The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-04-28


,heir mai passage they will know very
little concerning them.
Edgar bill Fa"Ssbly Reported.
Inc Edgar bill designed TO prevent
eplleptlcs, idiots and certain classes Of
CRIMINALS from reproducing their kind
mas been favorably reported. and is
causing considerable discussion. II nro-
Vldes that the classes of unfortunates
mentioned, who are inmates OF our state
institutions, especially the home for the !
ieeple-mlnded, shall, after their mental /
ueoay mas been established by board |
OF competent medical examiners. be nm |
seNed. 1T Is possible that this provision |
or the bill may be upheld. but il is con-
tended by some very well informed per
sons that the other prNision is uncon-
stitutional This prov is that per-
sons convicted 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 10 the provision of the CON
situation of the United States which. i'm
substance, is that no state shall infict
inhuman or unusual punishment on
criminals. The punishment provided by
the Dill Is by these persons denounced
as both inhuman and unusual
Dissatisfied with the Price
IL looks as If the state was about to
execute long-t threatened plan i'm con-
nection with furnishing the state house
| and other state buildings i'm this city.
with light and water. For several years
the board of state auditors has been dis
satisfied With the price charged ny 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 a result the committee
secured an amendment to the charter
Of the city Of Lansing giving the state
the right 10 lay water mains and erect
poles i'm the street, and now the COM
mittee on ways and means has favor
ably reported a bill appropriating $685.
600 for the purpose of supplying both OF
these commodities All Of which
demonstrates that even aworm will turn
eventually
Uniform Text Book system.
Much interest centers in the fate of
the bills providing for uniform text
book system, one of which is now pend
ing i'm each house. That i'm 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. Inasmpch as 4
carried an appropriation of $1,000 1t was
under the rules, sent to the approprla
lions and finance committee where
still is. The house measure is sub
stitute bill reported Jointly by the stat
affairs and education committee. l
exempts all districts where the fire
text book system prevails, and Their
are some l.2OO of these in the state
The senate bill provides for the appoint
ment of three county school commis
sioners TO act with the state board G
education 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 you
/, correspondent, Hon. David A. Han
mond of Ann Arbor, for six years
member of the state board of educatic
and for many years superintendei
Of schools in this state, said; 'Whi
/, we are eventually coming to in tn
= and other states is an absolutely fr
textbook system. This is the lue
:, system. and not until we estapllsh
: will the public school system De Tree
( u should be. Now we furnish free tu
ton only.
Shall BE Supplied Free.
.Jn Michigan we have a local Optic
{ free textbook law. 1t has been ador
. ed at a large number of places throus
;. out the state and has worked aoniran
, wherever tried. Our law also PROVO
y that all pupils whose parents are uha'
10 IN purchase books for them shall be su
nlied free by the district. rms app
IN the entire state. but you VIII nou
II that II requires parents to first MAKE
- affirmative showing of poverty pei'
L. the hooks can be furnished their On
IL dron American people are proud, a
T. r. ,,erv ones who should be benefit
/" Inv the free-teXt book plan are the
Il 20 become mendicants. If the law W.
% e,,cb as to provide that free BOOKS sho'
- no furnished every child VINO a''ei
," our nublic schools all would DE pun
!" on aoual footing, and this very supst'
,iol ohiection TO the present syst
= ,,,ould Inc overcome. The trend OF pu'
ie oninion is noticeably in favor OF an
a lutelv free textbooks i'm our pu.
!" schools and it will not be IONS pei
d this system will generally prevail
81 The legislators from the rural d 'ds y
Ut ore expected to put uparather sun ~
Is agairet a bill which received iaV
Is - renort a few days ago. rms
v nroyides that all the stock OF p'
shor Inc assessed in the place where
hanl, Is located, instead OF the y,
en- ,,,t,aro the owner resides at present
n Sar the nresent system the township
ed s sessore occasionally get a whack
ne hanle stock owned by parties resiuiil'
al. thair Townships, and it is not oelie
ST. thev will take kindly to the ciia'
ay which win deprive the townships "a
Tor ~ and send it all to the cities Inc
OF seton to the present system Is
to 49, -, nonresident owners of bank 81
nd tovation thereon altogether
on pusI,irl, Local option Measure
he rho Iiouor committees have been II
ne tho very slowly, but that in the IL
De hae finally made a report on 1ne
hs nirk local option measure riS
Iay LIS mat this question SHAH pe
GIT 49,, - Of general instead of speciai
9TH upon &c now. thus insuring II
10 larger attendance at the poiis. -,
err - Greater restrictions on lhe sal