The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1909-05-22
S0LONS READY
TO START HOME
State Legislature About to
Close Business.
SESSION CONVENED JAN. 8


all June to Get the Passed Bills
into the Hands OF the Governor
Last Week OF the Session Taken Up
rrinelpslly with the Appropriation
Bills - Some Important Measures
Which Met with Defeat.
Lansing, Mich. May 1S.-At high
noon tomorrow the horses will be Off.
That As 10 say, the solons, who have
been with MS since early In January.
win be off for home. At the time in
dictated the regular session will come
to close so far as the consideration
OF bills and the enactment OF legisla-
ton Is concerned and the senator's and
representatives will depart for their
homes. The officers OF the two houses
will then have until June End 10 close
up their business and get all bills
passed during the closing days OF the
active session into the hands OF the
governor for approval.
When the gavcl falls at noon to-
morrow the legislature viii have been
in actual session n total of eighty-six
days, a total OF 1873 days having inter-
vened since the Legislature convened
on January 6. Under the terms OF the
new constitution adopted py the people
OF Michigan last fall, the legislators
will each receive $500 for his services
for the entire session. II was enacted
early In the session, the provision be-
ing embodied in the first bill passed
by the two houses, that the senator's
and representatives should be paid Mt
the rate Of So per day. instruments 10
be paid every ten days, and that what
ever balance OF the $500 remained UNI
paid at the time OF adjournment should
be paid in bulk. Having, therefore,
been paid $665 for the 1873 days thai
have elapsed since the session com
menced. each solon will have s1S5 due
him tomorrow and this, II is TO be
presumed, he will lug home In his
jeans
Rush at Close Of Session.
Just at this writing matters are in
a somewhat chaotic condition. There
is always a rush at the close OF the
session. Matters upon which the two
houses have disagreed are In the hands
OF conference committees, where the
differences will be ironed out through
a series OF mutual concessions, ans
many other bills which have passed
one house are awaiting action In the
other. The decks are so nearly cleared.
however, that practically all important
matters will have been disposed OF
when the hour for adjournment is
reached Out OF a total OF about COO
bills introduced. II is probable that
some 200 will become laws. AS is
always the case, many measures which
are the pride OF their sponsors will
fall outside the breastworks.
II is doubtless true. as has been the
case with all legislatures, that there
will be sins Of commission as well as
sins OF omission. but on the whole.
the legislators have discharged their
duties inteligently and conscientious
iy IL has been q popular pastime In
recent years TO critlcise legislators and
charge them with all manner Of short
comings My experience and long con
tinued observation warrants the asser-
a.
serve the attacks that have been made
upon them II Is my judgment that
they very faithfully represent the
wishes OF their constituencies and that
they are as honest and as faithful in
the performance OF their duties as any
Of their neighbors would be
Appropriation Bills.
IL having been the policy OF the ways
and means committee OF the house
and the finance and appropriations
committee OF the senate TO hold back
all appropriation bills until Il could
be reasonably ascertained what the ag-
gregate OF appropriations would nee
essarily have TO be, the last week OF
the session has been taken up 10 n
large extent with the consideration OF
these measures. The two committees
mentioned did their work so thorough
ly, however. and put the knife so far
into appropriations asked for that
these appropriation bills we're prac-
tically all ironed out TO degree be-
fore being reported out Hence there
was not much for the two houses Co
consider along these lines, the consId-
Grafton having been done In advance.
II can be safely asserted. think,
that no unnecessary appropriation has
been made even TO the extent OF a
single dollar. The complaint has been
that many appropriations which those
interested deemed necessary have been
denied. In this respect the legisla-
ture has been all that the most eco
nomical citizen OF the state could de-
sire. Many new buildings asked for
were denied and only actual needs In
the way OF maintenance and current
expense provided for.
6llis That Were Killed.
A number OF measures which have
been somewhat extensively discussed
In the press OF the state have been
dono 20 death during the past few
days One OF these Is the Farmer bill.