Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-03-18

in matters OF legislation. IL prevents
either honse from adopting any rule
which will prevent the major ity from
relieving a hostile committee from the
further consideration of any measure.
Under the two-thirds rule now ex listing
a-minority are enbaled to prevent a
meritorious bill from coming before
the Legislature.
The compensation of members OF
the legislature Is fixed at $500 for the
regular session. and--wben convened in
extra session. s. per day for the first
20 days and nothing there after. 1t is
believed that the changing of the
method of ompensating members of
the legislature from a pier diem to
fixed sum for the regular session will
tend to shorten the sessions thus cur
failing expenses to the state. and the
conservative iucrease in compensation
will make it possible for men to stand
for the Legislature who could not
afford to do so under the existing per
diem of So
The decennial state census provided
for in Section of Article of the
constitution is eliminated from the
revision. This census has been a
needless expense to the state and
serves no useful purpose: the necessity
for periodical enumeration of the
Inhabitants being amply met by the
federal census.
Whenever any question is submitted
to vote of the electors which In
voteIs the direct expenditure of public
money or the issue of bonds. every
woman having the qualifications of
male electors who has property as
sessed for taxes in any part OF the
district or territory to be affected by
the result of scuh election shall be
entitled to vote.
The extension of the elective
franchise to women taxpayers is in
keeping with the principle that no
persons property should be directly
affected without the consent of the
owner thereof. Under the revision
women taxpayers will be entitled to
vote on the same conditions as men
on all questions which involve the
expenditure of none or the issue of
bonds or which their property may be
assessed.
The governor and attorney general
are each given an annual salary of
IS. 600: the secretary of state. state
treasurer, commissioner of state land
office and auditor generals are each
given an annual salary of 81. 500. These
salaries are believed to be conservative
yet in kepting with what should be
paid to the chief officials of great
growing and prosperous state. 1t has
been a matter of regret to every
citizen who takes just pride in Mich
iagan's prosperity and wealth that
her chief legal advisor receives but
the paltry sum of $500 per year.
The legislature may arrange the
various judicial circyts into districts
or groups and provids for the manner
of holding courts therein. This pro-
vision is inserted in response to a
widespread demand throughout the
statee from the bench and bar or the
power to establish the circulating or
rotating system of judges. This Sec
tion gives such power to the legis-
lature and it is believed that 1t will
strengthen and elevate the judiciary
and correct many of the evils OF
inequality which exist in our present
system of judicial circuits.
The legislature shall provide by q
general law for the incorporation OF
cities, and by general law for the
incorporation of villages: and under
such general laws the electors Of each
city or village shall have power to
frame, adopt and amend its charter,
and to pass all laws and ordinances
relating to its municipal concerns,
.iect to the constitution and general
laws of this state. tbs gives to
cities and villages the right of home
rule. 1t enfranchises the cities and
villages from the whims of the leg
islature and from the evils of local
or special legislation. II must be
apparent to all that each municipality
the best judge of its local needs and
and the best able to provide for its
local necessities. Subject to the
constitution and general laws of the
state each city and village can frame
its own chatter and provide for its
own government in all matters of
purely local concern. Cities and viii
lagos are also granted carefully safe
guarded poteniate power of municipal
ownership. No city or village can
acquire any public utility franchise
which is not subject to revocation at
the will of the city or village unless
such proposition shall have first re-
ceived the Affirmative vote of three
fifths of the electors of such city or
village voting thereon at regular OF
special election. and upon such propo-
sition women taxpayers having the
qualification of male electors shall be
antitlad IN vota