The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1913-01-03
new GOVERNOR
URGES HAREoNY
Colleagues in Common Ser
vice for the People.
LEGISLATION RECOMMENDED

inaugural Message Of Gov. Ferris De-
clares Party Differences Are Sec;
ondary and Advocates Hearty Co.
operation From Start to Finish to
Promote the Highest Welfare Of the
State Of Michigan.
Following is the full text of the In
augural message of Governor Ferris
to the state Legislature:
Gentlemen of the Legislatures: We
are entering upon new era In state
craft. A general awakening is in pro-
cess Of evolution. The people are
coming to feel with force the time
honored quotation, "a government OF
the people, by the people and for the
people" They are not oyerzealous as
to the particular political party that
an official represents; in fact, the
three great political parties in Mich
igan agree on essentials and it ought,
therefore, to be easy for the legislators
representing these three great parties
to work together tremendously and
efficiently in securing these common
ends. We are, indeed, colleagues In
our effort to join in common service
for the highest welfare OF our great
state. In other words, we are citi-
zens and public servants first and our
party differences are secondary.
can assure the present legislature that
I shall take great pleasure in encour'
aging hearty cooperation from start
to finish. Most of the measures that
l shall recommend have commanded
the attention of the, people for at least
\ decade.
Primary Law.
The secrecy of our ballot Is the
foundation of our liberty and the law
wisely provides that this should re-
main inviolate. Our present primary
Law violates these fundamental prin
cipies by providing that every voter
shall tell the town board to which
party he belongs, be publicly recorded
as such partisan, and his name sent
to Lansing as such partisan. He
can only change his label on certain
days of the year as provided by law.
This provision should be repealed. I
suggest that registration day and pri-
mary day be one and the same. This
would insure full attendance at the
printed on one ballot, the voter mark
ing one ticket only In the booth. In
order to prevent minority nomina-
lions, provisions should be made for
n second choice column.
The abolition of party enrolment
would do away with the absurd 10 per
cent proposition. BY having registra-
ton day and primary day the same,
thousands OF dollars could be saved.
BY giving the people the initiative and
referendum TO amend the constitution
and make laws: by giving them a
single and secret ballot and primary
law to nominate and elect their pub
lie servants: by giving them the re-
call to discharge unworthy and mis-
representative public officials, you
place In their hands the necessary
tools whereby they can easily get such
reform legislation as they desire. The
above are the fundamental things that
should take precedence over all other
legislation il we are to have in this
state a government truly OF, for and
by the people.
Initiative and Referendum.
In order that the people may rule
1t is essential that they be given. the
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
system has been adopted by nearly
one-third of the states in the union,
but in one-half of these, the system is
ineffective because of some "joker"
inserted in the amendment. A consti-
tutional amendment should be submit
ted providing for the initiative and
the referendum. or all the states,
Oregon has had the initiative and
referendum the longest. II has been
in operation there for over ten years
and during that time the people
have initiated or referred over one
:. 'udred measures by popular vote.
.us.. nrcentage Of petition signers ia
,..,, md the amendment Is self.
.,-aa. ~est that Il should be
's s"se. substantial
ADOPTED without .s>. .,'s'sa',ss,.sss
y &c. Its operation afssy IiIsss 80
,2eAiE&c satisfactory, = a'',
I. s'taf hen Years the people yotsA-dUwKv :,
rne s.tstipi o.-rAr-a1- i Iby Fahs bvsis''
wftelrhfng riaiori,y, JAAA :. w
* go >Recaiis ~
"A constitutional provision should
slso ,be submitted providing for the