Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-12

tsaen Sioss ueAhahus attention at your
Eight-Hour Law.
The two years which have passed since
my first message to the legislature have
not altered In the slightest degree my firin
CONVICTION that eight hours day Is
enough TO require a man to work for his
living. Tho inestimable benefits OF our
public school and of our free educational
institutions OF all kinds. have made OF our
clerks, artisans and mechanics thinking
men, and it is doing only simple justice
to hberate them from the factories and
workshops these two additional hours, in
order that they and their families may en-
JOY some OF the advantages and real
pleasures of life. IL Is your especial priv
iiege and duty to bring the so-called
merchant princes" and captains of in
dustry" in this country to a realization
or the fact that our laboring men are
something more than tools to be used in
shortening OF the hours of labor will also
make II necessary to give work TO the
large number of unemployed
Primary Election.
Under our constitution and laws II is
Doth the duty and privilege Of every citi-
ton or honest and capable men to fill the
various offices within the gift OF the peo-
pie. ana any legislation which will en-
courage or aid them in the performance
OF that duty should receive your undi-
vided support
The present system OF nominating by
practice for many reasons. 1t is prac-
tically impossible for delegate to repre-
sent the wishes Of his constituents where
there Is more than one officer to be nomi-
mated. 1t also tends to permit few
scheming politicians to dictate, either
honestly or otherwise, the nominations.
gates, after having been elected for a
specified purpose, are induced, either by
the use or money or the, promise OF Off
cial position, TO utterly disregard the in
structions and wishes Of their constitu-
ents. thereby practically DISTINGUISHING
whole precincts and townships.
L therefore recommend that a law be
passed providing that all candidates for
each elective office, from governor down
TO township and ward officers, be NOM
mated by direct vote OF the electors.
l also recommend that provision be made
for the nomination at such primary, by a
direct vote OF the electors of the state, OF
a candidate of each party for United
States senator. BY so doing. while under
the constitution he cannot be elected by
direct vote. still the legislature would
hardly dare to disregard the wishes OF
their constituents, so plainly and fairly
expressed, and I'm that manner II might
be possible for the common people to get
some representation in the upper house
OF congress
Az to State Boards.
One of the most pernicious customs in
vogue In this state is the practice OF hav-
ing "ho!d;over" members on state
boards and commissions In this way
mismanagement is covered up, and there
is no way Of reforming abuses which
VIGOROUSLY exist IT. some of our state
institutions. When a new member ac-
cepts an appointment on one OF these
boards he finds himself hopeless
minority If he attempts to inaugurate
any changes, no matter how necessary
such changes may appear. BY the time
he has acquired any influence he has
generally fallen in with his associates.
and as result old foggy methods are
perpetuated and actual abuses escape
correction. The Governor is, and should
be. held responsible for the manage
boards. Consequently the term of all
such appointees should be coextensive
with the official term of the Governor.
The knowledge that an entire new board
would have possession of all the books
and proceedings at the expiration of a
certain fixed time would tend to check
extravagant or selfish enterprises, and.
in my opinion, would greatly increase
the integrity and efficiency of most OF
our state boards.
Tax Titles.
In my message to the ThirtyNinth
Legislature L urged the importance OF
changing the tax law, so that tax titles
could not be acquired by individuals, and
come State property. There are few oc-
equations more despicable than that OF
the professional purchaser and dealer in
tax titles. The decisions of the Supreme
Court of the State have made II more
difficult than ever for owners of land to
relieve their property from the lien or
negligent owner of real estate, but there
is no reason why the unfortunate should
be made the victims of the unscrupulous
and close-fsted tax title dealer.
In this connection / desire to call your
attention TO an extravaganza. a wasteful
expenditure of the peoples money, which
can not be too promptly stopped by you.
| refer to the large sums of money dis.
bursed by the State for advertising real
estate TO be sold for non-payment Of
taxes. The cost OF advertising lands un-
der the present system amounts to more
than the total of salaries paid to the
State officers, the Governor the heads
of all the departments. and their depu-
ties. 1 would strongly recommend that
personal notice to real estate owners,
whose taxes are unpaid. be substituted
in the newspapers. The newspaper no.
tees rarely come to the attention OF
delinquents, especially those who have
taxes.
Michigan I'm the War.
There is nothing in the history of
aR eoaduat o her F sons to ner
troops was issued by the President Of
college, the Office Office the workshops and the the
farms brave. patriotic, earnest men.
willing and anxious to participate in the
half. Men of all professions and trades
WED with each other to be first in the
field and this, too, knowing that thou
and disease under the tropical sun of the
then Spanish possessit ms.
on the oath of April, 1898, a general or
der was issued directing the Michigan
National Guard to mobilize at Island
Lake on April 26th. and on the night OF
that day there were in camp at Island
Lake nearly four thousand men, with
practically no equipment, and with lit
tie IL any appreciation of the arduous
duties they would be called upon to per-
form in order to ft them for active par
ticipation in the war that had then been
declared. In this connection attention
should be called to the promptness and
enthusiasm with which the National
Guard OF Michigan responded to my call.
The total number of Michigan troops
i'm the five regiments was
660 and the total number of deaths
about go.
would recommend that the State
make an appropriation for the benefit OF
the soldiers of the late war sufficient to
bring each mans pay up to one dollar
per day while in active service.
Michigan state Naval Brigade.
/ wish publicly to congratulate the
state on the character and efficiency OF
its naval militia, shown by their gal
liant conduct during the entire period OF
the hostites. Before the first call for
volunteers was made on the 23d OF
April. the Governor received n telegram
from the Navy department asking for a
Of 155 men and nine officers
ftan