The L'Anse sentinel., 1912-12-21
THE INCOMING LEGISLATURE
AND THE PLUMs THE NEW
GOVERNOR WILL HAVE TO
DISTRIBUTE.
THE ELECTION OF A UNITED
STATES SENATOR WILL NOT
BE JuGGLED.
Our Correspondent Has Been Look
ing over the Situation and Con-
ditions Upon Which He Vert
ures Some very~-clear
Predictions.
[By Gurd M. Hayes.l

State officials, veteran legislators
and many persons outside the magic
realm of politics confidently predict
that the coming assembly of the law
makers will develop into the most
sensational gathering In the history of
Michigan. According TO advance in
formation which has drifted into the
state house from various parts of
Michigan, enough bills are being
framed by embryo statesmen to hold
the legislature in session until the
middle of next July, but owing to the
fact that the new constitution fixes
the pay of the legislature of $500 per
session capitol habitues are inclined
to the belief that the enthusiasm Of
the new members will wane after they
have been In Lansing about three
months. AS general rule old men,
bers always welcome a short session
30 there are some reasons to believe
that the pyrotechnics will be all over
within twelve weeks after the initial
roll is called.
United States Senator.
One OF the important propositions
that will confront he next legislature
will be the election of United tSates
senator If the republican mapority
in the house and senate Tatify the re-
suit of the primary election Cnited
States Senator William Alden Smith
will be elected on the joint baliot with
several votes to spare. Recently ru-
mors have reached the state house
that. some of the belligerent states
men were holding out and have an
nounced that 1t was not at all certain
that they would vote for William AL
den Smith, solely because be was the
choice of the republican party in the
primaries.
However, It Is generally believed
that all OF the differences that aer sup
posed to exist at present will be iron
ed out before the solons arrive In Lam
sing. Governor-elect Ferris has an
nounced that there will be no Lori
merizing" the Michigan legislature. He
says the republicans must support Sen
ator Smith, the democrats Alfred
Lucking, and the progrcssives. Theo-
dore Joslin. Friends of William Alden
Smith in the state house assert that
he will have the required number OF
votes when the roll is called on the
Joint ballot, Jan. IA.
Economy the Watchword.
With Chase s. Osborn in the excu-
tive chair and Herbert +. Baker as
speaker of the house, economy was the
watchword during the session of 1911.
The biennial junket, which for years
had been little more than two weeks
outing for a certain corterie of states
men, was eliminated, and although
most of the institutions were visited
by the committees assigned for that
purpose, the tours which had prev
iously been a big item of expense to
the state were entirely done away
with and the same results were ac-
complished in cheaper and more sat
isfactory manner. Appropriation bills
were carefully pruned by the letislat-
ure and were more vigorously attack
ed by Gov. Osborn. Many clerks who
had heretofore been appointed purely
for political purposes, were dropped
from the pay roll.
It is expected that the same program
OF economy will be followed out by
the next legislature, and the newly
elected chief executive, Woodbridge
N. Ferris. Complications arising from
the tangled political situation will re-
uuire that the representatives OF the
three factions of the hou Sc and senate
hew closely to the line and follow out
the pledges of the party platforms as
nearly as possible.
Listen to the Voters.
For the first time in many years the
democrats are well represented in the
legislature, and with a democratic
governor sitting on the safety valve,
II Is expected that there will be some
exceedingly lively times when the sol
ons assemble In Lansing IAN. 1.
Heretofore the republicans have boast
ed Of top heavy majority In both
the house and senate and as result
they have been able to do abovt as
they pleased without much regard for
the future, but next year they will be
more or less on the defensive, and 1t
Is claimed by the leaders that every
effort will be made to enact sane,
conservative program, and more at
tention will be paid to the wishes of
the voters back home.'
Prospective Legislation.
With SO members in the house and
Il republicans in the senate. the most
time majority leaders are pretty well
nxed from party standpoint, bit in
matters of important legislation It is
not expected that party lines will be
sss closely drawn as in other years.
,eil knowing that the bull moose leg