The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-08-17
A NEW CONSTITUTION.
Michigan's to Be Revised in the Conn
ing Year.


state for 81 years, is to be revised the
coming year. The last legislature pro-
vided for convention of 96 members,
three to be elected from each senate
district, the session to open Oct. %,
and the compensation of $40 a day to
cease Jan. 81, 1908. The nomination of
candidates will AXE place this
month in about half the districts I'M
der primary election rules and in the
others by district conventions. The
elections will be held Sept. II. Most of
the candidates for the nominations
have already announced themselves,
and the indications are that the con-
vention will be exceptionally high
grade In the character of its member
ship, after the bill providing for the
convention had passed the legislature
about so members in both houses de-
in the convention. The attorney general
| gave it as his opinion that members
of the legislature were not eligible I'M
! der the constitution to election as del
egates and the supreme court sustain
ed this ruling, None of the members of
the present legislature viii have seats,
| but there will be no lack OF delegates
who have had legislative experience
either in the state legislature or in the
congress.
The present constitution was adopt
! ed in 1850 The State had just passed
through a long and trying period of
business depression, and the spirit of
reform was made still stronger by va
rious scandals which had developed
under the constitution of 1885, The
constitution is to a large degree legis-
lative rather than fundamental, and in
many respects the State has outgrown
| Its limitations and restrictions. Two
previous efforts have been made at It's
revision. but in both instances they
failed through the refusal Of the Apeo-
pie to ratlfy the new plan Of govern
ment submitted to them. The first
| attempt at revision was made by
convention Of 100 members in 1857, and
Of two members appointed from each
| congress district In both instances the
failure was due to discomfort at minor
details rather than the essentials.
| Scarcely an election has been held in
| the last 10 years that one or more
amendments to the old constitution
have not been submitted, but the peo-
pie have shown much reluctance to re-
vision by piece-meal. The question of
the salary to be paid the governor was
submitted four times before the old
salary Of $500 q year was increased to
$4,000 The attorney general the audi
tor general the State treasurer the
secretary of State and other officials
are still on the 1850 schedule of $1,000
to $500 year, all efforts to Increase
salaries having failed at the polls.
There has been no general discussion
es yetNas to what the new constitu-
tion shall contain, but the disposition
seems to be strongly in the direction
of conservatism. Many Of the candi-
dates for delegate have declared them
| selves in favor Of as few changes as
possible. The present constitution will
be used as the basis and the effort will
be to bring it UP to date. Undoubtedly
there will be those who will want to
follow the leadership Of Oklahoma,
Montana and Oregon in the adoption
of new ideas, but there are no indica-
tions at this time that the radicals
will predominant.
One Of the most important changes
will probably be in the matter of tax
alton Under the present constitution
the State government is maintained
almost wholly by direct taxation on
property values. All the revenues from
the taxation of railroads and corpora
tions go into the primary school fund
y for distribution among the counties ac-
ccrding to the school population. More
than half Of the counties in the State
receive more from the primary school
fund than they contribute in State
taxes. Ten years ago the primary
school fund amounted to less than ST.
100000 a year. while now it exceeds
81 100000. Two plans will probably be
proposed in the convention as a solu-
ton of the question. One will propose
that all revenues from the taxation of
railroads, corporations, inheritances
and similar sources shall go into the
general fund for state purposes and
that direct taxation be done away
with. The second plan will be that the
primary sohol fund be continued, but
that the amount for disbursement be
limited, all in excess of that limit to
go toward the support of the State
university, the agricultural college, the
mining school and the normal schools
to this extent relieving taxpayers.
The legislature now meets biennially
with the compensation So a day and
no limit on the session. 1t Is likely
that fixed compensation win be pro-
posed, with annual sessions and a time
limit in which to do business. The
disposition also is to give the legisla-
ture larger powers, instead Of narrow
ly restricting the lawmaking body
Laws, if they prove unsatisfactory, can
be changed almost any time, but when
the laws are embodied in the consti.
tuition experience has proved them diff
hcult Of repeal or amendment.
The cities of the State have long de-
manded a larger degree Of home rule
and this is likely to be accorded. Nc
radical loosening of the bonds is look.
ed for, however. Municipal and State
= ownership will probably be provided
for, but such privileges will be heavi-
ly safeguarded by requiring reference
to the popular vote, No severe anti
J railroad, antitrust for corporation reg