The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-03-10
II fewer bills this year.

ways and means committee has re-
ported out the appropriation bills these
can be passed and the legislature can
adjourn, leaving measures which have
not been pushed by their projectors to
die the death. This, he thinks, will
result two years from now in bringing
important measures to an issue earlier
In the session. Present indications are
that important tax and election meas
ures will have early attention. A hear
ing on primary election bill has been
set for March %, and it is expected
that this much mooted legislation, will
be disposed of during the present
month. Thus far only one of the
numerous primary election bills intro
duced and projected has been reported
by the elections committee. Others are
nearing completion, however so that
both houses will have plenty Of this
particular style of legislation to en-
gage its attention shortly.
Successor to DR.. Baker.
AS predicted last week the health
board bill has passed both houses the
vote in each house being practically
unanimous. Inasmuch as the bill has
been given immediate effect Governor
Warner will soon be called upon to APP
point new secretary to succeed Dr.
Henry Il. Baker, who has occupied
that office for more than thirty years.
Who the appointee will be has not de-
veloped. In fact, when Governor
Warner left for Washington last week
to participate in the Roosevelt inaugur-
alton ceremonies he had no idea. it is
said, whom to select for the place, but
1ntimated that he would request the
members of the state board Of health
to recommend half dozen eligible per-
sons so that he might have at hand
qualified material from which to make
the selection. There has been some
feeling on the part of some of the old
er members Of the board because the
new law takes the appointment of n
secretary out Of the hands of the board
and gives it to the governor. The plan
suggested would 60 a long way toward
creating a better feeling in this regard.
Prison Contract Labor system.
Representative Manzelmann, Of De-
troit. has completed and introduced his
bill, designed to do away with the pris-
on contract labor system. According
to the terms Of the bill the convicts
will work on state account only, the
product of their labor to be used in
state institutions or the convicts may
be worked Mt crushing rock for high
wnvC oto IF ic ocnooioIIr- Joc;poI lx,
the author Of the bill that the use of
machinery in the prisons be reduced
to the minimum. The convicts are to
be divided into three classes. according
to disposition, ability and health. and
the labor Of those in the first grade is
to be directed with special reference
to equipping the convict so that he will
be able TO maintain himself and family
by honest industry after his Discharge,
"even though no useful or saleable
products result from his labor" The
primary object Of the labor Of convicts
of the second grade shall bc the pro
duction Of articles of use to The state.
Third grade c0nvicts are to no those
Of impaired physical condition ana
y
will tend 10 improve their health as
much rs possible. Further provision Is
made for compromising GOOD conduct"
prisoners for their labor II is con-
tcmplatcd by the bill that these con
victs shall he paid according TO n scale
ofwages to be fixed by the warden. but
the aggregate of these wages is not t.
Of ho {ofn al
ings of the prison. Prisoners who are
deprived Of good time for infractions
Of the rules Of the prison arc also to
lose 30 cents for each day so lost. the
sum deducted for this rcG son to he used
only for the purchase Of books or for
the benefit of the convict's family.
The needed appropriation for carrying
out the provisions of the bin is not
named, although such IN anpropria-
ton is necessarily contemplated by the
measure.
Holmes Automobile Bill.
Animated hearings have boon held
during the past fcw days on tho
Holmes automobile bill. which Is in
the hands Of the house committee ON
SldIp NUIITS -NUlDlIODIllSlS 2tItTNlN
regard the hill as too cyactlng in re-
gard to spend limits, which are fixed
ut eight miles per hour in business
sections Of cities and villages. twelve
miles in residence portions and fifteen
miles on the rural highways. It is
considered probable that tho limits will
he raised to ton. fifteen and twenty
miles respectively. and that tho OBJ
noXious badge features will 10 cliniin
atcd It was thought by some that
the various tags required would make
q Chauffeur look like prize winner Oh
q race circuit.
The much discussed bin extending
the usefulness Of the dairy and fool
department to the dairy interests of.
the state has passed both houses and
been given immediate effect The work
of carrying the new plan into effect
will Immediately be entered upon Ivy
Commissioner Bird. who declares that
the best Informed dairymen of the
state will be secured for inspectors
and instructors. so that the best pos
sible results can be secured from the
OperatiOn of the new law