Charlevoix county herald., 1905-02-04
The State Legislature.


day recess TO permit the committees
on the various state institutions to
make their visits OF examination and
prepare themselves TO make RECON-
mendations in behalf of the inter s Is
with which they are charged. In
spite of the insinuatl0ns and the ap-
parent desires 0f Few hostile critics,
\ these are To be simple business trips
and quiet visits OF Investigation. and
no spectaculars s, cial junket So large
part OF the business of the legislature
has relation TO the institutions OF the
state, penal, rsf0rmxtory. benevolent,
and educational, the right direction
of which demands the acquaintance
that these visits give, that there is an
evident feeling of unpreparedness for
much legislative business in the earl
ier weeks, and disiuclinatiOn TO
grapple with much Of the serious work
of the session. Especially 20 when
as in the case of the present legislat-
ure, a majority OF the members are
entirely hcN 10 their duties here. or
the one hundred present representa-
ives, tifty-four are without previous
legislative experience, as are also nine
.teen Of the thirty-two senators, or
'tifty.tive per cent of the whoIe 1t
might be well, In view OF the dispOsit-
ion or the possible necessity for defer
ring SO much of the business until
after the recess, TO devote an earlier
week 10 it.
One thing that would undoubtedly
operate to promote diligence on the
part Of the law makers, shorten their
sessions aud elevate the character Of
their work, and make for economy ia
the long run. would be annual salaries
for the mem bers instead OF the present
per diem. 1t should be salary unit
ed TO the dignity OF the position and
the grade Of talent IT demands, and
such measure would b. appoved by a
majority Of the thoughtful people Of
the state. 1t should not be under
stood from these remarks, however,
that the business Of the present session
is at an unfavOrable stage as compared
with other sessions, nor that the re-
moval OF the tifty-day limit for intlo-
duct,on OF bills has been disappont-
ing In this respect. The speaker of
the house considers the progress salts
factory, and that il does not suffer at
all iu comparison with previous ses-
sions.
No skeleton bill" have been intro
duced to provide titles under which
bills that might br needed later could
be offered as was the case in abund-
ance under the limiting provision; but
more real bills have been prepared
than at this stage OF the last legisla-
ture. One OF thuse liz the past week
OF possible consequence, especially as
it is understood TO have the ass ent OF
> the governor, IL bill OF Representa-
i've Watt, of Ionia county, 10 abolish
the tax commission. An assessing
and reviewing board, with functions
more restricted than the'present body,
especially in overturning the work OF
the assessing Officers in the counties,
is feature Of the plan not vet fully
developed, but which would meet
hearty welcome iD the state. 1t is no
secret that the tax commission is not
aprime favOrite with the people at
large. 1t has rendered valuable ser
vices iD bringing corporate properties
nearer To an equitable rating, but some
acts Of members o. the commission
have not appeared consistent with the
obligations Of agents OF the state. and
popular confidence 10 the usefulness of
the body. and possibly OF some Of its
functions, has been seriously disturb
ed.
Proposals for the reduction and re-
striction OF aSfate board or commits
sion. and protests against unnecc ssary
state control of local affairs, and in
diyidual rights do not seem quite in
harmony with proposals for extending
such control by the creation of addit-
ional board, such as is provided IN a
bill for examination and license OF
butchers, Introduced by Senator Baird,
of Saginaw. But why not butchers,
as we'll as BARRIERS horse-shoers, and
why not cooks aud launderers as we'll
as butchers and BARRIERS? There is no
limit to which this fu~sy interference
with the everyday AHA RS of the people,
might not be carried, except the limit
OF impertnencr and absurdity, aud
some think that has already been
reached
The house passed on Tuesday, by a
very large majority, bill to permit
the Musk gon-Oceaua judicial circuit
TO nominate candidates for the bench
primary election, and gave 1t immedi-