The Yale expositor., 1912-02-29
Special Message to the Forty-sixth
Legislature of Michigan, in Extra.
ordinary Session:

legislature OF WiCnl9an, IN GNtTa-
ordinary Session:
Acting under the authority of Sec.
Z, Art. 6, OF the Constitution of the
State of Michigan, l, Chase S. Osborn,
Governor in and over the State OF
Michigan, have called the Forty-sixth
Legislature in extraordinary session,
for the purpose OF giving IL Oppor-
tunity and authority 10 consider and
enact presidential preference pri-
mary law
This proposition is in the interest
of all the people and gives equal
rights TO all parties and all factions
OF parties. II is for the purpose of
extending the rights of all the people
and giving greater insurance that the
majority shall rule in the nomination
of a presidential candidate, rather
than that minority by power, in
liuence peculiar strength or other
unusual intrenchment shall override
and overrule.
II it is right and advisable TO enact
q presidential preference primary law
it is proper to give il immediate eff
feet. The Constitution OF the State
Of Michigan empowers the Legislature
to give effect at once TO acts making
appropriations or to acts Immediately
necessary for the preservation of the
public peace, health and safety.
assume that the Legislature is the
final judge of these conditions. At it's
regular session this Legislature gave
immediate effect 10 seventy acts. One
half these seventy acts were not APP
preparation bills III the ordinary mean
ing OF the term, and twenty-one of
them carried no appropriation pro-
vision whatever. Some OF the acts
given immediate effect We're so trivial
as to make absurd any contention that
such an important law as the presi-
Dental primary measure cannot be
given immediate effect. The Consti-
tuition was just as sacred last year as
this year
Any presidential preference primary
law which the Legislature may pass
can with perfect justice and pro-
priety contain provision for max
ing an appropriation TO pay the eX-
penses of delegates. The presiden-
tial primary law of the State Of Ore
gon, ! am informed, provides for
payment of $500 TO meet the expenses
Of each delegate from Oregon TO
national presidential political conven-
ton. In the past a common custom
in Michigan has been TO send TO ma
tional presidential conventions only
delegates who could financially afford
TO go. This custom has initiated
against men entirely as wise and
" nv hut xxith I'D
able to afford the privilege of attend
ance at such conventions.
This argument might be regarded,
however, as such subterfuge as
would be resorted to by those who
desire to use the Constitution against
the interest OF the people. II is not
necessary to borrow any device to
justify putting a presidential primary
law into immediate effect. Whatever
is right is constitutional. In the past
there has been an unfortunate ten
dency on the part Of some courts and
corporation lawyers TO resort TO con-
stitutional interpretations, superven-
lent or otherwise, that would serve
the ends of selfishness and stand be-
tween the people and their moral
rights. Better courts and better law
yers now regard the Constitution as
being broad and elastic enough 10
cover and warrant what is right and
especially when there is no dispute
as to the right. Abraham Lincoln
said THE life of this nation is
greater than any constitution"
I am of the firm belief that there
is grave menace to the peace ard
safety Of Michigan whenever the in
dictated rights of the people are with
held. The effect of Withholding these
rights, now for the first time so
plainly marked and desired in Michi-
gan, may not be Immediately appa-
rent. The resulting harm is more
apt to be cumulative and burst forth
IN passionate reprisals, in revolutions
long delayed and in political upheav-
ais that may be both unwholesome
and destructive. Every social cata-
clysm has been preceded by years OF
cause in which the strong have OPP
pressed the weak in one way or an
other. Who Rnows what the harvest
OF destruction may be from such seed
sowing? The minute bacterium tuber-
culosis, translucent and grayish, no
dule the size of a millet seed CON-
paratively easy Of discovery. is the
cause OF the white plague and grim
terror of civilization. It's presence
may he everywhere and unknown No
one would think of inviting it or ag-
gravating it. What then are we to