Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-01-12
GOVERNOR 5 MESSAGE
Confined from page two

the present law Is too vague as 10
what candidate may and may not
Go and seems to lend itself 20 several
reasonable interpretations, making FOR
confusion and impotency.
Uniform Accounting Laws.
Uniform accounting laws and laws
.or the state inspection OF the ac-
counts OF counties. cities, towns and
villages should be perfected State
and local government costs Michigan
more than $lO0,000,000 annually, or
quite S35 per capita. Comprehensive
laws looking to the perfection OF
simple uniform systems and as per-
feet economy as efficiency will permit
should have careful consideration at
your hands.
State Purchasing Bureau.
At present the state money seems 10
be expended by too many persons.
Large private corporations watch close
ly the expenditure of money. From
them the state can learn something
There could be created in some of the
existent state departments a sub-de-
partment, whose work should be the
purchase of at least staple supplies for
all Of the institutions OF the state. In
any event, changes for the better can
be made in the methods now in vogue.
State Fire Marshal
bespeak your consideration of
law creating a state fire marshal, TO
be under the direction and part of
the department of the state insurance
commissioner. In other states the acc
i've ferreting out and punishment Of
those guilty of arson has reduced the
fire loss, fire risk and fire insurance
rates, making for a great saving of
money and lessening of fire crimes.
Separation of Grades.
A consistent and persistent policy II
grade separation of steam railroads,
electric railroads and street crossings,
if inaugurated under wise laws, would
result in a great saving of life and
property Such a policy, reasonably
pursued, would not inCict impossible
hardship upon either the railroad COM
panies or the public. In my opinion,
legislation in this direction should take
more definite and compulsory forln.
Other states and countries appreciate
their public duty in this direction.
Michigan should not be recreant.
Stronger Railroad Cars.
Great good could be accomplished by
a reasonable law defining the nature
and strength of railroad carriages. As
fast as finsy rolling stock now in
use is worn out and condemned IL
should be replaced by steel carriages
complying with a safe standard fixed
by the state. Dinky cabooses on
freight trains should be outlawed.
One Board System.
1t is true that for a short period
Michigan tried one board system for
similar institutions The law was
passed by a Democratic legislature
and hastily repealed by Republican
legislature before its adequacy had been
given anything like a fair trial. | sug
gest your consideration of laws that
will place all Of the prisons under
one board, all of the insane asylums
under one board and. in fact. all in
situations sufficiently similar in char
acter under the same board wherever
possible The board system at best,
while ii has worked as well in Mich
igan as elsewhere, largely leaves the
management of state institutions TO
their superintendent.
I Duplication of Educational Work.
All OF our educational institutions
are in good condition. There is, how
ever, much duplication of work. and
especially BY the university, the agri-
cultural college and the college Of
mines Ideally. all OF these institu-
lions should be incorporated into one
great university. A law requiring Joint
meetings Of the boards controlling the
lege OF mines and the state normal
schools should have your considera-
ton Such a Joint meeting at least
| once a year ought to result in better
correlation and collaboration and the
elimination Of much duplication. Elk
cellent as il is as an institution, fear
that the Michigan Agricultural college
Is gradually becoming more of tech
pical than an agricultural and that the
agricultural department of the college
is already too much of an incident
rather than the chief feature. Phis
| is not communicated to you in any
| spirit Of adverse criticism, but rather
with the hope that steps NAV be taken
| to preserve TO this college higher agri-
| cultural training as its principal work.
| making everything else incidental.
Convict Labor.
| desire to especially call your at
| tention to the profitable achievements
| of the Detroit house of correction as
an illustration OF what may be done in
| the way. of prison labor. The problem
| of convict employment is one most
difficult to solve. In several states
| convict labor on the public highways
| is employed to advantage. The Colo
RADIO honor system seems to be espe-
cially good. hope convict labor on
roads will be given full and fair
trial in Michigan. The contract sys-
TEN seems to have been abused in
| Michigan. Contractors have reaped
! profits at the expense Of Michigan
taxpayers. / hope that out of the
especial study of this matter. directed
by and arranged for by the last legis-
lature, much good shall come.
The States Finances.
No concealment from the people
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