The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-02-15
GOV. WARNER At
STATE CAPITAL
Takes Hold of the Work of
His Office With Colsid-
cradle Vigor.
SENDS IN A SPECIAL MESSAGE
Replies to Protests Against Estab.
fishing Binder Irvine Plant
at jackson Prison.
Shows How State and Farmers Would
Profit by the, .Enterprise-Peti-
tions for Monument
IN to Custer. -

| warner returned TO Lansing last week,
| making his first appearance since he
| fell Ill in December. He Is quite full
~ restored TO health and has taken
hold of the work of his Office with
| vigor. He signalizcd his return to the
state house by formally announcing
| the opinion that the time is ripe for
| legislation designed to make political
contests of every nature cleaner and
recommending, as means to this
| end, that provision be made for the
nomination of candidates for United
States senator at primaries on plan
similar to that under which candidates
for governor and lieutenant governor
are named This system was sug.
gcsted rs a stepping stone toward the
| direct election of members Of the up
| per house Of congress.
| Message on Binder Plant.
| Later in the week Governor Warner
| took occasion to answer in a formal
| special message to the legislature the
| arguments against the establishment
mt the Michigan state prison Of
binder Irvine plant made in an anon
ymous pamphlet distributed among
| members Of the legislature. The gov
| crnor had very little trouble in show
| ing the fallacy of most of the state
mcnts made by the anonymous writer.
| The chief executive is firmly con-
WINGED that 1t will be an excellent in
vestment for Michigan to establish and
| operate Il Irvine plant in Jackson pris-
on, basing his judgment largely on the
| admittedly successful operation of
such plants in North Dakota, Mime
sofa and Indiana.
| The testimony of Governor Johnson.
| Of Minnesota, is to the effect that that
state made a profit Of 100000 during
| the past two years in addition to cf-
| fectng Il saving to the farmers of the
state of $750.000 on their purchases
| Of Irvine. AS bearing on the promise
of success OF plant in Michigan. the
| governor mentions the fact that from
one Michigan senatorial district alone
there was last year shipped to the
| twine mills of Minnesota more than
300 carloads of flax This suggests
| the possibility of materially expanding
the flax growing industry in Michi
| gan. lnasmuch rs there is Il differ
encc of 50 per ton in freight as be-
| tween Jackson. Michigan. and Mime
sofa, it Will he observed that the flax
| growers or Michigan would receive
better price for their product.
Great Financial Success.
| Both in North Dakota and Mime
sofa. so great has been the financial
| SUCCESS Of the prison binder Irvine
| plants. the state officials have earnest
| ~ recommended that the legislatures
make immediate provision for doubling
| the output. In each state. too, at
| tention is called to the fact that this
| increased capacity can be provided
without special appropriation. there
being sufficient money in the fund
created from the profits from the BUSH
ness already transacted.
The Michigan situation is peculiar
| in that. because of recent decisions Of
our supreme court, It is imperativCly
| necessary that provision be at once
| made for tho legal employment of
convicts The court has held that
| they cannot be employed in the manu-
facture of any commodity the principal
| supply of which is produced in the
| state. Governor Warner estimates
that plant of sufficient capacity can
| ne installed at cost of about $4,000,
while an additional S12J,O0 would be
sufficient for n so-called revc wing or
working fund.
Made u Powerful Showing.
Michigan shippers of various COM
| nodes were before the senate rail-
| road committee several days ago in
support of Senator Tuttle's reciprocal
demurrage bill. They made a power
| full showing One Of the speakers was
| Hal III. Smith, of Detroit attorney for
| the Michigan Manufacturers assoca-
tiOn.> At the investigation of this as
ISOLATION and the Grand Rapids Board
of Trade Mr. Smith has drafted com
prehensive bill regulating railroad
traffic wholly within the state. The
bill is drafted along the lines Of the
interstate commerce act. I'm some re-
spect IL Is even broader than the ma
ti0nal enactment. For Instance 1t
confers upon the railroad commission
which II proposes to create power to
promulgate and enforce rules for
reciprocal demurrage. The principal
lures of the bill are as follows:
alition of the Office Of commits
railroads: appointment Of q
Hmmission OF three mem
N must be famiihr
Shc transpQEatio9
rebates, special
pnatjons con.
sion power TO
wa