The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-03-10
Demand for Local Laws Is
Becoming a Seri-
Gus Evil.
HAMPERS OTHER LAW MAKING
No General Legislation OF Any
Importance Enacted
This Session.
Speculation as to the Effect of Consti-
tutionai Provision Limiting Time
Tor the Introduction
OF Bills.

Lansing, Mich, March Tt is be-
coming mere and more apparent TO
everyone who is in position to follow
that something be done, and that at
ain early day, to put an end to- the
vast volume Of local legislation that
is now engaging the attention of the
law makers. This evil, for those most
competent to judge declare it is Il
serious evil, for years clogged the
wheels of legislation and tended to
prolong the biennial sessions in addi-
ton to entailing great expense in the
way of printing, etc. 1t is the concen-
sus of opinion of those Informed re-
garding the matter that the situation
is much more worse this year than
ever before. AS Il matter Of fact the
legislature has now been in session for
more than two months and so great
and widespread has been the demand
from municipalities throughout the
state for local legislation that the
solons have been obliged to give at
tention to this line of legislation to
the exclusion of pretty much every
thing else. Thus far practically no
general legislation Of Importance has
been considered or enacted.
Tendency TO Spread.
The worst feature of the situation,
however, is the tendency of the local
feature to spread. 1t has overleapt
the bounds which previously encom-
passed it until now various localities
are asking for local legislation cover
ing subjects which have always hitler
to been regarded as general in char
acter For instance. various counties
have asked for special drain laws, sal
airy laws. etc. one of the principal
officers Of TIE house Of representatives
remarked 10 mo the other day that If
the tendency to specialize continued,
It would not be long before each coun-
ty in the state would be governed by a
different special act with reference
to pretty much everything that it
might be called upon TO do. The feel
ing is growing, and it is shared by
Governor Warner, | understand, that
the time is not far distant when it will
be absolutely necessary to take n firm
stand against the enactment of any
special legislation in cases where gen.
cral laws can be made to apply. the
idea being that a drain law that is
good for one county must be equally
us beneficial for all other counties Of
the state Governor Warner took a
step in this direction rather early in
the present legislative session when he
sent q message to the legislature de-
clining to approve bills changing the
names of persons. This action was
due to the fact that there exists n gem
eral law under which names can be
changed, if there is reason for making
the change, by an appeal to the pro-
bate court. the expense of the proceed
ing being about s.. This general
statute was being ignored and the leg
islature appealed to for the enactment
Of special laws in each case in order
TO avoid the payment of the s. men
toned although the special legislation
cost the state about 500 in each case
There is no doubt that the elimination
Of local legislation would reduce the
length Of the legislative sessions ut
least 10 per cent.
Introduction Of Bills.
There is still much speculation rs to
the effect Of the repeal Of the const-
tutiorul provision limiting the time for
the Introduction Of bills to the first
fifty days of the legislative session.
For the first time in the history Of the
state bills may this year be introduced
as long as the session continues. Many
are Of the opinion that this change has
resulted in retarding legislation.
Speaker Master does not. however.
share this opinion. He believes that
the work is fully as far along today
as 1t was ut this time two years ago.
He truthfully says that one cannot
properly judge Of the situation from
the fact that fewer bills are on the
calendar now than two years ago, for
he points out that during the first fifty
days legislators were apt to introduce
all sorts Of titles, not because they had
my thought OF perfecting bills there
under, but simply so that the neces-
sary titles might be available should
OCCASION arise for their use. He adj
mits that two years ago he introduced
a number Of skeleton bills which were
never taken from the table, and cites
the case of fellow legislator who
went through the statutes and pre-
pared some fifty or more titles cover
ing all sorts Of subjects so as to be
prepared for any emergency that
might arise after the constitutional
period for the introduction Of bills had
expired.
Would BE Fewer Bills.
It will be readily seen that the new
plan will result in the introduction