The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-01-06

citizens filed through the executive par
lors and paid ,heir respects to the
members of the receiving party. which
included the wives or the officials
named.
Speaker of the House.
1t Is q foregone conclusion that Rep
resentative Sheridan II. Master OF
Kalamazoo will be elected speaker OF
the house. In fact. 1t will be no sur.
prise IL no opposition worthy of the
name develops in the caucus. The
talent is, however, at sea as to the
nominee for speaker protein. Repre-
sentative william ]. Galbraith OF
Houghton would not be bad guess
Charles s. Pierce, who ably filled the
position two years ago, will be re-
elected chief clerk, and will reappoint
Paul It. King Of Cass, journal clerk,
and II. Y. Hamilton of Eaton, bill
clerk. At the conclusion Of the SEES
sion, Mr.. Pierce will return to his
duties as deputy secretary of state. and
Mr.. Hamilton will succeed Henry
Humphrey as state accountant.
First of It's Kind.
The legislature which will convene
at high noon tomorrow will be the
first Of its kind in the history Of the
state. Never before has there convened
in Michigan a legislature which was
made up entirely Of members of the
same political party. Several years
ago, it will be remembered, the famous
John Donovan Of Bay was the sole
representative Of the Democracy in the
Michigan legislature. This year the
minority party has no representation
whatever.
Economy will be the watchword il
the leaders of the party can control the
situation. Governor Warner is in
sistent upon this point and will be
1t is not intended to be in any wise
penurious nor to lose sight Of the
Importance of the state and the fact
that it is rapidly increasing in popula'
ton. 1t is believed, however, that q
material saving can be made withou,
gripping amy legitimate interest
There is little doubt that movements
now on foot having for their objects
the creation of new boards and com
missions will be emphatically side
tracked, and that the tax budget will
be kept down to the lowest possible
point consistent with proper regarc
for the legitimate needs of the state.
Most Important Matters.
Doubtless the most important mat
tiers that will engage the attention OF
the legislators will be the enactment
of primary reform law and rear
rangement of the law creating the
state tax commission and defining its
duties. 1t is yet too early to predict
the final solution of these two veXeC
problems, but there is evidence of ar
earnest effort to solve them correctly
and in a manner that will have the
approval of the people of the state.
1t is expected that the elimination
from the constitution at the last cleo
ton of the provision limiting the in
PRODUCTION of bills to the first fifty
days of the legislative session will tend
to materially expedite the work. Here
tofore but little in the line of actua
legislation has been accomplished dur
ing the first fifty days of the session
because all hands were waiting unit
the last bill was in the hopper before
squaring away for business. Now this
excuse can no longer obtain.
New Constitution Defeated.
General regret is expressed at fail
Of hn fn
sition to convene convention to make
general revision of the constitution
Although a majority of the electors
who voted on this proposition last No
vember favored it, yet it was not car
ried, inasmuch as the constitution re
quires that it shall receive majority
Of the highest number of votes cast n
the election, whereas less than half OF
the entire number of electors voted OIL
this question.
Governor Warner has not yet de
cided upon the persons whom he viii
appoint to all the principal offices a
his disposal, there being one or two
still in doubt. The following have
however, been officially announced:
COlnUllSSlOUcT Ol TullTOdtS, uefol
w. Atwood, Of Tuscola; dairy and foo(
commissioner, A. G. Bird, of Ingham
deputy dairy and food commissioner
Colon G. Lille of Ottawa; adjutan
general, William II. McGurrin, of Kent
assistant adjutant general, James N
Cox, Of Houghton; quartermaster gen
eral, James III. Kidd, of Iona; assistant
quartermaster general, Walter G. Rog
ers, of Wayne; inspector general, Car
A. Wagner, of st. Clair; assistant in
spector general, William N. Theilmann
of Houghton; aides-de-camp, with ranl
of colonel Sanford II. McGraw, Franz
Il. Leland and Arthur l.. Holmes o.
Detroit, and w. Il. Stewart, of Gene
see; private secretary and military
secretary, Arthur p. Loomis, of Ionia
The governor will announce his selec
ton for labor commissioner during tn,
present week.
Farmers Want Legislation.
The executive committee of tn,
state grange met here last week ant
appointed n legislative committee
which will present to the Legislature
the measures favored by that organi
cation. These include the reorga MIA