Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1913-05-01
LEGISLATURE
MAKES RECORD
Progressive Policy Marks The
FOrty-Se""anth Session.
NOTABLE LAWS ARE PASSED

|
Two Years Ago-Governor Ferris
Commends Accomplishments.
LANSING, Mich, April 29.-Michi
gan's Fortyseventh Legislature passes
into history as one of the most i'm
portant and progressive in the last
| quarter century. While Republican in
majority, legislation along progressive
and reform lines, according to cam
paign pledges of all parties, marked
the session. The session just closed
was remarkable in many elements. 1t
was conspicuous in the matter of har-
mony between the legislative and eX-
! ecutive departments. This is re-
garded as strange when it is consd-
cred that a Democratic governor dealt
with a Republican legislature with a
liberal sprinkling of Democrats and
! National Progressives. But the clos
I ing hours Of the session emphasized
the fact that party considerations had
given place to the real interests of
| the people of the state in a degree
worthy of special comment. Governor
| Ferris upon the eve of adjournment
complimented the members of the
| senate and house of representatives
upon the freedom from party bicker-
| ings that had characterized the prog
| ress of the session and declared it
| his belief that regardless of politics
both branches had had in mind the
legislation needed by the state rather
than political considerations.
Progressive Laws Enacted.
No previous session has given to
the state so many progressive laws
and measures of real reform in state
government as that just closed. While
many measures of Importance were
side-tracked or left to die in the
archives of the committees, the work
achieved will meet in a measure tie
approval of the people, although many
will say that many things of import
ance have been ignored But like all
previous sessions, such criticisms are
to be expected. Some measures that
should have been made into laws were
necessarily passed up because unity
of action could not be agreed upon,
and some proposed acts Of question
able ACCESSIBILITY were killed.
Public Demand Respected.
A good many laws which the people
Of the state have clamored for during
the past few years are placed upon
the statute books, and there was pro-
nounced disposition to allow the
people a voice in questions Of public
moment. In point are the amend
ments to the constitution of the state.
The people were given an opportunity
to again express themselves upon
equal suffrage, and the proposition
was disapproved at the polls.
Without a dissenting vote the leg
islature permitted the matter of cleo
ton of United States senators to go
before the people, and the proposition
met popular approval.
The recall was placed before the
people and given the stamp Of ap
proval. Initiative and referendum were
allowed to go before the electors of
the state and shared the same ap-
prevail Home rule was one of the
pieces of legislation that has hereto
fore been bone of bitter contention.
Pensions to firemen were advocated
and an opportunity given for express
sion; the result was adverse.
In this respect the people Of the
state have little fault to find and
future sessions will be called upon
to continue the work begun by this
session.
Many Good Laws.
Among the more important acts
achieved were the law permitting the
state to compile its own laws; to es-
tablish a bureau of insurance for
the protection of the states property;
important amendments to the state
banking laws, which have strength
ened the financial institutions of the
state and provided safeguards for the
depositors and stockholders; a law
regulating the operations within the
state of the promoters of securities
and protecting innocent purchasers
against investment of doubtful value,
commonly known as blue sky PROPOSE
tons; law abofishing the state land
office, thereby saving a useless ex-
penditure and providing that the pres
ent work be done by other depart
ments.
Pure Food Legislation.
Pure food legislation has been con-
spicious. The new laws passed, 1t is
declared, will become of great value
to the entire state and a protection
to all classes of people. The oper-
alton of that department Is given lat
itude and powers that will be of far
reaching value.
Reasonable Appropriations.
What has given the legislature and
state institutions more concern, per-
haps, than anything else has been the
matter OF appropriations. There were
requests filed for more than $780,
100000 for various purposes. 1t was
not the desire of the administration
to restrict appropriations to the point
Of hardship, but there was a disposi-
ton to allow funds for all Just de.
mands. The total reaches 11,136, 900,
Gal 3-Legislative Letters. Pat