The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-04-30

The Edgar bill designed to prevent
epileptics. idiots and certain classes OF
criminals from reproducing their kind
has been favorably reported. and Is
causing considerable discussion. 1t pro-
vides that the classes of unfortunates
mentioned, who are inmates of our state
institutions, especially the home for the
feeble-minded, shall, after their mental
decay has been established by board
of competent medical examiners, be un-
sexed. 1t is possible that this provision
OF the bill may be Upheld, but it is con-
tended by some very well informed per-
sons that the other provision is uncon-
stitutional. This provision is that per-
sons convicted a second time of a felony
or of ravishing females under certain
conditions shall be similarly treated.
Those who believe that this provision is
invalid point to the provision of the con-
situation Of the United States which, In
substance, Is that no state shall infiict
inhuman or unusual punishment on
criminals. The punishment provided by
the bill is by these persons denounced
as both inhuman and unusual.
Dissatisfied with the Price.
1t looks as If the state was about to
execute a long threatened plan in con-
nection with furnishing the state house
and other state buildings in this city
with light and water. For several years
the board of state auditors has been dis
satisfied with the price charged by the
city for water and electric light and by
the local company for gas. This year
the house committee on public buildings
and grounds was induced to investigate
the matter AS result the committee
secured an amendment to the charter
of the city of Lansing giving the state
the right to lay water mains and erect
poles in the street. and now the COM
mittee on ways and means has favor
ably reported a bill approprlating $685.
900 for the purpose of supplying both of
these commodities. All of which
demonstrates that even worm will turn
eventually.
Uniform Textbook System.
Much interest centers in the fate of
the bills providing for a uniform text
book system, one of which is now pend
ing in each house. That in the senate
is the further advanced, having been
discussed for a couple of hours in COM
mittee of the whole, after being favor
ably reported by majority of the COM
mittee on education. Inasmuch as it
carried an appropriation Of 81 900 it was,
under the rules, sent to the appropria-
lions and finance committee where it
still is. The house measure is a sub
stitute bill reported Jointly by the state
aHairs and education committee. 1t
eXempts all districts where the free
textbook system prevails, and there
are some 200 of these in the state.
The senate bill provides for the appoint
ment of three county school commits
sioners to act with the state board OF
in selecting the uniform sys-
tenn, and for letting the job of furnish
ing the books to the lowest bidder.
In discussing this question with your
Hon. David A. Ham
pond of Ann Arbor, for six years a
member of the state board of education
and for many years a superintendent
of schools in this state, said: What
we are eventually coming to in this
and other states is an absolutely free
textbook system. This is the ideal
system. and not until we establish it
will the public school system be free as
1t should be. Now we furnish free tut
lion only.
snail iie supplied Free.
I'm Michigan we have a local option
free textbook law. 1t has been adopt
ed at a large number of places through
put the state and has worked admirably
wherever tried. Our law also provides
hat all pupils whose parents are unable
10 purchase books for them shall be sup
piled free by the district. This applies
to the entire state, but you will notice
that it requires parents to first make an
Affirmative showing of poverty before
the books can be furnished their chill
1ron. American people are proud, and
he very ones who should be benefited
by the free-teXt book plan are the last
20 become mendicants. II the law were
such as to provide that free books should
be furnished every child who attends
Dur public schools all would be put on
IN equal footing, and this very substan-
.ial objection to the present system
would be overcome. The trend of public
opinion is noticeably in favor of abso-
utely free textbooks in our public
schools and it will not be long before
his system will generally prevail
The legislators from the rural districts
ire expected toput up rather stiff fight
against a bill which received a favor
,ble report a few days ago. This bill
provides that all the stock of bank
hall be assessed in the place where the
)ank is located, instead of the place
where the owner resides at present. I'm
Ter the present system the township as
essors occasionally get whack at
'ank stock owned by parties residing in
heir townships, and it is not believed
hey will take kindly to the change,
which will deprive the townships Of the
ak and send it all to the cities. The OBJ
ection to the present system is that
many nonresident owners of bank stock |
scape taxation thereon altogether.
Buslkirk Local option Measure.
The liquor committees have been NOV |
ng very slowly, but that in the house |
las finally made report on the Bus |
,irk local option measure. This pro- |
-ides that this question shall be voted |
pon at general instead of special cleo |
ions, as now, thus insuring much |
anger attendance at the polls. It also |
'uts greater restrictions on the sale of |
ruggists in local option counties, by re- |
Iuiring that sales shall be made by |
hem only on physicians prescriptions,
hat record 10 kept of each sale with |
he OilaptitU and mama M tho NJ, rcb say.