Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-05-06


Reports published i'm many papers
that the people of the state are to be
given a chance TO vote on state wide
prohibition at the general election IN
1916, is misleading. This is lmpossl-
BILE under the Constitution. In fact 1t
is not sure, even if all goes well with
the plans of the dry" leaders, that
vote can be taken before 1918.
The constitution provides that con-
stitutional amendments may be pro-
posed by petition, signed by more than
twenty percent of the total voters for
secretary of state at the last election.
But these petitions are not TO be CIR
culated promiscuously by any one who
may be paid TO get them signed. On
the contrary "such petitions shall be
signed at the regular registration or
election places at regular reglstra-
tion or election, under the supervision
of the officials thereof The petitions
are filed with the secretary of state
and shall be certified by that officer
to the legislature at the opening OF ITS
next regular session" Also he snail
submit the proposed amendment to the
electors at the first regular election
thereafter, unless the legislature IN
Joint convention shall disapproVe OF
the proposed amendment by a major
ity of the members elected. The legls-
lature may, by like vote. submit an
alternative or substitute proposal
on the same subject
In other words, the petitions must
be signed at the polling places at
regular registration or election, under
the supervision of the election officials.
They then go to the legislature. That
body may by majority vote, Kill the
proposed amendment. or II may sub
NIT alternatives. The amendment
must go to the legislature at regular
session before it is submitted to the
voters Then it must receive major
ity vote from the people.
The active work of the legislature
win cease April 2S. The total appro-
priations will probably crowd sixteen
million dollars, and would have been
much more but for the heroic work
of Chairman Hinkley of the house
WAYS and means committee, who did
succeed in Looping off some five million
asked for i'm the various bills. Mr..
Hinkley tried to secure the passage
of a law to provide budget for the
state Legislature TO work upon, but he
could not secure enough interest on
the part of the legislature to enact
such a measure into law A budget
system would result in the needs of
all of Michigan's institutions being
considered at once; now every insti-
tuition is trying TO get all it can. Some
perhaps, get more than their share
by reason of skilful management,
while others may fall short of actual
needs. The legislature failed to pass
any liquor legislation of moment, and
while it has improved the primary
law, it might have gone farther.
The republican state ticket more
than doubled The democratic state
ticket in the spring contest. The re-
publicans averaged about 100000
votes and the democrats averaged
about 10000. The figures are the |
official returns of the State Board of
Canvassers. In all 100000 voters are
sufficiently interested in the election
to cast their ballots, leaving about
third of the voters who did not /
care TO register theif choices. Local \
option elections i'm Is counties swell |
led the vote in those communities.
Announcement is made by the post
Office department that residents of the
United States can send money orders
payable to prisoners of war in Europ-
can countries without paying the Gus
tomary fee for the order This is i'm
accordance with the agreement sub
scribed to at the Hague conventions
by all the countries concerned i'm the
war and by the United States.
The Verdier teachers retirement
bill passed the house April %, "a to
As. Only one amendment was made.
That one, offered by Representative
Ashley of Detroit, provides that dis
tr.ets having their own retirement
funds. might, upon two-thirds of the
of the teachers therein, su-
spend such fund to enter the state