Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-01-14

Legislators at the Rate of SIS Per
Day for 100 Days-Another Bill Pro
vldes for State Civil service--Anti-
Saloon People Propose to Carry on
an Aggressive campaian-schantz
Would AnaIyze States Soil.
Lansing, Mich. Jan. 12.-The Forty
Fifth Michigan legislature started on
Its career very pleasantly last week.
No jangles marred the opening ses.
sions. On the other hand the two
houses concurred in the adoption of
resolutions congratulating Truman II.
Newberry on his elevation to the sec
retaryship of the navy, and feiicitating
President James B. AAgell, of the Uni
versity of Michigan, on reaching the
eightieth milestone in life. The COM
mittees and employees were all ap
pointed and all the machinery oiled
and put in condition for immediate
business. The work of the session
was entered upon in earnest last
evening.
Both houses made good start in
the line of economy by cutting down
the number of employees. If this dis
position is adhered to throughout the
session, the expenditures and appropri-
atoms will be kept within reasonable
limits. Here's hoping.
First Bill Is for Salaries.
AS was expected the first bill to be
introduced was one prepared by the at
torney general making provision for
the payment of the compensation of
members of the legislature. The new
constitution fixes this at $500 for a
regular session, but is silent as to
the manner of its payment. The bill
introduced provides for payment at
the rate of IS per day, installments to
be paid every ten days. This, IL will
be seen, will cover 160 days, leaving
the soions to work for nothing and
find" themselves If they prolong the
session beyond the time limit in
dicated.
Somewhat along the line advocated
by Governor Warner in his third an
augural message is a bill introduced
Thursday by Senator MacKay, of De-
troit. The measure proposes for
Michigan a civil service law very
much the same as that enacted In Wis
consin few years ago. II is proposed
to create a state civil service of three
members with a secretary who shall
receive a per diem of $40 for his serv-
ices. The classified service will be
made to cover most legislative and
state department positions. The bill
Is sure to arouse much discussion.
AS intimated last week the new con-
stitution fails to make any provision
for salary for the superintendent OF
public instruction. A second bill Of
fered by Senator MacKay fixes this
salary at $1,000 per annum and gives
the superintendent general super
vision over all the educational inter
ests and institutions of the state. The
salary Of the deputy superintendent is
fixed al $4,000 per annum and that of
the superintendent of the rural school
department at $4,000. BY the terms
OF the bill the superintendent will be
required to reside in Lansing and give
his entire time to the work.
Anti-Saloon People Active.
II Is already very evident that one
OF the real interesting matters TO re-
ceive attention this winter is the ques.
ton of dealing with the liquor traffic
Spurred by their successes I'm other
states and the general wave of pro
hibition that is spreading over the
country, the anti-saloon people are
very confident and propose an aggres
sive campaign. The liquor interests
have likewise taken notice of the trend
of public sentiment and they will take
a stand for better conditions, opposing
however, the extreme measures de
sired by the opposition. II is rumored
that the presiding officers of the two
houses experienced no little difficulty
In framing up their committee on liz
uor traffic for the reason that many
legislators whom il was proposed te
assign positions on these committees
begged of, while others positively re
fused to serve.
In addition TO Strengthening Its griI
on the temperance legislation already
enacted. the opposition to the saloor
will endeavor to secure the enactment
Of laws fixing the township instead o.
the county as now, as the unit under
the local option law; prohibiting thu
shipment of liquors into dry territory
providing for the searching OF places
where 1t Is suspected contraband liz
uor is stored and for the seizure o.
such liquor, and requiring all drug
gists to report all purchases as wei
6s sales of liquor. OF the eighty-foul
counties in the state. eleven are now
J dry. At the election to be held on tho
first Monday in April next thirty more
counties will vote on this question, ant
the claim is made that at least TWEEN
ty of them will go dry. The liquor
dealers, particularly the wholesalers
propose to amend the law SO as to ma
terially increase the present retail Ia,
and to limit the number Of saloons In
any community to one for each 500 in
habitants.
The Anti-Saloon league has estav
lished headquarters in Lansing anc
will be constantly ION the Job"
Bill to Anaiyze Soil.
Representative schantz, OF Barry
county, who Is serving his third tern
and has been placed at the head oil