The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1919-01-04
MICH. LEGISLATURE WILL SURELY
CHANGE ELECTION LAWS
BAKER FAvORS OREGON LAW
All legislators Agreed on Same
to Prevent Extravagances
of Last Fall

One OF the state Wlut QuesblOhS
that the Michigan legislature will
certainly tackle Is the revamping OF
the election laws. There are two i'm
portant points at which the present
laws invite attack and call for re-
form. One is that portion OF the prim-
AIRY law which allows members OF one
party 10 vote in the primary OF the
other rarty. The other is the portion
dealing with the expenditures which
ofiiceseekers may make in the prim-
AIRY as we'll as in the election.
The members of the legislature
have different ideas on the different
methods suggested but practically all
are united in demanding some change.
Newberry Caused IL All.
The demand for reform comes as
the result OF the scandals that fol-
lowed the Newberry- Osborn Ford
campaign last summer. Lieutenant
Governor Dickinson sounded the
alarm in his pre-primary letter ac-
cusing the Newberry managers OF a
lavish expenditure OF money. The
Dica.aeon letter was attacked on all
sidce as a roorback, but a few days
after, the primary Mr. King Of the
committee disclosed the fact that
$4,000 was spent in nominating
Newberry and subsequent develop
ments brought to light that all but
an insignificant sum was provided by
the Newberry family. The revulsion
OF feeling within the republican party
was such that had Mr.. Ferris beer
candidate opposing Mr.. Newberry
instead OF Mr.. Ford, there would be nc
question OF contest for the sea
when the senate conyenes Mr.. Fer.
ris would have gone in with whooI
for sufficient voters stayed away from
the polls on election day because the!
couldn't stomach Ford and did no
want to endorse the Newberry com
mittee's methods TO have rolled up
big majority. Mr.. Newberry was saw
ed because large portion OF those
who did vote did so on the theory o
two evils choose the lesser"
Herb" Baker, Of Cheboygan, ha
been chosen state senator from hi
district and is bent upon getting re
form legislation through the next ses
sion. Baker will be remembered a
the chairman OF the trump" conyen
tion at Bay City in 1912. The Mar
quette Mining Journal in recent Is
sue had the following to say OF Bak
or and his proposed legislation:
State Senator-elect Baker. tn
'"Herb" who was speaker OF the hous
In the stormy special session OF l9li
has been sounding out the other les
islators-elect on their attitude on th
plan OF putting an end to the chanC
OF any more $4,000 primary ele,
tion campaigns ln Michigan. In shol
Herb" Is going In for election reforr
and. according TO information r.
ceiyed by the Marquette county legi
lators-elect, he Is going in for II wit
both feet.
, In the old days Baker was a lead'
In the state grange and strong e.
ponent OF the tonnage tax. Howeve
Senator Baker Is on the tonnal
tax now He says that is a dead
sue.
I, However, as result OF charg
made by Lieut.. Governor Luren Die
inson concerning alleged expend
lures OF money to bring about q
y nomination OF Truman H. Newber
y for United States senator. Baker pr
poses TO substitute the Oregon Ia
for the present corrupt practices az
: which lawyers say Is practical
e worthless Baker would have q
Oregon law revamped 10 meet Micl
y gan conditions and plans to intr
> duce II on the opening day Of the ne
T. session.
IL Per Cent Of Salary Limit
'e The Oregon law provides that
"a candidate for public office shall spe
J. more than Is per cent OF one yea
Is salary In his campaign for the non
" nation and any contributions ma