have
wronged, and, that they be 90 cared for
upon their release that they will not be