The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1905-01-13

| pearance as sponsors for legislation
guaranteed to cure all existing defects
in these laws. but no sooner does
succeeding legislature convene than
these same sportsmen are on hand
with an entirely new code. This year
is no exception to the rule, numerous
amendments being asked for.
The forestry question is likely to re-
ceive considerable attention this win
ter. This has come to be considered
by public men as Il matter of grave
| importance, and the Indifference of a
very few years ago has given place
to active interest. Doubtless this
change in public sentiment is in no
small measure due to the activity of
the state forestry commission during
the past three or four years. 1t is pro-
posed to agitate this matter still more
vigorously during the next few weeks,
the subject being given a prominent
place on the programs Of the numer-
GUS farmers institutes to be held
throughout the state. The forestry
commission has thus far done excellent
work, and it is probable that the
present legislature may enact legisla-
ton that will extend its usefulness.
May Abolish Mill Tax.
If the educational officials of the
state have their say the legislature
will provide for the abolition of the
so-called mill tax. The proceeds II
this tax can be used only for the lay
ment of teachers salaries, and il is
argued by the officials referred to tina;
owing to the increase in the primary
school interest money which Is SEMI
annually appOrtioned among the coun-
ties of the state, the mill tax is no
longer needed. Under existing condi-
tons substantial SURPRISES are being
piled up in many districts, fact
which leads to abuses. 1t is estimated
that there are fully 200 school districts
in the state in which the primary In
terest money paid by corporations pay
ing specific taxes is more than sur
ficient to pay the salaries Of all teach
ers employed, while there are i've
times as many districts in which the
mill tax and primary fund combined
more than provides for this eXpendi-
ture. The result is that there are in
stances Of district treasurers turning
an honest penny by loaning these sur
plus funds and pocketing the interest,
while in other cases the supervisors
ignore the law and refuse to spread
the mill tax, knowing full well that
the money is not needed.
Committee Assignments.
Just at present there is much specu-
Ntion and strife over committee as
signments, but it is useless to predict
as the "secret" will be out tomorrow.
Speaker Master, realizing that the
primary reform questions will be prob
ably the most important matter to be
considered this winter, conceived the
idea of increasing the membership of
the elections committee from five to
thirteen. This will enable him TO give
representation on the committee to each
congressional district and have one
member at large, thus avoiding any
possible charge of stacking the COM
mittee against general primary reform
by placing thereon legislators who
favor only one side or the other of the
proposition. With every section Of the
state represented, the charge Of bias
cannot well be sustained. Notwith-
standing the prominence Of this ques-
ton in the last campaign and the fact
that it is still being more generously
discussed than any other, no one APP
pears to have yet projected bill COW
ering the subject. There has been
worlds of talk, but it would seem that
when it gets right down to brass
tacks." the matter is not such an easy
one to handle. The legislative COM
mittees Of the state grange and state
association Of farmers clubs will
probably present bills before many
days, and doubtless there will ere long
be flood of reform measures intro.
duced. Just what the two houses will
be able to agree upon along this line
cannot be safely predicted at this
| time.
Home rule for cities. especially for
the city of Detroit, will again receive
consideration this winter. Two years
ago the Detroit delegation were great
ly interested in this measure but could
not break through the opposition Of
| the chairman of the committee to
which the bill was referred. Bills will
| be introduced in both house and SEN
ate during the coming week, and
vigorous effort will be made to enact
one of them into law.
Local Legislation.
1t is, of course, figured that IL the
great flood of local legislation which
now fills the legislative hoppers can be
done away with, the solons will not
only have more time to give to the
consideration of matters of general
state interest, but the length Of the
legislative sessions will be very materi-
ally reduced, to the great benefit of the
taxpayers and everyone else. Under
the system which has thus far OBJ
tanned in Michigan a municipality is
required to come TO the legislature and
ask permission to do pretty much
everything it deems best for its people.
The local acts always constitute about
two-thirds of all the legislation en-
acted. and so far as the legislators are