The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1907-01-05
party enrolment feature of the general
ConYict Iallnr.

In discussing the subject or convict
labor the governor recommends the es-
Enlistment OF a binder Irvine plant at
Jackson prison.
Primary school Fund.
Michlgan's educational system Is the
just pride OF all the people OF the state.
They have guarded Il with jealous
care and contributed TO its support
willingly and literally. They desire
that Il be maintained unImpaired In
| its usefulness. The constitution and
the laws OF tho state provide that all
revenue from specific taxes shall be
credited 10 the primary school interest
fund. now that the state debt has been
extenguished. and used solely for the
payment OF teachers salaries.
Until the recent change in the meth
do OF taxing railroad corporations was
made. greatly increasing the revenue
from this source, this provision OF the
constitution worked few inequalities.
/ Now, however, the amount OF specific
/ taxes annually collected Is SO great
that II exceeds the needs OF the OBJ
| Ject 20 which Il must necessarily be APP
piled.
| would not IN the slightest degree
cripple our primary schools or curtail
the scope OF their operations and use
fulness. They are the peoples colleges
and should have our most fostering
care. do not however. believe II TO
be for their best good TO relieve the
people OF all share in the cost OF their
maintenance. All persons are more in
terested In the welfare OF that which
costs them money or effort than In
those objects 10 which maintenance
they make no contribution.
i, therefore. command TO your care
/ full consideration the advlsabllty OF
submitting 30 the electors of tho state,
at the forthcoming general election in
| April, a proposition 10 amend the con-
| stitution SO as 10 provide that from
the primary school interest fund all in
excess Of three dollars and hair annn-
! ally for each child OF school age IN the
state shall be apportioned on a just
basis among the University. Agricul
tural college, College OF Mines, the
I three normal colleges aud the several
county normal schools.
Taxation Of Corporations.
concur in the recommendation or
/ the state tax commission that the law
i governing the taxation Of express com.
panies be amended SO az % eliminate
\ from the computation on which the
tax Is based the ocean mileage of these
/ companies. Tho inclusion Of this mile
4 age renders tho result little - than
! farclcal
The satisfactory operation OF the AZ
4 valorcm system Of assessing railroad
property suggests the desirnbllity OF
extending this system 80 as to include
the property Of telegraph and tele-
phone companies. The present method
OF taxing the latter corporations Is I'M
certain ana unsatisfactory These OBJ
| jections can be overcome and greater
| justice attained by the application OF
the nd yalorcm system TO these corpor-
atoms. The governor here submits a
brief statement OF the result OF tho Inn
portant railroad and express corpora
ton litigation in which the state has
been involved and the present status
OF important railroad cases now pend
ing.
Common Carriers of Live Stock.
In nearly every state In the union
railroad companies are made common
carriers OF live stock. The failure o.
Michigan TO embody this provtson In
It's laws governing the operations OF
railroad companies places the 1--we
stock owners and shippers Of this STATE
at a decided disadvantage and worry
frequently occasions them heavy Losses |
through their inability 70 place stocx
on the market SO as " profit by the
best prices. Under existing conditions
the railroHa companies reed accept live |
stock FOR shipment only when they de
sire 10 DO SO Michigan breeders and |
shippers should not be required 20 sui.
fer this Discrimination hope that
thu present legislature will be prompt
20 afford the shippers ~ Michigan the
relief TO which they are Justly entitled |
Supervision % Electric Roads.
The extension Of electric railway !
lines throughout the stnte emphasizes |
the doslramllty or cnacting a law OK
acting official reports from electric rail- |
way companies and placing them un.
der the supervision OF the commission
CT OF railroads. 7 cannot appreciate /
any reason why this class OF companies /
should not be subject 20 practically |
the same supervision ms steam road /
companies. ] truSt that this omission /
In tho law viii he supplied by the pres
cnt legislature.
Freight Car Shortage.
A most serious question confronting l
the manufacturing interests end the
shippers ~ farm products OF our state
Ii the shQtngc IN The supply ~ cars /
furnished by The hiiroad companies
This handicap cnn no longer be con
sitered Il temporary one. During the /
past thrtc years there has been Just 4
cause FOR complaint along This line SO \