The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1901-01-18


Aside from this the house, by a unani-
nous vote, decided that members OF
coLmittees visiting state institutions
In the course of their official duties
Shall be allowed merely their actual
and necessary expenses" as the law
provides, instead of a mileage allow.
ance as In previous years. 1t Is fig
ured that this will result in a very
material saving. lnasmuch as the res.
Olution by which this saving was ef-
fected was offered by Chairman Ding
ley of the ways and means committee.
which committee will have the scrut-
inizing OF all bills carrying appropria-
tions, ii Is believed that last weeks ac-
ton is but part % the programme OF
economy to be adhered TO throughout
the session.
Pay for Pubiishing Laws
Ex-Auditor General Dix made rec
concentrations in the line of economy
In his retiring report his idea being
that the constitutional provision al
lowing each newspaper that publishes
the general laws enacted at any spe-
cial session Of the legislature shall be
entitled to $50 be abrOgated or
course, 1t is only when very little leg
islation Is enacted at special ses-
sion that the newspapers can afford
to avail themselves of this provision,
and on such occasions the sum total
or allowances Is about $1,000. The
several special sessions during the
past two years has entailed quite an
expenditure in this connection, and
doubtless prompted the ex-auditor's
recommendation. General Dix also
suggested that the allowance TO news
papers for publishing the annual tax
sales be reduced although he did not
say what the figure should be.
craze for state normal schools
seems to have taken possession of va
rious communities. Up to a very few
years ago Michigan boosted only one
of this class Of institutions. Now 1t
has three. and the unanimous testi-
mony of the acknowledged educational
authorities Of the state Is that the
state has need for several more, If
1t hopes to bring the qualifications OF
It's teachers up to the standard of
neighboring states.
For Additional Normal Schools.
Already three bills providing for ad-
ditiOnal normal schools have been no
ticed, and the session Is very young.
Senator Kelly would have one estab-
lished at Muske"on in connection with
the manual training school, the belief
being that the State could acquire with
out cost the valuable property oc-
cupled by the latter. Representative
Sharpe, Of Iosco. has bill to estab-
fish school in northeastern Michigan,
and Representative Lugers, Of HOl-
land. has one providing for a school
In western Michigan, preferably, Of
nt IAII A..lI -
surprising if another normal school
were provided for this winter, but that
will doubtless be the limit even If all
bills do not fail.
James Russell. of Marquette, whose
term as commissioner of mineral statis-
tics expired with the year, has SUBJ
jected himself to considerable criti-
cism by taking the position in his an
nual report that this office has out
lived its usefulness and should be abOL
ished. His critics insist that the recon-
mendatiOn would have more weight IL
made at the commencement of his
term of office instead Of at its close.
Two years ago the legislature made
an appropriation for Michigan ex-
hibit at the PanAmerican exposition
to be held In Buffalo this year, but in
the closing days of the session when
Governor Plngree was swinging his
veto az with great frequency and ac-
curacy, he put the measure to sleep.
Exhibit Can BE Prepared.
Notwithstanding the short time re-
naming before the time for the open
ing Of the exposition, it is believed that
a creditable exhibit can be prepared,
and Representative Chandler has in
trOduced bill making an appropria-
ton of 100000 for this purpose. This
was more money than the introducer
Of the bill thought would be needed,
and with his consent the committee In
charge of the measure has cut the
amount to $4,000.
At the time Governor Pingree was
exercising the pardon authority
couple Of weeks ago, much talk was
INDUCED in relative to restricting the
powers Of the governor in this respect,
some persons even advocating the ex-
IRENE step Of amending the constitu-
ton so as to deprive the executive Of
this power altogether and placing 1t
In the hands of board. Representa-
tive Burns, Of Grand Rapids, who
served some time as a member of the
present board, has introduced bill on
this subject which he hopes to push
to a successful issue. The measure
abolished the present board Of four
members and secretary who Is not
n member, and substitutes therefor
a board of three members, the secre-
tary to be a member Of the board. One
Of the members Is to be a practicing
physician and another Il lawyer in
active practice. For the compensation
Of 50 per day for not to exceed six
months in any two years, the Burns
bill provides an annual salary Of $500
for each member of the board and re-
Quires that the latter shall devote
their entire time to the duties Of the
Office.
Puts n Curb on the Executive.
While the present constitution places
the power to grant clemency solely in
the hands of the governor, the right Is
reserved to the legislature to stipu-
late the manner In which application
for pardon shall be made. The bill
takes advantage of this constitutional
provision to put curb on the execu-
tive. 1t provides that all applications
for either pardon, parole or cOmmuta-
ton of sentence shall be made in writ
ing to the pardon board, which alone
shall have authority to recommend
tlemency. The governor cannot, accord
ing to the provisions Of this bill, grant
clemency to any convict who has not
made such written application to the
board. This is designed to prevent the
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