The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-01-08
Gov. Warner
ON Third Term
Nichigan's Newly Elected
Officers Sworn In.
WORK BEFORE THE SOLONS

Present Indications Are That They
Will Get Down to Business at Once
No Contest Over the Speakerohip
This Year-Gavel to Be Welded by
Colin p. CampbelI-Laws to Carry
Into Effect Many Provisions Of the
New Constitution.
Lansing, Mich. Jan. 5.-With the
booming of a salute of nineteen guns
manipulated by Battery A, First Mich
lgan artillery, at high noon on Friday
last, new state administration was
ashered into being H. Michigan. For
the first time in It's history either as
possession of the French or the Brit
lsh, or as territory or a state, Mich
lgan boosted governor who had en-
tered upon his third consecutive term
In territorial times several persons
served more than two terms as acting
governor, but only one, John S. Barry,
served third term as chief executive
since Michigan became a state. None
Of these persons, however, served three
| terms consecutively.
| Fred NJ. Warner, who OH Friday last
| took the oath of office as governor for
his third consecutive term, is, there
| fore, the first person to be so honored
in the history of the state.
Justice Blair Administers Oath.
The newly elected state officers gath
cred in the executive parlors shortly
before noon and as the clock struck
| thet hour of twelve the oath of Office
was administered to them by the new
chief justice of the supreme court,
Charles A. Blair, son of, Michigan's
war governor, Austin Blair, of glorious
memory. The brief ceremony was per-
formed in the presence of a distin-
guished gathering Of citizens from
various section of the state.
With few exceptions the state Off
GERS who entered upon their duties with
the beginning of the new year are new
to the positions they will occupy for
the next two years at least. The list
Is as follows: Governor, Fred M. War
ner; lieutenant governor, Patrick II.
Kelley; secretary Of state, Frederick c.
Martindale; auditor general, Oramel B.
Fuller; state treasurer, Albert e.
Sleeper; commissioner of the state land
office Huntley Russell; attorney gen.
erai, John f. Bird; superintendent OF
public instruction, Luther l.. Wright;
member of the state board of educa-
ton, William J. McKone.
BY reason of provision Of the new
constitution, which requires that the
superintendent OF public instruction
shall be elected in April, Superintend-
ent Wright, who was elected last No
vember supposedly for the full term of
two years from Jan. 1909 will have
to stand for reelection in April. The
purpose of the change in time Of elect
ing this official was to remove the
office from politics, the theory being
that politics cut much less figure in
spring elections than in those held in
the fall. For the same reason all judi
cial offices are filled at the April cleo
lions.
ne State Legislature
In compliance with the constitution
the forty-fifth legislature will convene
at noon tomorrow. Present indications
are that 1t will get down to real bust
ness with much greater dispatch than
any Of its predecessors in recent years.
The reason for this is there will be
no contest over the speakership, that
matter having been settled several
weeks ago. Immediately after election
Colin p. Campbell of Kent and Judge
II. w. Newkirk Of Washtenaw, both of
whom were members OF the last legis-
lature and very prominent in Its DELHI
erations, announced themselves as can
didates for speaker, but as the canvass
proceeded Judge Newkirk saw that the
Kent man had the pole and at an
early day withdrew from the race.
For this reason Speaker Campbell has
had several weeks knowledge Of the
fact that he was to be the presiding
officer OF the lower house and has so
assiduously applied himself to the task
Of arranging the standing committees
that he is ready to announce these
committees as soon as he is elected
and installed. This will doubtless be
not later than Thursday OF the present
week Heretofore 1t has been custom
airy and necessary to take an adjourn
ment for ten days to give the speaker
an opportunity to make up his com
mittees. Lieutenant Governor Kelley
president of the senate, has the com
mittees OF that body ready for an
nouncement.
Session VIII Be Prolonged.
Although this Legislature will be re-
lieved of much detail work that de-
volved upon its predecessors, there IS
little doubt that the present session
WI be somewhat prolonged. This will |
be due to the necessary work incident |
to providing laws to carry into effect |
many of the provisions of the new con-
stitution which the people of the state. |
by handsome majority. ratified and |
confirmed last November.
This constitution does away with |
practically all of the great body of |
local legislation which has heretofore
taken up so much Of the time of tn [
legis ators. ( provides that no special [
legislation shall be enacted In any case
wher, a general law can be made to |