Charlevoix county herald., 1905-04-29
The State Legislature.
Lansing, April "a.

| ing the restriction or state and Tor
highways, was a large majority for its
adoption. 80 now bill Is prepared
establishing a new road system, under
IA state highway department directed
| by state highway commissioner and
deputy with necessary clerical assist
ance, for the distribution of state aid
to townships IN construction OF roads.
Ex-senator Earle Of Detroit, who is a
good roads enthusiast. prepared and is
urging the measure, which has been
introduced by Senator Ely, Of Alma.
The bill allows ten Thousand dollars a
year for administration, ard one hum
dred AMI seventy thousand dollars up
preparation for township aid In two
years, in amounts limited TO one half
of the cost of not to exceed six miles of
road in any one township. The
Holmes auto bill. which passed the
house and is now in the ST ate affairs
Committee Of the senate, devoteS fines
collected under It to the good-rOads
fund. and it is proposed to hold il up
until action has been had on the Ely
bill, as, unless some such law should
be enacted, there would be no such
fund and no machinery for handling
il.
The other two amendments submit
ted al the recent election were also
adopted. and the result gives added
point to remarks in al earlier letter
upon the slight consideration given in
the legislature To the local measures
asked for by members, and with the
voters to amendments Of local appl-
cation submitt, d to them. Both Of
those amendments applied TO Genesee
county alone-authOrizing increased
pay for the circuit judge, and the cleo
tion Of board of county auditors.
Now, while the state has blndiy
adopted both amendments, Genest e
county has voted BY large majority
against buth-abuut five hundred in
one case aud over Il thousand ~ the
other. 80 the state is in the absurd
position Of having gone IT, the trOubie
aud expenses Of making alterations in
the constitution for the benefit OF
Genesee county, which Cencsec coun y
does not want at all.
A bill introduced I'm the house by
Mr.. Waters Of Washtenaw, and refer
red TO the committee on revision and
amendmpnt OF the statutes, declares
IL the duty of the supreme court, upon
request OF the governor or OF either
branch Of the legislature, to render
opinion upou the conStitutionallty OF
any proposed legislation Mr. Waters
scys there are laws OF like purport IN
force In Severai OF the states, and he
calls attention 10 :he action of the
supreme court Of Massachusetts in
rendering upon request such as opin-
ion, in which the validity OF a popular
referendum to give effect TO legislat
i've enactment was denied. The court
held shat the people having reposed in
the legislature the law-making power,
the legislature could not now abdicate
that power, nor return it to the people,
and that any enactment requiring a
cODsenting vote Of the peop 10 give
1t validity, was by that feai ure render
ed invalid and void
1t might seem on first glance that
this would strike at the option privl-
lege provided IN the Double Ivory
Dickinson primary bill, but there is q
difference. That is analogous TO the
local option principle for liquor sell
ing: or 10 the privilege conferred by
law for the people TO adopt 'he town
ship road system, or to adhere TO The
district system. The popular vote
docs not put the law into effect. The
law is In operation, whichever way
the vote may result. In the othtl
case, the act by its terms provides tha
IL shall only be ia effect as n law upol
its ratichalion by IA vote of he people
and this, the decision says, is opposed
To the constitution.
The Double Ivory Die kinson bill
will undoubtedly be report d out this
week. with such recommendation a
the committees views shall make, fo
such action as majority of the SQUAT,
shall demand. With the force of tn
practically unanimous action of tn
house behind it, aud the positive favo
Of the governor tor IL, 1t cannot reason
ably oe doubted that the senate will
pass the bill withou: material change
The Hudson local option bill wa
not reported nut OF The liquor traffi
committee IN the house, because of IT,,
absence OF its author, and IL is expect
ed to reappear this week. Mr. Hud
son has another bill affecting the liuuo
traffic, which is now on the calenda
for tias action IN the house. 1t pro