The Detroit times., 1913-01-02
GOV. FERRIS Is FOR
RECALL IN MESSAGE

ne advocates the Oregon law without
substantial change. and he also sug
gests the borrowing from Oregon o
her publicity plan whereby befors
elections there Is sent 10 every voter
ut state expense q pamphlet contain
ing biography and statement u
views OF each candidate for ONCE
Along this same line, he takes a stand
for corrupt practices act limiting
campaign expenditures and requiring
publication of them both before and
after elections.
Arguing for a less confusing ballot
the governor points out that $4,000
Michigan voters are annually disfran
chised because OF the present compff
Gated manner OF voting
The hit and miss taxation system
OF the state comes In for some crit
icism, In the course OF which the sep
aration OF state and local taxes is rec
commended and other possible changes
mentioned.
From a materialistic standpoint nc
investment yields greater returns "a
the wealth OF the state than health,
Is the opening sentence OF q section
fayoring law In stricter regulation
of medical practice. AT present. Mich
igan is the camping ground for numei
Gus medical fakirs."
The educational INTEREST," of the
governor are shown by the fact that
Ia his message more space Is given TO
education than TO any other one thing
He severely crtticises the sanitary
conditions OF the states school houses,
saying that a majority of them are
unit for livestock to occupy" and
suggests that plans for new buildings
should be Submitted to the euperin-
tendent OF public instruction and the
secretary OF the ntate board OF health.
He further advocates the elimination
OF politics from school boards. uni
fern system of text books and the
preservation OF an adequate primary
school fund
The creation OF commissioner OF
agriculture, banking regulation, road
Improvement, inspection OF mines, a
new weights aud measures law. pub
lie utilities commission, home rule for
cities, civil service, tho requirement
CT weekly payment OF employees, the
adjustment OF useless boards and
cffices, such as the state salt inspec-
ton farce" are recommended In the
message, the text OF which follows:
Gentlemen OF the Legislature:
We are entering upon a new era in
statecraft. A general awakening II in
coming 20 feel with force the time
honored quotation. "A government OF
The people. by the people, and for the
peophs rney are n9n over nartw shs,
an official represents: In fact, the three
great political parties In Michigan
agree on essentials and II ought there
fore, to be easy for the Legislature rep
resenting these three great parties to
work together tremendously and efn-
GENTLY In securing these common ends.
We are, indeed. colleagues in our
EFFORT 10 join In common service for the
highest welfare OF our great state. In
other words, we are citizens and public
servants FIRST and our party differences
IRE secondary. i can assure the present
legislature that l shall take great
pleasure In encouraging hearty coop
grafton from start 20 finish. Most OF
the measures that / shall recommend
people for at least decade.
Primary Law.
The secrecy of our ballot IN tie
foundation OF our liberty and the law
wisely provides that this should remain
invioiatea Our present primary law
by providing that every voter shall tell
the town board to-which party he be-
longs. be publicly recorded as such a
partisan. and his name sent TO Lansing
AZ such partisan. RE car only change
Ills label on certain days of the year
as provided by law. This provision
registration day and primary day be
one and the same. This would insure
full attendance at the primary. All
party tickets should be printed on one
Dallot. the voter marking one ticket
only in the booth. In order 10 prevent
ElinnrIty mt limitations, provisions should
be made for second choice column
would do away with the absurd Is per
cent proposition. BY having registra-
ton day and primary day the same,
ny giving the people the initiative and
referendum TO amend the constitution
and make laws; by giving them
single and secret ballot and q primary
law TO nominate and elect their public
servants; by giving them the recall to
discharge unworthy and misrepresenta-
tive public officials, you place In their
can easily get such reform legislation
RS they desire. The above are the fun
hamontal things that should take prece-
dence over all other @gislation IL We
arc to have In this state government
truly OF. for and by the people.
Initiative aud Referendum.
In order that the people may rule il
~ essential that they be given the
4, proper tools TO work with so that they
may attain their own salvation. The
most important of these measures Is
the initiative and referendum This
one-third OF the states I'm the union. but
In one. half OF these. the system is in
effective because OF some Jokes" In
serted in the amendment. A consti-
tuttonal an endment should be submit
ted providing for the initiative and the
referendum. or all the states. Oregon
has had the initiative and referendum
the longest 1t has been in operation
'here for over ten years and during that
time the people have Initiated or re-
ferred over one Hundred measures by
popular vote. The percentage Of petit
ton signers IL reasonable and the
amendment Is self-operating. I sug-
vest that it-should be adopted without
any substantial change. It's operation
fefactory. that alter ten years the
people voted down the attempt TO re-
penl IL by an overwhelming majority.
Recall.
4 constitutional provision should alaA
he submitted providing for the recall
Of all executive. Legislative and admin
istrative officials. The petition for the
recall should not require more than 20
nor cent OF the voters OF the district,
This percentaRe has the approval OF all
OF the authorities on this subject.
Ballot Reform.
III the people are 20 rule through the
agency OF tie ballot ut the election
urinary, they must simplify our cleo
tion primary laws. Possibly we are
under the deluslon that we have had
the Australian tallot syste N for many
years. but as a matter Of fact. ar6li rs
not the nnse ItNis claimed that the
present party column ballot Is easy for
the Ignorant voter to vote the straight
party ticket, but II is difficult for The
Independent voter 10 split the party
ticket. The double. system or marking