The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-01-13
If Carried Out a Short SeS-
sion of Legislature
Is Assured.
DECKS ARE CLEARED FOR ACTION
No Contests of Importance in the
Organization of the
Two Houses.
Recommendation That Junketing Be
Done Away with Finds RespOn-
sive Chord The Commit
tee Assignments.

Iansing, Mich. Jan. 10.-The leg
islative decks are now cleared for ac-
ton and solons are practically unani-
nous in their promises of decisive ac-
ton on all important matters and the
dispatch of work with a promptness
that will gladden. the hearts of the
taxpayers Of the state and insure
short session.
The gold lace and claw hammer
coat period, which always marks the
induction Of a new corps Of state Of
ficials into office has been passed, the
two houses have chosen their officers.
the gubernatOrial messages have been
read, the senatorial caucus has been
held. and when. upon the reconvening
OF the two houses tomorrow evening.
the presiding officers have announced
the standing committees, the real bust
ness Of law making and unmaking will
be entered upon.
Thus far the session has been wholly
devoid Of excitement In the Organiza-
ton of the two houses there were no
contests worthy Of the name. while
the selection in Joint caucus Of
candidate for United States senator
was unanimous. Julius Caesar Bur
rows receiving the vote Of every legis-
lator Matters i'm this connection have
been decidedly different i'm some years
gone by. and, il may not he improper
To remark. present indications are
that they again take on more strenu-
BUSINESS i'm years not so far i'm the fu-
ture: for there still remain quite few
ambitious statesmen i'm Michigan. But
more Of this hereafter.
Mrseages Well Received.
The messages of Governor Warner
and retiring Governor Bliss were very
well received by the legislators. who
gave special attention to the state
ments covering the financial needs Of
the various state institutions and 9th
er interests. There is general dis
position to economic manifest among
the lawmakers and there is reason TO
hope that while no interest will he
handicapped i'm any way. all will he
held strictly to imperative needs and
no new projects encoura eed. The
state has developed so RAPIDLY Of lato
years that its actual current needs call
for the appropriation Of n vast sum
and the taxpayers should not expect
TO escape with levy such AS amply
provided for all Of these needs de-
cade or more ago. 1t is folly to find
fault because state expenditures are
materially greater today than they
were ''in the good old colony times"
or shortly thereafter. The sooner the
taxpayers take a businesslike view of
this situation the better they will feel
regarding it, and the less disposed will
they be TO curse the legislators. who.
after all, are simply their own Great
ures.
Accommodations for Veterans
While as previously stated. the dis
position appears to be to discourage
the enlargement Of state institutions
and the creation Of new ones. it is pos
sible that extensions must be made
in some cases to meet existing condi-
tions. For instance. the state board
Of corrections and charities resolved
at its last meeting a few days ago that
the 10 veteran soldiers who are sleep
ing in the basement Of the hospital
and dormitOries at the soldiers home
in Grand Rapids should be provided
with wholesome sleeping accommoda-
tions above ground, and that the
known increase Of men who will en-
ter that institution make necessary the
erection Of more commOdious build
ings. The board mentioned scans the
estimates Of the various boards and in
stitutions required by law TO report
to it very closely and makes recon-
mendations such rs the one embodied
in the resolution referred to only when
the need appears 10 be Imperative
The recommendation Of Speaker
Master in an address made upon tax
ing the chair after his election that
junkets be done away with finds aD-
parently a responsive chord i'm the
hearts OF the legislators generally. In
the judgment Of the speaker. It will
be economy for the legislature to take
an adjournment for a week while ali
the committee visiting OF state insti-
tutions is being done. The purpose is
to have all this visiting done at the
same time and not permit it to delay
work throughout the entire session.
as i'm some former years when a com
mittee or two was absent at a time.
Speaker Master sat down hard on the
junket feature Of former years. Civ
ing the members Of the lower house
to understand that neither the insti-
tuition officials nor the communities in
which the state institutions are locat-
ed had any desire to entertain visi-
tors I'm train load lots.
Game Laws DO Not Suit.
One of the singular things observed
by those who have watched the course
OF legislation through several admin
istrations is the evident inability to