The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1913-01-03

land that the Canadian goverpment
docs 10 similar settlers In the North
+, west.
Good Roads.
n l ever lacked enthusiasm In ap.
| pealing for good roads. had an abnn-
! dant opportunity to reinforce my en-
thusiasm by riding over thousands Of
| miles Of poor roads In Michigan dur
ing the months OF September and Oc-
tober. believe 1t II the duty of the
state to study the problem OF good
roads with reference to immediate leg
islation whereby this fundamental fea-
ture of transportation can be substan-
TALLY encouraged. think that all will
! agree with me that the fees arising
| from automobile licenses should be
turned into the highway fund.
| inspection Of Mines. Etc.
Governor Osborn In his first inaug-
ural urged the legislature to enact
further laws to perfect and extend the
| system OF regulation and inspection
| already existing so as to reduce to the
| minimum the number of injuries and
| deaths from industrial accidents. This
| inspection should be taken out of poll
tics and placed in the hands of expert
enced and competent men. Under the
existing laws no provision exists for
state inspection OF all mines: A strin
/ gent law should be passed for the pro-
lection OF all workmen engaged in the
business Of mining, and the employ
ment of the most EXPERT and compe.
tent inspectors to enforce the proyis-
ions of this law.
Weights and Measures Law.
The present weights and measures
law was enacted in 1887. 1t provides
that every town clerk shall keep a set
OF weights and measures and annually
each year seal all the weights and
measures of the township, receiving
therefor four cents for each one
sealed. For rs years town clerks have
failed to perform this function.
A modern weights and measures law
! should be enacted. AS the food In
spectors of the dairy and food depart
ment daily visit the stores of the
state, the law could be enforced by
this department In very economic
and efficient manner.
Useless Boards; Obsolete Offices.
Vicious tendencies seem to have
sprung up not only in Michigan, but
In other states whereby numberless
boards and unnecessary offices have
been created In not a few instances
this tendency has been encouraged In
order to further partisan political in
terests. Whenever party has
achieved victory, participants have
never failed to clamor for jobs as a
Kind OF reward for their recognized
enthusiasm. This tends to arouse
suspicion in the minds OF the people.
No longer can any political party al.
ford to encourage the old doctrine
that ito the victor belong the spoils."
I, therefore. suggest that every posi-
bic effort be made by this legislature
to abolish all useless boards and dis
pense with all Offices that are not es.
sential to efficient government.
State Salt inspection.
According to the state inspectors
report for 1910 (the most recent report
could get) over $4,000 was collected
from the salt manufacturers of the
state for inspecting salt that never
was insrected. For this $4,000 no
= service was rendered the manufac-
turer nor the consumer. BY all means
abolish the state salt inspection farce
inspection Of Oil
I Advocates of oil inspection say that
IL costs the state nothing and returns
to the state an income. In 1911 sixty
per cent OF all fees collected was used
10 pay salaries OF inspectors and their
expenses; 40 per cent went into the
state treasury. This is not an eco.
ncmical system for raising revenue
IN atolishins the present oil inspec-
ten system provisions ight be made
for the retention OF one, inspector to
lie directed by the dairy ard food de-
rartment. His duty would be to make
occasional tests and investigate COM
r!cints relating to poor oil.
Live Stock Sanitary Commission.
: We have now state live stock san
it-ry commission consisting of three
/, commissioners and the state veter
in&i ian, whose duties are to investi-
gate, when called on, infectious ard
contagious disease of various ami
mals The commission has no Office
at any ~ &c or even directing head
It's memhc.s are scattered over the
state and net always readily accessi
lie in time Of need II would seem as
ii this commission might be abolished
and It's duties transferred to the dairy
and food depai tment OF to the Agri
cultural college and the veterinary
department Of the college take charge
OF the same. thus saving a duplication
of offices and at the same time max