The Yale expositor., 1911-01-06
SOME CHANGES
RECOMMENDED
Governor Osborn Advises
The Peoples Law
Makers
Run The Departments On Eff
cheney and Economy
Basis

Basis
The message opens with a reference
to the relations of the Executive ano
Legislative departments, and the ne
cessity for close cooperation so that
responsibility for legislative acts will
be placed where IT belongs.
Legislative Investigation.
Because OF confusion and distrust
| growing out OF institutional and de
| partmental Irregularities / wish 10
| recommend thorough legislative In
vestigation by a special committee
Economy.
The need for economy is urged,
the reducing of the number of employees
and a shorter session, which would re-
adds:
1t might also be wise to cut out the
ancient junket practice. Committees
could make trips of examination in
a way and at time that would not
| interfere with the general work of the
Legislature.
Regulation Of Express Rates.
The placing of the express companies
more fully under the control of the
State Railroad Commission is strongly
urged that rates may be fixed fairly.
Railroad Rates.
The Governor advises that railroad
fares in the Upper Peninsula be re-
duced to 21a cents per mile, and gives
strong reasons for the reduction.
Bipartisan Tax System Commission
A bipartisan committee for the study
of the entire system of taxation in all
it's bearings, as pledged in both party
platforms, is strongly recommended,
with fund to pay the expenses of the
the work.
Taxation Legislation.
In making recommendations rela
tive to taxation legislation, ! deem II
advisable to call your attention to
two features of our new State Con
| stitution. One, the provisions affect
ing your authority to impose specific
taxes and the other, the limitations
of the subjects of taxation that shall
hereafter contribute to the payment
of interest upon our state educational
trust funds and the surplus primary
school fund interest
i 40 a bSAtdllNt plOpCSiNiOH lOi NOui
examination and consideration,
would suggest the ACCESSIBILITY or pos
sibility of imposing a general cor
porate income tax to be levied against
all corporations of the State, except
railroad and other public service cor
| porations taxed ad valorem by aver
age rate. The taxes thus imposed
with other specific taxes that might
properly go into the General Fund,
believe would nearly or even fully
meet all legitimate state needs and
obviate the necessity of any further
resort to general taxation for state
| purposes.
Taxation Of Mortgages.
The present law for the taxation OF
mortgages is failure. Although II
may be right in theory II cannot rea
sonably be enforced. The yield from
it is disappointing. II amounts prac
tically to double taxation and places
a premium upon circumvention, con
cealment and other forms of dishon
esty. The Michigan law is the same
In general effect, varying only in de
tail, as the mortgage tax laws of all
except thirteen OF the other states.
| have no hesitation in recommend
| ing the mortgage registry system OF
taxation as greatly superior to the law
now on our statute books
Hazard Of Industrial Accidents.
The matter of compensation of work.
ing men while in discharge of duty who
are disabled by injury is given promin-
ence. The Governor says:
You, gentlemen, will know best how
to handle this matter and | am conf
dent you Will address yourselves to Il
Initiative and Referendum.
1t is evident that resort to the in
| itiative and referendum cannot be
practical under the Constitution. The
constitution has been recently revised
by non-partisan convention OF
strong men and their work has beer
endorsed in its entirety by popular
majority. However. l doubt whether
the people would have endorsed the
Constitution section by section. Con
sequently, | am moved by my idea Of
the peoples rights to suggest ar
amendment making it practically pos
sible for the people to initiate laws
and amendments to the Constitution
independent of the legislature anC
have them submitted to the direct
vote of the people.
/ would also recommend that thu
right to direct recall be included
Regulation of liquor Traffic.
The evils of the saloon in polite,
are set forth in vigorous language and
at length by the Governor who says:
would like TO see the question
studied for Michigan bysn honorary
commission to be composed of some
of the most noble, courageous and un
selfish citizens of the state.
Civil Service.
! recommend the passage of laws
that will establish a state civil servic,
system. The civil service laws of tn,
| OFFICIAL rQnorta dfarlooa oorinu.