The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-12-26
WARM MESSAGE
TO LEGISLATURE
Governor-eIect Ferris Will Aim At
Economy Record
Continued From Page One.


reference To such topics with Jealous
care.
me condition and recent occurrenc
es at Jackson prison VIII be dealt with
In lauguasc that Is little less than
lurid. 1t rs believed and Democrats say
That from private expressions by the
Big Rapids man, there is every rea l..
son for believing he will recommend
a searching investigation, IA course al.
ready publicly proposed by several
republican members CT the legislature.
Covered in Pl,tform.
The special privilege" proposition.
Wiil 1t is said, also draw red streaks.
particularly those concerning the con-
serVation of waterpower but as this
and other matters. such as suffrage.
initiative and referendum. etc, are
covered fully in the state platform he
VIII not deal with them at length.
With the prestige of a Democratic
governor and the disadvantage of "A
minority in the Legislature. Democrats
.ot the state at their conference N,
Lansing. December 30, will call upon
the best talent of the party IN Michi-
gan for feasible plans for making good.
Despite the minority. they have
high hopes of dominating the char
acter of the legislation that will re-
suit from the coming session and for
a combination of three reasons:
First, the tremendous energy and
strong personality of their governor
second, the prospect of alliance with
the Proeressives. and third their hope
of causing more or less sectional
lighting among Republican members
That the Republican organization
had gone them one better by calling
an early conference in Detroit is ad~
mitted by the Democrats. The eff
feet of the strong declarations of the
Republican conference in favor of leg
islation Of the most progressive ma
ture, has caused the Democrats L
look up, and the harmony expressed
at the Detroit meeting has Likewise
caused big hopes To wobble.
Leading Democrats are now busy
figuring on what expression the Lam
sing conference shall give uttcranc,
To. The Republican organization has
spoken and it is mp Ia the Democrats
to do likewise, they believe. True
h.. .l,.g
they reply to the arguments of those
who feel that the conference need not
express itself. but as long as the Re
publicans have given advance notice,
the Democrats should do likewise, they
argue.
The Lansing meeting may develop
opposition To making recommendations
to the legislature. Tho interval he
tween the meeting and the opening Of
the legislature is extremely short.
Gov. Ferris, it is said, has no other
plan than to push every plank i'm the
platform To the front and especially
those bearing upon the reform or pri~
mary laws. Republicans have already
spoken strongly on the same subject,
and several Republican members have
in preparation bills for primary re.
form, intending to submit them the
first day for the Introduction of bills.
Face Difficult Problem.
How To head eff the Republicans
and add unto themselves the pres
tigc of introducing such legislation is
one of the problems the Democrats
will consider.
II the Democratic conference fol-
lows the lines of the Republican con-
fercnce-and just now that seems the
most likely course despite talk to the
contrary-it will consider much the
same subiects-initiative and referen-
dunn. women's suffrage, primary ami
election reform. blue sky" legislation.
control of banking corporations, etc.