The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-02-22
WILL have TO HUSTLE.
Legislature Is Beating the Record
in the Matter of Bills In
! troduced.
RELIEF FOR HEsUpREME COURT
Legislation for Election Reform
Game Warden's Office To
BE Probed.


evident that if the present legislature
is to reach final adjournment several
weeks in advance of the time its pre-
decessors for several sessions shuffled
off. Il will, in the language of the
curb, have to ''get hump on itself"
This observation is due to the fact that
present indications are that the total
number of bills introduced this year
will leave all previous records in the
shade. Two years ago the record was
4S3 bills and joint resolutions in the
senate and 1,196 in the house, Il total
of 1,679. Thus far the senate is fully
abreast Of last years total at this PEE
Rod of the session, while the house is
fully 200 ahead. The bell will not
ring on the fifty-day limit and shut off
the flood of bills until midnight tomor
row, and a mighty sight of measures
can be sprung in the meantime The
presiding officers and leaders of the
two houses are determined to shorten
the session and promise to hustle
things to this end. AS is always the
case, the majority of these bills will
be slaughtered, and most of them
ought to be.
Relief for the Supreme Court.
1t is possible that Notwithstanding
the defeat of the bill to increase the
membership of the supreme court, the
present legislature may furnish that
tribunal some relief, Senator McMul-
len having proposed a plan which is
meeting with considerable favor, and
which will not increase the expenses
of the judiciary. This plan involves
the adoption by the people of consti-
tutiOnal amendment under which the
legislature can establish an interme-
date court with final jurisdiction in
certain cases, such court to be COM
posed Of one justice of the supreme
court and two circuit judges, who shall
hold court in the various counties as
necessity demands. 1t will be seen
that this plan does not involve the
payment of any additional salaries,
and it is contemplated that the clerks
of the several counties shall serve
as clerks Of the proposed court, there
will be no additional expense on that
account. A bill providing the neces-
sary details has been introduced as
joint resolution providing for submit
ting the question to the people.
Addition to the State House.
The fact that the state has been
obliged to rent offices in the city build
ing for the state tax commission and
that other departments are quartered
in the old state Office building which
is entirely untitled for the purpose. has
induced Senator Robson to introduce a
bill makingan appropriation of S2JO,OO0
for an addition to the state house. 1t
appears that when the capitol building
was designed provision was made by
the architect, the plan being to carry
n wing on the west side out to Walnut
street it being possible to do this with
out marring the beauty of the building.
The superintendent of the poor of
the state are considerably exercised
over bill introduced by Senator Pier
son. The measure provides for the
election of superintendent Of the poor
by the people instead of by the boards
of supervisors, as has always been the
case. 1t is proposed that one shall be
elected every two years at the general
spring election. AS far as heard from
the superintendent are opposed to this
bill for various reasons. and it is likely
to experience hard shedding.
Election Reform Legislation.
Another twist was given reform leg
islation last week. Two twists, in
fact After the signal defeat by the
senate of the Colby bill abolishing po-
litical caucuses i'm Wayne county il
was generally supposed that the Kent
county bill drafted along the same
lines would meet with like fate. The
bill was passed, however receiving 10
votes. It's friends were waiting for
several absent senators to return, hop
ing that their arrival would furnish
enough votes TO give it immediate eff
feet and thereby enable the experiment
to be tried at this springs elections,
but in the meantime some sort of a
deadly germ invaded the 'innards" of
either the bill or the senators, for the
vote by which the bill was passed was
reconsidered and the bill placed on the
table, where 1t now reposes. 1t Is evil
dent that a determined effort is to be
made TO defeat it, and the chances are
that they will be successful.
State Tax Commission.
Governor Bliss nominations Of VIII
liam T. Dust of Detroit and Charles
| ID. Lawton of Lawton, Van Buren,
county, for places on the state tax com
| mission created considerable surprise
and some disappointment. Those wht
experienced the latter feeling are In
elined to defeat the confirmation OF
! Lawton, but it is doubtful If they will
be able to do so. The fact of the mat
ter is that Mr.. Lawton is very able
man, with many qualifications which
especially fit him for this work, so tina
when 1t gets right "down to brass
tacks'' no good reason for his rejection
can be found. In view Of this fact
is probable that the opposition to Mr.
Lawton will consist mainly of talk
and when il comes down to voting h
will be confirmed.
Bonrd IL Good Investment.
1t has become quite the fashion q
late years for legislative onslaugh
to be made on the state board @
health, and especially on Secretar
Baker. | have In the course of m
business as q newspaper correspondent
visited every state department sever:
times day for the past ten years, an
have no hesitancy in saying th'
Michigan makes no better investmeI
than the money which ii dev0tes to Il