Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-02-20
FROM THE
STATE CAPITOL
INSTITUTIONS ADOPTED WITH
VOTE OF EVERY SENATOR
PRESENT.
IONA PRISON INQUIRY ORDERED
Budget Commissioners Term 10 Made
Identical With That OF the Gov
ernor, other Items Of
Interest.
BY william Lee Calnon.

BY william Lee Calnon.
Lansing.
Without as much argument as was
looked for In advance the senate has
passed the bill to establish budget
system for the states institutions.
There was about an hours argument
over the measure In committee OF the
whole and another hours talk when
Il came up for third reading. but II
finally was adopted with the vote OF
every senator present at the time. 20
In all.
One principal amendment was made
In committee OF the whole That
changed the term OF the budget com
missioner from four years TO two
years. The term OF the commissioner
10 made Identical with that OF the gov
ernor. The idea Of this Is that the
budget commissioner will practically
be tho right hand man OF the gov.
ernor, with the latter responsible for
his commissioners handling Of the
state business.
The sole objections to the bill as
developed In the senate were caused
by q fear that the legislature might
be legislating away some Of It's own
powers. Senator DeLand, father OF
the measure, said that no such thing
could ensue, ae the budget each two
years would be directly In the care
of the legislature itself Senator
Scully thought the state board OF au-
ditors and not the auditor general
should audit the budget commissions
figures. but offered no amendment to
that effect and the vote was taken
when the arguments were ended. The
house now has the bill.
Two proposed amendments TO the
state constitution have fallen by the
wayside In the senate. One was Sen
ator MacNaughtons proposal TO bond
the state for 100000 to build termi.
nal warehouses to hold farm products
in sto. tge. This project had aroused
happened to recall TO that two pro
posals 10 bond the state cannot be
handled at the same time and the
good road bonding proposition had
already gone through for submission
at the April election. The proposal
70 amend the constitution so as 70
preme court justices ana Judges OF
.f a
Office was lost in the senate when it
received only 20 favorable votes. II
needed %, two thirds vote II was
tabled and another effort may be made
later TO revive IT,
The present legislature is long on
resolutions Several more have ap.
peared in recent days One provides
for an investigation at Ionis prison In.
TO the employment OF convict labor on
contract work. The inquiry was or.
dered made by the same committee
investigating Jackson prison This
was adopted by both houses.
Both houses also adopted resolu.
ton. calling on congress TO give a
bonus of six months pay 10 every dis.
charged soldier. sailor and marine who
served in the war The house adopted
resolution Of its own to ask for a
statement of receipts and expenditures
from the state war preparedness
board. One house resolution fell
down that sought TO withhold all AID
propriations for the University OF
Michigan and the Michigan Agricul /
tural College until they submitted
itemized statements OF what they
have done with their funds in the
past two years. II was ruled out OF
order in that It sought TO suspend the
regular rules OF the house as TO the
handling OF legislation.
Rep. Glaspie wants President viii
son, congress and the u s. railroad
administration asked to reduce freight
rates and improve freight distribution
Immediately so that work may be
rushed on big public Jobs through the
receipt OF more and cheaper material
The government has been urging the
doing OF all such work as is possible
In order to furnish employment for
returned soldiers and others
Gov. Sleeper has sent to the Senate
a list OF nominations for state Offices (
Commissioner Charles ID
Of Detroit. is re-appoint
ed. He is a Democrat and gets the (
one place on the board TO which tn,
party is entitled. State Bank
Ing Commissioner Frank w. Merrick !,
u Pigeon. is re-appointed. J. n
Hands. OF Sandusky, and n p. Bush
,f Caro-. are re-appointed TO the board Il
" the farm colony for epileptics 4
while Ben Eilber. OF Ubly. goes on tn, (
'sme board to succeed Henry p. HUI
,ert. resigned
The house has adopted the bill {,
lace sheriffs. clerks. treasurers ant I
egisters OF deeds i'm all counties on I
alary and to eliminate fees. q,