The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1915-02-12

! the fact that there will be boost of
over half million dollars in the
states expenses for the next two
years.
1t has been estimated that the cost
of running the state during 1915 will
be $1,325, 760 and that the expenses for
1916, while 100000 less than 1915,
owing to the fact that there will be
no session Of the legislature and an
other deficit due to the cost of the cam
paign against the hoof and mouth dis
ease. The figures for 1916 total
$1,087 100, giving a total for two years
Of $2,412,920.
It cost far less than this to run
Michigan financially during 1913 and
1914, the total being Sits, $40, or
$634,350 less than for the next two
years.
Long Session Seems Sure.
All chances for short session seem
to have gone glimmering. With five
weeks gone and nothing done, the
chances for cleaning up business rap
idly have become so small that even
the most optimistic among the mem
bers are settling themselves for long
stay in Lansing In part this delay is
due to the large number of new mem
bers in the house and the difficulty
of getting under way. 1t has gone
so far, however that even if the legis-
lature throws the lever over into high
| gear and leaves it there from now on
it can never catch up with it's lost
time.
Many Bills introduced.
Another hope which has been shat
tered is that few bills will be intro
duced at the present session. Cover
nor Ferris asked the legislators, in
his inaugural message, to introduce as
few new measures as possible He
pointed out the fact that the need in
Michigan is for quality and not for
quantity in legislation. Most of the
legislators made New Year resolutions
on the question and agreed that they
would not burden the hopper with
measures, but gradually they broke
these resolutions and the past week
has seen pages trotting up to the
clerks desks carrying proposed laws
just as of old.
Partial Suffrage Bill.
Rep. Charles Flowers of Wayne
county, who was opposed for the SEN
ate by the liquor interests, has re-
taliated by introducing a partial suf-
frage bill, modelled after the one
passed by the Illinois legislature, Civ
ing women the right to vote for of
fcers not created by the constitution
and on measures which do not require
constitutional amendment.
In other words, under Rep. Flow
ers proposed law, the women Of Mich
igan would have the right to vote
local option, although they could not
vote on statewide prohibition. 1t is
remembered that this was the first
use the Illinois women made of their
right to use the ballot and that they
swept county after county into the
dry column in that state.
The bill would give women the right
to vote in city nd village elections
for mayor, aldermen and other local
officials.
Vets to Oppose Suffrage.
1t is certain that the "wet" mem
bers of the legislature will oppose the
Flowers measure. But the fact that
they will do so makes the probable
fate of the bill seem bright for the
women of Michigan. For the vets are
clearly outnumbered in both house
and senate. For once the drys seem
to have commanding margin in both
houses and in addition to this have
staunch supporter in the seat of lieu
tenant governor.
If the measure passes both houses it
Is certain that Governor Ferris will
not withhold his signature. He has
publicly declared that he favors equal
suffrage and that he will sign any
measure which the legislature sees fit
to pass giving the right of the ballot
to the women of the state.
In passing, it may be explained that
this question is one which need not
be referred to the people of the state
because of the fact that it does not
involve constitutional amendment
Among the measures aimed at the
drys is bill introduced by Rep. Jer-
ONE, of Hillsdale, the "sky pilot" of
the house, which empowers all city
councils to cut down the number of
saloons now permissible under the
law to exactly one half their number
M. A. C. Wants "eym."
A contest has developed between
President Snyder of Michigan Agri-
cultural College and the student body
as to whether the legislature shall ap-
propr1ate money for new auditorium
or gymnasium for the institution.
President Snyder wants the legisla.
ture to build him a new office and an
auditorium and the students want the
gym" The entire student body is in
terested in the question and has de-
luged the legislature with petitions.
Carp Julian, the great M. A. c. foot
ball player, who has won for his col
lege in SO many hard fought games,
went before the legislative committee
personally with bundle OF signatures
bigger than football and handled ii
just about as we'll.
The stand taken by the students is
that gymnasium can always be used