Charlevoix county herald., 1907-01-12

Iney SOLICIT deposits or money Dy the
public, and these deposits should be safe
guarded in every way.
During the past two years we have
witnessed conspicuous examples OF the
necessity for state examination or private
banks. There is, in the proposed legis-
lation, no invasion of legitimate private
rights: IL is simply and solely a meas
ure of safety and protection in the in
terest of the public in the first instance.
and in my opinion, in large measure
of the private banks themselves. 1t
seems to me that there can be no ques-
ton that state supervision and examina-
ton would give these institutions an inn
proved standing in the estimation of the
public and thus increase their business
and usefulness / recommend that
proper system of state regulation and
organization n of private banks be pro-
Direct Nominations.
1.-The subject of direct nomination of
candidates for public office demands
your consideration. Act. No. Isl, OF
the Public Acts of 1905, known as the
primary election law, was passed and
received my approval Experience un-
der 1t has demonstrated that in some
particulars amendment is necessary.
but that the law is satisfactory in the
main is demonstrated by the fact that
in the campaign just closed 1t was not
an issue. The silence of both press
and public speakers on this subject
ditions of two years before.
Chief among the defects in the pri-
mary election law which it's operation
has pointed out is that both to the
candidate and the public 1t is too ex-
pensive. While the new law properly
and quite successfully stopped the cor
rupt use Of money. 1t has not operated
as its trainers thought 1t would oper-
ate, to cut down the expense OF cam
paign for nomination, but has rather
aggravated that evil. The poor man
ought not thus to be placed at a dis.
advantage in a contest with q man of
means. The provision of the law re-
blanks, ought to be radically amended.
making the minimum and maximum
number of signatures required very
small and very near together.
AT the outset it was deemed wise
to provide one primary for the submits
sion of the question of direct nomina-
tions and the nomination of governor
and lieutenant governor, and one for
the nomination of other candidates.
This, too, operated to increase public
and private expense. There should be
day all nominations, under the provi-
sions of this law should be made. Pro-
vision could be made for the submits
sion of the question of direct nomina-
tons whenever petitioned for at the
April election, thus making use of the
election machinery already in use and
with but Slight additional expense.
The provision of the law requiring
party enrolment, in it's operation, has
justified the recommendation which
made in 1905. Party enrolment pre-
vents false pretense and In no way in
terferes with the right Of the voter at
the general election. Since the new
law went into effect, we have had one
day, election day in April last, on
which voters of every political party
had the privilege of enrolling. The en-
rollment on that one day amounted TO
354,S 500 Notwithstanding the fact that
there was no election of any kind in
-ome of the large cities throughout the
state. This is remarkable when you
take into consideration that at the late
election NOVnmhpr
vote cast in the state, by all parties,
far secretary of state, was 365,774,
slowing the number of enrolled voters
votes cast at the November general
election. No primary law is complete
that does not provide for party enroll
n.ent. If the special acts now in force
liz Wayne Kent, Muskegon, Alpena
and Altoona counties are to remain on
the statute books, each should be
amended by requiring the use of the
party enrolment feature of the gen.
eral law.
Convict Labor Problem.
"a recent decision of the supreme
court, interpreting section three of
terially changed conditions under which
convict labor may be employed in the
Michigan state prison. L have been
unable to find a provision of this kind
in the constitution of any other state.
That convicts should labor and that
their labor should be productive is
conceded by everyone who is concerned
in the welfare of the prisoners or the
interests of the taxpayers. We have
the right to deprive violators of the
lew of their liberty. We have not the
right to deprive them Of their reason.
Enforced idleness brings about that
result and the convict should labor if
there were not another reason for it
than his own welfare That conceded,
it seems to me equally true that the
interests of the taxpayers who main
tain our state and its institutions
should be paramount and that the la
Dor of the convicts should be produc-
tive and profitable. 1t is also true that
whatever method of employing con-
victs is adopted. the product of their
the state or contractor. whether used
by an individual or in a state institu-
ton; will, to that extent t., displace the
their labor is condition we all de-
plore. but 1T has never been and never
can be entirely done away with; We
this matter that there are over $780,
900 workingmen in the state as COM
pared with 1850 inmates working in
our prisons. or less than one-half of
per cent who can come in direct COM
petition with free labor.
IF convicts were to be employed
could and would be made by those who
would maintain. and correctly too, that
the increased cost of the prisoners
maintenance and the prevention of
laborers than are now employed on the
highways.
assuming. then, that prisoners
must be employed and employed with
in enclosures. we are compelled to
choose between the three systems by
which this labor can be used; namely.
the contract system by which the state
receives a certain stated price per day
for each convict; the piece price plan,
where the amount paid is based upon
the number of articles made, and the
state account system, by which the
labor is used by the state and the
product sold by the state in the open
market. have secured. from different
states. information relating to this
whole subject which will be submitted
TO you later, with the belief that it
will aid you in determining the best
course to pursue in dealing with the
bills which will be introduced.
For Binder Irvine Plant.
Manufacturing binder Irvine on
state account has been success so far
as it has been established. Binder
Irvine is certainly a staple commodity
that can be sold to our own people. and