Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-29
Pingree Idens,

From the Philadelphia Press.
Mayor Of Detroit and Governor-eleCt of
Michigan PinEree has made the reputation
of having more original ideas than any
other man in public life. The fact that
most all of his suggestions are practical
has given them a wide popularity. His
potato patch plan was n most timely and
useful scheme and it was seized upon at
once by a number of cities as a practical
solution of the difficult problem of dealing
with the worthy poor. His contest with
the street car companies of Detroit also
showed an adroitnesS and perseverance
which brought him wide notoriety
After January l, 1897. Mayor Pingree will
become Governor Pingree and Il wider field
will bo opened for him to display his pc
culiar talent. He has not waited. however
for his Induction into q higher office TO
give hints of what new ideas he may try
TO put into practice. \ few days ago. in
speaking of cigarette smoking. he said: Il
believe Il law ought to he passed to put
into Jail not only the man that sells CiCa-
rettes. but the one that is caught smoking
them. II anyone can pass such Il bill I'll
sign it AS everyone knows. the laws
against selling cigarettes to minors are
dead letters on the statute books Very
little effort Is made to enforce them any
where and young boys obtain as many
cigarettes as they want and smoke them as
freely as they choose. This method of
stopping cigarette smoking having failed
the only practical plan left is to punish
the smokers themselves. 1t IS to be hoped
that the legislature of Michigan will pass
such a law, and as Mr.. Pingree has prom
ised to sign it, test can be made of its
effectiveness.
Another idea that comes from the fertile
Pingree brain is the following: He is con-
WINGED that the statute books of Michigan
are encountered with a great many OBJ
solete laws and laws which cannot be en-
forced because there is no penalty at
tached to them. And he has accordingly
offered Il prize of SIS to the student of the
University OF Michigan who will discover
the greatest number of these laws and has
appointed commission consisting of a cir
cult judge and a prominent lawyer to de-
eide the contest. Mr.. Pingree's object Is
twofold in this matter. He hopes that the
search of the statute books made necessary
by the terms of the contest will, in the
first place, familiarize students with the
laws of the state and, in the second place.
bring to light mass of useless legislation
which can he stricken from the statute
books amended so as to become opera
tive. Every lawyer who is acquainted with
legislation knows the proneness of legisla-
lures to pass unnecessary laws and the
ease with which they pile up in the statute
books, and he will recognize the cleverness
and practical character of Mr.. Pingree's
suggestion.
These two ideas will do for 4 starter for
Mr.. Pingree in his new office as governor
of the state. II he can stop, or even lessen.
cigarette smoking and can make the laws
of Michigan more accessible and intelligible
he will have accomplished two tasks which
good many states have undertaken and
failed in. And there need be no fear that
these will be the last of the Pingree ideas.
The originator of the potato patch can be
depended upon to keep the people of Mich
igan busy and the rest of the country in
terested during the next two years at least.
If he does not he will cease to be Pin
gree