The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1907-01-11

regulation or supervision of any nature.
They solicit deposits of money by the
guarded in every way.
During the past two years we have
witnessed conspicuous examples OF the
necessity for state examination of private
banks. There is, in the proposed legis-
lation, no invasion OF legitimate private
rights: 1t is simply and solely a meas
tewst of the public in the first instance,
and, In my opinion, In large measure
of the private banks themselves. IL
seems to me that there can be no ques-
ton that state supervision and eXamina-
ton would give these institutions an I'M
proved standing in the estimation OF the
public and thus Increase their business
and usefulness. l recommend that a
proper system OF state regulation and
examination OF private banks be pro-
vided by this legislature.
Direct Nominations.
THE subject of direct nomination OF
candidates for public office demands
your consideration. Act. No. 1Sl, OF
the Public Acts of 1905, known as the
received my approval. Experience un-
der IL 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 IL was not
an issue. The silence of both press
and public speakers on this subject
was in striking contrast with the con-
ditions of two years before.
Chief among the defects in the prl-
mary election law which its operation
has pointed out is that both TO the
candidate and the public IL is too eX-
pensive While the new law properly
and quite successfully stopped the cor
rupt use of money, IL has not operated
as its trainers thought it would oper-
ate, TO cut Gown the expense or cam
paign for nomination, but has rather
aggravated that evil. The poor man
ought not thus to be placed at dis.
advantage in a contest with a man or
means. The provision of the law re-
curing signatures to nomination
blanks. ought to be radically amended,
making the minimum and maximum
number of signatures required very
small and very near together.
AT the outset II was deemed wise
to provide one primary for the submis-
sion of the question OF direct nomina-
tions and the nomination of governor
and lieutenant governor, and one Tor
the nomination OF other candidates.
This. too. operated TO increase public
and private expense. There should De
but one primary day and upon that
day all nominations, under the proNi-
sions of this law should be made. Pro-
vision could be made for the submis-
sion of the question OF direct nomina-
tions 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 its operation, has
justified the recommendation which L
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, SO0 Notwithstanding the fact that
some OF the large cities throughout the
state. This Is remarkable when you
take into consideration that at the late
general election in November the total
vote cast in the state, by all parties
for secretary OF state, was 365774,
showing the number of enrolled voters
to be 81 per cent. of the number OF
votes cast at the November general
election. No primary law is complete
that does not provide for party enroll
ment: If the special acts now In force
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 or
article IS of the constitution. has ma
terially changed conditions under which
convict labor may be employed in the
unable TO find a provision of this kind
in the constitution OF any other state.
Ihat COnNlCtS SnOulu laDOT ana lndl
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
law 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 II
there were not another reason for II
than his own welfare That conceded,
IL seems TO me equally true that the
tain our state and its institutions
should be paramount and that the la
Dor of the conVictS should be produce
tive and profitable. 1t is also true that
whatever method OF employing con-
vcts is adopted. the product of their
labor. when placed upon the market by
the state or contractor, whether used
by an individual or in a state institu-
tion, will. to that extent displace the
product of free labor. This result of
their labor is condition we all de-
can be entirely done away with. We
should remember when considering
this matter that there are over ESQ.,
600 workingmen in the state as COM
our prisons or less than one-half Of /
per cent. who c@n come in direct com
petition with free labor
'If ConVictS were to be employed
building roads the same objection
could and would be made by those who
would maintain. and correctly too. that
maintenance and the prevention of
escapes would employ many more free
laborers than are now employed on the
highways.
assuming. then. that prisoners
must he 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. I have secured. from different
| states, information relating to this
whole subject which will be submitted
| to you later. with the belief that II
/ will aid you in determining the best
| course to pursue I'm dealing with the
bills which will be introduced.
For Binder Irvine Plant.
Manufacturing binder Irvine or
state account has been success so fal
| as IL has been established. Binder
| Irvine is certainly a staple commodity
| that can be sold to our own people, and
while no one can pretend that its sale
by the state TO Michigan farmers
would not interfere with the profits OF
| some individuals, that objection SHOULD
not prevail. IL Il did our prisoners
would always be idle. We have M