Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-02-03
THE WORK Of A WEEK
As Transacted by Our Legislature
at the State Capitol
RECESS NOW IN OPERATION
Interesting Incidents. Legislative
Propositions. and Our Core
SpOpdent's Comments.
Lansing, January 3

=
The legislature has passed its fourth
week, and has adjourned over ten-day
recess TO permit the committees on the
various state institutions TO make rec
commentators in behalf of the interests
with which they are charged. So large
part of the business of the Legislature
has relation TO the institutions of the
state, penal, reformatory, benevolent
and educational, the right direction of
which demands the acquaintance that
these visits give, that there Is an evi
dent feeling Of unpreparedness for much
legislative business i'll the earlier weeks
and "A disinclination TO grapple with
much Of the serious work of the session.
Especially so when, as in the case OF
the present Legislature, majority OF
the members are entirely new 10 their
duties. OF the one hundred present
representatives, fifty-four are without
previous experience, as are also nineteen
of the thirty-two senator's. Ii might be
well, in view Of the disposition or the
possible necessity for deferring so much
of the business until after the recess, 10
devote All earlier week TO IT,
One thing that would undoubtedly
operate to promote diligence on the part
of the law makers, shorten their sessions
and elevate the character of their work,
and make for economy in the long run,
would be annual salaries for the mem
bers instead of the present per diem. IL
should be n salary united TO the dignity
of the position and the grade of talent II
demands, and such "A measure would be
approved by a majority OF the thought
I 81 4 IL. Il. 4 L.
understood from these remarks, how
ever, that the business Of the present
session Is at an unfavorablc stage as
compared with other sessions, nor that
the removal of the fifty-day limit for
the introduction of bills has been disap-
pointing in this respect. The speaker of
the House considers the progress salts
factory, and that II does not suffer at
all III comparison with previous sessions.
No skeleton bills have been intro
duced TO provide titles under which
bills that might be needed later could
be offered, as was the case in abundance
under the limiting provision, but more
real bills have been prepared than at
tins stage of the last legislature. One
of those in the past week of possible
consequence especially as il is under
stood 20 have the assent of the governor,
is bill Of Representative Watt. Of
Ionia county, TO abolish the tax commits
sion. An assessing and reviewing board
with functions more restricted than the
present body, especially in Overturning
the work Of the assessing officers III the
counties, is feature of the plan not yet
fully developed, but which would meet
"a hearty welcome in the state.
Il do not think that any Of the votes
cast in opposition TO the bill providing
for the nomination of judge in the
Micmgan-O -Oceana circuit by direct vote
of the people were 50 east because OF
opposition to the principle involved, -
said Senator Baird, III response 10 your
correspondents question. As You
know. the Republican state platform
pledges just such privileges a. the people
of the fourteenth judicial district have
been given through TINS bill and | ann
certainly i'm favor of CARRYING ont all
the pledges made I'm our platform. But
IL seemed 10 me and 10 the others who
voted a. did ou the fourteenth district
bill. that il would bc much better 20
give this privilege 20 all the counties
and districts of the state through TINS
] y
MuskegOn Occaua bill Will Of course be
made useless 10y the bill which the lcgis-
lature VIII surely pass giving TO every
county and district IN the state the priv
ilege of controlling their own nominating
methods.
The house passed on Tuesday, 10y
very large majority. a bill 10 permit the
Mnu "A fD.
nominate candidates for the bench pri-
mary election, and gave it Immediate
effect. TO permit its employment this
spring. There were but four votes
III the negative. one of which was cast
| by the speaker, who explained that he
| believed the measure unconstitutional.
| The bill went TO the senate, where II re-
| ceived prompt consideration and passed
| with the immediate effect clause by
! % TO g.
The farmers organizations, the
| Grange. farmers clubs, live stock breed
ers' association, dairymen's association,
state agricultural and horticultural So
cieties and state board of agriculture
are all represented upon a committee 10
| promote the passage Of certain laws
among which are now named Bill for
direct nominations, for appointment of
dairy inspectors, for protection from
adultcrated feed stuffS, for regulation of
automobiles. for proper galvanizing of
wire fencing. for five years closed season
for quail and partridge, permit in reduc-
tion of highways from four rods width
to three rods, reducing membership of
tax commission, and abolishing the state
census. \ pure feed stuffs bill intro
duced by Senator Peek, of Jackson, has
passed the senate during the week.
The farmer members q the legisla-
ture met in the governors private parlor
"Wednesday evening aud organized the
Legislative farmers club, Of which Gov
ernOr Warner was made al honorary
member Senator Cook, Of the Ingham-
Shiawassee district, is president and
Senator Secley. Of the Macomb- Oakland
district, is secretary.