The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-02-27

with the idea that there Is imperative
necessity for relieving the supreme
court In order that litigation may be
expedited and the rights of litigants
thereby fully protected. The court IL
a Woodworking pody. but il Is now
about 100 cases behind ana many
cases have not yet been heard. AT the
instance OF the lawyers of the state.
Rep. Wade mas introduced two joint
resolutions bearing upon this subject.
One of these proposes a constitutional
amendment increasing the number of
justices from five 10 eight. and the
other seeks 10 amend the constitution
so as TO revive the old project OF es-
tablishing an intermediate court with
final jurisdiction in certain classes of
cases, thus relieving the supreme
court OF about one-third of the cases
II is now required to hear and deter
mine. In this connection II may be
stated that there is considerable Cos
sip TO the effect that the large field of
candidates for the Republican nomina.
ton for supreme justice To be made
next month is due i'm measure to the
fact that some of the candidates have
not entered the lists with any eXpecta-
ton of securing this nomination, but
for the purpose Of bringing themselves
into prominence with a view TO being
considered available timber for a place
on the supreme bench should the num-
Der Of justices be increased. or for "a
place on the bench of the intermediate
court should such tribunal be Gre
ated.
Time Honored Bills.
The time honored bills designed to
require telegraph and express com.
panies to exchange business and to es-
tablish uniform rates which these COM
panies shall charge have again made
their appearance. Their introducers
hope TO be able TO scrape the moss off
these measures and inject into them
sufficient ginger to enable them to
skate through the two houses and be-
come laws. Instan es are cited where
each of the classes OF companies
named charge nearly twice as much
for sending a package or message
from points in the upper peninsula to
Lansing as they do for sending like
package or message from Lansing to
the same points above the straits,
while Interchange of business is re-
fused.
Another ancient measure which has
done Intellectual service so far as the
enactment Of new laws is concerned
through many administrations which
has once more made its bow, seeks to
require sleeping car companies to pay
something like an adequate rate OF
taxation in Michigan. Under the pres
ent system the state treasury is en-
riched from this source by something
like SO per annum. Senator Van Akin
of Monroe VIII endeavOr to correct this
inequality this year, but he may not
succeed
The past week has brought out two
more measures which contemplate the
creation of new state boards. One of
these bills provide for the appoint
ment by the governor Of board of eX-
aminers Of stationary engineers. The
board is to consist of chief examiner
and two assistants who are to receive
salaries of $500 and 81 800 respec.
lively. The other bill provides for
the appointment of a state architect
and superintendent Of public building
or construction. Thus far the legisla-
tors have not evinced any marked dis
position to Increase the number or
state boards.