The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-03-10


speaker says further that when the
ways and means committee has re-
porter out the appropriation bills these
can he 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
I'm the session. Present indications are
that important tax and election meas
ures will have early attention. A hear
ing on n primary election bill has been
set for March 22. and II 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.
S"ccessor 10 Dr.. Baker.
As predicted last week the health
-.
vote In each house being practically
unanimous. Inasmuch as the bill has
been given immediate effect Governor
Warner will soon he called upon 10 ap-
point q new secretary TO succeed DIR
Henry II. Baker, who has occupied
that office for more than thirty years.
Who the appointee will be has not de-
oil In,
Warner left for Washington last week
TO participate In the Roosevelt inaugur-
alton ceremonies he had no idea. II is
said whom TO select for the place. but
intlmated that he would request the
members Of the state board Of health
to recommend a 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 ii to the governor The plan
suggested would 90 long way toward
creating better feeling in this regard.
Prison Contract Labor system
Representative Manzemann. OF De-
trot. has completed and introduced his
bill. designed 10 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 ut crushing rock for high
ways. etc. 1t is especially desired by
the author Of the bill that the use of
machinery i'm the prisons he reduced
70 the minimum The cOnvicts are 10
be divided into three classes according
to disposition. ability and health. and
the labor of those in the first grade is
to he 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 he the pro-
duction Of articles OF use TO the state.
Third grade convicts are TO he those
Of impa irPd physical condition and
they are to be employed at work that
will tend to improve their health as
much rs possible Further provision IS
made for compromising good conduct"
prisoners for their labor II is con-
templated by the bill that these con-
victS shall he paid according To n scale
Of wages TO he fixed by the warden, but
the aggregate Of these wages is not to
exceed 10 per cent Of the total earn
ings Of the prison Prisoners who are
deprived Of good time for infraction
of the rules OF the prison are also to
lose 30 cents for each day so lost, the
sum deducted for this reason to be used
only for the purchase OF hooks or for
the benefit OF the convict's family.
The needed appropriation for carrying
out the provisions of the bill is not
named. although such an appropria-
ton is necessarily contemplated by the
measure.
Holmes Automobile Bill.
Animated hearings have been held
during the past few days on the
Holmes automobile bill, which is in
the hands of the house committee on
state affairs. Automobiles generally
regard the bill as too exacting In re-
gard TO speed limits. which are fixed
at eight miles per hour in business
sections Of cities and villages. twelve
miles I'm residence portions and fifteen
miles on the rural highways. IT is
considered probable that the limits will
he raised To ten fifteen and twenty
miles respectively. and that the OH
noXious badge features will he elimin-
ated. 1t was thought by some that