GENERAL LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
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BY Roe ERT Smith PRINTING Co., LANsing, Mich.
1897,
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IS AN
EVENING
PAPER
Week Day
THE CAPITAL OF THE STATE
Published Every
AT LANSING, MICH
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It bas beer) established since 1855 and therefore has a large
constituency, roaking it a Rare 6dvertising Medium, as well ds a
desirable poper for those outside of Lansir)g who wish) to keep ir)
close touch) with State Matters.
We also publish a WEEKLY EDITION CONTAINING THE CREAM
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OF WHAT APPEARS IN THE DAILY
TERMS
Per Moptb, 45 Cepts
WEEKLY ONLY 50 CENTS a YEAR
Daily, per Year, $5.00 Three Mor)ths, $1.25
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
OUR FACILITIES FOR THE RAPID EXECUTION
OF ALL CLASSES OF____
PRINTING
BOOK AND JOB
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We rpake a specialty of Cotalogs, and can
take the morpuscript of any work desired and turn
it out a bound book, having d splendidly equipped
bindery with all the needed appliar)ces for rt)ak-
ir)g blank books of dll kinds.
ROBERT SMITH
Are Unequaled in the State
Write for prices before placing your work,
either big or little, and remenber thot neat,
clean printing, or good poper, pdys far better
than sloppy, poor work, which is dedr at any price.
PRINTING CO &
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PROPRIETORS
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LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL
sºº
OPENING PEx OCE EDINGS
ROBERT SMITH PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERs
LANSING, MICH.
7 5–
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1897
In presenting to the members of the
Michigan Legislature of 1897-8 a Sou-
venir of the one hundred and forty-
three days they spent in the Capitol
of the State as legislators, we take
occasion to say that in the compilation
of its pages it has been our object to
make it not only a source of pleasing
memories to those who were active
participants in the scenes recorded,
but to also make it valuable as a ready
reference to the more important acts of
the session. With this in mind, we
present a detailed account of the Work
of organizing the thirty-second Legis-
lature of Michigan during the first
four days of the session, showing the
individual and joint procedure used
for setting in motion the necessary ma-
chinery through which legislation is
enacted.
According to constitutional enact-
ment, the Legislature of Michigan con-
Venes at high noon on the first
Wednesday in January following the
election of members, consequently, the
Legislature of 1897-8 convened at 12
o'clock m. on the 6th day of January,
1897, when, just as the hands of the
clock point to the figure twelve on the
dial, the gavels of legislative author-
ity fall upon the desks of the Speaker
of the House and the President of the
Senate, and the thirty-second Legisla-
ture of Michigan is in session.
ORGANIZATION OF THE LEGISLATURE.
SENATE.
The certified list of Senators elect
Was read by Dennis E. Alward, Sec-
retary of the last Senate, as follows:
STATE OF MICHIGAN,
Department of State.
Lansing, January 5, 1897.
Hon. Dennis E. Alward, Secretary of
the Senate of 1895:
Sir-The accompanying is a list of
the members elect of the Senate of the
State of Michigan for the years 1897
and 1898, as appears from the returns
of the clerks of the several counties of
this State, now on file in this office.
Respectfully,
WASHINGTON GARDNER,
Secretary of State.
Dist. Name.
1st—Arthur L. Holmes, Detroit.
2d—William G. Thompson, Detroit.
3d—Charles W. Moore, Detroit.
4th–Samuel J. Lawrence, Wyan-
dotte.
5th–William Jibb, Maybee.
6th–Edward E. Bostwick, Union
City.
7th–Edwin A. Blakeslee, Galien.
8th—George W. Merriman, Hartford.
9th–Hutson B. Colman, Kalamazoo.
10th–Andrew Campbell, Ann Arbor.
11th–Charles H. Westcott, St. Clair.
12th–Fred M. Warner, Farmington.
13th–George W. Teeple, Pinckney.
14th–Henry S. Hadsell, Owosso.
15th–Arthur D. Hughes, Irving.
16th–Robert B. Loomis, Grand Rap-
ids.
17th–Edmund M. Barnard, Grand
Rapids.
18th–Edgar S. Wagar, Edmore.
19th–Elisha Mudge, Maple Rapids.
20th–Matthew D. Wagner, Sand
Beach.
21st—John L. Preston, Columbiaville.
22d—Henry M. Youmans, Saginaw,
S. S.
23d—William Savidge, Spring Lake.
24th—Alexander Forsyth, Standish.
25th–W. Irving Latimer, Big Rap-
ids.
26th–James R. Flood, Hart.
27th–George G. Covell, Traverse
City.
28th—George A. Prescott, Tawas
City.
29th–Ezra C. Barnum, Petoskey.
30th–Richard Mason, Gladstone.
31st—Alexander Maitland, Negaunee.
32d—Orrin W. Robinson, Chassell.
STATE OF MICHIGAN, Office of the
Secretary of State, ss.
I, Washington Gardner, Secretary of
State of the State of Michigan, do
hereby certify that I have compared
the annexed and foregoing list of all
the members elect of Senate of State
of Michigan, for the years 1897 and
1898, with the original returns, as
transmitted to me by the clerks of the
Various counties of the State, and that
it is a true and correct list.
In testimony whereof, I have here-
unto set my hand and affixed the Great
Seal of the State of Michigan, at Lan-
sing this fifth day of January, in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and ninety-Seven.
(Seal.) WASHINGTON GARDNER,
Secretary of State.
All the Senators-elect, being present,
then came forward, took and sub-
scribed the constitutional Oath of Of-
fice and entered upon the discharge of
their duties as Senators.
The Secretary then called the roll,
and a quorum of the Senate was found
to be present.
The President then addressed the
Senate as follows:
Gentlemen of the Senate:
I take this opportunity to congrat-
ulate you on your election to this body.
It is a distinguished honor to be a
member of the Michigan Senate. You
have been commissioned With an ini-
portant trust, in which there are re-
sponsibilities of considerable gravity,
and those who have sent you here Will
naturally expect the most steadfast
devotion on your part to the interests
which they confide to you. It is to be
regretted that the compensation which
the State offers for the Services ren-
dered is not quite commensurate there-
with; nevertheless this misfortune does
not relieve either you or me, and the
only proper thing for us to do is to
serve the people to the best of our abil-
ity, and trust that they may in the
near future do justice in this regard to
the advantage of our successors.
I do not propose to make any sugges-
tions with reference either to the char-
acter or manner of your legislation.
You are, or will be, fully cognizant of
the measures which are demanded by
the people. It is reasonable to assume
that there is no inexorable or pressing
necessity for the enactment of a Very
great number of laws.
It is not infrequently a misfortune
with which the masses are afflicted
that their legislators are prone to bur-
den them with more statutes than
there is any reasonable demand for.
If your deliberations during this ses-
sion should result in the enactment of
a less number of laws than have been
enacted during any single session in
twenty years, it would be a monument
to your wisdom, and convincing evi-
dence of the fact that you are alive to
the people’s interests.
Times during the past four years
have been unprecedently hard. It has
been with the utmost difficulty that
men, who were formerly in affluent
circumstances, have been able to sup-
port themselves and their families
comfortably. Distress and destitution,
or at least business depression and re-
verses, have invaded nearly every com-
munity in the State, and have made it
almost impossible in thousands of in-
stances for property owners to raise
the funds with which to liquidate the
burdens of taxation. If a short session
of this legislature should tend, even
in the slightest degree, to lessen or re-
duce those burdens, then an early ad-
journment would be a very desirable
thing.
A very large proportion of the taxes
of which the people complain are cre-
ated by the administration of State af-
fairs, and the maintenance of State
institutions. It is scarcely necessary,
therefore, to suggest the closest scru-
tiny of every item which may be in-
corporated in the estimates submitted
by the several State boards, and that
none pass excepting such as are de-
manded by the necessities of each par-
ticular case. On the other hand it
should not be forgotten that parsimony
or niggardliness in appropriating pub-
lic moneys for public purposes is often-
times the reverse of genuine economy.
Our institutions, including our educa-
tional institutions, must be maintained,
and it is a positive duty enjoined upon
each and all to see that they have
adequate funds with which to enable
them to accomplish fully and effective-
ly the purposes for which they were
established.
In undertaking to discharge the du-
ties of the office to which I have been
elected, I shall be constrained to
depend upon you for the suc-
cessful performance of the same.
Whatever good fortune may be
mine will be due to your for-
bearance and generosity. From what
I know of you personally, and
by reputation, I am assured that one
of the happiest periods of my life Will
be the few months in which we shall be
associated in this chamber. Permit
me, Senators, to thank you cordially
and sincerely, and in advance, for the.
courtesies which I know it will please
you to extend to me during this ses-
sion; and may we, collectively and in-
dividually, and with some considerable
degree of confidence indulge the hope
that we shall be instrumental, by the
manner in which we shall discharge
Our duties in promoting the interests
and in exalting the dignity of this
great State. I trust I may be impartial
to all of you, and in every particular,
and that I may be of service to you as
your presiding office.
The Senate then elected officers by
ballot, as follows:
Secretary, Charles S. Pierce, Oscoda;
Assistant Secretary, E. V. Chilson,
Lansing; Bill Clerk, Norton J. Miller,
Detroit; Financial Clerk, Geo. C. Rob-
inson, Marine City; Sergeant-at-Arms,
Allen N. Armstrong; Cassopolis; 1st
Asst. Sergeant-at-Arms, Moses Par-
shelsky, Detroit; 2d Asst. Sergeant-at-
Arms, Charles C. Miller, Howell; En-
grossing Clerk, Mrs. Bella N. Berteh,
Lansing; Asst. Engrossing Clerk,
Frank M. Howe, Olivet.
The following Senate committee as-
signments were announced by the
President of the Senate:
SENATE COMMITTEES.
Agricultural College—Messrs. Camp-
bell, Lawrence, Hughes.
Agricultural Interests—Messrs. Law–
rence, Campbell, Bostwick.
Asylum for Criminal Insane—Messrs.
Maitland, Flood, Loomis.
Asylum for Insane at Kalamazoo
and Traverse City—Messrs. Wagar,
Loomis, Latimer, Flood, Forsyth.
Asylum for Insane at Pontiac and
Newberry—Messrs. Prescott, Colman,
Campbell, Jibb, Hadsall.
Banks and Corporations—Messrs.
Teeple, Colman, Prescott.
Cities and Villages—Messrs. Thomp-
son, Mason, Loomis, Colman, You-
In an S.
Claims and Public Accounts—Messrs.
Flood, Barnard, Latimer.
Constitutional Amendments—Messrs.
Merriman, Covell, Thompson.
Counties and Townships—Messrs.
Wagner, Merriman, Hughes.
Education and Public Schools—
Messrs. Mason, Barnum, Forsyth.
Elections—Messrs. Warner, Robin-
son, Bostwick.
Engrossment and Enrollment—
Messrs. Flood, Colman, Mudge.
Executive Business—Messrs. Moore,
Robinson, Blakeslee, Wagar, Mudge.
Federal Relations—Messrs. Teeple,
Covell, Prescott.
Finance and Appropriations—Messrs.
Merriman, Warner, Robinson, Wagner,
Blakeslee.
Fisheries—Messrs. Preston, Maitland,
Flood.
Geological Survey–Messrs. Maitland,
Lawrence, Hughes.
Home for the Feeble Minded —
Messrs. Westcott, Savidge, Forsyth.
Horticulture—Messrs. Warner, Ma-
son, Mudge.
House of Correction at Marquette—
Messrs. Lawrence, Teeple, Covell.
Immigation—Messrs. Wagar, Robin-
son, Hughes. ..
Industrial School for Boys—Messrs.
Barnum, Moore, Youmans.
Industrial Home for Girls—Messrs.
Latimer, Holmes, Forsyth.
Insurance—Messrs. Barnum, Preston,
Hadsall. -
Judiciary–Messrs. Covell, Barnum,
Merriman, Thompson, Hadsall.
Labor Interests—Messrs. Savidge,
Jibb, Merriman, Maitland, Bostwick.
Liquor Traffic — Messrs. Colman,
Thompson, Bostwick.
Lumber Interests—Messrs. Savidge,
Prescott, Robinson.
Mechanical Interests—Messrs.
ner, Holmes, Jibb.
Military Affairs—Messrs. Jibb, Law-
rence, Thompson.
Mining School and Mining Interests—
Messrs. Holmes, Westcott, Youmans.
Normal Schools–Messrs. Barnard,
Savidge, Bostwick, Loomis, Preston.
Printing—Messrs. Wagner, Campbell,
Savidge.
Public Buildings–Messrs.
Covell, Latimer.
Public Health—Messrs. Preston, Wa-
gar, Youmans.
Public Improvements—Messrs. Pres-
cott, Warner, Hadsall.
Public Lands–Messrs. Holmes, Tee-
ple, Hadsall.
Railroads–Messrs. Barnard, Thomp-
son, Latimer, Westcott, Jibb.
Reformatory at Ionia — Messrs.
Campbell, Moore, Barnum.
Religious and Benevolent Societies—
Messrs. Loomis, Moore, Mason.
Roads and Bridges—Messrs.
man, Prescott, Blakeslee.
Rules and Joint Rules—Messrs. Bar-
num, Barnard, Wagner.
Saline Interests—Messrs.
Blakeslee, Youmans.
School for the Blind–Messrs.
nard, Prescott, Mudge.
School for the Deaf-Messrs. Lati-
mer, Maitland, Wagar.
Soldiers' Home—Messrs. Jibb, Law–
rence, Holmes. -
State Affairs—Messrs. Moore, War-
ner, Hughes.
State Library — Messrs.
Preston, Forsyth.
State Prison—Messrs. Preston, Ma-
son, Teeple.
State Public School—Messrs. Holmes,
Mason, Westcott.
Supplies and Expenses—Messrs. Rob-
inson, Moore, Bostwick.
Taxation—Messrs. Blakeslee, Wagar,
Wagner.
University–Messrs. Mason, Savidge,
Mudge.
War-
Loomis,
Merri-
Westcott,
Bar-
Colman,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The organization of the House of
Representatives was similar to that of
the Senate and was effected as fol-
lows:
The certificate of the Secretary of
State showing the members returned
by the several county clerks, as elect-
ed, was read as follows:
STATE OF MICHIGAN,
Department of State.
Tansing, January 5, 1897.
Hon. Lewis M. Miller, Clerk of the
House of Representatives of 1895:
Sir-The accompanying is a list of
the members elect of the House of
Representatives of the State of Mich-
igan for the years 1897 and 1898, as ap-
pears from the returns of the clerks
of the several counties of this State,
now on file in this office. Respectfully,
WASHINGTON GARDNER,
Secretary of State.
Allegan County—First District, Lau-
ren F. Otis, Kibbie. Second District,
Henry F. Buskirk, Wayland.
Alpena District—Counties of Alpena,
Crawford, Montmorency, Otsego and
Oscoda, Henry K. Gustin, Alpena.
Antrim District—Counties of Antrim,
Charlevoix and Kalkaska, William
Harris, Norwood.
Barry County—Myron Wing, Hickory
Corners.
Bay County—First District, John
Donovan, Bay City. Second District,
George L. Lusk, West Bay City. Third
District, John Washer, West Bay City.
Berrien County — First District,
Saunders L. Van Crump, Benton Har-
bor. Second District, Edwin S. Wil-
liams, Niles.

T EI E S T A T E R E P U B L I C A N
Branch County—Christopher G. Bab-
cock, East Gilead.
Calhoun County—First District, Hen-
ry A. Clute, Marshall. Second District,
Ephraim W. Moore, Battle Creek.
Cass County—Millard F. Phillips,
DOwagiac.
Cheboygan District—Counties of Che-
boygan, Emmet and Presque Isle,
Frank Shepherd, Cheboygan.
Chippewa. District—Counties of Chip-
pewa, Mackinac and Luce, James Con-
nors, St. Ignace.
Clinton County—Chester E. JackSOn,
Ovid.
Delta District—Counties Of Delta,
Schoolcraft and Alger, Orannel B. Ful-
ler, Ford River.
Dickinson District—Counties of Dick-
inson, Iron and Baraga, George D.
Crippen, Stambaugh.
Eaton County—First District, Her-
bert Babcock, Woodbury. Second Dis-
trict, Lauren D. Dickinson, Charlotte.
Genesee County—First District, Sam-
uel C. Goodyear, Swartz Creek. Sec-
ond District, William R. Bates, Flint.
Gogebic District—Counties of Go-
gebic, Ontonagon, Keweenaw and Isle
Royal, Fremont C. Chamberlain, Iron-
Wood.
Grand Traverse District—Counties of
Grand Traverse, Leelanau and Benzie,
William H. Foster, Traverse City.
Gratiot County—Dewitt Vought, Al-
IIla.
Hillsdale County—James Cousins,
Pittsford. .
Houghton County—First District,
Charles Smith, S. Lake Linden. Sec-
ond District, George W. Rulison, Han-
Cock.
Huron County—Joshua, B. Madill,
IJbly.
Ingham County—First District, Sann-
uel W. Mayer, Holt. Second District,
Mathias Coad, Williamston.
Ionia, County—First District, James
Scully, Ionia. Second District, Willis
F. Bricker, Belding.
Iosco District—Counties of IOSCO, Al-
COIla, ROSCOmmon and Ogemaw,
George E. Gillam, Harris Ville.
Isabella County—David J. Cahoon,
Mt. Pleasant.
Jackson County — First District,
Archibald J. Peek, Jackson. Second
District, Henry N. Tefft, Spring Arbor.
Kalamazoo County—First District,
Charles E. Foote, Kalamazoo. Second
District, James Powers, Scotts.
Kent County—First District, Charles
W. McGill, Grand Rapids; Jeremiah H.
Anderson, Grand Rapids; Edgar J.
Adams, Grand Rapids. Second DiS-
trict, John W. Shisher, Caledonia.
Third District,
Grand Rapids.
Lapeer County—Henry Lee, Lapeer.
Lenawee County — First District,
Thomas M. Camburn, Tipton. Second
District, William R. Edgar, Blissfield.
Livingston County—Freeman W. Al-
lison, Chubb’s Corners.
Macomb County—First District, Wil-
liam A. Rowley, Mt. Clemens. Second
District, George B. Davis, Utica.
Manistee County—Charles W. Perry,
Pierport.
Marquette County—First District,
Samuel M. Billings, Marquette. Sec-
ond District, William Peters, Ishpem-
ing.
Mason County—Jasper
Poulson.
Mecosta, County—George W. Reed,
Stanwood.
Menominee County—W m. J. Ober-
dorffer, Stephenson.
Midland District—Counties of Mid-
land, Gladwin and Arenac, William D.
Gordon, Midland.
Monroe County—First District, Au-
gust J. Weier, Monroe. Second Dis-
trict, August Neidermeier, South Rock-
WOOd.
Montcalm County — First District,
Arthur L. Bemis, Carson City. Second
District, Chester A. Miller, Greenville.
Muskegon County — First District,
William D. Kelley, Muskegon. Second
District, Charles E. Whitney, Muske-
gon Heights.
Newaygo County—Harlan J. Dudley,
Fremont.
Oakland County—First District, D.
Robert D. Graham,
N. Clark,
Judson Hammond, Pontiac. Second
District, Austin N. Kimmis, Jr.,
Wixom.
Oceana County—John F. Widoe,
Hart.
Osceola District—Counties of Lake
and Osceola, Alfred M. Fleischhauer,
Reed City.
Ottawa County—First District, Isaac
Marsilje, Holland. Second District,
Robert Alward, Hudsonville.
Saginaw County — First District,
Peter Herrig, Saginaw, W. S.; Hiram
A Savage, Saginaw, E. S. Second Dis-
trict, James Kerr, Taymouth. Third
District, Benjamin Colvin, St. Charles.
Sanilac County—First District, El-
more Putney, Speaker. Second Dis-
trict, Richard Pearson, Urban.
Shiawassee County — Francis M.
Shepard, Owosso.
St. Clair County—First District,
Charles M. Green, Port Huron. Sec-
ond District, Henry M. Zimmerman,
Marine City. Third District, Lewis
O’Dett, Avoca.
St. Joseph County—Samuel Gibson,
Constantine.
Tuscola County — First District,
Charles A. Hofmeister, Unionville.
Second District, Lyman E. Belknap,
Mayville.
Van Buren County—Charles C. Phil-
lips, Bangor.
Washtenaw County—First District,
Andrew J. Sawyer, Ann Arbor. Sec-
ond District, John K. Campbell, Ypsi-
lanti.
Wayne County—First District, John
Atkinson, William H. Wetherbee, Jos.
H. Dickinson, Henry J. Eikhoff, Miller
G. Moore, Albert M. Stewart, Lewis A.
Stoneman, William L. January, Walter
F. Molster, Charles H. Petrowsky, all
of Detroit. Second District, Edward
E. Bryan, Wyandotte. Third District,
Solon Goodsell, Canton.
Wexford District—Counties Of Wex-
ford, Missaukee and Clare, John Cald-
well, Manton.
STATE OF MICHIGAN, Office of the
Secretary of State,<-SS.
I, Washington Gardner, Secretary of
State of the State of Michigan, do
hereby certify that I have compared
the annexed and foregoing list Of all
the members elect Of the House of
Representatives of the State of Mich-
igan, for the years 1897 and 1898, with
the original returns, as transmitted to
me by the clerks of the various coun-
ties of the State, and that it is a true
and correct list.
In testimony whereof, I have here-
unto set my hand and affixed the
Great Seal of the State of Michigan,
at Lansing, this fifth day Of January,
in the year of our Lord, one thousand
eight hundred and ninety-seven.
(Seal.) WASHINGTON GARDNER,
Secretary of State.
The members elect appeared at the
Clerk’s desk and took and subscribed
the constitutional Oath Of Office, which
was administered by the Hon. Charles
D. Long, Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court, in accordance with the Statute.
During the call of the list of the
members elect, when the name Of
James Kerr, member-elect from the
Second district, Saginaw COunty, Was
called, Mr. Herrig, of the first district
of Saginaw County, arose in his place
and presented the protest of John
Baird against the administration of
the Oath to Mr. Kerr. The Clerk an-
nounced that the protest would be re-
ceived and would be referred to the
committee on Elections, when ap-
pointed.
Hon. William D. Gordon of Midland
was then elected Speaker, and on en-
tering upon the duties of the Office de-
livered the following address:
I desire to express the heartfelt grat-
itude which your confidence inspires.
You have conferred an honor upon me,
and the best return I can make is to
give you faithful service, which I will
endeavor to do. Such a mark of con-
fidence and esteem proceeding from a
body of representative men, I assure
you, fills me with a sense of the re-
Sponsibilities of this place, and a de-
sire to merit your good will.
10. sº 10. 10: 12 10: 10. sº 10:
At the last Session I made no
Speeches upon the floor of the House,
as I deem it improper for a Speaker
to attempt to wield the power the
whole House has bestowed upon him
in favor of or against any bill or for
the advancement or hindrance of any
person Or measure. I feel that the
Speaker is the servant of the House,
that he obtains all the power that he
possesses from the House, and that he
should never attempt to be autocratic
Or arbitrary. I do not intend to take
the floor in debate while I occupy this
chair, but I deem it proper at this time
to make a few suggestions in relation
to the conduct of the business of the
House, and when I have concluded will
leave the rest to your Own good judg-
ment.
The people have been for sonae time
suffering from a general depression of
business and a stagnation of nearly
all industrial enterprises, and it be-
hooves us to economize upon every
hand, and to see to it that the money
of the people is not expended impru-
dently or with prodigal hands. The
idea. I wish to convey is that We should
waste no time, that we should be in
our respective places at least five days
in the week and dispatch the business
Of the House as rapidly as possible.
I think it would be wise to abandon
the adjournment usually taken for
about ten days, for the purpose of tak-
ing the “Junketing Trip,” so-called. I
do not think Such expeditions are en-
tirely barren of good results, but I be-
lieve much better results would be Se-
cured by the House remaining "in ses-
Sion and doing business and permitting
the committees to Visit the public in-
stitutions of the State alternately un-
der a rule or resolution to be adopted
by the House.
But while I am suggesting rapidity
in Our Work I am not unmindful Of the
fact that it is wise to be cautious and
prudent in all we do. Every measure
should be carefully considered, and
freedom of debate is beneficial, and
has always been regarded as One of
the essential requisites Of a deliber-
ative body. In almost every State Of
the Union the cry is raised that the
laws passed by legislative bodies
are very obscure in expression and in-
harmonious, and are not fully consid-
ered either in relation to the Several
parts of the bill itself or in reference
to the laws then upon the Statute
books, and that they are often too hur-
riedly passed, that we legislate too
much, attempting to cure all ills by
legislation. Many of these complaints
are well grounded, and we should
strive earnestly to correct them.
Without entering into an extended
discussion of this matter, I would sug-
gest that a standing committee be
formed at the Opening of this session,
the duties of which will be to propose
legislation and prepare bills for the
purpose of repealing Obsolete and use-
less laws, and eliminating Superfluous
Statutes and parts of Statutes now up-
On Our books, to prepare bills abridg-
ing, revising, and simplifying those
statutes which have become complex
and unnecessarily enlarged, and to al-
SO consider Such bills as may be re-
ferred to it.
I am conscious of my own deficien-
Cies, and will depend upon your gener-
Ous Spirit, your kindness and forbear-
ance at all times. I hope to be ani-
mated with a Spirit of fairness and
justice, and Will upon every occasion
endeavor to carry out your will; and
may that Being who is the Supreme
Ruler Over all give each and every one
of us health and vigor to do the work
that is before us, and guide and direct
us alright.
The House then elected officers by
ballot as follows:
Speaker pro tem, O. B. Fuller, Ford
River; Chief Clerk, Lewis M. Miller,
Lansing; Journal Clerk, Samuel F.
Cook, Lansing; Reading Clerk, John D.
Sumner, Kalamazoo; Corresponding
Clerk, Fred Z. Hamilton, Charlotte;
Financial Clerk, Marl T. Murray,
Farmington; Sergeant-at-Arms, R. H.
Gibson, Greenville; 1st Assistant, W.
E. Stocking, Ann Arbor; 2d Assistant,
Tyler Carmer, Hart; 3d Assistant, J.
O. Palmer, West Bay City; Enrolling
Clerk, F. W. Redfern, Maple Rapids;
1st Assistant, L. E. Hawley, Mason;
2d Assistant, Etta. R. Saunders, Lan-
sing; 3d Assistant, Frank W. Redfern,
Maple Rapids; 4th Assistant, A. O.
Hoyt, Freemont; Postmaster, E. A.
Stimson, St. Charles.
THE TWO HOUSES IN JOINT CON-
VENTION,
January 7th the two houses met in
Joint Convention, together with the
State officers and members of the Su-
preme Court, and listened to the
message of the retiring Governor, Hon.
John T. Rich, and the inaugural mes-
Sage of the incoming Governor, Hon.
Hazen S. Pingree.
Governor Rich’s message covers the
two years of his last administration,
and was devoted mainly to a descrip-
tion of the condition of the institu-
tions, educational, charitable and
penal, the various phases of taxation,
the status of corporations, and the
means of raising revenue. He also ad-
Vocated the taxation of salaries, and
professional earnings, and a tax on
kerosene oil, and defended the existing
methods of taxing railroads. The ex-
isting System as to employment of
prison labor was also approved and
defended.
Governor Pingree's message treated
of freedom and purity of elections, the
election caucus system as opposed to
the convention system; in the matter
of revenue he advocated local taxation
Of railroads, as opposed to the system
of Specific taxation, claiming that rail-
road property should be assessed and
taxed as Other property; recommended
the referendum, allowing the people to
Vote direct upon important acts of the
Legislature before they can become
laws; opposing the present system of .
Operating trusts and combinations in
the State; advocating a change
in the laws governing Stock-
holders in corporations, so that
they will be liable for debts the
Same as if they were partners; Op-
posed the present law for the taxation
Of land mortgages, as being double
taxation; advocated a general enabling
act for the redemption of lands Sold
for taxes. In the matter of public
franchises, he recommended the grant-
ing Of franchises to Street car, tele-
phone, electric light and gas com-
panies, reserving the right to fix rates
of tolls or charges; limiting the
annount of mortgages that may be
placed upon them, and providing that
the allowing of such franchises Shall
be decided by a vote of the people,
and requiring that all telephone com-
panies shall exchange Service, and that
the law against consolidation of tele-
phone Companies should be made SO
positive and emphatic, and contain
Such penalties and forfeitures, that it
Would be impossible to evade it.
He also treats of prison farms, and
the labeling of prison-made goods;
good roads; arbitration between em-
ployers and employes; changing the
banking laws SO that the Commission-
er of Banking shall have the Same
power OVer the State banks that the
controller of the currency has over the
National banks; inheritance and in-
COme taxes; Short annual Sessions Of
the Legislature; general incorporation
laws for all cities and villages.
The Speaker announced the follow-
ing as the
STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE
HOUSE.
Agricultural College—Graham, Ful-
ler, Campbell, Oberdoffer, Babcock, C.
G.
Agriculture—Belknap, Otis, Dickin-
son, L. D., Miller, Tefft.
Apportionment—Relly, Harris, Cou-
sins, Rowley, Buskirk, Shisler, Peek,
Hammond, Hofmeister, Lusk, January,
Connors, Cahoon.
Asylum for Criminal Insane—Peek,
Edgar, Clark, Bates, Cahoon.
Central Michigan Normal School-
Shepard, F. M., Adams, Phillips, C. C.,
Alward.
City Corporations—Herrig, January,
Anderson, Lusk, Weier.
Drainage—Pearson, O’Dett, Goodell,
Hofmeister, Powers.
Eastern Asylum for Insane—Con-
nors, Otis, Whitney, Sawyer, Nieder-
meier.
Education—Bemis, Phillips,
Shisler, Smith, Vought.
Elections—Stewart, Crippen, Adams,
Bryan, Tefft.
Enrollment—Gillam, Perry, Pearson,
Camburn, O’Dett, Wing, Shepard, F.
M., Mayer, Babcock, H.
Federal Relations—Donovan, Clark,
Williams, Lusk, Campbell.
Fisheries and Game—Davis, Foote,
Reed, Bryan, Weier.
General Taxation—Gustin,
Savage, Green, Stoneman,
Mayer, Caldwell, Cahoon.
Geological Survey—Billings, Herrig,
Zimmerman, Coad, Phillips, M. F.
Home for Feeble Minded–Harris,
Camburn, Green, Crippen, Bricker.
Horticulture—Otis, Perry, Widoe,
Whitney, Babcock, C. G.
Industrial School for Boys—Rowley,
Reed, Putney, Hammond, Babcock, H.
Industrial Home for Girls—Peters,
Herrig, Dickinson, L. D., Gillam, Gib-
SOIl.
Institution for the Deaf and Dumb–
McGill, Belknap, Wing, Rulison, Alli-
SOIl.
C. C.,
Perry,
Crippen,
Insurance—Bates, Cousins, Shisler,
Savage, Bricker
Judiciary—Sawyer, Wetherbee, At-
kinson, Adams, Shepherd, F., Zimmer-
man, McGill, Peters, Scully.
Labor—Eikhoff, Molster,
Crippen, Coad.
Liquor Traffic—Moore, E. W., Madill,
Belknap, Molster, Dickinson, L. D., Pe.
trowsky, Foster, Peters.
Local Taxation—Clark, Davis, Dick-
inson, J. H., Rulison, Gibson.
Lumber and Salt—Caldwell, Dudley,
Fleischhauer, Colvin, Babcock, C. G.
Michigan Asylum for Insane—Miller,
Anderson,
Marsilje, Stewart, Moore, E. W.,
Vought.
Military Affairs—Williams, Fuller,
Van Camp, Foote, Niedermeier.
(Continued on page 4.)
L E G IS LA T L V E S O U V E N IR
3
HON. HAZEN S. PINGREE,
Twenty-fourth Governor of Michigan.
Farm chores and school until four-
teen years of age. Then cotton mill
hand. Factory operative. Soldier.
Prisoner of war. Shoemaker. Manu-
facturer. Bank director. Head of a
great manufacturing company. Mayor
of Detroit seven consecutive years.
Governor of Michigan. Champion of the
common people.
This is so far the record of the man
who first came into Lublic notice about
eleven years ago through a strike in the
shoe factory of Pingree & Smith, of De-
troit.
As a result of that strike, a boycott
was placed on the product of their fac-
tory which lasted two years, cost the
firm over $50,000, and organized labor
many times that amount. It was final-
ly settled by an arbitration that not
only made warm friends of the hitherto
contestants, but strong allies in a com-
mon cause from that time onward.
While engaged in the direction of one
side of this great struggle, Mr. Pin-
gree had forced upon his attention
numerous causes for the existing dif-
ferences between capital and labor. A
Yankee born and raised, for him to
know the cause of an evil was to un-
dertake its removal. From the time
the strike and boycott were arbitrated,
the question of advancing the toiler to
better conditions of life has absorbed
his entire being until his time, energy
and fortune have been brought into
requisition in devising ways and means
for a more equal distribution of the
joint product of capital and labor, and
a readjustment of the economic condi-
tions of life, more in harmony with
those in the early days of this coun-
try, when the employer and the em-
ploye were individually known to each
Other, and had a more common interest
in products, and the joys and sorrows
of each were shared in by all.
Governor Hazen S. Pingree was born
at Denmark, Maine, August 30, 1840,
the fourth child of Jasper and Adeline
(Bryant) Pingree, the father a farmer,
also born in Denmark, remained in the
place of his birth until 1871, when he
came to Michigan and shared in the
comforts of his son’s palatial home
until he died in 1882, an incident
which shows the heart and char-
acter of him of whom we write
more forcefully than volumes of
printed pages. The first American
forefather of Governor Pingree was
Moses Pingree, who emigrated to this
country from England in 1640, just two
centuries prior to the year in which
the Governor was born. Many of his
descendants have since been distin-
guished in colonial and national his—
tory; among them being Samuel Ev-
erett Pingree, governor of Vermont in
1884-6.
Residing with his parents, and at-
tending school until fourteen years of
age, he then began life on his own ac-
count at Saco, Maine, where he found
employment in a cotton mill. In 1860
he began the trade of a shoemaker as
a cutter in a shoe factory at Hopkin-
ton, Mass., where he remained until
August 1, 1862, when he enlisted as a
private in Company F, First Massachu-
setts Heavy Artillery, for the unexpired
three years' term of that regiment, and
afterwards re-enlisted, on the battle-
field, for three years or during the war.
With this regiment he took part in the
battle of Bull Run, the battles of Fred-
ericksburg Road, Harris Farm, Cold
Harbor, Spottsylvania Court House,
North Anne and South Anne.
On May 25, 1864, while with an escort
guarding a wagon train enroute to
Port Royal, the escort was captured by
a squad of Mosby's men. As prisoners
of war they were brought before Gen.
Mosby, who exchanged his entire suit
With the soldier who was in peace to
become as thoroughly known as Mosby
in war, but the coat was given back
With the remark that some of his men
might shoot him for a “Yank” if he
wore it.
He was then sent as a prisoner of
war to Andersonville, where he was
confined for nearly five months; from
there to Salisbury prison in North
Carolina; then to Millen, Ga., where in
November, 1864, he was exchanged, and
afterwards rejoining his regiment in
front of Petersburg, took part in the
expedition to Weldon railroad, the bat-
tles of Boynton Road, Petersburg, Sail-
ors Creek, Farnsville and Appomattox
Court House, and after the close of the
war was mustered out of service with
his regiment in August, 1865.
By inheritance Governor Pingree is
a patriot and a fighter, and has in his
possession three historic old muskets,
each in its day used by a member of the
Pingree family against the enemies of
our country. One in the war of the
revolution by the Governor's great
grandfather; another by his grand-
father in the war of 1812 against the
same foe, and one oy himself in the
war of the rebellion.
Coming to Detroit after the war, Mr.
Pingree found employment in the shoe
factory of H. P. Baldwin & Co.
In December, 1866, the firm of Pin-
gree & Smith was established with a
capital of but $1,360, with Hazen S. Pin-
gree and Charles H. Smith as co-part-
ners. From this small beginning the
business continued to grow from the
employment of eight men during the
first year, until it now requires the
services of seven hundred persons, and
has an annual output of about one
million dollars. From the beginning of
this enterprise Mr. Pingree has had its
full supervision.
Up to the time of his election as
mayor of Detroit, to which he was
elected because at the time it was be-
lieved the city needed a business man
to conduct its affairs, Mr. Pingree had
given his time mostly to his business
interests, but was ever public spirited
and foremost in advancing public en-
terprise or in subscribing to a common
good.
As mayor, Mr. Pingree introduced
many needed reforms, which brought
him the commendations of his fellow
citizens, who continued him in office
until the Supreme Court of the State,
in March, 1897, declared the office va-
cant by reason of his assuming the
functions of Governor of the State.
His handling of the municipal affairs
of Detroit brought luim into favorable
repute wherever civil government ex-
ists.
On August 7, 1896, Mr. Pingree was
nominated by the Republican party of
Michigan as a candidate for Governor,
and on the third day of the following
November was elected Governor of
Michigan by a vote of 304,431 to 221,022
for Charles R. Sligh, the Democratic-
People's Union Silver candidate; 5,499
for Robert C. Safford, Prohibitionist;
9,738 for Rufus F. Sprague, (gold)
Democrat; 1,944 for John Giber-
son, Nationalist; 256 for Lester H.
Chappel, Socialist Labor; and 4,912
scattering votes. This shows a plu-
rality of 83,499 votes and a major-
ity of 61,060 over all, and 10,849
more votes cast for Mr. Pingree as
Governor than was given to the presi-
dential electors on the Republican
ticket.
In home life Governor Pingree finds
his greatest enjoyment, and being a
man of a keen sense of the beautiful in
art, has a home complete in its ap-
pointments, recherche in its furnish-
ings and replete in works of art, whose
beauties are enhanced by an harmoni-
ous blending of color and form. On
February 26, 1872, Mr. Pingree was
married to Frances A. Gilbert, of Mt.
Clemens. One daughter having passed
to a brighter world, the family now
consists of Governor Pingree, wife,
daughter, and son, the latter a student
at the University of Michigan.
It is claimed by his friends that a
resume of his administration while
mayor of Detroit would show:
Taxes increased on vacant lands until
all lands in the city are now assessed
equitably according to value.
Secret sessions of boards and com-
missions made open.
A conduit system for electric wires
inaugurated and extended.
Street car strike arbitrated and com-
promised, without bloodshed.
In the courts he proved that the De-
troit Gas Company had been doing
business for twenty years without a
franchise, and that the Natural Gas
Company had been collecting an aver-
age of twenty per cent more than its
franchise allowed.
Gas reduced in price from one dollar
fifty to one dollar for illuminating pur-
poses, and to eighty cents for fuel pur-
poses.
Toll gates ousted from the city limits.
Compelling the fire department to ad-
vertise for bids on supplies.
Providing an independent telephone
System in conduits for the police and
fire departments.
Breaking of the paving combine.
Woodward avenue dock reclaimed to
the city and used for public purposes.
Eighty thousand dollars per annum
saved by the establishment of a munic-
ipal lighting plant.
School board boodle charges investi-
gated. One school inspector sent to
State prison; one attempted suicide;
one defaulted his bail and another
proved an alibi.
Under his administration the credit
of Detroit raised until pronounced by
financial men to be the very best.
Mayor granted veto power over the
school board proceedings.
Formation of company in opposition
to the Bell Telephone Company monop-
oly, and thus the means of reducing
prices on the use of telephones from $72
and $150 to $25 and $40.
Vacant lots obtained for the use of
the poor, and assistance rendered in
the raising of potatoes and other
edibles.
Three cent fares on street railways
inaugurated by the advent of the De-
troit railway.
Compelling street car companies to
sell workingmen’s tickets at low rates.
Prevention of the consolidation of
street car companies.

4
T EI E S T A T E R E P U B L I C A N
Mines and Minerals—Cousins, Wing,
Billings, Moore, M. G., Vought.
Normal School—Chamberlain, Shis-
ler, Caldwell, Van Camp, Phillips, M.
F.
Northern Asylum for Insane—Bus-
kirk, Williams, O’Dett, Pearson, Col-
Vin.
Printing—Alward, Moore,
Eikhoff, Harris, Niedermeier.
Private Corporations—Moore, M. G.,
Bates, Graham, Madill, Lee, Green,
Gustin, Billings, Gibson.
Public Health—Edgar, Miller, McGill,
Petrowsky, Colvin.
E. W.,
Public Lands — Mayer, Kimmis,
Hammond, Buskirk, Bricker.
Railroads — Foote, Chamberlain,
Davis, Harris, Stewart, Dudley, Peek,
Fleischhauer, Washer. -
Heligious and Benevolent Societies—
Rulison, Reed, Putney, Rowley, Pow-
GI’S.
Hevision and Amendment of Our
Present Statutes—Atkinson, Chamber-
lain, Graham, Kimmis, Wetherbee,
Stoneman, Foster, Phillips, C. C., Scul-
ly, Weier.
Roads and Bridges–Shepherd, F.,
Oberdoffer, Goodyear, Goodell, Clute.
Rules and Joint Rules—Fuller, Zim-
merman, Wetherbee, Sawyer.
School for the Blind—Goodyear, Bry-
an, Billings, Lee, Babcock, H.
School of Mines—Kimmis,
Moore, M. G., Savage, Washer.
Soldier’s Home—Hammond, Putney,
Atkinson, Smith, Tefft.
State Affairs—Lee, Williams, DOn O-
Van, Edgar, Connors, Goodyear, Al-
Ward, Dickinson, J. H., VanCamp.
State Capitol and Public Buildings—
Phillips, C. C., Chamberlain, Dickin-
son, J. H., Weier, Washer.
State House of Correction—Foster,
Lee, Bennis, Campbell, Powers.
State Library—Wetherbee, Whitney,
Rulison, Moore, E. W., Clute.
State Prison—Anderson, Kelly, Jack-
son, Eikhoff, Niedermeier.
State Public School—January,
dill, L)ickinson,
Coad.
Supplies and Expenditures—Madill,
Cousins,
Ma-
J. H., Hofmeister,
Jackson, Shepard, F. M., VanCamp,
Allison.
Towns and g Counties — Camburn,
Whitney, Edgar, Gillam, Phillips, M. F.
University — Lusk, Zimmerman,
Stoneman, Gustin, Scully.
Upper Peninsula. Asylum for Insane
–Perry, Donovan, Fleischhauer, Dud-
ley, Goodell.
Upper Peninsula. Prison — Widoe,
Shepherd, F., Molster, Petrowski,
Clute.
Village Corporations—Marsilje, Jack-
Son, Bryan, Widoe, Allison.
Ways and Means — Smith, Kelly,
Marsilje, Donovan, Gillam, Stewart,
Bemis, Campbell, Oberdorffer.
Both branches of the Legislature are
now Organized and ready for business.
The members have taken the Oath of
Office. The officers and employes have
been chosen. The messages of the re-
tiring Governor and the Governor-elect
have been delivered, the committees
appointed, and there now remains only
the introduction of bills for the Legis-
lature of 1897-8 to be in active oper-
ation. And yet, before the real work
of the session takes place, there re-
mains the important function of mem-
bers becoming acquainted with each
Other, and acquiring those degrees Of
confidence which later develop into a
Close communion of interests and pur-
pose, and finally draw men. Of the Same
thought and inclination into groups
Where an unexpressed but tacit under-
Standing is prevalent that in the con-
sideration of bills, all being good fel-
lows, the measures of each will be sup-
ported with a loyalty that speaks of a
personal regard for the honor of all.
And it is unfortunate that it is often
loyalty and confidence of this sort
Which causes the vote of a member to
be privately questioned as not being
in harmony with openly expressed
Views during the early days of the ses-
Sion.
As this Souvenir is to have an ex-
tensive distribution annong the friends
Of the members of the Legislature of
1897–8, many of whom never come to
the capital of the State during the
time the Legislature is in session, but
who will be interested in reading of
the parliamentary procedure necessary
to the enactment. Of measures into law,
and to understand the difference exist-
ing between the passage of a bill to
which there is no pronounced opposi-
tion and One upon which members are
about evenly divided as to its merits,
We will endeavor to make this differ-
ence plain by showing the ease with
which the first may pass, and also the
winding channel, full of crooks and
turns, rocks and shoals, in the Way of
the passage of a bill which finds any
very decided opposition.
We will first take a bill introduced
by Senator Geo. A. Prescott, and by a
transcript from the Legislative Jour-
nal Of January 19 and 20, Show the
quick passage of a bill to which there
Was no Opposition.
On January 19,
Mr. Prescott gave notice that at
Some day he would ask leave to intro-
duce
A bill to change the names Of Mal-
colm McCarty, George McCarty, RO-
zilla McCarty, Joseph A. McCarty, Lil-
lie M. McCarty and Concreta. McCarty
to Malcolm Mackinzie, George Mackin-
zie, Rozilla, Mackinzie, Joseph A. Mac-
kinzie, Lillie M. Mackinzie and Con-
Creta, Mackinzie.
On the following day the bill was
read a first and Second time by its title
and, pending its reference, On motion
of Mr. Prescott, the rules were sus-
pended, two-thirds Of all the Senators
present Voting therefor, and the bill
Was placed On its inmediate passage.
The bill was then read a third time
and passed, a majority Of all the Sen-
ators elect Voting therefor, by yeaS and
nays, as follows:
Yeas.-Messrs. Barnard, Barnum,
Blakeslee, Bostwick, Campbell, Col-
man, Flood, Forsyth, Hadsall, Holmes,
Hughes, Jibb, Lawrence, Loomis, Mait-
land, Mason, Merriman, Moore, Mudge,
Prescott, Preston, Robinson, Savidge,
Teeple, Thompson, Wagar, Wagner,
Warner, Westcott, Youmans—30
Nays.—0.
On motion of Mr. Prescott, by a vote
Of two-thirds of all the Senators elect
the bill was ordered to take immediate
effect, and On the same day, in a mes-
Sage from the Senate, the Speaker of
the House announced the following:
SENATE CHAMBER,
Lansing, January 20, 1897.
To the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives:
Sir—I am instructed by the Senate
to transmit to the House the follow-
ing bill:
Senate bill No. 31, entitled
A bill to change the names of Mal-
Colm McCarty, George McCarty, Ro-
Zilla McCarty, Joseph A. McCarty, Lil-
lie M. McCarty and Concreta McCarty
to Malcolm Mackinzie, George Mac-
kinzie, Rozilla Mackinzie, Joseph A.
Mackinzie, Lillie M. Mackinzie and
Concreta Mackinzie;
Which has passed the Senate by a
majority vote of all the Senators elect,
and by a vote of two-thirds of all the
Senators elect has been ordered to
take immediate effect, and in all of
Which the concurrence of the House is
respectfully asked.
Very respectfully,
CHARLES S. PIERCE,
Secretary of the Senate.
The bill was read a first and sec-
Ond time by its title and, pending
its reference to a committee, on mo-
tion of Mr. Gillam, the rules were sus-
pended, two-thirds of all the members
present Voting therefor, and the bill
Was put upon its immediate passage.
The bill was then read a third time
and passed, a majority of all the mem-
bers elect voting therefor, by yeas and
nays, as follows:
YeaS.-Messrs. Adams, Allison, Bab-
Cock, C. G., Babcock, H., Bates, Bel-
knap, Bemis, Bricker, Bryan, Buskirk,
Cahoon, Caldwell, Camburn, Campbell,
Clark, Coad, Colvin, Connors, Cousins,
Crippen, Dickinson, J. H., Dickinson,
L. D., Donovan, Eikhoff, Fleischhauer,
Foote, Fuller, Gibson, Gillam, Good-
year, Graham, Green, Gustin, Ham-
mond, Harris, Herrig, Hofmeister,
Jackson, Kelly, Kimmis, Lusk, Madill,
Marsilje, Mayer, McGill, Miller, Mols-
ter, Moore, E. W., Niedermeier, Ober-
dorffer, O'Dett, Otis, Peek, Perry, Pe-
ters, Petrowski, Phillips, C. C., Phil-
lips, M. F., Powers, Putney, Reed,
Rulison, Savage, Sawyer, Shepard, F.
M., Shepherd, F., Stewart, Stoneman,
Tefft, Van Camp, Weier, Wetherbee,
Widoe, Williams, Wing, Zimmerman,
Speaker—77.
Nays.-0.
On motion of Mr. Gillam, by a vote
Of two-thirds of all the members elect
the bill was ordered to take immediate
effect.
The bill was then returned to the
Senate, referred to the committee on
Engrossment and Enrollment, reported
enrolled by the committee, signed by
the Speaker of the House and the Pres-
ident of the Senate, and transmitted to
the Governor for his signature, who
after signing, deposits it With the
Secretary of State, who places it upon
the statute books as One of the laws
of Michigan.
This bill did not consume more than
ten minutes in passing through either
branch Of the Legislature, and yet car-
ries with it the authority Of law as
fully as the One We shall next present
the history Of, and which, in its four
months of Struggle to become law,
Warrants us in Saying that in the Leg-
islature of 1897 there was no measure
introduced which met with more per-
Sistent Opposition than the One pre-
pared by Senator Forsyth, and on
January 20th introduced by him in the
Senate, and duplicated on the same day
in the House by Representative Gra-
ham Of Kent county, as “A bill to cre-
ate a board Of commissioners for the
purpose Of Securing for the use in the
Common and primary schools of the
State of Michigan a uniform series of
text-books, to fix the maximum price
to be charged for said books, and
to make an appropriation for carrying
Out the proVisions Of this act.”
These bills were afterwards known
as Senate bill No. 36 and House bill
NO. 64.
On the introduction of these bills, the
One in the House was referred to the
Committees on Education and Ways
and Means, and the one in the Senate
to the committee on Education and
Public Schools. It was not long be-
fore the school book publishers had
their agents and attorneys at the State
Capitol with a view to encompass the
defeat of this measure for providing
the State with a system of uniform
text-books. For a number of weeks
the lobby, maintained in opposition to
uniform text-books, exceeded that in
the interest of the railway corpora-
tions.
In the Senate, after hearings had
been given to the opposition in the
Committee room of the committee on
Education, a joint meeting of the
House and Senate committees was
held in the Senate Chamber on the
evening of March 18th, at which about
tWenty of the representatives of the
School-book publishers appeared in op-
position, while Senator Forsyth spoke
for more than an hour in favor of the
passage Of his bill. After still an-
Other hearing by the Senate commit-
tee, it was recommended by a majority
Of the committee that the bill be re-
ported back to the Senate with the
recommendation that it do pass. On
April 14 it was so reported to the Sen-
ate, and by the Senate referred to the
Committee of the whole, where, on
April 15th, it was discussed at great
length, and reported back to the Sen-
ate With certain annendments, and
With the recommendation that the
Senate concur in the amendments
made by the committee of the whole,
and that when so amended the bill do
pass. But a mistake had been made
in the guidance of the bill through the
parliamentary tangle of legislative
practice, on which the opponents of
the measure raised a point of order
that the bill, not having been first be-
fore the committee on Finance and
Appropriations, and there being a
Section in the bill providing for
an appropriation of public money,
it must first go before that com-
mittee before, under the rules, it
could be recommended for pas-
Sage by the committee of the
Whole. On this point of order, the bill
Was referred to the committee on Fi-
In a, Il Ce and Appropriations, Who
through their chairman reported it
back to the Senate on April 20th,
Where on May 4th it was again dis-
CuSSed at great length, and then re-
ported back to the Senate with the
recommendation that Senate bill No. 36
be made the special order of business
for Thursday, May 6th, at 3 o'clock
p. m., Which recommendation was con-
Curred in.
On Thursday, May 6th, at 3 o'clock,
the bill was again before the Senate
for consideration, when, upon the mo-
tion of Senator Forsyth, the introducer
Of the bill, it was laid on the table.
The reason of this motion was appar-
ent in the fact that on the day previ-
Ous House bill No. 64 had passed the
House and had come over to the Sen-
ate on the morning of the 6th, in the
following message:
“HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Lansing, May 5, 1897.
To the President of the Senate:
Sir—I am instructed by the House
to transmit the following bill:
House bill No. 64 (file No. 431), en-
titled
A bill to create a board Of Commis-
sioners for the purpose of Securing for
use in the common and primary
schools of the State of Michigan a uni-
form series of text-books, to fix the
maximum price to be charged for Said
books and to make an appropriation.
for carrying out the provisions of this
act;
Which has passed the House by a
majority vote of all the members elect
and in which the concurrence Of the
Senate is respectfully asked.
Very respectfully,
LEWIS M. MILLER,
Clerk of the House of Hepresentatives.”
The bill was read a first and Second
time by its title, and pending its refer-
ence to a committee, Mr. Forsyth
moved that the rules be suspended,
and that the bill be placed on its ini-
mediate passage, which motion did not
prevail. The bill was then referred to
the committee on Education and Pub-
lic Schools.
On May 12th, the committee on Edu-
cation and Public Schools reported to
the Senate’ as follow S:
“The committee on Education and
Public Schools, to whom was referred
House bill No. 64, respectfully report
that they have had the same under
consideration, and a majority thereof
have directed me to report the Same
back to the Senate, with the accom-
panying amendments thereto, recom-
mending that the amendments be con-
curred in, and that the bill When SO
amended do pass, and ask to be dis-
charged from the further consider-
ation of the Subject.
RICHARD MASON,
Chairman.”
On motion of Mr. Mason, the Senate
concurred in the amendments made to
the bill by the committee. It Was then
referred to the committee on Finance
and Appropriations, who later in the
day's session reported to the Senate
that: -
“The committee on Finance and Ap-
propriations, to whom was referred
House bill No. 64, respectfully report
that they have had the same under
consideration, and have directed me to
report the same back to the Senate
Without recommendation, except as to
the appropriation; and of this they re-
port favorably, and ask to be dis-
charged from the further consideration
Of the Subject.
G. W. MERRIMAN,
Chairman.”
The bill Was then referred to the
Committee Of the Whole and placed On
the general Order.
On May 20th, the bill came up for
discussion in the committee of the
whole. After discussing the bill for Six
hours, the committee rose and through
its chairman reported to the Senate
that “the committee of the Whole have
had under consideration House bill
No. 64 (file No. 431), have made Sundry
amendments thereto, and have di-
rected their chairman to report the bill
back to the Senate, asking concurrence
in the amendments, and recommend
that the bill, When SO annended, do
palSS.
J. K. FLOOD,
Chairman.”
Which report was accepted, and the
Senate concurring in the amendments,
the bill was placed on the Order of
third reading of bills, where it was
again considered, read a third time and
failed to pass, a majority of all the
Senators elect not voting therefor, by
yeaS and nays, as follows:
Yeas.-Messrs. Barnum, Bostwick,
Forsyth, Hadsall, Holmes, Hughes,
Jibb, Maitland, Merriman, Mudge, Sav-
idge, Thompson, Wagar, Warner,
Westcott, Youmans—16.
Nays.—Barnard, Campbell, Colman,
Covell, Flood, Latimer, Lawrence,
Loomis, Mason, Teeple, President pro
tem—11.
Mr. Hadsall moved to reconsider the
Vote by which the Senate refused to
pass the bill, which motion prevailed.
The question being on the passage
of the bill, on motion of Mr. Forsyth,
the bill was laid on the table.
On May 21st, the bill was taken from
the table and passed the Senate with
but One Senator voting nay.
The question now being on agreeing
to the title, on motion, it was again
laid on the table. Later in the day, on
motion of Mr. Warner, the bill was
taken from the table, whereupon he
also moved to amend the title of the
bill So as to read as follows:
“A bill to create a board of commis-
Sioners for the purpose of securing for
use in certain of the common or pri-
mary Schools of the State of Michigan
a uniform series of text-books, to fix
L E G IS L A T L V E
5
S O U V E N I R
the maximum price to be charged
for Said books, and to make an ap-
propriation for carrying Out the pro-
visions Of this act.”
Which motion prevailed, and the
title as amended was then agreed to.
On May 25th, the bill was returned
to the House in the following message:
“SENATE CHAMBER,
Lansing, May 21, 1897.
To the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives:
Sir—I am instructed by the Senate to
return to the House the following bill:
House bill No. 64 (file No. 431), enti-
tled
A bill to create a board Of Commis-
Sioners for the purpose Of Securing for
use in the common and primary
Schools of the State Of Michigan a uni-
form series of text-books, to fix the
maximum price to be charged for said
books and to make an appropriation
for carrying Out the proVisions Of this
act;
And to inform the House that the
Senate has amended the same, as fol-
lows:
1. By striking Out of lines 1 and 2 of
Sec. 2 the words “upon the taking ef-
fect Of this act” and inserting in lieu
thereof the words “after January 1,
1899;”
2. By Striking out in line 4 of Sec. 5
from and including the word “come”
to “1889” in line 6 inclusive and insert-
ing in lieu thereof the following: “Fur-
nish free text-books for use in School
or schools of said district;”
3. By inserting in line 11 after the
Word “books” the words “It shall also
be a part of the terms and conditions
Of every contract made in pursuance of
this act that said contractor shall fur-
nish the book or books published under
Such contract for introduction into the
Schools in exchange for the books in
use in Said Schools on the same sub-
jects and of same grade at a discount
Of fifty per cent from the contract
price of said books. It shall also be
Stipulated in every contract made in
pursuance of this act, that any book
Or books published under said contract
Shall be equal in quality as to matter,
material, style of binding and me-
Chanical execution to the books named
in Section one of this act, and any fail-
ure of the contractor to maintain the
Standard of excellence of the said book
or books fully up to the standard here-
in named shall work a forfeiture of
Said contract; also that contracts made
for the publication of physics, histories
and geographies shall stipulate that
Said books shall be revised every three
years as directed by said Board of
Commissioners in order that said books
may be fully up to date as to the
events transpiring in the world in re-
lation to the subjects treated on in
Said books;”
4. By striking out of line 8 of Sec. 8
all after the words “books” and insert-
ing in lieu thereof the words, “Pro-
Vided, however, That the provisions of
this act shall not be mandatory on dis-
tricts that are furnishing free text-
books for use in the school or schools
Of the district or that may, at the an-
nual School meeting or at any special
Or general election in the years 1897
and 1898 by a majority vote of the
Qualified electors of said district deter-
mine to furnish free text-books for use
in the school or schools of the district,
and it Shall be the duty of the school
boards of the several districts that
have not previously adopted free text-
books to submit the question of the
adoption of free-text books to the
electors of the district at any annual
School meeting or special or general
election during the years 1897 and 1898
under the conditions and provisions of
act number 147 of the session laws of
1889; and provided further, That the
provisions of this act shall not be
mandatory on any district which shall
at any annual, special or general elec-
tion during the years 1897 and 1898 de-
termine by a majority vote of the
Qualified electors of said district, vot-
ing on the subject, not to come there-
under.”
And also to inform the House that
the Senate has amended the title of
the bill, as follows:
By inserting in line 2 of title after
the word “in” the words “certain of;”
In the passage of which, as thus
amended and the title as thus amend-
ed, the Senate has concurred by a ma-
jority vote of all the Senators elect.
Very respectfully,
CHARLES S. PIERCE,
Secretary of the Senate.
The question being on concurring in
the amendments made by the Senate
to the bill, Mr. Adams moved to amend
the Senate annendments as follows:
“1. Amend Senate amendment No. 2
SO as to include the WOrd “COme” with
the WOrds to be Stricken Out;
2. Amend Senate annendment No. 4
by striking out the word “and” where
it occurs between the figures “1897’’
and “1898” where they occur the second
time in the proviso, and inserting the
WOrd “Or” in lieu thereof.”
The motion to amend the Senate
annendments did not prevail.
Mr. Kelly moved that the bill be re-
ferred to the committee On Judiciary,
pending which, Mr. F. Shepherd de-
manded the previous question.
The demand was seconded. The
question being shall the main question
be now put, the same was Ordered.
The motion to refer the bill did not
prevail.
The question being on concurring in
the amendments made by the Senate
to the bill, Mr. McGill moved that the
bill do lie On the table. Which motion
did not prevail.
The question again being on concur-
ring in the amendment made by the
Senate to the bill, the House concur-
red, a majority Of all the members
elect voting therefor, by yeas and
nays, as follows:
Yeas.—Messrs. Allison, Alward, At-
kinson, Babcock, C. G., Babcock, H.,
Bemis, Billings, Bryan, Buskirk, Ca-
hoon, Caldwell, Camburn, Campbell,
Clark, Clute, Coad, Colvin, Connors,
Davis, Dickinson, J. H., Dickinson, L.
D., Eikhoff, Fleischhauer, Fuller, Gil-
lam, Graham, Green, Hammond, Har-
ris, Jackson, Kerr, Kimmis, Lusk, Ma-
dill, Marsilje, Mayer, Miller, Molster,
Moore, M. G., Niedermeier, O’Dett,
Pearson, Peters, Petrowsky, Phillips,
C. C., Phillips, M. F., Putney, Reed,
Sawyer, Scully, Shepard, F. M., Shep-
herd, F., Stewart, Stoneman, Vought,
Weier, Whitney, Widoe, Williams,
Wing, Zimmerman, Speaker—62.
NayS.–Messrs. Adams, Anderson,
Bates, Belknap, Chamberlain, Don-
Ovan, Dudley, Foote, Foster, Goodell,
Goodyear, Kelly, McGill, Moore, E. W.,
Oberdorffer, Rulison, Shisler, Smith—
18.
The question then being on concur-
ring in the amendments made by the
Senate to the title of the bill, the
House concurred. After which it went
through the routine of enrollment and
presentation to the Governor, who,
after adjournment of the Legislature,
signed it on the last day allowed him
to approve bills.
GOVERNOR PINGREE AND THE LEGISLA-
TURE OF '97.
The Well known views Of the man
who had been elected governor of the
State on the same ballot which elected
the three-fourths majority of the 32d
Legislature of Michigan, caused the
Session of 1897–8 to be watched with in-
tense interest, not only by the citizens
of the Wolverine state, but also by the
people of the entire country and by
those in foreign countries who keep in
touch with the trend of change made
in the rapidly advancing civilization of
the present age. This interest was
aroused and intensified from the Well
known views of Governor Pingree On
the relations of the people to the gov-
ernment, and it had in some subtle
way become generally understood that
he would endeavor to stamp the inn-
print of his theories of reform on the
acts of the Legislature of which he
was the executive head.
His first inaugural message, deliv-
ered at a time when each was fresh
from the atmosphere of his constitu-
ents and master of his individual
Opinion, was well received by the
members of the Legislature. While it
was generally understood that there
were many of the most influential men
in the State, members of all political
parties, who would strenuously oppose
any measure the Governor would be
liable to endorse, it was yet believed
that Out of the three-fourths majority
he would receive a support which, with
Such of the Silver democrats as Were
known to be in Sympathy with his
views, would enable him to give color
to Such measures as his inaugural
message indicated.
But the 32d Legislature had not been
in Session many weeks before it be-
came apparent to the most trivial Ob-
server that a very considerable num-
ber of the members in House and Sen-
ate were waiting only for a positive
assurance that as individuals they
would not be found in the minority,
before taking an aggressive position in
Opposition to the pet schemes of the
Governor.
The first test of strength came in the
Committee of the whole, between those
who favored the measures of the GOV-
ernor and the members who were Op-
posed to him and his theories, in the
consideration of House bill 412, the
provisions of which would prohibit dis-
Crimination in freight Or passenger
rates on the railroads of this State.
This bill was one favored by Governor
Pingree and was supported by Rep.
Atkinson as the leader of the Pingree
forces On the floor Of the HOuse. After
a considerable time spent in debate it
was so amended as to annul the pur-
pose for which it was introduced, and
then reported out of the committee
with the recommendation that it do
pass. During this debate there was
much heat engendered, and at times it
became almost personal. Rep. Colvin
caused a sensation when in answer to
the Opponents of the bill he, in refer-
ring to the evils of the pass System,
drew from his pocket a railroad mile-
age book and holding it aloft, ex-
claimed “The man who pays three
cents a mile to ride on the railroads
Of this State has one cent a mile the
worse of me, and the man who rides On
a pass has two cents the best of me,”
as an exemplification of the position of
the friends of the bill that if the pass
System was abolished the railway Com-
panies could afford to carry all people
at a rate of two cents a mile. Those
who spoke in favor of this bill in the
committee of the whole were Reps.
Atkinson, who spoke seven times, Eik-
hoff twice, Colvin twice, Wetherbee
Once, Petrowsky once. Those who Op-
posed the bill were Reps. Edgar, who
had the floor twelve times, Fleisch-
hauer four times, Savidge four times,
Smith four times, Foote three times,
Chamberlain three times, Dudley
twice, Kelly twice, Bemis twice, and
Mr. Lusk, who offered amendments to
strike out a provision of the bill. In
this, the first real test of strength, the
friends of the bill, although led by One
of the ablest men in Michigan, Col.
John Atkinson of Detroit, Suffered a
most humiliating defeat.
The next open opposition to the GOV-
ernor came with the passage in the
Senate of Senator Covell’s bill which
provided that appointments to office
vacant, or where the term of office ex-
pires while the legislature is in Session,
must be sent to the Senate for con-
firmation or the incumbent of the Office
hold over until his successor is con-
firmed by the Senate, the exception
being that in case of death, resignal-
tion or removal for cause during the
time when the legislature is not in Ses-
sion. (This bill afterwards failed to
pass the House.)
Then came the decree of the
Supreme Court of Michigan, saying
that Governor Pingree in exercising
the functions of Governor Of the State
vacated his office as mayor of the city
of Detroit. In the city election which
followed ten days after this decree, the
candidate endorsed by Governor Pin-
gree as the proper person to succeed
him as mayor of Detroit was beaten,
and a Democrat, the Hon. Wil-
liam C. Maybury, was elected. That
the election of Mr. Maybury was
hailed by the legislature and lobby
at Lansing as an
the Governor had lost prestige
with the people, was apparent in
the smiles of those who opposed him
in his theories of governmental reform.
And when the railroad bills came up as
the special Order of business it was
really amusing to see with what unc-
tion and Satisfaction the kicks were
administered to the supposedly dead
lion, and with what little patience the
advocates of the GOVernor’s recom-
mendations were listened to.
next few days any measure known to
be favored by Governor Pingree was
made the sport and plaything of the
majority.
The next important move of the Gov-
ernor to engage the attention of the
Michigan legislature, was his message
of May 6, which is incorporated in this
Souvenir. Of this message there was
Sent Out twenty-five thousand copies,
to Citizens in all sections of the State,
so that on May 14, the day to which
further consideration of railroad bills
was postponed, this message seemed to
have the effect of clouding the hilarity
Of those who were at that time in
hilarious opposition to the Governor,
but, as in all contests, the camp fol-
lowers scenting victory in the air, went
quickly Over to his side and under the
(ºr of Rep. Atkinson, assisted
in the passage of the Merriman bill to
indication that -
For the
increase the taxation on the railroads
Operating in this State.
No other question which came up for
consideration in the legislature of 1897
attracted such universal attention or
created as much interest through the
State as to what would be the final
outcome of the legislative action as
did the question of taxation and regu-
lation of the railroads operating in the
State.
The Governor in his inaugural mes-
sage roused interest and alarm by his
recommendations of a change in the
laws relative to the taxation of rail-
road property and the conduct of roads
operating in Michigan. As a result
of this agitation there was introduced
37 bills affecting the railways and their
interests, 21 in the House and 16 in the
Senate; all of which took the usual
course of reference to the Committee
on railroads, and to which was added
a special committee in the House,
whose duty it was to especially exam-
ine into the charge of discrimination
made against the management Of
the roads in Michgan.
When this committee was ready to
report the House agreed upon a day
for the consideration of all railroad
bills as a special order of business, and
On April 14 went into committee of the
whole on this special Order, and Spent
the greater part of that day in the dis-
cussion of House bill 412, entitled “A
bill to prevent discrimination between
passengers and shippers of freight On
railroads in this State,” and which had
been reported back to the House by
the committee on railroads, With the
recommendation that it do not pass.
The following is the stenographer's
report:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Lansing, April 14, 1897.
The House went into committee of
the whole for the consideration of bills
on the special Order.
The committee took up for considera-
tion House file No. 102, House bill 412.
Mr. Edgar: In section 1, line 6, I
move to strike out the words “passen-
gers and; ” and in section 3, line 2,
strike out the words “passengers and;”
in section 3, line 4, strike out the first
two words, “of passengers,” and then
after the word “for” the word “pas-
sengers;” in line 6 the word “passen-
ger,” and after the word give “either
by way of tickets, mileage books Or
drawbacks;” at the end of line 7 strike
again the word “passengers.”
The Clerk: The word “and” has been
Stricken Out and the WOrd “Or’’ put in
the place Of it.
Mr. Edgar. Strike out “or” then. In
line 4 the first two words “Of passen-
gers” and the word “passenger” after
the word “for.” In line 6 the first Word
“passengers” and after the word
“shipper” all the remaining part of
that line, including the first part of the
word in the next line, and at the end of
line 7 the word “passengers.”
The Clerk: I think you made a
second statement as to line 4. I did
not get the Second One.
Mr. Edgar: The word “passenger”
where it occurs in that line. Now if
the Clerk will read that Section as
annended.
The Clerk (reads) : “Section 3. No
railroad in this State, whether Operat-
ing under a special charter or general
railroad law, shall discriminate be-
tween shippers of freight upon its lines
in the amount charged for transporta-
tion of freight. Every shipper shall be
entitled to the lowest rate for the
transportation of freight that Such
railroad gives to any other shipper,
or in any other manner, and any
greater charge to any shipper Of
freight shall be unlawful under this
act, and a recovery may be had there-
for with the penalty provided in Sec-
tion 2.”
Mr. Edgar: What I desire is this, to
apply this and make it simply a freight
bill, and to apply to shipping only. If
I am able to understand the proVisions
of this bill this would mean that We
would have two cent fares all OVer;
that if the railroad companies sold an
excursion ticket for less than tWO
cents a mile anyone else could Com-
pel that company to sell them a ticket
as cheap as they had to someone pre-
viously. Now we have another bill
which is in regard to the regulation of
fares, and I believe that these two
measures should be made to Stand Sep-
arate upon their own merits. As I
have amended this it makes it a
bill which applies to freight Only, and
lets the Other bill which will follow
apply to passenger traffic Only.
Mr. Atkinson : The annendment pro-
6
T H E S T A T E R E PU B L I C A N
posed by the gentleman from Lenawee
practically attacks all that there is
valuable, or nearly all that there is
valuable in this bill. This bill is drawn
With the view of Securing to the peo-
ple of this State an equality of rates
for carrying passengers and carrying
freight. It simply provides that the
railroad companies shall not discrimin-
ate between different passengers and
different ShipperS.
Now the merits of the bill are COn-
ceded by the gentleman Who moves
this amendment, so far as freight is
concerned, but the merits are equally
clear So far as passengerS are COIl-
cerned. I see no possible reason Why
the railroad companies of this State,
being public corporations and having
received important public concessions,
should treat one man differently from
another. And the only object of this
bill is to compel the railroad COm-
panies of this state to treat all people
alike. These corporations have re-
ceived very important concessions;
they have had very large land grants
from the state. They are clothed With
the power of the state so that they
may compel any man, Willing or un-
willing, to sell to them such land as
they are desirous of using. They are
indeed, no matter whether run by in-
dividuals or corporations, exercising,
every moment of their existence, a
part of the sovereign power of the
state. And where the State has made
these concessions how can we ask any-
thing less in behalf of the people of the
state than equal and exact treatment
at their hands? It is just as impor-
tant for passengers as it is for freight,
and the only object of this bill is to Ob-
tain equality. Some people are charged
more than other people are charged.
Some towns are charged more than
other towns are charged, and all that
this bill seeks to do is to make the
railroad companies file their Schedule
with the Commissioner of Railroads for
the state so that there will be On rec-
ord the statement of what their sched-
ule rates are, and then they shall be
compelled to live up to it, giving to
each exactly the same privileges that
*hey give to others.
I cannot for a moment conceive that
this amendment ought to be adopted.
It is one of the most annoying things
connected with the railroad Service
that men, women and children find
themselves discriminated against,
where they do not have certain in-
fluences behind them. And this is to
secure them the same treatment that
others receive. So that I trust this
House will not record its vote in favor
of discriminating between the people
of the State in the rates that they shall
pay for ticketS.
Mr. Fleischhauer: The argument of
the gentleman from Wayne seems very
plausible to one not altogether familiar
with the conditions that confront us.
But there are obstacles in the way that
ought to prevent this legislature from
passing this bill in any form. We will
never see the day when we can bring
this bill into actual practice. The rail-
road companies must to a certain ex-
tent discriminate in favor of SOme
points. Let me give for example the
F. & P. M. railroad that runs from
Ludington to Detroit. It meets the
IDetroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee at
Holly. The Detroit, Grand Haven &
Milwaukee has a shortef distance to
Detroit, consequently according to the
laws of Michigan can charge no more
than three cents a mile, and if the F.
& P. M. wants to sell a ticket they
must sell it at the mileage given by
the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwau-
kee. And if we pass this bill it would
compel the company which made a
rate to give the rates that they give
between Holly and Detroit all along
their line, not only in freight but in
passengers. And I might name many
Other conditions that would be equal
to that, that make this bill altogether
unpractical. And for that reason I am
opposed not only to all the amend-
ments, but to the bill in general.
Now, the Colonel has said, and Very
truthfully, that the laws of Michigan
compel a land holder to sell to the rail-
road companies the land. But we have
also provided for a way of arbitration
whereby he shall receive a value for
the land that they are compelled to
sell, and the railroad company is com-
pelled to pay for whatever damage
they are to that man’s property in
passing through. Now we should not—
and I don’t believe We will—hold that
up and say because we have made a
law that compels me to sell my prop-
erty to the railroad company that we
will continually keep Our foot upon
them and crush them out of existence.
Now I hold that the poor fellows
have some rights too, and they are
rights that should be defended, and
should be looked upon by this legisla-
ture.
Mr. Savage: It strikes me that there
is another matter in connection With
this bill that the gentleman from
Wayne failed to explain Very thor-
oughly. He has not said to you that
in the passage of this bill, instead of
making it mandatory to lower the
rates of these companies, he leaves it
to them to raise their present rates,
not to lower them by any means at the
present time. Gentlemen of the House,
if you will stop to consider, the rail-
road companies of this State are Sell-
ing mileage tickets at two cents a mile.
But under the provisions of this act it
says they shall not sell mileage tickets
at two cents per mile, but they may
sell them at three cents. That is an-
other very serious objection to this
matter. You are simply taking a Way
from a large majority of Our people—
people who used to avail themselves of
this privilege—you are taking away
from them the privilege of availing
themselves of that Opportunity.
And, Mr. Chairman, if it be in Order,
I shall move that when this committee
arise they recommend that this bill
shall lie upon the table until Such time
as we might have Some Other pro-
vision to take the place of the present
law we have, that would be equally
as desirable.
Mr. Atkinson: Mr. Chairman, I do
not wish to take up any great time of
the House in considering this bill. If
there is any gentleman of this House
who fears that this bill might result
in an increase of rates, I will gladly
a CCept a. Il annendment providing
against that. I do not think it can SO
result myself, and do not see how that
construction can be placed upon it.
But if the gentleman from Saginaw
really fears that this bill, if passed,
would result in the railroads raising
their rates, I am Willing to insert a
proviso against it. The danger is not
in that way. The danger is
Mr. Savage: May I ask the gentle-
man a question ?
Mr. Atkinson: Certainly.
Mr. Savage: I would like to ask if it
is not true at the present time that the
railroads of the state may charge three
cents per mile?
Mr. Atkinson: Yes, it is true.
Mr. Savage: Is it not also true that
they are Selling mileage tickets at tWO
cents a mile?
Mr. Atkinson: It is.
Mr. Savage: Is there any provision
in this country at the present time
that prohibits them from charging
three cents a mile?
Mr. Atkinson: No, Sir.
Mr. Savage: But it does Say that
they shall not charge any less for a
mileage ticket than they get for
tickets.
Mr. Atkinson: They shall not charge
One man more than another.
Mr. Savage: And it says clearly that
they shall charge three cents a mile
for tickets, that is they may charge it.
Mr. Atkinson: Will you allow me to
ask you a question ?
Mr. Savage: Yes.
Mr. Atkinson: Do you think it says
SO?
Mr. Savage: In my judgment it
means the Same thing.
Mr. Atkinson: I can only say that
in my judgment it does not mean any-
thing of the kind, but if any gentle-
man of the House thinks it does why
I should be glad to accept an amend-
ment providing that it shall not have
that effect.
Now so far as my friend on the right,
a member of the railroad Committee,
is concerned, he is so frank in his
declaration that I feel like giving him
my thanks, and I think the House
should. He simply tells us that these
corporations must continue to dis-
criminate between the different peo-
ple of this State. I hold they have no
right to do so. Their taxes at pres-
ent are fixed at so much on their
gross earnings. They have no right to
give away tickets, because when they
give them away they not Only cheat
the Stockholders of the road but they
cheat the State out of its share of the
taxes. They should treat everybody
alike.
I was not speaking of their taking
lands without paying for them, but
what I wanted to call the attention of
this House to was the much higher
consideration that they are exercising
a part of the sovereignty of the State.
What would we think Of the State
itself if it was carrying On this busi-
ness of discriminating between citi-
zens? And railroad, companies, no mat-
ter how you consider them, whether
run by individuals or run by Cor-
porations, are always exercising a part
of the sovereign power, and for that
reason I insist that the railroad Com-
pany ought not to discriminate.
The case put by Mr. Fleischhauer
shows exactly where the people of this
State are. From Holly to Detroit,
where the people have competition,
they get reasonable rates, but if a man
is unfortunate enough to live a little
distance from Holly, where he has only
One road, then they discriminate
against him and charge him. What they
please. Now I insist that the people
living six miles from Holly and Only
on one road, not having the benefit of
competition, should have the Same rate
that they get from Holly. It is better
that We should regulate these rates
than that We should encourage COm-
petition until it grows SO Sharp that
all railroads may be ruined by it.
One object of this bill, I confess, is to
give to those people in towns where
they have only One railroad, the same
privileges and rights that people have
where there are two railroads. Then,
When the One railroad treats them
fairly, there is no temptation to have
another railroad built there that will
come in here and claim it is not earn-
ing enough to pay any taxes. It is
simply the principle of equality ap-
plied to the citizens of the State, and
I trust that no amendment will be
adopted that in any way interferes
With that.
So far as commutation tickets are
concerned this would be true under
this bill as I view it: If from Ypsi-
lanti to Detroit the Michigan Central
sells commutation tickets at a certain
rate—they do sell them at a cent and
a half a mile—this bill would compel
them to give commutation tickets of
the same kind from Ann Arbor. It
would not compel them to sell a single
ticket at the Same price, but they
would have to give commutation tick-
ets at the Same price. And it is ex-
ceedingly important that the univer-
sity town can be reached in that Way.
People would live out there for the
purpose of educating their children if
they could get the same rate. But
you can buy a ticket now from Ypsi-
lanti for 45 CentS. If you go to Ann
Arbor, ten miles away, you have to pay
$1.30, so that for that ten miles you pay
75 cents for riding On the Michigan
Central. That inequality this bill seeks
to remedy, so that the people of this
State will have practically the benefit
of competition from all towns, as well
as from those where they have many
railroads.
Mr. Dudley: Mr. Chairman, and
Members of the House—I anticipate
that the passage of this bill, if enacted,
Will work a great hardship to those
whom the introducer Of this bill has
intended to benefit.
What I mean to illustrate is in the
fact that so many of the patrons of
the railroads of this State travel upon
the roads more extensively on holiday
Occasions, Fourth of July and Christ-
mas and New Years. And special
rates are given to the laboring class–
at least the laboring class of this State
takes the benefit Of those Special rates
at those times which they have Set
apart for recreation and travel. And
if this bill is enacted the patrons of
the roads of this State will have a
right of action against the roads over
Whose lines they travel, for all the
difference that may exist between the
Special rates that were given on those
holiday excursons and the amounts
Which they paid for passage at regu-
lar times. This I believe would Work
a great hardship and cause a great
annount Of Controversy, and would
Work hardships on those whom it is
intended to benefit.
Mr. Chamberlain: I do not care at
this time, Mr. Chairman, to enter upon
anything approaching a discussion of
this bill. But I can say that I do not
agree with the distinguished gentle-
man who is the author of the bill,
relative to the effect which would re-
Sult by the passage of this measure.
The House will notice that com-
mencing with the new paragraph in
line 4, Section 3, are these words:
“Every passenger and shipper shall be
entitled to the lowest rate for trans-
portation or freight that such rail-
road gives to any passenger or shipper,
either by way of tickets, mileage books
or draw-backs, or in any other man-
ner.”
Now, Mr. Chairman, as long as the
railroad companies have a right to
charge a certain per cent, for instance
three cents a mile, in this part of the
State, what would be the result of the
passage of this bill? Not, I appre-
hend, what the gentleman who is the
author of the bill desires, that is, that
if they sell a mileage ticket for two
cents a mile that they would then be
Obliged to allow every other perSon
Who travels to travel at tWO CentS a.
mile, because the Very moment the
law takes effect the railroad companies
Will sell no more mileage ticketS.
There will be no more excursions to
reduce rates, because the railroad .
companies would understand, under
the provisions of this bill, they would
be obliged to charge no greater rate
to any other passenger. Is that not
true? It strikes me that would be the
result of the passage of this bill. And
the gentleman, instead of reducing the
railroad fares of those who are obliged
to pay three cents a mile, would oblige
the other gentlemen who have these
Inileage books, and who get excursion
tickets and other tickets at reduced
rates, he would do away with the Sale
Of those and compel those gentlemen
to also pay three cents a mile. SO
instead of aiding one set of people he
is simply damaging another set of peo-
ple. That is the way I interpret this
bill. I may be Wrong in the matter,
but let us be sincere about it. I think
it would have that result, because the
railroads, the moment they understand
that they are obliged to lower the
Other part of the rate, would simply
strike out the mileage ticket and the
excursion ticket.
Mr. Savage: I wish to say Only a
few words. I wish to correct a state-
ment that Colonel Atkinson made, I
believe unintentionally. Now in this
matter of discriminating between
Holly and Detroit, I think probably the
gentleman from Wayne misunderstood
the gentleman from Osceola, in this
particular, the reason why the F. & P.
M. were compelled to sell at a lower
rate there. It does not say by any
means that the people shall pay less
that three cents a mile from there to
Detroit, but unfortunately their road
runs five or ten miles further; it is a
greater distance upon the F. & P. M.
than upon the D., G. H. & M., and of
course they have to Sell the ticket at
the Shortest possible route, COn Se-
quently it makes a little less than
three cents a mile, but Only makes it
the Same rate Of the D., G. H. & M., SO
there is no discriminating; not at all
whatever. They are charging just the
Same, no more or no less, than the
Other road is charging from Holly to
Detroit. For instance, they charge but
ten miles; if they carry a passenger
fifteen they charge but the ten mile
rate, otherwise it probably would not
be done, and I can’t see that that is
discriminating in the sense that the
gentleman wished to put it.
Mr. Edgar: I move a Substitute for
section 3 as follows: “No railroad in
this State, whether Operating under a
special charter or other railroad law,
shall discriminate between shippers of
freight upon its line, in the amount
charged for transportation of freight.
Every shipper shall be entitled to the
lowest rate for transportation of
freight that such railroad gives to any
other shippers, and any greater charges
made to any shippers of freight shall
be unlawful under this act, and a re-
covery may be had therefor with the
penalties provided for in section 2.”
Now, Mr. Chairman, I am anxious to
annend this. Now, I understand that
we have a law at the present time
that would fix the maximum annount
of charges that may be made for a sin-
gle mile for passengers; that is fixed
by law, but freight is not. And if we
pass this law, as the gentleman from
Wayne has said, the Michigan Central
would be compelled to sell the people
Who buy a ticket at a cent and a half
—it doesn’t make any difference what
kind of a ticket that gentleman has—
they are obliged to sell him equally
cheap.
Now in regard to the investigation
Of the special Committee that has
handled all this Subject, in reading the
report Of that Committee I have found.
no complaint On this line of charging
more for passenger traffic than the law
allows, but we have complaints com-
ing in regard to shipping.
If the gentleman will change this
and apply it to shipping only, and
bring that part of the railroad busi-
neSS under State supervision, we will
be accomplishing something. The other
passenger traffic is regulated by law;
Some charge two cents per mile and
others three, and this is simply to re-
duce that. We have another bill
L E G IS L A T L V E S O U V E N I R.
7
which will follow, but let us take this
bill and apply it to shipping Only, and
get to Work On that line and do some-
thing with it and bring the rates of
shipping under similar provisions as
We have now for passenger traffic.
Mr. Eikhoff: Mr. Chairman and
Gentlemen of the House—I did not in-
tend to take the floor upon this im–
portant measure. But when a member
On the floor arises to pretend to speak
for the working men and the laboring
men Of this State, I want to set him
right. The working men and laboring
men Of this State do not want any-
thing excepting justice and equality.
And they do not want to pay three
Cent fares while others ride on passes
and mileage books. What we want is
the same condition of affairs that all
Other classes Of people enjoy. Put the
working people of this State upon the
Same basis as your professional men,
your clergy, your newspaper men and
yGur large shippers. I say that is all
that they ask, all that the working
people of the State of Michigan ask
Of you is that they have the same con-
sideration as any other class of people
in the State has, and when you do
that, that is all that they will ask, and
they will be very grateful to you for
giving them that consideration.
Mr. Bemis: I certainly am interested
to See all people, so far as possible,
get equal rights at the hands of the
law.
Now I do not know very much about
railroad legislation in this State; per-
haps nothing whatever of railroad leg-
islation in other states. It seems to
me, however, that a question arises in
Connection with this bill that has not
yet been mentioned, in relation to the
Michigan railroads, on the question of
through rates for both passenger and
freight traffic. For instance, as our
laws now are, as I understand them in
this State and other states, a passen-
ger may buy his ticket, a shipper may
ship his goods on a through road, we
Will say from New York city to Chi-
cago, by routes running through the
State of Michigan, and receive a lower
rate certainly for passenger traffic
than is given to a person wishing to
ride between two stations within the
State of Michigan.
If this law were enacted it seems to
me it would put the railroad compa-
nies in Michigan in about this predica-
ment, that they would not be able to
make an agreement to enter into the
COIn In On agreements that is done be-
tWeen two states of the union trans-
porting passengers through Michigan
With other roads at a competitive rate.
It seems to me if this bill were enacted
into law that through passengers
would be compelled to avoid Michigan.
Take for instance the Northern Pacific,
on her through rates, and other lines
that pass through Michigan, it seems
to me that this is only a just point of
consideration concerning the rates.
Now it may transpire that this is less
important to the people of Michigan
than that all people should receive if
possible the same and equal rights
With regard to transportation within
Our State; yet it seems to me that this
is an important question, and a fair
question to consider for the railroads
of Michigan.
Mr. Fleischhauer: The gentleman
from Wayne (Mr. Eikhoff) thought
that he was talking in behalf of the
laboring men, and therefore in favor
Of this bill. Let me tell you, gentle-
men of this committee, that I am a
laboring man. I have no farm, no fac-
tory, no Store, or no Office. I have
never earned my bread only by just
day labor, and the biggest salary I
ever received was $50 a month. And
as a laboring man I stand before you
and Say that a bill Of this kind is not
in the interests of the laboring men,
because it is to the detriment of the
rairoad Companies.
I admire my distingushed friend
from Wayne (Mr. Atkinson) who gave
me credit before this body of being
honest. I love to be flattered in that
way, and he has almost persuaded me
to keep my Seat. But he has miscon-
strued my honesty; he has said that I
was honest in admitting that I wanted
discrimination. Now I do not want
discrimination; I want anything but
discrimination. I simply want fairness,
not only to the patrons of the railroad
companies but to the railroad com-
panies as well. I do not want to dis-
criminate in anyone’s favor, and I
have given my reason, and as the gen-
tleman (Mr. Atkinson) has said that
from Holly to Detroit, where they
have competition, their rates are real-
sonable, I will remind him of this one
fact, that if the F. & P. M. railroad
would pull up its tracks from Detroit
to Holly the people of Holly would not
get any better rate to the city of De-
troit, and therefore they do not dis-
criminate against anyone upon the line
of the F. & P. M.. railroad, but they
simply meet and give their customers
what some other line could, and I
think we ought to give them that
right.
And as to his objection to the tickets
sold from Ypsilanti to Detroit I will
tell the distinguished gentleman (Mr.
Atkinson) that if he will go to the
Railroad Commissioner possibly he
can induce him to commence proceed-
ings against that company and maybe
he can be retained as Counsel to help
the Attorney General to fight this Suit.
In Section 15 Of the charter Of the
Michigan Central Railroad it says,
“and if said Company shall charge and
receive more that the rates and Sum
SO affixed for so doing, in each case it
shall forfeit and pay to the State of
Michigan the sum of one hundred dol-
lars.”
I might read ahead of there where
it says, “No greater sums or tolls per
mile shall be charged than charged by
Said company on that portion of said
railroad between Ypsilanti and De-
troit.”
If he has any grievance against this
railroad company the law is ample and
any difference Of that kind can be set-
tled Without enacting a law that would
be detrimental to nearly every railroad
in this State.
NOW I Want to be as fair and real-
sonable, and I want to be distinctly
understood and my honesty credited,
that I am not in Sympathy with the
railroads, Or rather that I do want to
favor them and Want them to discrim-
inate, but On the contrary I want fair
dealings, and that we are to use the
railroad Corporations as though they
had some rights as well as the laboring
Tmen whom my friend Eikhoff and my-
Self represent.
Mr. Foote: It has been represented
by my friend Mr. Eikhoff of Wayne
that the laboring men want lower
rates. If that is a fact they have not
made their wants known, so far as I
am aware. Up to this moment not one
petition from a laboring man or a lab-
Oring men's Organization has been for-
Warded to this House asking that we
make a reduction of railroad fares.
But On the contrary I have received
petitions from 2,555 men from all over
the State of Michigan, including busi-
neSS men, farmers and laboring men,
protesting against the contemplated
reduction of railroad rates. As I said
before, if the laboring men want this
they have not made their wants
known..
Mr. Eikhoff: I am sorry that my
friend Mr. Foote does not understand
my Way of expressing myself. I said,
I believe, that we want equal rights
and justice. I did not touch upon the
Question of low fares at this time. I
Said that we wanted the same con-
sideration as any other class of people.
And as for the two cent fares I want
to anSWer my friend that the people
last fall expressed their opinion by the
handsome majority that they gave this
great issue.
Mr. Foote: It is the first time that
I have been aware that that was an
issue. I think I attended some politi-
cal meetings, and I never heard that
Question discussed. It was not dis-
Cussed. It was not an issue. I voted
last fall and I did not vote upon that.'
as an issue. There were no promises
made. If there were promises made
they could not deliver the goods.
Mr. Bennis: In regard to the dis-
Criminations I certainly think that so
long as they are handed down to favor
different people we cannot complain.
NOW legislators, and others whom I
might mention, receive courtesies from
the railroad companies. I don’t know
that they receive more courtesies than
the employes of railroad companies,
and I certainly believe that the cour-
tesies of free transportation, no fare
Whatever, is extended in a great meas-
ure to the employes of railroads. So
that when we discuss the question of
discrimination along that line I do not
think that in giving free transporta-
tion to their Own laboring people,
which constitute certainly a very large
class Of the laboring people of this
Country, that they can be accused of
unfairness.
Mr. Atkinson: I desire to call the
attention of the House to the fact that
the part of this bill which they regard
as new is not new at all. This bill is
Only to execute other laws that have
been on our statute books for a great
many years. For instance, in the gen-
eral railroad law of this State, if you
Will turn to your books, at page 53,
Section 94, you will find that “All rail-
road Corporations shall grant equal
facilities for the transportation of pas-
Sengers and freight to all persons,
Companies or corporations, without
discrimination in favor of any indi-
Viduals, companies or corporations.
No railroad corporation shall in any
manner discriminate in its rates of
freight tariff in favor of any individ-
ual, Company or corporation doing
business over its line of road, and
Shall grant the same rights and privi-
leges to all shippers, subject to the
Same rates and classification, without
rebate or any other special privilege
Or rate not extended to all other ship-
pers in the same class, who ship a like
Quantity Or quantities.”
This act merely seeks to give a
proper remedy for carrying that out,
So far as the general railroad law is
COncerned.
Under these special charters there
are Similar provisions. They have not
been enforced because the acts do not
provide for the methods of enforcing
them. Section 15 of the Michigan
Southern charter, for instance, pro-
Vides: “It shall and may be lawful for
Said company from time to time to fix,
regulate and receive the tolls and
charges taken for the transportation
of property and persons on said rail-
road as aforesaid, hereby authorized
to be constructed, erected, built, made
and used, and for storage of property
remaining in the depot of said com-
pany if not taken away as hereinafter
provided: Provided, Said person shall
Charge no greater sum or tolls for the
transportation of persons or property
than Were charged or authorized by
the State of Michigan to be taken on
the Southern Railroad on the first day
of January last; and said company
Shall transport merchandise and prop-
erty on the Said road without show-
ing partiality or favor, and with all
practical dispatch, under a penalty for
each Violation hereof of one hundred
dollars, to be recovered by the party
aggrieved in an action of debt.”
In the Michigan Central charter
there is a similar provision. In every
railroad law in this State there is a
Similar provision, but the trouble
about those laws has been that there
is no act by which they can be en-
forced, and this act, if it is passed,
Will breathe life into the provisions of
these old laws, and give somebody an
Oploortunity of enforcing them.
NOW, when my distinguished friend
(Mr. Bemis) says that the railroad
Companies, as long as they only dis-
criminate between classes, we have
nothing of which to complain, each
Class has its own rights, I understand
him—
Mr. Bemis: You misunderstood me.
Mr. Atkinson: I did not mean to
misunderstand you, Mr. Bemis. And I
apologize to my friend Fleischhauer.
I always thought he was a lawyer and
a Very good One. Now, it is because
they discriminate between different
classes of people that this bill is pro-
posed, largely. We do not believe they
have any right to show what is called
“Courtesies” to the legislature, or to:
any other public officials. If a case
is being tried before a jury and one of
the parties should treat one of the
jurymen to a cigar the verdict would
be set aside. What are we but a jury
of the people? And if we place our-
Selves under obligations to anybody
Whose interests we are apt to pass
upon judicially, what is the differ-
ence?
I do not wish to criticise any gentle-
men, but this matter is mentioned and
I Wish to make this answer to it:
That any favor of that kind comes
like the gifts of the Greeks—there is
treachery in it. We should distrust
them when they come bearing gifts in
their hands, because we have no right
to receive their gifts and thereby pos-
sibly Warp our own judgments.
I do not doubt but the members of
this House could rise above any such
possible influence, but I do think that
the railroad companies of the State be-
lieve that they get some advantage
from these “courtesies,” and it is a sort
of a fraud on the railroad companies
to let them believe that, when they do
not get any. Still, that is outside of
the question. What we want is to
execute these charters, to execute the
general railroad law, to provide a rem-
edy in case they are violated, and that
is all that this act pretends to do. I
ann Willing to guard it in any way. I
Should be quite willing to have a pro-
Viso added to meet the objection sug-
gested by the Veteran legislator from
Gogebic. If he is afraid that this will
cut off excursions, then let him put in
a proViso that it will not be affected
by giving excursion rates. Let us not
allow any shadow that can be avoided
here to prevent a great remedy for
great WrongS. *
Now we have before us the report Of
the Special committee ShoWing What
discrimination there may be, and WG
find in towns where there is th9 COn-
petition discrimination is quite conn-
mori, Or at least that it may become
common, that it occurs at different
places. There is an instance given in
this report to which I call the atten-
tion Of the House, On page 990 Of the
Journal: Freight, Cadillac to Kalama-
zoo, rate three and One-half cents.
Freight, Ashton to Kalamazoo, rate
four cents. Distance, Cadillac to Kala-
mazoo, 147 miles, competition point,
rate three and One-half centS. l)is-
tance, Ashton to Kalamazoo, 124 miles
—you will See it is SOme twenty-three
miles less—local Station, no competi-
tion, rate four cents. So although the
distance is twenty-three miles less,
they pay half a cent more On their rate
for freight, On the same railroad.
Mr. Reed: Freight of the same
class?
Mr. Atkinson:
class exactly. One
Freight of the same
is three and a
half cents from Cadillac because trey
have competition. The Other is four
cents from a point twenty-three miles
nearer the point of destination, be-
cause they have no competitio.l.
I want to remind this House that
this kind of Competition is What builds
up cities. Chicago has favors shown
it that Detroit has not and Chicago
grows to be a great city. Holly Will
have favors shown it that another
town off the line Of the two railroads
will not have and it will bring busi-
neSS from that town to Holly. Where-
ever railroads show faVOr it Will bring
the population to that point, SO that
by this method of doing business, and
Our allowing it to be done, We Con-
Centrate populations in cities instead
Of leaving the towns to their natural
grOWth. We discriminate against
them, building up One town at the
expense of another, making One Set Of
people rich at the expense of another.
A half cent difference in the rate of
freight Will determine the location
Of a factory in a particular town, and
take it away from the town that is un-
fortunate enough not to have the low-
er rate. We ought not to interfere
With the natural growth of business.
We Ought to allow towns to grow
Where they naturally belong, and to
compel these public Servants to give
the Same rate to each.
As I have said, this provision against
discrimination is not new. We are
Only asking the legislature to give the
people of this State the power to en-
force it. I agree with Mr. Fleisush-
hauer that a suit, perhaps, against the
Michigan Central Railroad would be
likely to result in declaring its charter
forfeited, but no suit can be instituted
unless the people of this State are will-
ing that it should be instituted, and if
the Legislature express themselves as
entirely Satisfied with the present state
of things why no suit ought to be in-
Stituted. No One wishes to stir up a
Suit, and if my friend (Mr. Fleisch-
hauer) becomes a lawyer—as I know
he will—he will know that nobody can
go to a person, after he is a lawyer,
and ask to be employed in a particular
Case.
Mr. Sawyer: Will the gentleman
(Mr. Atkinson) allow me to ask a ques-
tion before he takes his seat? I think
I must have misunderstood the gen-
tleman. You did not intend to say that
the bill now under consideration does
not contain new provisions, not in re-
lation to the enforcement of the old
liability, but creates new liability,+
you certainly did not mean to be un-
derstood in that way? So that you
may see just what I mean, if the ques-
tion is whether or not it is simply a
Question of enforcing the old lia-
bility under the old statutes you cer-
tainly Would not want the last sec-
tion of this act, would you? The
enforcement of the old liability is
found in section two, so that if the
remedy was not properly provided for
in the old charter, section two would
provide that remedy, would it not?
Or in other words, section three
does change the entire liability, does
it not? And it creates a new liability
of this character, that if the city of
Ann Arbor shall send a delegation to
Detroit over the Michigan Central
Railroad at a reduced rate of one-third
of a cent a mile—as sometimes we can
get Such rates when there are great
8
S T A T E R E P U B L I C A N
T H E
performances in Detroit, and on a Sun-
day when our working people Want to
go down to see Belle Isle—if under this
bill the Michigan Central should grant
that favor to our working people On
Sunday, to carry them to Detroit at
one and one-quarter of a cent a mile,
wouldn’t this bill then require them to
carry everybody else on every Other
day in the week for all purposes at One
and one-quarter cents a mile 2
Mr. Atkinson: The question is a
pretty long one, but the act is not in-
tended to have that effect. It is in-
tended to have this effect, that if they
would grant such an excursion rate to
the working people of Ann Arbor, if
people of the same class desired to go
from Jackson to Detroit On the next
Sunday they would be entitled to the
same rate. It is not intended to pre-
vent excursions, but to make a uni-
for m rate for the same kind Of Ser-
Vice.
Mr. Sawyer: That is just what I
wanted to call your attention to, and
in that I think your law is defective,
if it provides that it should charge the
same rates for the same Service, that
When they charge excursion rates to
one party they should charge the Sanhe
to another party, it would be different.
Mr. Atkinson: I am not particularly
attached to the wording of it. In fact,
while my name is attached to it I was
not the author of the bill. It is drawn
by a very able lawyer in Our City,
drawn at my request, however. I am
not particularly attached to the words,
and I would be quite willing to accept
an amendment of that kind, if there is
ally doubt about the COnstruction of
the act. We do not want any advan-
tage, We Simply want equality under
this bill.
Mr. Sawyer: I have no doubt that is
true. That has been my understand-
ing of it. Wouldn’t it be the proper
thing—because certainly the distin-
guished gentleman from Wayne (Mr.
Atkinson) can See as readily as anyone
that the language Of that, as it is now,
will compel the Michigan Central
Railroad Company, if it carries a man
from Ann Arbor to Detroit at ten cents
On Sunday, would compel them to
carry him every day in the year there-
after at ten cents.
Mr. Atkinson: I do not think it
would bear that construction.
Mr. Wetherbee: I have an amend-
ment which Will cover a great many of
the objections that have been raised,
but it cannot be brought up until the
annendment offered by the gentleman
from Lenawee (Mr. Edgar) is disposed
Of.
Mr. Smith: I hope the amendment
offered by the gentleman from Lena-
wee (Mr. Edgar) will prevail, because
I believe it is in the interests of the
common people, and this is the com-
mon people’s day. There is no doubt
but what every member here is study-
ing the interests of the majority of his
constituents, and the majority in every
case must be what We call the Com-
mon people.
NOW I Want to protest against this
bill in the name of Our holiday trade.
We have in our peninsula. Of Michigan
a law that allows the railroads to
charge four cents a mile, but they are
not greedy enough to do that in all
Cases. They Often give us a train
every day during the holiday Season
at a half a cent a mile. If this bill
should pass these excursion people,
who come Out by the thousands some
days, would be obliged to stay at home
or have to pay whatever the railroad
decided was due. This bill, as was
Said by the gentleman from Saginaw
(Mr. Savage) compels the railroads to
raise the fare in all of these excursion
Cases. Of course they cannot come
down to half a cent a mile—that is
agreed to I suppose—but they must
establish Some mean line, some inter-
mediate between four cents and half a
cent, and Stick to it in all cases. Now
I find, and I know their discrimination
is in favor of the common people. And
if the gentleman who drew this bill
had been the common people instead
Of a distinguished lawyer he never
would have drawn it, because he
would have known that he was dis-
Criminating against the common peo-
ple, the laborers. I say the manage-
ment of the railroads, instead of being
against the laborers are in favor of
them in every case, in our country.
You never heard of an excursion being
given that drew out the men who have
a salary of eight or nine hundred dol-
lars a year, Or two thousand dollars.
There are no excursions, there are no
lowering of rates for them. But every
week we have trains that you can go
a hundred miles and back for two dol-
lars, and sometimes for One dollar,
sometimes for a cent a mile and
sometimes for half a cent. These
trains do not call out professional men,
do not call out clergymen or anybody
who can afford to pay. They call Out
the laborers, and that is the policy of
our railroads. It is the policy of all
the railroads to fix their fares So that
the laboring people can, on certain
days, have their rides and go on their
excursions. I will say that during Con-
ventions is the only time when the
people who have larger salaries are
likely to profit by the cuts, and their
fares do not anywhere approach four
Cents On the average.
Mr. Atkinson: What railroad are
you speaking about?
Mr. Smith: Any railroad in the
Upper Peninsula I am speaking about
more particularly. And this discrimi-
nation—discrimination is a hard word
when you come to talk about Corpora-
tions charging their fares, but When
you know that that discrimination is
in favor of the laboring people Whom
we are appointed to assist here, then
discrimination is not so objectionable
a word.
I think this is the first time I ever
talked so much about the COmmon peo-
ple. I am so common myself that I
hate to mention it, and I think as a
general case, probably in my case now,
it is used as a matter of demagoguery.
If we could discuss this question With-
out any reference to the common peo-
ple we would show better sense and
we would get better results I think.
Of course when gentlemen are SO COIn-
stituted that they will have their
flings at everybody, and when a gen-
tleman has insulted the members of
this legislature, he has in effect said
and represented, or intimated that
some members of the legislature Were
influenced by courtesies which they
might have received, I do not feel hard
about that, because the gentleman's
reputation for sharp talk against his
opponents would be on the wane if he
should leave such statements out of his
speech. It is not new to us here. We
have heard it every day when discus-
Sions of this kind have been in VOgue.
And for these reasons, because these
discriminations are in favor of the
poorer classes, those who have the
least income, because the railroads of
the State seem to me to be putting
forth every effort to give the laboring
people, or those who have the least in-
come, a right and an opportunity for
travel on certain occasions, I am in
favor of the amendment made by the
gentleman from Lenawee (Mr. Edgar).
Mr. Kelly: I would like to ask the
gentleman from Wayne (Mr. Atkin-
son) a question for information. I
would like to ask if I should buy a
mileage book, a thousand miles, for
twenty dollars, and he should buy a
ticket of the railroad company, the
same line, and pay three cents a mile
for it, if this bill became a law if that
would be discrimination under the
act?
Mr. Atkinson: I think it would be
discrimination in fact as well as in
law. I think I should be Out a cent a
mile more than Mr. Kelly in that
Ca,S62.
Mr. Kelly: Mr. Chairman, that is
just what I thought when I read the
bill. This bill, it strikes me, was very
carefully drawn. While We have
another bill that follows this that de-
clares for a flat two cents a mile, it
Occurs to me that this bill means ex-
actly what the other bill means, al-
though it does not Say SO.
Now, it is possible, Mr. Chairman,
and members of the House, that two
cents a mile would be a great thing
for a great many people. It is, how-
ever, possible that two cents a mile at
this particular period in the history of
this State would be one of the greatest
calamities that could befall us. Thie
word “discrimination” SOunds bad and
we are all opposed to it. But if you
can refer to any particular business in
the State of Michigan, Or any other
state, and not find discrimination, I
would like to have the introducer of
this bill point to it. You can go to
the grocery store and buy a pound of
sugar and pay six cents a pound for
it, and you can go to the same gro-
cery store and buy twenty pounds of
sugar, and buy it for five cents a
pound. You can go to the city of De-
troit and buy a Single ticket Over a
street car line, and you can pay five
cents for it; you can go Over the same
line and buy six tickets, and you will
pay a quarter for them. You can go on
the steamboat lines on the waters bor-
dering this State and for certain
things you may do you can get Con-
cessions. But I say, Mr. Chairman,
that that is not discrimination, and the
people of this State have no right to
complain over those concessions that
are made for business reasons.
Now then, what are these reasons?
They mean Simply this: If you give
me twenty dollars today you can ride
a thousand miles over this road Within
a year. But if you simply give me the
price of a fare between here and De-
troit, you must pay exactly What that
is worth, because you have advanced
me no money that I can use in this
business.
Now I say that this bill, all it means
at this time is a flat tWO Cent fare,
and I Say that I am prepared to Show
at this time that the railroads Of this
State Cannot afford to carry the pas-
Sengers of this State for two cents a
mile. While it is true that they are
Selling mileage tickets at twenty dol-
lars a thousand, it is equally true, Mr.
Chairman, that they are Charging
regular passengers upon these roads
three cents a mile. Why Can they do
it? As I said before, where you travel
a great deal and can afford to buy
these books at Wholesale, you get a
concession from the railroad, but you
cannot ride in any better coach than
the man who buys short, nor can the
man who pays three cents ride in any
better coach that the man who payS
two. As far as the riding is COn-
cerned there is no discrimination, but
there is a concession for the amount
of money that you are willing to ad-
Vance for riding Over these lines.
Let us go back to thirty or forty years
ago. We find that the methods Of
travel were very different from what
they are today. We find that the time
taken to reach a certain point is much
leSS at this time than it was thirty
Or forty years ago. We find a general
in proVenment in the railroads Of this
State. We find almost all Of the
money that has been realized in the
Way Of profit and realized from grants
by the State to the railroads, has been
turned back into the railroad for the
benefit Of the public. And I for One
believe at this time, Mr. Chairman,
that the passenger traffic does not
bring to the railroads a profit On the
money invested. In fact I believe, Sir,
that the profits to the railroads at this
time, if there are any, are SO Small
that they could not buy a postage
Stamp. I believe that the profits that
are realized by the railroads come Out
Of the freight earnings, and for that
reason did I vote for the investigation
COmnittee to See that there were no
discriminations in the freight rates by
the railroads in this State, and I am
gratified to know that the thing is no
Worse than it is, as appears in the re-
port. I am glad this investigation was
had, for the reason that it will satisfy
the people Of Michigan that the rail-
roads are not robbing them right and
left, and the irregularities that appear
in the report are so few and so small
as not to demand the attention that
has been given to it. It will satisfy
the people of this State that the rail-
roads Of this State have not been rob-
bing them, as has been intimated by
the Orators On the Stump. I say that l
believe that the people of the State of
Michigan are better Satisfied today
upon that question than ever before,
and I for One an not ashamed to face
my constituents On the position that I
have taken On the floor of this House
at this time, and I am Sure that I will
be doing them a justice when I oppose
at this time a flat two cent fare.
I can look back and for the past
three Or four years count up at least
from 130 to 140 railroads in this country
that have gone into the hands of a re-
Ceiver. If an institution is making
money does it go into the hands of a
receiver? I do not believe it. Nor do
I believe that the railroads of this
Country are making money to the ex-
tent that they are charged with. I
do not believe that they are making
the enormous profits Out of the people
that is often charged by political ora-
tors upon the stump. I realize that
politically this is quite an important
question. I realize that almost any
person can get out upon the stump and
Stir up the people about the wrongs
and injustice that may be done them
by what are supposed to be rich cor-
porations. But when we look back for
the last three years in Our country and
find from 130 to 140 railroads have gone
into the hands of receivers, find that
the men who hold the bonds, who have
their money invested in these roads,
are obliged to sacrifice thousands and
millions of dollars—I Say When that
condition confronts the Deople Of this
State that we as members of the Leg-
islature ought to go slow, Ought to be
careful what kind of legislation We
pass here.
I say that if my vote means anything
it means a vote for the people that I
represent—and I for one have no love
for the railroads, and do not stand
here representing a railroad. I Wish to
say to the members of this House that
I have not been approached by a sin-
gle lobbyist or anybody interested in
the railroads, to advocate for Or
against any measure affecting those
roads. But I wish to state that, repre-
senting the people of this State, that
if I can do them a benefit or do them
some good by preventing legislation
that may do the corporations of this
State a great injury, that might in-
jure the people of this State, then I
say that I am here to do what good I
can for them in that particular. And
I believe, sir, at this time, that the
passage of this bill would react and
we would be complaining in less than
two years’ time.
You may reduce the price of fares,
you may reduce the price of freight, or
you may cripple the railroads, but you
cannot say how many trains they shall
run a day; you cannot say how Well
they shall fix up their coach; you can-
not say how good service you can
have. There are a great many things
that you cannot compel the railroad
corporations to do. And I say that if
you pass some laws that are bound to
react you will find, as citizens of the
State of Michigan, that you will be
asking for their repeal. I for One do
not care to face that Situation. I
know that the railroad that runs into
my town has been forced, by the Con-
dition of the times, to take Off Some
trains that were an accommodation to
the people, in order to cut down the
expenses of that road so that that road
might live and pay their honest obli-
gations.
I saw, sir, the protest Of almost
every railroad man in my county, ask-
ing me to object to the passage of this
bill, and I say those men are inter-
ested.
And I here charge also, upon the
floor of this House, that certain rail-
roads of this State, that in fact all Of
them, I believe, have had to discharge
five thousand men in Order to cut
down their expenses. Now I Say that
railroad companies are not discharg—
ing their employes if they are mak-
ing money. They are doing it because
they are forced to do it. They are do-
ing it because the management sees
that it is necessary to do it in Order
to meet the running expenses of the
organization, or the railroad.
I for one an in favor of any legisla-
tion that will be of benefit to the peo-
ple of the State of Michigan. But I do
not want to Cater to a popular clamor
that may be Wrong. I for One will
never go before the people Of my dis-
trict, or the people of this State, ask-
ing for any legislation that may ap-
peal to their feelings; that may be for
my own personal benefit, but I do Say,
sir, that if defeating this legislation is
doing a good thing for them—and I be-
lieve it is—then I stand here with my
voice and my Vote to defeat it.
I cannot see the Object of introduc-
ing a bill here for a flat two cent fare
and then introducing the same bill un-
der a different color and under a dif-
ferent title, to prevent discrimination
in passenger rates, when it means
simply the same thing. We are acting
upon two propositions in this bill.
We have a bill that follows this that
acts alone upon the proposition of two
Cent fares, and I say the gentleman
who made this motion (Mr. Edgar) has
done the proper thing, and I hope the
motion to amend, Striking out the
words that have been read to this
House, will prevail.
Mr. Colvin : I ride backwards and
forth to my place sitting beside a man
Who pays three cents a mile because
he is not able to buy a book the same
as I did, SO he pays three cents a mile
and I pay tWO. I have got one cent
the advantage of him; and the man
who sits there with a pass in his
pocket has got three cents the best of
all Of us. Now I say if that is not dis-
Crimination in the interests of the rich
Or more able, and against the poor, then
my head is not level in this case. I
Say if they can carry me for two cents
a mile they can carry the main who
works for me for two Cents a mile.
L E G IS L A T I V E S O U V E N I R.
9
f
THE LEGISLATURE AND OUR STATE
INSTITUTIONS
Michigan is proud Of her State insti-
tutions, and has every reason to be so;
in their purpose, their number, and the
conduct of each she is on a par with
the best regulated community in the
World.
These institutions are each supported
by appropriations of money from the
treasury Of the State authorized by an
act Of the Legislature, except that in
the State Prison at Jackson the prison-
ers earn nearly enough to pay the
running expenses of that prison as
do also the House of Correction at
Ionia, in mates. The University of
Michigan gets back a Small part of its
outlay in tuition fees as does the
School for the Blind, and the School
for the Deaf, but in the main Our State
institutions are supported as above
Stated. These appropriations are the
result of estimates made by the differ-
ent boards Of control, and in the in-
stance of the penal and charitable in-
stitutions, reviewed, annended and en-
dorsed by the State Board of Correc-
tions and Charities.
Within a few days after the Legisla-
ture convenes, the President of the
Senate and Speaker of the House each
appoint, anong. Other Committees, a.
Committee of five members for each
State institution, which makes a joint
committee of ten from both Houses, to
whom all matters pertaining to an
institution is referred to the committee
bearing the name of that institution,
as for instance the committee on the
Industrial School at Lansing, the Com-
mittee on the Upper Peninsula, Asylum
for Insane, etc., etc. Inmediately
upon the announcement of these com-
mittees it has been the custom of the
Legislature to take a recess of ten
days, in order to let the committee On
each institution make a trip of inspec-
tion and consultation with its Officers
as to the needs and requirements of
each for the succeeding two years.
On the arrival at an institution the
committee of the Legislature is re-
ceived with all the courtesy due to
legislative dignity and authority, and
many of the members for the first time
realize the value of a vote and their
influence as legislators from the
courteous manner in which the wishes
and opinions of each are deferred to
by the officers of State institutions who
six months before or six months after
the legislative session in which they
are members would be very liable to
tell them they knew nothing of what
they were speaking about if they pre-
sumed to question the conduct of these
same institutions.
Reception greetings over, a trip is
made about the grounds and through
the buildings which at such times are
at their best, and in a general way the
needs of the institution pointed out. A
halt is then made for an “institution
dinner” which, while usually plentiful,
is not prepared with the purpose of
influencing the members of the Legis-
lature to believe that the Officers are
accustomed, although apparently Well
fed, to sumptuous living. In fact from
personal experience I can say that I
never sat down to one of these dinners
without getting up hungry, and Often
enjoyed the spectacle of farmer mem-
bers, so soon as convenient afterwards,
making for the nearest restaurant for
sustenance. During the dinner the
Officers Of the institution are measur-
ing the committee, as they have done
others before, and by the time it is
ended, know the strong men, the Weak
men, the liberal man in the expendi-
ture of the State’s money and the man
who, if he had his way, would close up
every institution in the State Support-
ed by public money.
This is not said in any disparage-
ment of the officials, that is their busi-
ness and the head of an institution
who cannot jolly and handle a legis-
lative committee while under cover of
his particular institution is not fit for
his position and cannot long retain it.
The dinner over and the very flattering
deference shown by the ladies Who
assisted at the entertainment acknowl-
edged the committee is now in the
mellow, after dinner, receptive mood,
when the claims Of the institution can
be presented with the least expectation
of opposition, except it be from the
always present objector On a commit-
tee of this kind, and adjournment is
made to the Office room where the in-
stitution is talked of in general, its
past dwelt upon, the great good it is
now doing under the present manage-
ment, and the Still greater good that
WOuld accrue from more liberal appro-
priations by the Legislature. Details are
then gone into, figures are made and
the business man on the committee,
accustomed to close figuring, is made
to realize how little he knows Of busi-
ness transactions as compared with the
lucid (?) understanding of the man
whose load Of wheat in market is fig-
ured for him by the bank teller Of the
man who buys his grain. During this
conference the figures On the different
items recommended by the State Board
Of Corrections and Charities is gone
OVer and discussed, and with the as-
Sistance Of the man who has never
been there before, but knows it all, an
agreement is finally reached that per-
haps the board did know their business
and that for the present their figures
will do as a basis for the committee to
work upon.
Although there are One or two items
Of a few thousand dollars each, which
the board of the long cognomen cut
Out that the Officers Of the institution
hope the committee will see its way
clear to in some way juggle with its
conscience and that of the Legislature
if it happens to have any in the spend-
ing Of the people’s money, to incorpo-
rate in the bill appropriating money
for an institution that is doing more
public good than any Other in the
State.
But notwithstanding all this, the
money expended in sending the com-
mittee On the different institutions On
tours of inspection is without doubt the
best spent by the Legislature. If it
were possible to make these trips, take
up the Subject Of the needs Of each,
return to the Capitol, appropriate the
money necessary for their mainte-
nance, provide a tax for raising it,
and then go home and attend to their
Own business as private citizens what
a blessing it would be to the rest Of the
people in the State.
These Visits of institution commit-
tees, being made at a time when the
Legislature is not fairly organized,
Serves another very good purpose, that
Of allowing members to get acquainted
more quickly and thoroughly than
would be the case in several months of
haphazard meeting in days of regular
Session. On the way to and from the
different institutions, On the trains, in
the waiting rooms Of the stations, in
hacks, at the same table while eating,
and in the lobbies of the hotels, a run-
ning exchange of Opinion is kept up
not only in regard to the institutions
assigned to the committee on which
members may then be Serving but also
upon the recommendations in the mes-
Sage of the Governor, the most impor-
tant legislation to be considered, ex-
change of confidence about private and
home affairs, etc., until at the end of
the ten days usually allowed for this
kind of committee work, members are
as well known to each other as men
not Of the same family can well be,
and conclude that all are good fellows
and have acquired a confidence in the
honor and Opinions of one another that
afterwards materially assists in the
passage of bills as hereafter all will
Vote with a feeling that a bill earnestly
Supported by a member of their com-
mittee who is otherwise all right, and
a good fellow to boot, must be all right
to O.
LEGISLATIVE ENDNDORSEMENT OF
GEN, ALGER
On January 19th the House unani-
mously concurred in the Senate reso-
lution of the day previous in the adop-
tion of the following resolution, to
which every citizen of the State gave
a hearty annen:
Whereas, The citizens of Michigan,
ever anxious for the advancement of
the best interests of their noble com-
monwealth, have learned with feelings
Of intense gratification that there is a
possibility of an advancement to a
cabinet position under the incoming
administration of her most favored
and distinguished son; therefore be it
Resolved (the House concurring),
That we cherish with jealous pride the
history of the achievements of Gen.
Russell A. Alger as soldier and hero of
the rebellion. That we contemplate
with admiration his wise and states-
man-like administration of the affairs
of the State as Governor;
That we, as representatives of the
whole people of the State of Michigan,
eXpress to the President-elect Our
earnest approval of the contemplated
appointment, believing that the con-
duct of national affairs will be distin-
guished through his attainments.
Resolved, That these resolutions be
endorsed by the Secretary Of the Sen-
ate and the Clerk of the House, and
that a copy be forwarded to the Presi-
dent-elect, to each Of Our represental-
tives in the national senate and
national house of representatives, and
to General Alger.
l
CONGRATULATIONS TO PRESIDENT
McKINLEY
On the Opening Of the Session On
March 4 with the desk Of each member
displaying the Stars and Stripes, the
House recognized the occasion caused
by the inauguration of a new Presi-
dent by passing, under a Suspension
of the rules, the following preamble
and resolution :
Whereas, A very large majority Of
the people of this government, irre-
spective of political affiliations, are
rejoiced that Hon. William McKinley
has been this day duly inaugurated
President of the United States, and
hope his administration so auspicious-
ly begun will result in the increased
happiness and prosperity of the Whole
American people; therefore
Resolved (the Senate concurring),
That the President of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House be requested
to telegraph to the President a message
of congratulation and greeting On be-
half of the Legislature of Michigan.
In the Senate Chamber a duplicate
of this resolution was also offered,
which after some time spent in debate
concurred with the House in forward-
ing the telegram of congratulation.
WEDDING PRESENTATION TO REP.
CHAMBERLAIN
The following clipping from the
Journal of February 8 needs no explan-
ation or comment as it speaks Of the
happy frame of mind into which an OC-
casion of the kind referred to will
bring members of the Legislature:
Whereas, Our loved and distin-
guished fellow servant Hon. F. C.
Chamberlain has become a Benedict;
and
Whereas, The love and respect we
have so lavishly bestowed upon him
must now be divided, and a portion
thereof fall upon the blushing bride
whose beauty and intelligence won the
great heart of our fortunate Comparl-
ion; and
Whereas, He is by reason thereof un-
able to attend the sessions Of this
House; now therefore be it hereby
Resolved, That Hon. F. C. Chamber-
lain be and he is hereby excused from
attending the sessions of this House
for one week;
Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms
be and he is hereby directed to drape
the desk of Hon. F. C. Chamberlain
with the American flag, and to place
thereon daily a bouquet of flowers;
Which was adopted by an unanimous
rising Vote.
On the evening of February 15 Mr.
Sawyer of Washtenaw in addressing
the chair called the attention of the
House to the fact that Representative
Chamberlain and wife had just re-
turned from a wedding trip and that
during the absence of Mr. Chamberlain
his associates in the House and its em-
ployes had arranged for a suitable
recognition of the event and in well
chosen remarks presented to Repre-
sentative Chamberlain and his bride a
silver tea, Set, water Set, and forks and
spoons, on behalf of the members of
the House, and to Mrs. Chamberlain,
on behalf of the messenger boys of the
House, a Silver Vase and bouquet. In
acknowledgment of which Mr. Cham-
berlain addressed words of hearty
thanks to the House.
LANSING’S FIFTY YEARS AS THE CAPI-
TAL OF MICHIGAN
On the evening of March 16, the
House and Senate met in joint con-
Vention to COmmemorate the fiftieth
anniversary Of the location of the seat
Of State government at Lansing.
It was but natural that the citizens
Of the capital city should be interested
in such an event, and they showed
their interest by crowding every inch
Of available Space On the floor and in
the galleries of Representative Hall.
It was a most inspiring Sight to See
this vast hall, One Of the most beauti-
ful in the world, with no decorations to
mar the harmony of its tints and color,
with the exception of one large Ameri-
can flag, gracefully draped above the
Speaker's desk, brilliantly illuminated
with a thousand incandescent lights,
while the wealth and beauty of Lan-
sing crowded the floors and galleries,
where the gay costumes of the ladies
gave animated color to the proceed-
ings Of the convention.
After music by an Orchestra. Of thir-
teen pieces from the State School for
the Blind, and an invocation by the
Rev. C. C. Miller, of Howell,” Speaker
Gordon, as master of ceremonies, open-
ed the exercises of the evening by
brief, well chosen remarks. He was
followed by the mayor Of Lansing, Hon.
Russell C. Ostrander, who traced the
history of the location of the capital
from the time of the passage of the act
in the Legislature of 1847 locating it
at Lansing, and the coincident growth
and prosperity of the capital city dur-
ing the fifty years it has held the seat
Of government.
He was followed by the Hon. P. Dean
Warner, who having served the State
as a member of the Legislature of 1851,
and again in 1865, also as a member of
the constitutional convention of 1867,
and as State Senator in 1871, gave the
audience very interesting reminiscences
Of early legislation and legislatures.
The next speaker was the Hon.
James B. Angell, of the University of
Michigan, a man the people of Mich-
igan are always pleased to listen to
because, in entertaining an audience,
he never fails to instruct. His subject
was the “Development of Higher Ed-
ucation,” in which he reviewed the
educational development of Michigan.
Lieut. Governor Dunstan then gave
the audience some very interesting and
instructive data. On the upper peninsu-
la, a section of the State with which he
is not Only familiar, but is also thor-
Oughly equipped to speak upon.
Ex-Governor Cyrus G. Luce was the
next Speaker, and in his address on the
resources of Michigan proved to his au-
dience that he was not four years Gov-
ernor of the State without knowing
its possibilities.
Attorney General Maynard was the
next to follow in an address on the
capital city, which was in his usual
happy Vein, and delivered in his ever
inspiring Strain of Oratory.
The echoes of Representative Hall
were then made to resound to the fa-
miliar tones Of One who, in the Seven-
ties, was wont to make them ring with
his stentorian Voice, and had for his
subject one that never fails to rouse
him to his best efforts, “Michigan in
the War,” and although the hour was
now late, ex-Congressman Captain E.
P. Allen held his audience until the
last tones of his address were buried
deep in the minds of his hearers.
The Several addresses delivered were
interspersed with instrumental music,
solos, and recitations by the scholars
from the School for the Blind, the boys
from the Industrial Home, by Miss
Franc A. Burch, who rendered a very
difficult and pleasing Solo, and by a
recitation from a former newsboy of
Detroit, at the time a Senate messen-
ger.
Taken as a whole, it was an evening
to be long remembered as one of bril-
liancy and instructive entertainment.
JOINT CONVENTION SYMPATHIZING
WITH CUBA
On the evening of Monday, February
15, the House and Senate went into
joint convention for the purpose of lis-
tening to an address by General Wil-
liam M. Curtis Of New York on the
subject of capital punishment, after
which the joint convention was ad-
dressed on the “Cuban Republic” by
Senor Gonzalo de Quesada, Charge de
Affairs of the Cuban Republic, and by
Senor Albertini, Secretary of Legation.
The addresses of the latter gentlemen
were well received and the sense of the
joint convention expressed by the adop-
tion of a motion offered by Senator
Mason that a vote of thanks be ten-
dered to the speakers of the evening,
and that it is the sense of the joint
convention that Cuba ought to be free
and independent, which was adopted
by an unanimous VOte.
10
T H E S T A T F. R. E. P. U B L I C A N
GOVERVOR'S MESSAGE ON TAXATION.
OF RAILWAY PROPERTIES
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
Lansing, May 6, 1897.
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives:
In my first message I referred in de-
tail to the inequality and injustice Of
our present tax laws, so far as they
affect quasi-public Corporations. I
called your attention to the demand
which comes from many SOurces that
corporate property should be taxed in
the localities where it is situated, and
recommended the creation of a De-
partment of Taxes and Assessments,
to be composed of a board to be ap-
pointed by the Governor, and to in-
clude some, if not all of the Officials
who now have supervision of the cor-
porations to be affected. I suggested
that this board should determine the
exact Value Of all Corporate property
not now taxed locally, and levy taxes
thereon in the same proportion as pri-
Vate property now bears.
Your session is rapidly drawing to a
close without any action upon these
recommendations. I again call your
attention to the existing exigency, and
Submit for your careful consideration
the recommendations then made, in
the hope that you may devise some
means of equalizing, in a measure at
least, the burdens of taxation. I de-
Sire in this connection to Say that l
an not Wedded to any particular Sys-
tem. Of taxation; any method that may
be adopted to Secure Substantial equal-
ity will meet with my hearty approval.
At the present time We have several
kinds of corporations paying specific
as distinguished from general taxes:
River Improvement companies pay
a tax of One per cent upon capital.
Railroad companies pay a tax Vary-
ing upon the amount of their gross
earnings, from 2 to 4 per cent, and
averaging about 2% per cent.
Insurance COmpanies in most cases
pay a tax of 2 per cent upon gross
earnings.
Plank road companies pay 5 per cent
On net profit.
Telephone and telegraph companies
pay the average rate upon the value
Of their properties, which average rate
is determined by the Board of Review,
consisting of the Auditor General,
State Treasurer and the Commisisoner
of the State Land Office.
Freight, Sleeping and palace car
companies pay 2 per cent upon their
grOSS receipts.
(Auditor General's Report for 1896,
page 64.)
The Operation of the laws under
which these taxes are collected, seems
to me Very unsatisfactory. Under this
System we collected, from express
companies in the State in 1895, $2,742.-
34. In the neighboring state of Indi-
ana, the property Of these companies
was assessed at $1,330,676 for the year
1895. This did not include the real es-
tate Owned by them. Indiana has 1,–
336 less miles Of railroad than Mich-
igan. The business of express com-
panies is largely dependent upon the
railroads, SO that it is Safe to say that
With Our excess Of mileage the busi-
ness done in this State must be at
least equal to the business done in the
State of Indiana. If the express com-
panies in this State were assessed at
the same amount as in Indiana, their
taxes would have been, in 1895, $37,-
258.93 instead of $2,742.34. This is com-
puted at the average rate Of taxation
as fixed by the Board of Review for
that year. Similar inequalities exist
as to many of the other corporations
named.
I desire at this time to call your
Special attention to the taxation of
railroad companies, not because I wish
to single out these corporations from
others, but because there are bills now
before you especially relating to them.
Railroad Corporations in this State
are not bearing their proportion of
taxes. I use the reports of the State
officers for 1896, based upon taxation
in this State for the year 1895. In that
year the people of the State paid taxes
upon a valuation of $1,130,000,000.00.
(Auditor General’s Report for 1896,
page 310.) This amount was reduced
by the State Board of Equalization in
1896 to $1,105,100,000.00. The valuation
of the property of the State as equal-
ized by the board of supervisors, in
1895, was $818,086,160.00. The total taxes
that year for State and municipal pur-
poses is reported at $20,633,571.04, or
a fraction less than 2% per cent. The
Board of Review, acting under section
1239, Howell's annotated statutes, fix
the average rate of taxes, general,
municipal and local, levied throughout
the State during the previous year,
from the records and files in the Au-
ditor General's office, at 2 8-10 per cent.
The total cost of railway property in
the State, as returned by the compa-
nies and verified by the affidavits of
their Officers, was $301,003,148.44 (Rail-
road Commissioner's Report, page
LXXVI). The railroad companies paid
in taxes that year $741,408.77 (Railroad
Commissioner's Report for 1896, pages
X and XI). This tax amounted to a
little less than one-fourth of 1 per
Cent upon the Sworn valuations re-
turned by the companies, something
less than one-tenth of the percentage
paid by the other taxpayers of the
State. This enormous inequality will
Strike everyone as grossly unjust.
TO descend to particulars and show
the inequality of our present system
of taxing railroad properties, I will
use the Detroit Union Railroad Depot
and Station Company for the purpose
of illustration. To show the property
possessed by this company I quote
from its report as published in the
Railroad Commissioner's Report, page
501:
COST.
Of real estate, including
right of way............... $1,331,040 82
Of depot buildings and fix-
tures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62,196 00
Of elevators and belongings 303,595 00
Of all other property. . . . . . . . 584,120 00
Total cost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,280,915 82
The taxes paid were $3,739.61, and
announted to less than one-sixth of 1
per Cent, Which is less than one-fif-
teenth of the average rate per cent
paid in taxes by individual taxpayers
Of the State.
The System of specific taxes applied
to Only a part of the property of
the State, cannot be continued for any
length of time without producing great
injustice. It will be readily seen that
if all the property of the State was
to be taxed specifically, and a fixed
rate determined upon in advance, it
Would be impossible to meet any of the
emergencies which from time to time
arise. If, for instance, in 1846 the Leg-
islature had fixed three-fourths of one
per Cent as the taxes which would be
paid by all taxpayers, as it did fix the
taxes to be paid by the chartered rail-
road Companies, there would have been
In O Way to provide for the increase of
taxes which has since occurred. Under
the Special charters specific taxes were
placed, in 1846, at three-fourth of 1 per
cent upon the capital stock paid in,
and Such moneys as were realized
from loans and used in the construc-
tion of railroads. This rate of taxation
Was made to commence in 1851. It will
be noticed that while this rate was
fixed as a specific tax it was fixed upon
the Valuation of the property, and not
upon earnings. At that time we had
no great University; no asylums worth
Speaking of; no Soldiers’ Home; no
Normal School; no Agricultural Col-
lege; no schools for the deaf or for the
blind; no industrial homes; no mining
School; no great prisons; no fish com-
mission; no State Board of Health; no
State Weather Service; no extensive
militia; no dairy and food inspection,
and comparatively inexpensive school
houses. This was at a time, too, when
the population along the lines of these
roads was Very much less than at
present, and when the commerce of
the State was comparatively undevel-
Oped. These charters remained undis-
turbed from 1846 until 1893, when the
charter of the Michigan Central Rail-
road, so far as taxation was concerned,
was repealed. They still remain in
force as to the other companies. The
intervening period was one of wonder-
ful development in this State, and at
every Session of the Legislature the
people have been called upon to make
extraordinary appropriations for the
building up of State institutions. The
period also embraces the years of war
between 1861 and 1865, during which
the burdens upon the taxpayers were
greatly increased and enormous sacri-
fices had to be made.
During this period the percentage of
taxes on an ordinary taxpayer in-
creased with great rapidity. In 1840
the rate was only two mills on the dol-
lar for State purposes. In 1855, when
the first republican Legislature con-
vened, the rate of taxation was less
than one-third of a mill on the dollar,
and Only about six cents per capita.
In 1865, at the end of the war, the
taxes for State purposes were less than
four mills on the dollar, and Only 57
Cents per Capital. In 1871, taxes for
State purposes were a little more than
One and two-tenths mills on the dol-
lar and Only 33 cents per capita. In
1873, taxes for State purposes were less
than One and six-tenths mills. In 1895
Our taxes had increased to nearly two
and seven-tenths mills for State pur-
poses, and to $1.34 per capitas (Audi-
tor General’s Report for 1896, pages
309 and 310.)
During the same period the propor-
tion of the total taxes paid in the
State, as far as railroad companies are
Concerned, decreased. In 1855, the rail-
road Companies in the State paid 72
per Cent Of all the taxes levied for
State purposes. In 1870, the percentage
had dropped to 34 9-10 per cent. In
1895, it had dropped to 21 7-10 per cent,
notWithStanding the conceded conten-
tion of the railroad companies that
their improvements and extensions
have more than kept pace with the in-
crease of property and population.
This percentage refers to the State
tax alone. The other taxpayers of the
State were called upon to meet similar
increases in taxation for local purposes
from which the railroad companies in
the State have been entirely free.
The history of railroad taxation in
this State is very interesting. Under
the Special charter of 1846, the roads
Were required to pay, after 1851, an an-
nual tax of three-fourths of 1 per cent
upon their capital stock paid in, and
upon all loans made by the company
for the purpose of construction. Upon
this basis the taxes upon the railroads
Of Michigan at the present time would
be $2,267,523.61 instead of $741,408.77.
Under the law of 1855, passed by the
first republican Legislature of the
State of Michigan, the taxes on rail-
road companies were made 1 per cent
upon the capital stock paid in. Under
this act, if it had been left undisturbed
and applied to all railroads, we should
be receiving $3,010,031.49, instead of
$741,408.77. Under the act of 1869, we
should be receiving in addition to this,
1 per cent upon money realized from
loans, municipal aid and other sources
used in the construction of railroads.
Every change in the system of tax-
ation from 1869 to the present time has
resulted in decreasing the proportion
of taxes paid by railroads. In the
meantime the burden of taxation on
Others, as already shown, has enor-
mously increased. The Legislature of
1846, although supposed to have been
compelled to submit to a hard bargain,
fixed the rate of taxation for that time
upon a Comparatively fair basis. The
Legislature of 1855, in fixing a tax of 1
per Cent upon the Value of the railroad
property, SOught to make the railroad
Companies pay their just proportion of
the public burden. The Legislature of
1869 saw the justice of adding to the
Capital Stock of the companies the
Value of property received from towns
through which the railroads passed,
and the improvements made from bor-
roWed money. The system of a tax
On earnings was not adopted until 1871.
At that time, the railroad companies
were paying nearly 35 per cent of the
Whole State tax, not including taxes
for municipal purposes. The effect of
the legislation was to decrease the per-
Centage paid by railroads in two years
to less than 18 per cent. If the rail-
roads paid the same percentage of
State taxes in 1895 as they did in 1855,
they would now be paying $2,751,977.94
instead of $741,408.77.
Even the change made in the Mich-
igan Central charter in 1893, by which
people were led to believe that the
Michigan Central Railroad Company,
in Coming under the general law as to
taxation, had made a concession favor-
able to the Other taxpayers, has Oper-
ated to decrease the burdens of that
company. The report of the Michigan
Central Railroad Company, printed in
the Railroad Commissioner's Report
for 1896, at page 351, shows the cost of
the 221 miles of that road in Michigan
to be $25,462,632.13. Taxes computed
upon this sum under the old charter
at three-quarters of 1 per cent would
amount to $190,969.74. The taxes paid
by the company in 1895, under the new
act, were $145,515.01, making the State
a loser by the change of $45,454.73.
This is the loss for a single year. The
repeal of the charter was made to
cover the taxes of 1892, so that the
State has already lost by the change
made in 1893 more than two hundred
thousand dollars, in the taxes paid by
this company alone.
I am aware that it is claimed by the
railroad companies that their business
is SO depressed and that Michigan af-
fords such a poor field for their oper-
ations that they cannot afford to con-
tribute their share towards the neces-
Sary expenses Of the State.
I regard it as a slander upon the
Commonwealth to say that Michigan
is not as favorably situated for rail-
road Operations as any of her sister
States. She has been considered un-
usually rich in resources, and re-
Sources Of that character which make
business for railroads. Michigan is
first in the production of lumber; first
in the production of salt; first in the
production of copper; first in the pro-
duction of iron. She is far above the
average in the production Of Wheat,
corn, potatoes, wool and fruit. She
has an industrious and thrifty popula-
tion. She lies in the path of through
commerce and certainly enjoys her full
share of it. Her manufactures, as COm-
pared with the adjoining state of In-
diana, to which comparisons have
hereinbefore been made, were in 1890
as follows: Michigan, $277,896,706; In-
diana, $226,825,082. It will be seen that
the manufactured products of Mich-
igan exceeded those of Indiana, by
more than $50,000,000, although the
population of Indiana at that time was
slightly in excess of the population of
Michigan.
It is also argued that the railroad
earnings have been falling Off So rapid-
ly in late years that it would be un-
just at this time to increase railroad
taxation. A glance at the Statement
published by the Railroad Commis-
sioner in his report for 1896, at page
LXXVIII, will convince anyone that
there is no truth in this claim. It
will be conceded by everyone that in
1891 and 1892 the country was very
prosperous. It 1891, the railroads lo-
cated entirely within and partly with-
in and partly without this State, re-
ported their earnings from
Passengers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25,409,645 69
Mails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,813,067 79
Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,797,388 80
Freight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65,251,790 89
From Other SOurces. . . . . . 505,993 90
Total receipts from Oper-
ation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $95,777,886 57
In 1895 they received from
Passengers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34,385,922 13
Mails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,556,592 90
Dxpress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,137,185 71
Freight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98,611,093 02
From Other SOurces. . . . . . . . 1,087,706 70
Operating receipts other
than for traffic. . . . . . . . . . . 1,714,647 70
sºmmismºmº-
Total receipts from Oper-
ation in 1895 (as against
$95,777,886.57 in 1891). . . . . $144,484,148 16
It will be noticed by reference to
this table that the earnings of these
roads for 1895 were more than ten mil-
lions more than in 1894; more than
thirty-two millons more than in 1892,
and nearly fifty millions more than in
1891.
To come down again from the gen-
eral statement affecting all the rail-
roads in the State to a particular in-
stance, let us use the Michigan Cen-
tral Railroad Company as an illustra-
tion. According to its report as pub-
lished by the Railroad Commissioner
in 1896 at page 356:
Its total earnings from Op-
eration Were. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,651,420 61
Its total expenses, includ-
ing taxes, Were . . . . . . . . . . . 10,183,231 31
Its net in COme Was . . . . . . . . $3,468,189 30
It would have taken $100,000,000 in
United States bonds bearing three and
one-half per cent interest, to earn
about the same annount.
It would have taken one hundred
millions worth of the best real estate
in our cities, after paying the taxes
imposed for State and municipal pur-
poses, to earn the amount.
I leave it to the Legislature to Say
how much would have to be invested
in farm property to net this annount.
As a further illustration, I quote
from the report of the Lake Shore &
Michigan Southern. (R. R. Com. Rep.,
page 276.) “General exhibit:
Total earnings from oper-
ation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $21,016,035 05
Total expenses, including
taxes . . . . . * * * * > * > & e e s e e e s e e 14,568,219 71
Net income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,447,815 34
L E G IS LA T I V E S O U V E N I R.
11
Interest OIl
funded debt.. $3,134,370 00
Interest OIl
guaranteed
Stock . . . . . . . . 53,350 00
Rentals of leas-
ed lines...... 644,759 35
$3,832,479 35
Balance applicable to
dividends .............. $2,615,335 99
Dividends de-
clared, 6 per
cent . . . . . . . . . $2,967,990 00
Balance for the
Year . . . . . . . . . 352,654 01
$3,320,644 01
Balance (profit and loss
loss) last year.......... $11,834,805 99
Items not included in above:
Interest and
dividends on
assets . . . . . . . . $412,978 96
Accounts writ-
ten Off. . . . . . . . 257,644 92
$670,623 88
Balance forwarded to
next year.... . . . . . . . . . . . . $11,637,485 03
Analysis of Capital Stock.
Annount authorized by
Charter or articles of as-
Sociation .................. $50,000,000 00
Par value of
Shares ....... $100 00
Number Of
Shares issued 500,000 00
Amount paid
in on com-
In On . . . . . . . . . 49,466,500 00
Amount paid
in On guar-
anteed ....... 533,500 00
Total amount paid in as
per books of company... 50,000,000 00
Paid in per mile of road
OWned by COmpany,
859.15 miles................ 58,197 06
I do not overlook the claim that
many of the railroad corporations of
the State are not paying dividends;
that some of them are in a banqrupt
condition and unable to pay interest on
the bonds which they have issued. If
all this were true, it would afford no
ground for exemption from taxation.
There is a great deal of unoccupied
and unrented property in cities which
brings no revenue whatever to its own-
ers, but is still compelled to pay its
proportion of taxes. Many of our
banks have been compelled to reduce
their capital in order to charge off poor
loans and make their stock worth its
face value. They are still compelled
to pay their taxes. There are many
farmers who receive no return from
their investments in lands, and some-
times receive scarcely anything for the
labor they perform upon them. They
are Still required to pay their taxes.
To exempt any property from taxation
is to shift the burden to other prop-
erty; there is no reason why these
great Corporations, which are notori-
ously able to and do pay extravagant
Salaries to their officers, as well as
other extravagant expenses, should not
bear their share of the public bur-
dens.
So far, I have dealt with those rail-
roads in the State which contribute
Something towards the public burdens.
There are, however, a number of rail-
roads Which pay nothing. In the re-
port of the Railroad Commissioner,
page IX, I find the following table:
“The following roads are located
north Of parallel 44 of latitude, and
claim exemption under act No. 174,
Session laws of 1891:
Date Date
COIO- COIO- -
Name. menced menced | 3
to be to be :
built. |operated.| >
Alpena & Nor. Div. of
Detroit & Mackinaw May, 1893. Nov. 18,'93'84.70
Boyne City & South-
eastern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apr. 33,33|Aug.28,33 14.00
Chicago&North Mich.|May 15,'91|June * 62
ning Div.)............ Feb., 1892|Jan. 1, '9347.05
Manistee & North-
Wisconsin & Michigan|Apr. 4, * an. 1, * 10
C., M. & St. P. (Chan-
eaStern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oct. 1, '91|July 1, '92|24.00
This table shows a total of more
than 316 miles. The sworn reports
filed With the Commissioner of Rail-
roads show that these roads are worth
more than fifteen millions of dollars.
Some of them belong to systems of
roads which paid last year as high as
7 per cent in dividends.
On what principal can these prop-
erties be exempted from taxation ?
Our constitution provides: “The
Legislature shall provide an uniform
rule of taxation, except on property
paying Specific taxes, and taxes shall
be levied on such property as shall be
prescribed by law.” (Art. 14, Sec. 11.)
HOW Can we call that an uniform rule
Of taxation which exempts some prop-
erty entirely from taxation and shifts
the taxes which it should pay to the
Shoulders of others? It is mere rob-
bery under the name of legislation.
We are called upon this year, as our
predecessors have for many years gone
by, to make extraordinary appropria-
tions for Our State institutions. It is
absolutely necessary that we make
these appropriations. The ordinary
taxpayers of the State are compelled to
meet them.
The railroad companies will make a
profit out of every appropriation made,
While they contribute a mere pittance
in proportion to the general taxpayer.
They will make a profit upon every
Student who is carried to our normal
School or university; upon every pris-
oner who is taken to one of our peni-
tentiaries; upon every insane person
Who is transported to an asylum; upon
eVery pound of freight that is carried
to any of the State institutions for
their use. On what principle can it be
Said that they should not bear their
proportionate share of the cost of
maintaining these establishments?
We are also called upon at this ses-
Sion, as the State has been called upon
before, to provide for those who have
Suffered by fires and famine. The
railroad companies will make a profit
On every pound of freight sent to the
relief of these unfortunate people,
While paying practically nothing to-
Wards the appropriations made for
them. From the beginning, these great
Corporations have practically evaded
their duties to the State. In the war
for the Union the burden of every
Other taxpayer was largely increased.
The railroad companies made a profit
upon every Soldier who was carried to
the front, and upon the body of every
dead Soldier who was brought home
to be buried. At the same time their
taxes remained stationary. No other
interest in the State is so likely to
need the protection of the National
Guard. If our soldiers are called out
to protect railroad property, they will
insist upon fare for their transporta-
tion, and at the same time pay practi-
cally nothing towards the expenses in-
Curred.
There is but One rule consistent with
honesty; that rule is to place all prop-
erty upon the same footing; to make
eVery One pay his share, and to ask no
one to pay more than his share. No
One should ask the railroads to do
more than they insist upon others
doing. No one should be satisfied with
anything less. To increase the present
tax by insignificant annount, would be
merely trifling with the rights of the
people. What is demanded is a sub-
stantial and bona fide effort to equal-
ize taxes, and make every one pay his
Share.
It is not my intention to recommend
Such a change in our present system
as will injuriously affect the primary
school fund to which specific taxes are
now devoted. I trust you may be able
to frame such a law as will impose
upon railroads their just proportion of
taxes, and at the same time so dis-
tribute the amount raised that what is
now paid to the primary school fund
shall be increased rather than dimin-
ished. I should be glad to see at least
One million of dollars, or even a great-
er Sum, Of the taxes in posed, devoted
to this purpose. I fully realize that the
State, has made great sacrifices to es-
tablish railroads; that it has given
away millions of acres of land; that
many of the municipalities have de-
voted large Sums to encourage rail-
roads to be built. It is only just that
those parts Of the State which have
no depots or other valuable railroad
property should receive something in
return for the sacrifices which they,
as well as Others, have been compelled
to make. The return cannot be made
in any better way than by a contribu-
tion to the primary school fund, in
which all the people Of the State are
intensely interested.
It is assumed by many that in ad-
Vocating a change in the manner of
assessing railroad property, so as to
tax it upon value instead of upon
earnings, a new departure is proposed.
This is untrue. From 1846 to 1893 the
chartered roads, without exception,
paid a Specific tax upon the value of
their properties. Most of them do so
Still. From 1855 until 1871 the railroads
Organized under the general railroad
laws of the State paid a specific tax
upon their capital Stock paid in. The
System of taxing earnings began in
1871. It has worked disastrously for
the State. It is objectionable in many
Ways. It Opens a door for fraud
against which the State has no protec-
tion. The State is practically com-
pelled to accept the reports made to it
by the railroad companies.
Many of Our great railroad lines
CrOSS Our Own State and into the ad-
joining States of Ohio, Indiana, Wis-
Consin and Minnesota. In Ohio and
Indiana, there is a tax upon the value
Of the property; in Michigan the tax
is upon earnings. The temptation is
always held out to these railways to so
manipulate their accounts that their
earnings shall appear to be as small
as possible in Michigan, and the value
Of their property as low as possible in
Indiana and Ohio. We have no check
upon their accounts from which to de-
termine the correctness. Of their re-
turns. So long as the adjoining states
have a different system of taxation,
the companies have the power not only
to defraud Our State, but the others in
Which their lines run. I do not intend
to make any charge against the rail-
Way companies having such lines.
There has been no investigation which
Would warrant me in asserting that
any fraud has been committed upon
the State. I only intend to point out
the ease with which such fraud may
be committed.
One thing is certain, that Michigan
is not receiving from railroad compa-
nies any such return as is received by
Other states no more favorably situ-
ated. We get in Michigan less than
three-quarters of a million of dollars.
Our adjoining sister state of Indiana.
gets more than two and a quarter mil-
lions, although we have 1,336 miles of
railroad in Michigan in excess of the
mileage in Indiana, and although our
manufactures and commerce are
greater than that of Indiana.
Taxation in Michigan has become a
Question of paramount in portance. It
announts in many cases to confiscation.
It demands the earnest thought and
honest action of those entrusted by
the people with the management of
their affairs.
Trusting that it may receive at your
hands the consideration which it de-
Serves, and that the recommendations
made may be promptly acted upon, I
Submit these views to you.
Very respectfully,
H. S. PINGREE,
GOVernor.
A WARM HALF HOUR IN THE SENATE
Each biennial session of the Legis-
lature has its field day, when the blood
of members rise to fever heat and When
things are said or done that were
better left unsaid and undone.
The field day in the Session of 1897
Came On March 24, when, in committee
of the whole with Senator Forsyth in
the chair, the bill of Senator Covell,
No. 183, entitled a bill to provide a ten-
ure of office for appointive State of—
ficers and members Of certain State
boards in certain cases, came up for
consideration in the afternoon Session
Of that day.
This bill was introduced for the pur-
pose of providing a law which would
prevent the GOVernor making appoint-
ments Of State Officers Or members of
boards Of control at a time when the
Legislature was not in session, except
in the case of death, resignation or . .
cause for removal by legal procedure.
The acrimony of the discussion was
introduced by Senator Moore, who pre-
faced a motion to Strike Out all after
the enacting clause of the bill by as-
serting that the bill was before the Sen-
ate “through misrepresentation and
deception, and its introduction an in-
Sult to the Governor Of the State.”
There needed to be no more said in
giving the introducer of the bill, Sen-
ator Covell, the long-desired oppor-
tunity to deliver himself in vigorous
expressions of asperity towards the
GOvernor and his Supporters On the
floor of the Senate, which he proceeded
to avail himself Of in his usual em-
phatic manner. He said:
“I know the merits of this bill. While
the Senator from the third is Sensitive
to insult to the Governor, the bill is
full of merit. It is to prevent the Gov-
ernor insulting the people. It doesn’t
prohibit the Governor from performing
his duty, but it gives this body its equal
right to perform its duties, who are put
here in the interest of the people. If
the Governor proposes to give us Our
right, the bill doesn’t harnn any one.
I don’t believe there is a man in Mich-
igan who would approve of the Gov-
ernor waiting until the Session is over
and then appointing a Chicago labor
COmnissioner. If he wants to hold the
appointment Off and appoint a man the
people don’t want the bill forbids hirn.
“Senator Moore, as the representative
of the Chief executive, may think this
a slap at the Governor, but it is to pre-
vent the Governor from slapping the
people.”
Senator Moore replied to this by say-
1Ing:
“The Senator admitted in committee
that the bill was intended to punish the
Governor. Hut I think this bill will not
become a law.”
Senator COvell retorted:
“The Governor has already pledged
his word that the bill won’t become
law.” -
By this time all the bars were down
and the controversy a free for all af-
fair, with Senator Thompson the next
to enter, and who before it was Over
tongue-thrashed the Governor in his
usual vigorous English. He began by
Saying:
“The trouble With Senator MOOre is
that he is SO. Sensitively Organized that
he construes everything not coming
from the executive Office as a reflection
upon the Governor. Nothing is a re-
flection that has the object of preserv-
ing our constitutional rights. This
Simply makes it his duty to make nom-
inations while the Senate is in Session.
It dosn’t prevent nominations when we
are not in Session. Senator Covell is
too broad to slap the Governor. He
wants to enable the Governor to make
nominations in accordance with law.
“There is an able-bodied rumor that
the Governor will wait until the end of
the session to import a Labor Commis-
sioner. If it is not true, why hasn’t he
filled the Office, when it has been Va-
cant six weeks and the present occu-
pant—a very worthy man, by the way
—has been hanging on by his eyelids.
He proposes to wait and make nomina-
tions unacceptable to the Senate. Why
doesn’t he pursue the broad path other
Governors have 2 Bennis is a sort of an--
archist. We don’t want him here. We
have plenty of anarchists in the State
In O.W.
“I should certainly be the last one to
insult the Governor, and I want to
deprecate the insult he has cast upon
Our judiciary. Such language as that
Of the Governor would better become
Herr Most in his most bilious moments,
or Mr. Altgeld. When the executive
stoops so low as to have no respect for
the judiciary, if he succeed in his dire-
ful mission, he will have advanced the
people a long way toward an archy and
confusion. If the people are to be
taught to have no respect for law and
Our judges, we shall have fallen on
woeful times, and there is great tribu-
lation in Store for us.”
After a majority of the Senate had
by their applause shown its Sympathy
with Senator Thompson’s remarks,
Senator Moore came back at Senator
Covell, saying:
“I have it from Senator Covell that it
was his purpose to insult the Governor.
Why did he not ask for it in 1893 or
1895? He told me We did not have a,
“thing’ for Governor then. I am ready
to vote for any good measure not con-
ceived in such a manner as this.”
This brought Senator Covell to his
feet again, and it was plain to be seen
that he would no longer be choice in
his expressions, and that he was not
will be understood in his saying:
“Senator MOOre made that Statement
Once before, and I repeat now what I
said then, that it is false. It was not
introduced as an insult. I told him its
Object was to prevent an anarchist be-
coming Labor Commissioner. I did say
it wasn’t necessary two and four years
ago. I don’t know that I said we had
a ‘thing’ for Governor. But, gentlemen,
if I did, I don’t care to take it back
now. Whether the Governor takes it
as a personal slap, the bill is full of
merit. It doesn’t rob him of his rights,
but gives us Our right to pass upon
gubernatorial appointments.
“Why does he hold up over forty ap-
pointments? If there is nothing in the
rumor that he will appoint a Chicago
Iabor Commissioner, why has it gone
Out? No One talks more about it than
the Governor himself. He can do away
with the rumors by making the ap-
pointments? This is a good bill
for all time to come. It would
have been a good bill in 1893, but there
were not the circumstances then to
make me conceive such a bill to pre-
serve Our rights.
“Talk about slapping the Governor!
12
T EI E S T A T E R E P U B L I C A N
^ It is beneath Our dignity when we have
such a Governor. Talk about my being
able to Slap Such a man! If the Senator
from the third would not stand by a
man conceded to be the biggest dem-
Tagogue in the State, if he would spend
more Of his time in the committee room
instead Of in the executive chamber, he
Wouldn’t need to talk about a slap.”
Senator Moore in rising to reply to
this, although in addressing the chair
did SO in his usual dignified and col-
lected manner, was livid with Sup-
pressed anger, but contented him with
Saying:
“I’m able to run my own affairs. I’ve
never had a word with the Governor
about a single bill before this Senate.
PIe never suggests how a man shall
Vote, but he roasts him afterward. In
all my experience he never called me
Onto the carpet. I’m as independent as
he Or any other man. There never was
a man On earth I had to bow to. I
don’t go to the Governor’s Office for in-
Structions.”
The heat engendered in this debate
had now reached a degree where it
Caused alarm to be depicted on the
faces Of many of the Senators and
Caused SOme to reflect that the time
had come for the Senate to resume its
normal attitude of senatorial dignity.
With this in view, Senator Wagner,
On being recognized by the chair, said:
“I don’t like to have a Republican
Governor called a demagogue on the
floor Of this house. The chairman
Should call the gentleman to order. I’d
like to know why he is a demagogue.
I’m not a Pingree man, especially, but
So long as he is Governor it is my duty
to uphold him when right and oppose
him when wrong. It is not right to call
him a demagogue.”
Senator Mason then got the floor and
said:
“It is our duty to examine the bill,
and disregard all argument as to the
GOVernor. The bill provides for the
protection of the senatorial prerogative.
It is good, just and proper, asking only
What we possess under the constitu-
tion.”
This was offset by Senator Mudge,
Who, in support of the Governor and in
Opposition to the bill said:
“The Governor has been denounced
because of his tame criticism of the
Supreme Court. There are three co-
Ordinate branches of the government,
the legislative, executive and judicial,
and that this branch denounces an-
Other is as much out of place as for the
Governor to say things about the Su-
preme Court.
“Let us respect him as Governor,
even though privately we do not re-
Spect him as a man. This bill was con-
ceived in bitterness and in the poison
of asps. For that reason we ought to
VOte against it.”
All being now weary of the debate, it
closed.
The committee then rose and re-
ported the bill back to the Senate with
the recommendation that it do pass,
upon which Senator Moore demanded
a roll call, which resulted as follows:
Yeas—Messrs. Barnard, Barnum,
Campbell, Colman, Covell, Flood, Had-
sall, Latimer, Maitland, Mason, Merri-
man, Savidge, Teeple, Thompson, Wag-
ner, Youmans, President pro tem.—17.
Nays—Messrs. Blakeslee, Bostwick,
Hughes, Loomis, Moore, Mudge, Pres-
COtt, Warner—8.
The bill was then placed on the order
Of third reading of bills, where it was
read a third time and passed, a ma-
jority of all the Senators elect voting
therefor, by yeas and nays, as follows:
Yeas—Messrs. Barnard, Barnum,
Campbell, Colman, Covell, Flood, For-
Syth, Hadsall, Latiner, Loomis, Mait-
land, Mason, Merriman, Savidge, Tee-
ple, Thompson, Youmans, President
pro tem.—18.
Nays–Messrs. Blakeslee, Bostwick,
Hughes, Moore, Mudge, Prescott, Rob-
inson, Wagner, Warner—9.
The bill then went to the House,
Where in the closing days of the session
it was put to its death under a motion
that further consideration be indefin-
itely postponed. And thus ended a
bill which had caused more bitter con-
troversy than any introduced during
the session. e
MICHIGAN’S TRUST FUNDS
Mr. Henry Humphrey,
State Accountant.
Dear Sir:-
A matter of much controversy in this
State, and one over which you and I,
at different times, have had some dis-
Cussion, is the matter of State funds.
Believing that you are better in-
formed on this subject than any other
man in the State, and that the time
has come when this question should be
Settled for future generations, I Write
to ask you to kindly draft a statement
showing what the State funds are and
how they came into existence, more eS-
pecially as they relate to the question
of school funds and lands sold for ed-
ucational purposes.
I desire this for publication in the
Legislative Souvenir and Political His-
tory of Michigan, about to be issued by
the State Republican, in which I think
it will probably fall under the eye of
more persons interested in State af-
fairs than in any Other Way at the
present time.
Very respectfully,
J. H. MORROW.
Hon. James H. Morrow,
Care State Republican,
City.
Dear Sir:-
You ask me to make a brief state-
ment concerning Michigan's trust
funds. You desire to have it in as
simple form as possible, and yet show
the Origin and function of these funds.
Without referring to Statutes by
dates or acts and Omitting lengthy quo-
tations therefrom, I will Shorten this
portion of the communication by using
general statements, which, however,
can be verified by the records.
The lands from which these funds
were derived were presented to the
State by the general government On
condition that the State should devote
the income from the proceeds of the
lands when sold to educational pur-
poses. The State accepted the gift
With the conditions attached.
I suppose there is no difference of
Opinion upon this point.
Two ways, at least, have been urged
as a means of carrying out the desire
of the general government and the
pledge of the State. Each way has been
tried. One was to sell the lands and
loan the proceeds to corporations and
individuals upon supposed good Secur-
ity. This happened to be the first
method adopted, and was in charge Of
the Superintendent of Public Instruc-
tion, under act 104, laws of 1837.
Evidences are not lacking annong the
early records of the State, when this
plan was in operation, of the ill results
accompanying it. Therefore,
there was any large accumulations
from the sale of these lands this
method was abandoned and the work
of converting this gift into a productive
fund was transferred from the charge
of the Superintendent of Public In-
struction to the Commissioner of the
State Land Office, under act 42, laws
Of 1844.
Thereafter, when any of these lands
were sold, so much Of the money as
was paid down was turned into the
State treasury, the land Office keeping
an account with the purchaser, who
paid interest upon all deferred pay-
ments until such time as the final pay-
ment of principal was made thereOn.
So much of the money as was re-
ceived upon the principal (upon pri-
mary school land) and paid into the
State treasury was credited to the pri-
mary school fund, and so much of the
money as was paid upon interest by the
purchaser on account of deferred pay-
ments of principal was credited to the
primary school interest fund.
same process was followed with the
other educational lands in this and
most Other respects.
The primary school fund and the pri-
mary school interest fund were each
kept upon the general or cash ledgers
Of the State in the Auditor's and Treas-
urer’s Offices. NOW the terms Of the
grant required the State to keep the
primary school fund in perpetuity,
while the primary school interest fund
was the vehićle through which the in-
come from the primary school fund
passed from its source to its destina-
tion.
I speak here of the distinction be-
tween these two funds because it has
SO often come to my attention that the
general public make no discrimination
between them, and from my standpoint
this little fact enters largely into the
misconception that many have con-
cerning the “trust funds.”
Many apparently think that “trust
fund” and “trust fund money” are sy-
nonymous terms. This view is errone-
Ous. The “trust fund,” which must be
kept in perpetuity by the State, is
merely the name of the measure or
register of the money received from the
sales of the lands. This measure must
never be diminished, but the money
measured—i. e., all that is received
before
The
©
upon principal from the lands sold—
must be utilized by the State, because
it belongs to the State and not to the
Schools.
The primary school interest fund, On
the contrary, is the fund which car-
ries the trust fund money, and What-
ever almount is standing to its credit
at any time upon the ledgers Of the
State represents money held in trust
by the State for the schools. The State
Can never use this money because it
belongs to the schools. The distribu-
tion of this money is made twice each
year. So when you read that the
“trust funds.” Of the State annount to
more than $5,810,000, don’t imagine that
this vast Sum of money is in the State
treasury, Or that it Ought to be there.
You are Only looking at the tally sheet
Or measure Of every dollar that has
ever passed through these , funds. It
is the fund Or measure that must re-
main perpetual.
The State has used over $1,980,000 of
the moneys received as principal from
these lands through its sinking fund,
in the purchase Or payment of State
bonds and interest thereon, and Over
$3,800,000 through the general fund for
general expenses of the State govern-
ment. This has lessened direct tax-
ation by an equal annount.
That is, the gift of these lands has
enabled the State to distribute annong
the taxpayers thereof more than $5,-
810,000 just as effectually as it would.
have done if the entire expense of the
State government had been taxed upon
the people each year and the State
Treasurer had drawn his check in favor
of every individual taxpayer for his
portion of this $5,810,000.
It has been suggested that by heav-
ing the money, to the extent of the
Sales Of these lands each year, in the
hands of the people, as is done by ap-
plying the amount Of these Sales upon
the expenses of the State government
and thus reducing the direct tax levied
by the same annount, it would certain-
ly remove all chance for speculation or
loss that might accompany the first
method adopted in the handling of
these public lands, i. e., loaning the
proceeds therefrom to corporations or
individuals and collecting interest
thereon for the Support of the Schools
Of the State.
The facts are that, as far as this ex-
periment was tried, it was not entirely
Successful and losses resulted, even
with a small fund to handle compared
with that which now exists; while un-
der the present System there is cer-
tainly no chance for speculation or
loss, and no corps of expert bankers is
required to attend to the handling of
this money, as it is all left in the hands
Of the people.
One question asked by you has been
frequently hinted at by others, namely,
where does the State get its authority
to use the purchase money received
from the sale Of these lands?
Article 14 of Our State constitution
contains a provision which requires
that “the Legislature shall provide for
an annual tax sufficient with other re-
Sources, to pay the estimated expenses
of the State government.” Now when
the biennial estimates that are submit-
ted to the Legislature are made up, the
entire expenses of the government are
Classified and the total annount of such
expenses determined. The estimated
receipts which are applicable to this
class of expenses are also classified and
determined. The amount Of tax for
the expenses enumerated is always re-
duced by the amount of receipts ap-
plicable to these expenses. In these
estimates, thus presented to the Legis-
lature, the amount of anticipated re-
ceipts from the sales of these land
grants each year are included.
Hence it follows that the Legislature,
in directing the Auditor General to
levy the amount of tax for the several
items of expenses, reduced by the
amount of these several estimated re-
ceipts has authorized the use of mon-
eys received from the Sale of these
lands as certainly as it has authorized
the use of moneys received from ped-
dlers' licenses, Sales Of Compiled laws,
fees fronn State departments or interest
from Surplus revenue, etc., etc., Or, in
fact, any other class of prospective re-
ceipts used in the biennial estimates.
This is not an unusual method of
recognizing the receipts from other
Sources than specific or direct taxa-
tion. -
Most, if not all, of the State institu-
tions have miscellaneous receipts,
Which, in like manner, are estimated
for each biennial period and deducted
from , the estimated disbursements
for a similar period. This esti-
mate is before the Legislature when it
is asked to appropriate an amount COr-
responding to the difference between
the receipts and disbursements as
shown by it. In View. Of the foregoing,
will anyone Say an institution has not
legislative sanction for expending an
amount in excess of the legislative ap-
propriation equal to the receipts from
Cther Sources?
It seems to me that the Several State
Officers have had almple authority for
using the purchase moneys derived
from the educational land grants for
purposes as previously enumerated.
But when it is conceded that the pur-
chase moneys from these educational
land grants have been lawfully and
judiciously used, the Concession is
Often followed by unreasonable expres-
sions of regret that the State should
have incurred such a Vast “Debt to
the Trust Funds.”
The State of Michigan in debt to its
“Trust Funds?” Who Or What are the
“Trust Funds?” And whence Or how
are they coming to demand payment
from the State 2
Let me personify the governments
that were parties to this generous gift
and its acceptance, and assume that
Smith represents the general govern-
ment and Jones the State government.
Smith says to Jones that I am inter-
ested in the Welfare of you and yours
in the highest degree, and while I feel
that you will do all for your family
possible in the way of educational ad-
vantages, I have concluded to make
you a proposition. It is this: I will
make you a present of a sum, the an-
nual income of which will be sufficient
to meet about one-eighth Or one-fourth
of the expenses of educating your
children properly, provided you will
pledge me upon your honor that you
will always devote to educational pur-
poses a sum not less than this annual
income which will pay about One-
eighth or one-fourth of the expenses of
a proper education. If you accept this
gift you must do so upon the condition
that you will always expend about
one-eighth or one-fourth as much as I
know the entire cost of properly edu-
cating your children will be, from the
benefits you derive from this gift—to
make it definite, I will call it the “in-
come” from the gift and place it at
the rate of 7 per cent per annum—and
upon the further condition that you
can never repay the gift. It must re-
main for ever and ever a perpetual
fund upon which you must pay at the
rate of 7 per cent per annum. Jones,
in behalf of his children, accepts from
Smith this generous gift with all its
conditions. Jones says, it costs my
children for their education from four
to eight times as much as the interest
upon this fund, and in addition to the
expenses incident to their education
there are many others to be borne by
them in the way of taxation, as SO-
ciety is organized at present, so I will
accept this gift and apportion it out
among my children, thus relieving the
general burden of taxation by the
amount of the gift, while the 7 per cent
per annum which they will pay upon
this gift will simply be paying for
educational purposes the One-eighth or
one-fourth from one pocket, leaving the
seven-eighth or three-fourths of the
entire cost of their education to be
paid from the other pocket. There is
clearly no burden to my children in
paying the 7 per cent interest upon this
gift for educational purposes, as there
must always be added a liberal direct
contribution. (Keep in mind that in
the illustration the one-eighth or one-
Quarter cost is met by specific, and
the three-quarters or seven-eighths by
direct taxation.) Jones, in accepting
the gift as above, no doubt, reasons
as follows: If it will add no burden
to my children to pay the interest up-
on this gift, and if the gift itself is
outright and can never be paid I see
no reason in the world why it should
not be accepted.
Webster says a debt is “That which
is due from One person to another,
whether money, goods or services; that
which one person is bound to pay to
another, or to perform for his benefit;
that of which payment is liable to be
exacted; due; obligation; liability.”
It seems to me this is a fair illus-
tration of the actual situation, and
how anyone who gives the matter any
attention can claim that Michigan is
in debt nearly $6,000,000.00 is beyond my
comprehension.
The State has received as purchase.
money from the educational land
grants nearly $6,000,000.00. Nearly all
specific taxes were set aside by the
constitution of 1850 for School and debt
paying purposes. After the extin-
L E G IS L A T I V E S O U V E N I R.
13
guishment of the State debt, all were
to be used for school purposes.
These taxes which have been used
for School purposes as interest upon
the “trust funds” are about $9,200,000.00,
While the annount that has been used
under the provisions of the State con-
stitution of 1850, which provides that
all Surplus Specific taxes (after pay-
ing interest on trust funds, etc.) shall
become part of the primary school in-
terest fund and distributed to the
Schools of the State, is about $9,000,-
O00.00, making a total of $18,200,000.00.
The annual distribution of specific
tax money to the schools of the State
during the past seventeen years (the
period since the extinguishment of the
State debt) has averaged about one-
third for interest On the fund and
about two-thirds under the constitu-
tional provision for distributing the
Surplus. This annount, under the last
provision referred to, is rapidly grow-
ing, but will continue to go to the
schools unless the constitution shall be
annended.
I could never see why either political
party should attempt to make capital
Out of the treatment of these “trust
funds.” Both parties have sanctioned
the present method by following it and
I predict that no party will ever
Change it. The constitution may be
modified some day as to the disposition
Of a portion of the specific taxes col-
lected, but as to the general treatment
of the “trust funds” I think the pres-
ent method will continue.
Very respectfully,
HENRY HIUMPHREY.
GODELL’S MENU BILL
All kinds of bills come to the legis-
lative hopper. Bills to compel people
to do certain reasonable and unreason-
able things. Bills to prohibit people
from doing certain other reasonable or
unreasonable things. Bills that place
people in doubt as to whether it is safe
to do anything and bills that assure
them that if they do not do something
the prison doors will open for them.
The most unique bill of a compulsory
nature introduced in the Session of 1897
was one introduced by Representative
Goodell of Wayne. On a return trip
from a visit of inspection at the Upper
Peninsula, Asylum for the Insane, Mr.
Goodell returned to Lansing by way of
Chicago where at the table de hote of
One of Chicago’s swell taverns he was
handed a menu printed in French. Al-
though representing a district in the
Legislature of Michigan whose early
Settlers were Frenchmen, he knew
nothing of “Menu French,” and al-
though receiving the aid of the polite
garcon, Mr. Goodell experienced much
difficulty in selecting from the menu
the dishes he desired in an attempt to
appease the appetite of a man from
Wayne.
Considering it an outrage that
menus, programs, etc., should be print-
ed in a foreign language in a country
whose laws he was at the time engaged
in enacting into good English, he, in-
mediately on his return to the State
capitol at Lansing, prepared and in-
troduced a bill, the title of which tells
its purpose, and which when intro-
duced and referred to the committee
read as follows:
House bill No. 402, entitled
A bill requiring bills of fare at all
hotels and restaurants, programs at
all places of amusements, and doctors’
prescriptions to be written and printed
in the English language;
Which was read a first and second
time by its title and referred to the
Committee on printing.
Had this bill not failed of passage it
Would have added One more to the
sumptuary laws which say what we
shall and shall not do in Our daily life.
THE PERENNIAL BILL
A bill introduced at each recurring
Session of the Michigan Legislature is
One providing capital punishment by
hanging for the crime of murder.
In this Session it was introduced
by Senator Blakeslee, who, failing
to pass it in that shape, had it
amended to capital punishment by
electrocution, in which shape it came
up for final passage on May 27 and
failed to pass by 16 to 14, the following
Senators Voting by yeas and nays:
Yeas—Senators Barnard, Barnum,
Blakeslee, Campbell, Flood, Jibb, Law-
rence, Loomis, Mason, Moore, Prescott,
Savidge, Thompson, Wagner, Warner
and Younans—16.
Nays—Senators Bostwick, Colman,
Covell, Forsyth, Hadsall, Holmes,
Hughes, Latiner, Merriman, Mudge,
Robinson, Teeple, Wagar and Westcott
—14.
MERRIMAN TAX BILL
There was no bill passed during the
Session watched with SO much interest,
not Only in Michigan, but by people in
Other States, interested in the railroad
properties of this State, as was the
now historic Merriman bill, increasing
the specific tax on railroad earnings.
After passing the Senate by an al-
most unanimous vote this bill went to
the House, and was referred to the
Committee On railroads, who, On May
12, without recommendation, reported
it back to the House, where on motion
it was placed at the head of the spec-
ial Order Of that day.
The provisions Of this bill were in
direct conflict with the recommendal-
tions of the Governor, in his inaugural
message, for the taxation of railroad
properties as Other property is taxed,
and the friends of the Governor’s
recommendation brought their full
Strength to bear against it; first
against the passage of the bill as a
false principle in taxation, and then,
when it was found it could not be de-
feated, labored hard for an increase in
the per cent of tax provided for in the
bill, until, when finally passed, the tax
On railroads was increased in gross,
according to the estimates of the Rail-
road Commissioner, about $155,000.
Through the courtesy of Mr. Harvey
A. Sherman, stenographer to the Gov-
ernor, we are enabled to give a ver-
batim report of the proceedings in the
committee of the whole on May 12, as
follows:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The House went into committee of .
the whole for the consideration of
Senate bill No. 83, file No. 17, being the
So-called Merriman bill.
Mr. Adams: I move to strike out, in
section 3, line 11, after the word “two,”
the words “and one-half;” in line 13, .
after the word “three,” the words “and
One-quarter;” Strike Out of lines 14 and
15, after the word “ dollars,” the words
“and not exceeding six thousand dol-
lars;” strike out in the same line, 15,
the word “four” and insert in lieu
thereof the word “ten;” at the end of
line 15 strike out the following, which
includes lines 16 and 17: “And upon
all Such gross income in excess of six
thousand dollars per mile four and
One-half per cent thereof.”
In support of that motion I desire to
Say this: First let us consider the
taxes now paid by the railroads of the
State and then compare them with the
taxes paid by the assessable property
Of the State. In our report we find
that the assessable property in the
State pays from 2 to 3 per cent upon
its assessed value. We then turn to
the railroad and we find that it pays a
tax of one-quarter of one per cent,
upon their sworn statment, of the cost
Of construction and equipment. Now
let us suppose that they would be
assessed, were they assessed the same
as Other property, at one-third of their
reported cost; that would be one hun-
dred million dollars assessed value.
Then if they pay three-quarters of one
per cent upon their assessed value,
assessed upon the same basis as other
property is now assessed—while other
property pays at least two and one-
Quarter per Cent—therefore the rail-
road pays today one-third only of
What other property pays, or one-third
of its proportion as compared with
Other property. Now that, if true—
and I believe that there is no member
upon this floor who will dispute those
figures—I submit that there is no real-
Sonable excuse for a railroad bearing
a less proportion of the public burden
than any other property.
The next question is: How shall we
raise the tax and ask them to bear
their proportionate share of the bur-
den of taxation? I believe it is proper
to raise the specific tax as this bill
proposes to do, but let us raise it
enough. The bill as it stands, I am
told, will raise the railroad taxes about
One hundred and seventy thousand
dollars. To bring the railroads on a
level with other property it will be
necessary to multiply their present
rates by three. In other words, they
should pay the sum of $2,224,226.31, in
Order to pay their proportion of the
public tax, whereas they do pay $741,-
408.77.
I do not hope, gentlemen, to see a
law passed at this session that will
compel the railroads to pay their just
proportion of the public tax. But I
do ask fair and candid, consideration at
your hands to a material increase of
the taxes that they are paying. I be-
lieve it is fair. I believe the fair rail-
roads of our State will not object to
an increase of taxation. We have
placed no limit, and I believe we will
place no limit upon their income. I
believe that the income of the rail-
roads should be controlled by compe-
tition. I believe that would regulate,
and regulate properly, the income Of
the roads. We certainly cannot afford
to clip both ends, but I do believe we
are honest and just and fair in asking
them to contribute their share.
The difference between the tax as
printed in this bill, and the tax that I
propose in the amendment offered, will
be over three hundred thousand dollars.
In other words, I am told that the in-
creased tax according to the bill will be
about $170,000.00, whereas with the
amendment that I have offered it will
produce an increase of $474,871.00, and
that will make the railroads pay about
One-half of their just proportion of the
taxes. I believe we have a right to
ask them to do it. I do not believe it
is wise to attempt to compel them to
pay their full proportion, but we can
get at that Step by Step.
Now the roads earning two thousand
dollars per mile and less are poor
roads. Unless the prospects are the
income will materially increase in the
future, those roads have a value as a
railroad Of nothing. They have a
Value in the material that is used, to
be distributed and used for other pur-
poses, but as a railroad it is very little
if any Value. I believe that upon that
class of roads the tax burden should
not be increased. I believe also that
the increase on the second two thou-
Sand dollars per mile should be in-
creased but slightly. The amendment
J propose will increase it one-half of
One per cent over what they now pay,
and One-fourth of one per cent less
than this bill as printed proposes. But
On the roads receiving four thousand
dollars and more per mile, the larger
per cent Of the income Over four thou-
Sand dollars is net profit. I believe we
have the testimony, or the statement
of the railroad men themselves, to that
effect. I believe it is fair to submit
that the fifth thousand dollars, and
every succeeding thousand dollars per
mile received represents at least 75 per
cent net profit. Now that being true,
upon the fifth thousand dollars re-
ceived $750 is clean money, or net profit.
Seven hundred and fifty dollars repre-
sents a six per cent net investment
on a property worth $12,500. You in-
vest $12,500 in any piece of property
Other than railroad property, and that
piece of property will pay a tax at
the rate of two per cent of $250 a year.
While ten per cent may seem hard it
will only compel them to pay a tax of
One hundred dollars, if invested in rail-
road property, as against $250 if in-
vested in other property. 9
I believe that it is a compromise. I
believe that they should pay a larger
rate, but as a compromise, and as what
I think the most we can ask at this ses-
Sion, I hope you will consider that
rate.
There is no reason why they should
pay a larger tax upon the 7th or 8th or
9th Or 18th thousand dollars received.
It represents no larger investment.
The percentage of net profit in that
receipt is no more than upon the fifth
thousand dollars, therefore I think it
should be a level assessment upon all
above four thousand dollars in re-
ceipts.
Mr. Atkinson: This amendment, as
far as it goes, meets with my hearty
approval. But I regret that any mem-
ber of this House has been compelled
to make the confession that at this
session of the Legislature we are with-
out hope and dare not ask that the
railroads pay their just proportion of
taxes. It is a confession of imbecility
that is humiliating to me as a member
Of this body.
Is it possible that, representing the
great State of Michigan, this Legisla-
ture dare not ask these great corpora-
tions to pay their just proportion of
the taxes? I feel it so strongly that I
feel compelled myself, in the first in-
stance, to at least give the House a
chance to say whether or not they
shall pay their just proportion. And
then if this House is willing by its
Solemn Vote to say that we dare not
ask these corporations to pay what the
humblest citizen in this State pays on
his property, then we may hang our
heads in shame and go back to our con-
stituents with that confession.
This amendment, as stated by the
distinguished member from Kent (Mr.
Adams) will raise the taxes On the
railroad property in this State some-
thing less than half a million of dol-
lars. We will use round numbers for
the purpose of the argument. They
now pay, in round numbers, three-
quarters of a million, so that when the
annendment shall pass the railroad
companies of this State will contrib-
ute, towards the taxes of this State,
One million and a quarter. We have
the proofs lying on Our desks that they
value their own property at Over three
hundred millions. We have the record
of the State Board, provided by a pre-
vious Legislature, fixing the average
taxation for all purposes in this State
at about two and One-half per cent.
At two and One-half per cent on three
hundred millions of dollars the rail-
road companies Of this State should
pay Seven millions, five hundred thou-
Sand dollars in taxes.
Gentlemen Of the House do not seem
to appreciate what enormous taxes we
have in this State. We are raising
more money in this State than is
raised in the kingdom of Greece which
has just been carrying on a great war
against the Ottoman Empire. Our
taxes run way up above twenty mil-
lions for State and municipal pur-
poses. If we got the proportion of the
railroads on their Own valuation we
Would get Seven and a half millions,
instead Of One and a quarter millions
which would be produced by this
anendment.
Now, are we ready to face the peo-
ple of this State and say, “We tax you
at One rate, but when the great corpo-
rations of the State approach us we
dare not tax them at the same rate?”
For my part, whatever becomes of the
proposition, I demand here of the rep-
resentatives of the people of the State
a vote by which the railroad compa-
nies of the State shall pay their share
Of the public taxes, nothing more,
nothing less. I shall not myself will-
ingly be a respector of persons. I shall
not go to the man who is in rags be-
cause he has a little property, and say,
“I taxed you at four or five times the
rate that I taxed your millionaire
neighbor who happened to be the owner
Of railroad property.” y
When you Stop to consider the taxes
that we pay in this State, and what we
pay them for, you will See at Once that
the burdens of this State are falling
upon a particular class of taxpayers,
those who are unfortunate enough to
Own a little property, and not influen-
tial enough to avoid taxation.
Last night we had a lecture in this
hall asking for an appropriation for
the University. The gentleman who
represents that district will favor that
appropriation, and expect us to pass
it. I WOuld stop every new plant in a
building in this State unless the repre-
Sentatives Of those towns where those
institutions are established will help
us to equalize the taxes. Let us keep
up what we have, but let us make no
further improvements unless we equal-
ize the taxes and make everybody pay
their share. The gentleman from
Jackson (Mr. Peek) will want us to
make an appropriation for the State
Prison, but although he is a member
Of the railroad committee he reports
out this bill which will practically
make the railroads pay nothing toº
wards that appropriation. The gen-
tleman from Kalamazoo (Mr. Foote),
also a member of the railroad Com-
mittee, has already got us to make an
appropriation for a new building in his
city to be attached to the asylum, but
the entire cost Of it will have to fall
upon the common taxpayers of this
State, and unless we make the rail-
roads pay their share we Ought not to
make any such appropriation. The
gentleman from Gogebic (Mr. Cham-
berlain) another member of the rail-
road committee, has already gotten us
to make an appropriation for the un-
fortunate sufferers in the town of On-
tonagon. Shall we say to the poor peo-
ple of this State, “We were generous,
We made an appropriation for the Suf-
ferers of Ontonagon, but we have not
the courage nor the manhood to ask
the railroads to bear their proprotion
of it?”
Gentlemen of the House, let us put
Ourselves on record, no matter what
becomes Of it. Let us rise to the Occa-
Sion and make the railroads of this
State pay their share of the public
burden. Why are they privileged 2
What is there about them—upon what
meat do these men feed that we should
be their slaves, that they should not
pay the same taxes that Other people
pay?
I now come to the immediate argu-
ment made for this amendment. We
are told that railroad companies that
earn Only two thousand dollars a mile
are poor. Everybody is poor. Every
common taxpayer in this State is al-
most facing confiscation, because the
taxes are not only high, but the entire
burden is shifted upon the common
taxpayer, and taken away from these
14
T H E S T A T E R E P'U B L I C A N *
Specially favored corporations. Are
railroads that Only pay two thousand
dollars a mile too poor to pay their
Share of the public burdens? I think
annong those roads is one running from
St. Ignace to the city of Marquette, a.
railroad that runs through a Sparsely
Settled portion of the country and does
not carry a great many people. But
we must remember that if it earns only
tWO thousand dollars per mile its ex-
penses are very light. It only runs a
train in the morning and a train in
the evening, instead of half a dozen
trains each way as is done by the rail-
roads that are earning larger moneys.
When that road was built it received
from this State a magnificent land
grant. There were twelve men who
built that road, and the twelve men
immediately divided the land grant
anong them, and each one pocketed
half a million dollars, took that out as
clear profit. Then they bonded the
road for more than it cost, so that
When they got through they had half
a million dollars each, they had a sur-
plus of the money received from the
bonds, and then they commence do-
ing business, and now claim that they
are too poor to pay their taxes. Why
Should we not tax them? Now we face
our constituents with a shamed face,
I might say, and say that these peo-
ple who have been enriched by the
State, simply because they are now
earning Only two thousand dollars a
nile, and giving hardly any service for
it, should not pay their proportion of
the public burden.
Then we come to those earning four
thousand dollars a mile. My friend
from Rent (Mr. Adams) under his
annendment leaves them also undis-
turbed. Raise it one-half of one per
Cent On the four thousand, and that
would bring it up to three. They
now pay a quarter of one per cent,
and by raising it one-fifth they are
Still way down, so that you can hard-
ly figure the fraction of one per cent,
and they are earning four thousand
dollars a mile. The amendment is not
at all just. It should be very much
larger.
I want to call the attention of this
House to the fact that this bill, while
it raises the tax on those roads that
have very large earnings, it will not
produce much revenue, because there
are only a few roads that pay very
large revenues, according to their own
report. I want you also to remember,
gentlemen of this House, that the re-
ports of earnings are such as the rail-
roads make them. We do not know
whether they are right or wrong. We
have no test. We have nothing but
their own returns on which to rely.
Every other taxpayer of the State has
to submit his property to the inspec-
tion of the tax assessor, but railroads
simply tell us what they pay, and we
are compelled to take their answers,
to take their own statement. We have
had law suits in this State with the
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern by
Which the State has recovered some-
thing Over a hundred thousand dollars
of taxes, of which it had been de-
frauded by their returns. But we can-
not have a lawsuit every year, and
Often in a lawsuit it is very difficult to
find out the actual earnings of rail-
roads.
Take the Michigan Central, for in-
Stance. It has 221 miles of road in
Michigan. It has all its great depots
in Michigan. It has about 42 miles in
Indiana, taking in all its sidetracks.
I said 221 miles in Michigan, but it
really has over 400 miles, counting its
double track, in Michigan. And yet,
according to its return, it earns as
much per mile in Indiana, as it does in
Michigan, although all its depots are
here and although all its improvements
are here. And we are compelled to
take that return. There is no way in
which we can test it. They pay a tax
On earnings in Michigan, so they make
the earnings look as small as possible.
They pay taxes on the valuation of
their property in Indiana, and so they
make the valuation of their property
as low as possible there.
The fraud underlying this system of
taxation is so apparent, to anybody
Who Will look at it fairly, that he can-
not help but understand it. Are these
railroad companies above fraud? Are
they to be trusted more than other
people? Is that the record of the rail-
road business in the world? Have they
not established the exact opposite
record in the public estimation ? So
that we are compelled to take their re-
turns, and if you leave the schedule
in the shape proposed by the amend-
ment you will realize very little addi-
tional revenue from it.
I am opposed to this system of taxa-
tion because it is open to fraud. But
if we are going to continue the specific
taxation then let us Strike for
what they Ought to pay. How much
Ought they to pay? Double the Sched-
ule and you have a million and a half,
Still less than one-quarter Of the pro-
portion that Other people pay. Double
it again and you have three millions,
still less than half what they ought to
pay. If you multiply this Schedule as
it comes from the committee by four,
you will still have less than their pro-
portion of taxes, even if you admit that
under their Oaths they have valued
their property at three times its actual
Cash Value.
Instead of this amendment, if we are
going to adopt Specific taxation at all,
We Ought to have a Very much larger
percentage, SO that I trust this annend-
ment to the bill will not prevail. I
then propose, with the consent of this
House, to submit some annendments,
if the House seems to favor specific
taxes, that they will give us some-
thing like the taxes the railroads ought
to pay.
I shall regard this vote, if this
anendment is carried, as a confession
On the part of the House, as made by
the gentleman who has proposed the
anendment, that we cannot hope at
this session to make the railroads pay
their share of the public burden. I
an not yet without hope. This House
has not yet had an opportunity to say
that it is afraid to do what is right,
and I trust that when the final test
COmes the gentlemen will rise to the
Occasion and treat all people alike and
render exact justice.
Mr. Bricker: I have an amendment
to the amendment. In line 11 I move
to Strike Out “2% per cent” and insert
“3 per cent.” In line 13 strike out “344."
and insert “4.” In line 15 Strike out “4
per cent” and insert “5 per cent.” In
lines 16 and 17 strike out “4%” and in-
Sert “6” in lieu thereof.
Now, Mr. Chairman, and gentlemen
Of the House, in support of this motion
I wish to say that I believe specific
taxation of railroads is the only true
Way of taxing railroad companies. The
reason why is the fact that the Legis-
lature places the amount of the taxa-
tion. This is one of the chief reasons
Why I believe it to be one of the best
modes of taxing the railroad compa-
nies. We Ourselves place the amount
of the taxation. And I believe that
this bill, drafted as it is on a sliding
Scale, is a very good bill from the very
fact that it proposes to tax the railroad
Companies On the income of the rail-
road companies. A railroad whose in-
come is small escapes a high taxation,
and they can least afford a high taxa-
tion, while on the other hand a railroad
Whose income is large can well afford
a high rate of taxation. Therefore I
believe that this bill is equitable, not
Only to the railroad companies but to
the people.
Why do the railroad companies build
railroads. Just for the same reason
that the farmer buys a farm, to make
money Out of it. They do not build
railroads for their health, not at all.
The farmer does not buy a farm for his
health, he buys it for a speculation.
And if the farmer goes out here and
buys a farm for ten thousand dollars
and pays two thousand dollars on that
farm, he is in debt eight thousand dol-
lars on the farm. He not only has to
pay interest on the eight thousand, but
he has to pay taxes on the whole valu-
ation of the farm.
For the very same reason the mer-
chant goes into business. He goes to
the city and buys a stock of goods.
He may perhaps buy ten thousand dol-
lars’ Worth of goods. He perhaps only
has two thousand dollars to pay on
those goods. He is indebted on the
balance of his stock eight thousand
dollars. He places them in his store.
The assessor comes round and assesses
that Stock for the true valuation of
the Stock. Consequently this man is
not Only paying interest, but he is
paying taxes on the whole valuation.
Now, gentlemen, I believe that the
railroad companies should pay a high-
er taxation. On their railroads in this
Country. I believe that they can well
afford to do it, but not like my friend
from Wayne (Mr. Atkinson). I do not
believe that the local taxation would
be a benefit to the people of the State
Of Michigan. Why? Because it is
drafted in the interest of the large cit-
ies, that is why. If we had local taxa-
tion of railroad companies the large
cities would receive the benefit to the
detriment of the whole State of Michi-
gan. Therefore, gentlemen, I am in
favor of a bill drafted on the lines that
this bill is drafted, and if we can raise
the taxation I shall Vote for this bill.
Mr. Sawyer: I desire to offer a sub-
Stitute for all Of these Offers to this
bill. Upon the gross income, not ex-
ceeding two thousand dollars per mile
Of road actually Operated in this State,
I move to annend by including the
Words “2 per cent” on the gross in-
COme. I think that is in line 11.
Upon the gross income exceeding two
thousand dollars per mile and not ex-
Ceeding four thousand dollars per mile,
I move to amend by adding “2% per
Cent” in place of the figures offered.
Upon those roads earning four thou-
Sand dollars per mile and not more
than six thousand dollars per mile, I
move to amend by inserting “4 per
cent.” And upon all gross earnings in
excess of six thousand dollars per mile
and not exceeding eight thousand dol-
lars per mile, 4% per cent. And upon
all gross earnings exceeding eight
thousand dollars per mile, 5% per cent.
NOW, Mr. Chairman, those figures
Were prepared after some careful con-
Sideration and examination of the sub-
ject of taxation. I think my distin-
guished friend from Wayne (Mr. At-
kinson) recognizes the figures, and I
offer those as a substitute for the pres-
ent proVisions in this bill relative to
taxation.
I believe that is as fair an esti-
mate of the proper taxation of rail-
roads as it is possible for man to make
With the light that is now before us.
These are figures that have been set-
tled upon and agreed to by pretty
nearly all parties connected with this
Side of the controversy, upon which my
friend from Wayne and I are.
Talking of increasing taxation, I
think it is an unfair and an unjust
dodge to say that because I feel
inclined to propose a specific line
of taxation that therefore I op-
pose an increase of railroad tax-
ation. That is unjust to me, and
it is unjust to the people with
Whom I am now associated. I am in
favor, Mr. Chairman, of increasing the
taxation upon railroads. I said so yes-
terday, and repeat it again today. I
am in favor of increasing the tax upon
railroad companies, and regardless of
Whether those companies are paying or
not paying money. A man in this
house is the owner of property today
that does not make any money at all,
and yet the tax gatherer never forgets
to put him upon the tax roll. It is
proper he should be there, and it is
proper that he should pay taxes upon
it. So that as far as I am personally
COncerned, Mr. Chairman, it is in no
Sense a Question whether a railroad is
paying or not paying expenses. The
question with me is, what is a fair and
just line of taxation ? And what is a
fair and honest amount of taxation
upon all the railroads in the State of
Michigan. I feel inclined to vote for a
just and honest tax against every rail-
road in the State of Michigan, and
Would grade that tax in accordance
With these figures.
I think a railroad company that is
earning a large amount of money can
better afford to pay than the road that
is not earning so much money. But
While I say that, on the other hand I
Say that whether it earns money or
not, or whether it is running behind or
not, it Ought to pay its just share of
taxation. Now that is the principle
upon Which I stand, and I do not care
to be misrepresented about it.
For One I am not moved to this
position by any sense either of fear or
favor. As I said yesterday I am here
because my judgment leads me to that
conclusion, and it is of but very slight
COn Sequence to me. If my conscience
Shall dictate a line of conduct, and if
after mature deliberation I cannot see
Something else more reasonable or
just, I shall follow that line of con-
duct and let the consequences take
Care Of themselves.
Mr. Atkinson: There seems to be
Some confusion about your figures, and
in following your argument it is hard
to get at them. Do you leave the rate
On the first two thousand the same as
the present law 2
Mr. Sawyer: I do.
Mr. Atkinson: And on the second
tWO thousand do you leave the rate the
Same 2
Mr. Sawyer: I do.
Mr. Atkinson: You do not increase
it until you get to the third two thou-
Sand 2
Mr. Sawyer: That is my position.
On the fourth two thousand I increase
it one per cent.
Mr. Atkinson: Is it your intention
to so amend the Merriman bill as to
produce less revenue?
Mr. Sawyer: It is my intention to
so annend the Merriman bill as to in-
crease the revenue Of that bill.
Mr. Atkinson : You take Off half a
cent On the first two thousand, and On
the Second two thousand your annend-
ment would not produce more than
half the revenue produced by the Sen-
ate bill.
Mr. Sawyer: In that the distin-
guished gentleman is entirely mis-
taken, and I am astonished myself that
I should find any opposition to this
annendment, especially from the gen-
tleman from Wayne (Mr. Atkinson).
What I was about to say was this:
These annendments, I think my distin-
guished friend (Mr. Atkinson) will bear
me Out in Saying, were after a consul-
tation between himself and myself as
to what we thought would be a just
taxation upon the railroads. At least
I so understood our interview, and I
think I am betraying no confidence
about it, if I thought I was I would
not Speak Of it. I SO understood Our
interview, that this was to be the line
Of taxation, and these were to be the
figures of taxation.
Speaking of the Merriman bill as
Compared with these figures and this
if found to be true: The increase by
the Merriman bill upon the first class
of railroads is one-half per cent; the
increase upon the second style of rail-
roads is three-quarters of one per cent.
Then it falls back, when it strikes the
abler roads, to one-half per cent in-
Crease again. Now the increase that
We have agreed upon increases from
the first all in the same class, increas-
ing larger and larger as they reach the
roads that are earning a greater
annount, which I think would be just.
Mr. Chairman, I hope another thing
Will not happen: I hope you will con-
sider this great question that is before
us in the field of honest judgment. I
hope you will not be driven or fright-
ened by any threats from anybody or
from any quarter to do differently
from what we honestly think we ought
to do. I stand here, perhaps fortu-
nately or unfortunately, representing
the district in the State of Michigan in
which is located the great seat of
learning of the northwest. It is an
honor to me, and I am glad to state
that my people have confidence enough
in me to send me here to represent that
district. At the same time I want to
say with all the love I bear for my
Own City, with all the respect and
honor I pay to that great institution of .
learning, I have a higher regard and a
higher respect for myself and my own
Sense of justice and right. And if I
an to be told that because I dare to
Vote in accordance with the dictates
Of my own bare judgment, therefore
that great institution shall suffer at 2&
the hands of the Legislature of Michi-
gan, I can Only say, gentlemen, you
may not do right, but as for me and
mine, we will serve our God in accord-
ance with the dictates Of our con-
Science.
Now I want to say, gentlemen, if
you will take the figures I have made
here, and give them a fair consideral-
tion, and you think they are not suffi-
cient or they ought to be changed in
any way, Only so you shall not decrease
them, and you will find me voting with
you. I am as earnest as a man can
possibly be that every species of prop-
erty in the State of Michigan shall
Stand its just share of the taxation
necessary to carry on this great gov-
ernment Of Ours. And I will not suffer
a railroad company, nor will I suffer
my distinguished friend from Wayne
(Mr. Atkinson) to escape a cent’s taxa-
tion that he justly ought to pay or
that they justly ought to pay. And
for that reason I have stood from first
to last declining to vote for the repeal
Of the law taxing mortgages. I think
there is no species of property in the
United States that can better afford to
pay taxes than the mortgage, and
therefore I stand in favor of that, and
I want my friend from Detroit to un-
derstand I will tax his mortgages and
he may tax all the railroads he has a
mind to. I want to tax every species
Of property that Ought to be taxed, and
I want to tax it so they will know they
have aided in Supporting the govern-
ment that has protected them and
given them the Opportunity to acquire
property and become wealthy within
the limits Of Our State.
I wish the House would carefully
consider the amendment I have pro-
posed, give it due attention, and if it
does not agree with your judgment,
then formulate Some annendment that
shall tax these companies in a just
ratio, and not, after you have got to the
sixth or eighth thousand dollars a mile,
L E G IS LA T I V E S O U V E N I R
15
say “No, we won’t tax the other fel-
lows that get beyond that anything.”
I undertake to say that a railroad Com-
pany that is drawing ten or twelve
thousand dollars per mile annually
Ought to pay more than a railroad
making two thousand dollars per mile.
And I Say you have no right to cut Off
the limit and Say when they earn
twelve thousand dollars per mile they
Shall pay no more than the railroad
making six thousand dollars per mile.
It is an injustice, and no argument can
wipe out the fact that it is anything
else, to the people of this State. Tax
them in proportion to the amount they
earn, and do not stop until you have
reached the limit Of their earnings, and
I am with you.
Mr. Adams: Having made a Compu-
tation I desire to state that the amend-
ment Offered by the gentleman from
Washtenaw (Mr. Sawyer) Will produce
an increase I believe Of less than
$150,000 over the present law. It will
produce an increase less than the Mer-
riman bill as printed Will produce.
A HOT DAY IN THE HOUSE
In the House the hottest day of the
Session came on May 25, just two days
prior to final adjournment. This heat
was engendered through remarks made
by Representative Chamberlain of
Gogebic, who, taking the floor as chair-
man Of the Committee of conference on
the Merriman railroad tax bill; pro-
ceeded to talk to a question of privilege
and when interrupted by the chair and
asked if it was his desire to proceed
On a question of privilege, Mr. Cham-
berlain said that was his purpose. He
then took exceptions to remarks,
aScribed to Representative Atkinson,
relative to the appointments made by
the Speaker of the House, in the make
up Of the committee of conference on
the Merriman bill, in which Mr. Atkin-
Son is alleged to have said that while
members who had Opposed the passage
Of the bill as it passed the House had
been assigned to this committee, the
friends of the measure had failed of
recognition in that regard.
Mr. Chamberlain started in by say-
ing that “The men who had tried to
raise the figures in the Merriman bill
had done SO in a manner bordering On
insanity.” The attempt to rush
through legislation against the rail-
roads had been accompanied by slan-
der and scandal heaped upon the mem-
bers in the attempt to ride a borrowed
hobby horse.” In this the men who
have tried to make us pass bills
Whether we want them or not have
been helped by two newspaper report-
ers who have been given every courte-
sy by this House. After saying he did
not know who had paid them. Or that
anybody had paid them he proceeded
to defend the actions Of the Conference
for holding sessions behind closed doors
by saying that the committee would
have sat until kingdom come if out-
siders had been admitted.
Mr. Chamberlain then said that “he
2 had met Messrs. Schuyler Olds and
Harrison Geer (whom the papers had
Charged him with Surreptitiously con-
versing with) on the stairs, because
another member of the committee had
told him that a gentleman wanted to
See him at the door of the Senate.
That Mr. Geer simply asked him for a
hearing before the committee, and that
this talk was loud enough to be heard
half way across the corridor, and that
the reporters could have reported what
was said if they wanted to. Continu-
ing he said: “No, it would not do for
these reporters to tell what was said.
They wanted to create a Sensation, and
they cared not whether what they said
would make or ruin the member.”
Mr. Chamberlain also said that the
two reporters who had reported him as
seen talking with these gentlemen haid,
immediately after Seeing him SO en-
gaged, hurried to the Governor's room.
He said, “I do not like the methods
that have been pursued to try and ac-
complish certain legislation.” He did
not know whether they were paid for
Or not—
Here Speaker Gordon interrupted
to say, “The question of person-
al privilege did not extend to im-
pugning the motives of members” and
continuing said, “The right to defend
the House, its members or the Speaker
is a sacred One, but no member has the
right to attack any other member or
set of members.”
After which Mr. Chamberlain again
proceeded and quoted from a num-
ber of newspapers whose editorials
were in support of the Speaker's
action in the appointment Of the
riman bill,
following this with a
few remarks in support of the Com-
mittee report.
Mr. Adams of Rent rose to reply to
Mr. Chamberlain's Strictures On those
who had tried to raise the figures in
the Merriman bill as bordering On in-
sanity, but in his remarks used the
word idiot, for insane, and was
promptly ruled out of order by the
Speaker, who said Mr. Chamberlain
had used no such term as idiot.
Mr. Atkinson was the next to get the
floor, and would not be choked off by
points of order from the Speaker. He
said, “I rise to advise the House to
accept the contemptible instalment
offered us by the railroads. I am glad,
sir (now addressing the Speaker), that
you have listened to this tirade in
which an attack has been made not
only upon one member, but On Seventy
members of this House. I am glad
that the gentleman from Gogebic has
defended himself, but in SO Serious a.
case as his I should advise him to enl-
ploy able counsel. The majority of this
House had no voice in framing this
report. It does not represent the senti-
ment of the House—”
For this Mr. Atkinson was promptly
ruled Out of Order by the Speaker, who
said: “That committee was appointed
upon order of the House and therefore
represented the House.”
“Oh,” Mr. Atkinson replied, “if
those five members are this House—,”
but he got no further when the
Speaker’s gavel fell with an em-
phasis that showed there was force
behind it, and the Speaker replied
to Mr. Atkinson by Saying “That
no one man and no five men are
this House.” Here Mr. Atkinson yield-
ed to the authority of the Speaker's
gavel and Mr. Fleischhauer of Osceola,
a member of the conference committee,
arose to tell Mr. Atkinson he was not
consistent in his Opposition to the
terms of the bill as presented by the
Conference committee, because earlier
in the session Mr. Atkinson had sub-
mitted to him figures that at the time
were only $11,000 more than those now
before the House, and took the Occa-
Sion to remind the Colonel that he fre-
quently absented himself from the ses-
Sions of the House by which its busi-
ness had been retarded, etc.
After Mr. Sawyer of Washtenaw had
made some remarks in support of the
Committee's report, Mr. Atkinson got
the floor on a question of personal priv-
ilege, during which he said, “If any of
my remarks as to the appointment of
this committee have been taken as a
personal reflection upon the Speaker I
want to withdraw them at this time.
I am willing to bear testimony to the
ability and the impartiality of the
Speaker in the chair, to his uniform
kindness and consideration. If in the
heat of debate I have criticized the
methods of some members, it is be-
cause we represent different principles.
I should have withdrawn my remarks
before if I had not known that SOme
members intended to criticize me, and
it is against the rules of debate not to
give your antagonist an even chance.
Our differences have been principally
political. We believe in different sys-
tems of taxation, and naturally clash
in debate, but I want to leave this Leg-
islature with none but the kindliest
feelings for all of my associates. I
should be glad to have had this session
end with good feeling toward all, but
it seems that if brother Chamberlain
had his way he would have me ex-
pelled.”
While all else seemed to take the
remarks of Mr. Atkinson as a Very
pretty apology, the Speaker was not So
devoid of sense as not to recognize that
while keeping within the bounds of
parliamentary language Mr. Atkinson
was running the iron of a keen Sarcasm
in to the quick, and took this Oppor-
tunity to again interrupt him by Say-
ing:
“The gentleman from Gogebic (Mr.
Chamberlain) made no motion to have
the gentleman from Wayne (Mr. At-
kinson) expelled.” It was then the
tone of humiliated courtesy was cast
aside and quick as a flash from a
sabre's gleam came the hot retort, “No,
there is a course which courageous
men take but which cowards shun.”
Continuing he said, “We take this bill
not because we want it, but because it
is all we can get. We do not want this
miserable bill—” “The gentleman
from Wayne is out of order” inter-
rupted the Speaker. “Well, this ex-
cellent bill,” rejoined Mr. Atkinson.
“The gentlemen need use no adjective,”
replied the Speaker. “Well, then, this
bill,” returned Mr. Atkinson with some
committee of conference on the Mer- 7 show of asperity, and then said, “the
bill reminded him of a poor baby,
maltreated by its parents in Committee
room until the more kind hearted mid-
wives in the House took it away,
clothed it and fed it and made it re-
spectable. Then its parents took it
away again, took away its nice jacket,
jumped upon it, and starved it back
into its original misery and returned
the unfortunate “Billy” to the House
to be adopted. He declared that the
Governor would go back to the people
—not to the tribunal which the gentle-
man from Gogebic seemed to hate SO
much, but to the people. Then would
be told how they had been insulted and
tramped upon, and to the people would
be left the obtaining of better terms
from the railroads. º,
' After Mr. Peters of Ishpeming, who
bore no love to Mr. Chamberlain, had
the floor to reply to his charge of in-
sanity of those who had tried to raise
the figures in the bill, although himself
a supporter of the lowest figure, the
roll was called and the conference re-
port was agreed to by a vote of 89 to 1,
the one against the report being Rep-
resentative Clute of Calhoun County.
Mr. Goodell of Wayne, seeing that the
great heat of the previous hour had
gone up in smoke, now rose to 2. Ques-
tion of privilege and, On being request-
ed by the chair to state his question of
privilege, said “I want to go out in the
cloak room and smoke.” Which, as
the House was then working under a
call, could not be granted by the
Speaker, and his pipe was for the Once
allowed to get cold.
RAILROAD TAXATION
Report of Conference Committee on the
Merrimari Bill
“The committee on conference of the
Senate and House of Representatives,
to whom was referred the matters of
difference between the two houses rela-
tive to
Senate bill No. 82 (file No. 17), en-
titled \
A bill to amend Sec. 3 of Art. 3 of
act No. 198, session laws of 1873, as
amended by act 43, public acts of 1879,
as amended by act 174, public acts of
1891, as amended by act 129, public acts
of 1893, entitled “An act to revise the
law providing for the incorporation of
railroad companies, and to regulate the
running and management, and to fix
the duties and liabilities, of all Said
roads and other corporations OWning
or operating any railroad in this
State,” approved May 1, 1873, being
compiler's Sec. 3360, Howell's annotated
statutes of Michigan,
Have had the same under consideral-
tion and beg leave to submit the fol-
lowing recommendations:
1. That in regard to the first amend-
ment made by the House, Which is as
follows: “By striking out of lines 1,
2, 3 and 4 of Sec. 3 the word, “formed
under the provisions of this act
which is now or may hereafter be
which is now or may hereafter be
brought under the provisions of the
general law of this State for the tax-
ation of railway or railroad corpora-
tions, and every railroad company or
other corporation,’ ”, the committee
recommend that in lieu of the words
stricken out by the House amendment,
the following words be inserted: “And
union railroad station and depot Com-
pany.”
2. That in regard to the second
amendment made by the House, which
is as follows: “By striking out of line
13 of Sec. 3 the words “three and One-
fourth,’ and inserting in lieu thereof
the word “four,’” the committee
recommend that the House recede from
this annendment.
3. That in regard to the third amend-
ment made by the House, which is as
follows: “By striking out of line 15
of Sec. , 3 the word ‘four,” and inserting
in lieu thereof the word “six,’” the
committee recommend that the House
recede from this annendment.
4. In regard to the fourth amend-
ment made by the House, which is as
follows: “By striking out of lines 16
and 17 of Sec. 3 the words ‘four and
one-half,’ and inserting in lieu thereof
the word “ten,’” the committee recom-
mend that in lieu of the words stricken
out by the House amendment, the fol-
lowing words be inserted:
“And not exceeding $8,000 per mile,
four and one-half per cent thereof, and
upon all such gross income in excess
of $8,000 per mile of the road so oper-
ated, five per cent thereof; that all
gross income of union railroad station
and depot companies whose earnings
are in excess of $20,000 per mile shall
pay on all such gross incomes in ex-
thorough
cess of $20,000 per mile of road so oper-
ated, ten per cent thereof.”
Sec. 3 of the bill as agreed to by your
conference committee reads as fol-
lows:
Sec. 3. Every railroad company, and
union railroad Station and depot Com-
pany, owning or Operating any rail-
road situated in whole or in part in
this State shall, on or before the first
day of July in each year, pay to the
State Treasurer, on the statement of
the Auditor General, a Specific tax
upon the property and business of
such railroad corporation operated
within this State, which tax shall be
computed in the following manner,
viz.: Upon all such gross income not
exceeding two thousand dollars per
mile of road actually operated within
this State two and One-half per cent
of such gross income; upon Such grOSS
income in excess of two thousand dol-
lars and not exceeding four thousand
per mile, three and one-fourth per cent
thereof; upon all such gross income in
excess of four thousand dollars and
not exceeding six thousand dollars per
mile, four per cent thereof; and upon
all such gross income in excess of six
thousand dollars per mile, and not ex-
ceeding eight thousand dollars per
mile, four and one-half per cent there-
of; and upon all such gross income in
excess of eight thousand dollars per
mile of road so operated, five per cent
thereof; that all gross income Of union
railroad station and depot companies
whose earnings are in excess Of tWenty
thousand dollars per mile shall pay On
all such gross income in excess of
twenty thousand dollars per mile of
road so operated, ten per cent thereof.
And when the railroad lies partly
within and partly without this State,
prima facie, the gross income of Said
company from Such road for the pur-
pose of taxation shall be on the actual
earnings of the road in Michigan, Com-
puted by adding to the income derived
from the business transacted by said
company entirely within this State.
such proportion of the income of said
company arising from interstate busi-
ness, as the length of the road Over
which said interstate business is car-
ried in this State bears to the entire
length of the road over which said
interstate business is carried. The
taxes so paid shall be in lieu of all
Other taxes upon the properties of Such
companies, except such real estate as
is owned and can be conveyed by Such
corporations under the laws of this
State, and not actually occupied in the
exercise of its franchises, and not
necessary or in use in the proper Oper-
ation of its road, but such real estate
so excepted shall be liable to taxation
in the same manner, and for the Same
purposes, and to the same extent, and
subject to the same conditions and
limitations as to the collection and re-
turn of taxes thereon as is other real
estate in the several townships Or
municipalities within which the same
may be situated. All acts or parts of
acts contravening the provisions of this
section of this act are hereby repealed.
Your conference committee, after
investigation and careful
consideration of the subject submitted
to them, respectfully recommend the
adoption of the above report, and ask
to be discharged from the further Con-
sideration of the subject.
G. W. MERRIMAN,
Chairman.
A. MAITLAND,
H. M. YOUMANS,
G. W. TEEPLE,
JOHN L. PRESTON,
Senate Committee.
F. C. CHAMBERLAIN,
* Chairman.
A. J. SAWYER,
W.M. D. KELLY,
A. M. FLEISCHHAUER,
House Committee.
In support of this report, Senator
Merriman, as chairman of the confer-
ence committee, was the first to take
the floor, and spoke as follows:
SPEECH OF SENATOR MERRIMAN.
Mr. President and Gentlemen of the
Senate:
The question now before us is that
of concurrence in the report of the
conference committees appointed by
the Senate and House as to the differ-
ences arising between the two bodies
Over the Senate bill increasing the
specific taxation of railroad corpora-
tions, a bill which I introduced early
in the session, and which passed the
Senate, was annended in the House,
and in which annendments the Senate
refused to COncur.
As I was made chairman of the joint
committees of conference, it is my
16
S T A T E R E P U B L I C A N
T H E
duty to the Senate to give such infor-
mation of the merits of the bill as I
possess, also of the conclusions of the
committee, that you may understand
more fully than is conveyed by Our re-
port the scope of the measure and the
results that may be expected should
you concur in our report.
The present statutes in pose a
specific tax on the property and busi-
ness of the Michigan Central, and all
railroad companies incorporated under
the general law, and which tax is Com-
puted in the following manner, Viz.:
On the first two thousand dollars per
mile of gross earnings, two per Cent
thereof; on above two thousand and
not exceeding four thousand dollars
per mile, two and one-half per cent
thereof; on above four thousand and
not exceeding six thousand . dollars per
mile, three per cent thereof; on above
six thousand and not exceeding eight
thousand dollars per mile, three and
One-half per cent thereof; on all above
eight thousand dollars per mile, four
per cent thereof. The total gross earn-
ings of the railroads, according to their
last reports, was about twenty-nine
millions of dollars; the total taxes paid,
Seven hundred and forty thousand dol-
lars. Of this annount, six hundred and
Sixty-two thousand dollars was paid
as above, and Seventy-nine thousand
dollars by the D., G. H. & M., and L.
S. & M. S. Rºy Co's, and the depot com-
panies; all of which tax, when col-
lected, is credited to the primary school
and interest fund, and is distributed
annong the School districts of the State
according to the number of children of
School age.
Assuming the ratio of increase of tax
to increased earnings to be just, and I
believe it to be as fair as any schedule
We might Suggest, we have endeavored
to make this increase so it would fall
equally upon all railroad companies.
The first classification, upon which two
per cent was paid, is raised under this
bill to two and one-half per cent; the
Second from two and one-half to three
and one-quarter per cent; the third
from three to four per cent; the fourth
from three and one-half to four and
One-half per cent, and the fifth from
four to five per cent; an average in-
crease of over twenty-five per cent,
which, if it becomes a law, will place
about two hundred thousand dollars
annually in our primary school fund,
or an increase of thirty cents per cap-
ita for all children of school age—an
annount which will be recognized by
every taxpayer, and which will be tak-
en into account by every school board
in making their annual estimates.
This adjustment of the differences of
the two houses was reached after sev-
eral meetings, by raising the rate of
the Senate bill on one classification
One-half per cent, and by including in
the bill union depot companies, which
change will produce about thirty thou-
Sand dollars. The so called Atkinson
anendments made by the House were
rejected, as they seemed unjust and
discriminating in this, that while one
classification W8.S. increased but
twenty-five per cent, others were in-
creased one hundred and fifty per cent.
Had we adopted these amendments,
unfair as they seem, the result would
not have been as astonishing as we
Were led to suppose; for by careful
Computation we find the amount they
Would produce to be only about $275,-
000, the Michigan Central Company
not included, as they could not reason-
ably be expected to accept a law so
discriminating as an amendment to
their charter.
And right here I desire to impress
upon you my belief that some just
means should be devised to abrogate
these old special charters, so that all
Our railroads may be placed upon the
Same basis, so far as taxation and
SuperVision and other legislation is
Concerned. No special privilege should
be enjoyed by one corporation that is
not enjoyed by another.
The Governor, in his special mes-
Sage to the Senate, calls our attention
to the “injustice of specific taxation.”
I can see little difference in the ulti-
mate result whether we collect our tax
the same as on other property, which
can be increased or decreased by in-
creasing or decreasing their assessed
Valuation, or whether it is by our pres-
ent System, which may be raised or
lowered as justice to other taxpayers
demands, by increasing or decreasing
the rate per cent on gross receipts.
Whether the taxes are too high or
too low is a question for the Legisla-
ture to decide. The roads are built,
and the interest of the public now is
in the rates they charge and the
Xtheir share of taxes.
X by about $11,000 each year.
amount of taxes they pay. There is no
reason why, under the present System,
railroads may not be brought to pay
The value Of a
railroad, the same as other property, is
fixed by the amount of earnings and
the profits therefrom, regardless of
cost of construction. In short, the
market value depends upon its past,
present and prospective earnings. The
method of distributing the tax col-
lected from railroads in this State is a
wise and commendable one, benefiting
every part of the State. Let the
method be what it may, the tax should
be collected by the State.
In fixing the amount of taxes that
should be borne by railroads, Some con-
sideration should be given to the ex-
traordinary burdens laid upon their
property to which ordinary property is
not subjected, such as personal dam-
ages, for which over a million dollars
was paid last year in this State; gates
at crossings; watchmen, and Other leg-
islative requirements which aggregate
nearly eight hundred thousand dollars
more. These should in Some degree
enter into Our calculations in fixing
rates of taxation.
If this special message referred to
Was given us as a history of railroad
taxation, it would be valuable; but
taken as an argument in favor of ex-
treme taxation, and as against this
measure under consideration, it is so
misleading in its comparisons and in-
accurate in calculation, that it is
worthless. The part to be regretted is
that 30,000 copies of these inaccuracies
are being sent broadcast over our
State, and the people should not be
called upon to foot the bills for sow-
ing SO much error. Few people have
the facilities at hand to prove or dis-
prove the Statements contained in this
message. Senators, I ask each of you
to Study that remarkable document
While you have the facilities here at
your Command to do so. Examine the
Comparisons of per cent of taxes paid
by railroads to that of State taxes;
note What it tells us we would receive
if these companies paid under the law
of 1855. It says it would be $3,010,000,
but a careful examination of the law
reveals it to be only $1,370,000, a slight
“error” of $1,640,000. It tells us “the
people were led to believe that the
Michigan Central Railway Company,
in coming under the general law,”
Which it did not, “as to taxation, had
made a great concession favorable to
the other taxpayers; but that it had
Operated to decrease the burdens of
that company.” It says, “the State has
been the loser by $45,454 each year for
the four years, or nearly $200,000;” but
the fact is that the State is the gainer
by the 1893 annendment to their charter
These are
but samples, gentlemen, of the many
‘‘errors” contained in this document.
Again I say, study it.
I believe I appreciate as fully as any-
One the burdens the taxpayers of this
State are bearing. I believe I know
Something of the hard and difficult
problems they are called upon to solve
in meeting their necessary burdens of
life. This measure is the first in many
years that a Legislature has been asked
to Support that puts money into the
taxpayers' pockets. They have uni-
formly been the other way, and I trust,
gentlemen, you will give your votes to
assist in this much to lighten their
burdens. I would not ask this if I be-
lieved the railroad companies were
bearing their just share of the public
burdens, but I do not. This bill has
encountered the solid opposition of the
representatives of these corporations
in committee and lobby, as well as the
expressed Opposition of one of the co-
Ordinate branches of this government.
I have, on all occasions, as you know,
tried by fair comparisons to demon-
Strate the justice of this measure, and
I trust both the representatives of
these corporations on the one side, who
desire no increase of taxation, and on
the Other the Executive, who deals
Only in “millions,” will at least con-
cede the honesty of my purpose in
pushing this measure to a conclusion.
Gentlemen, again I ask you to stand
by the report of this committee, and
if this bill becomes a law, the next tax
collected of the railroad companies will
be $950,000, and with a revival of busi-
ness equal to the year 1892 it will reach
$1,150,000, a very comfortable sum to
distribute annually annong the School
districts of Our State.
Senator Thompson then came to the
support of the conference report and
Spoke in his characteristic vein. He
Said :
SPEECH OF SENATOR THOMPSON.
Mr. President and Gentlemen of the
Senate:
I arise in support of the bill reported
out by the conference committee,
which I consider to be a wise and
statesmanlike measure. It is intended
to impose upon the railroads of the
State an additional taxation of $206,-
000, and you will perceive that it is SO
graduated as to impose lighter taxes
upon the poorer roads and heavier
taxes upon those with a greater earn-
ing power per mile. y
We have a duty to perform between
the people and the railroads, and it
should not matter to us whether this
bill is satisfactory to the railroads Or
not; nor should it concern us that the
failing political fortunes of the Gover-
nor require that the roads should be
subjected to a still higher rate of tax-
ation, announting in most cases to COn-
fiscation; nor should we be deterred
by the threats of the Governor that he
would keep us here all Summer, Or
until we pass such bills as he approves
of. We should turn away from his
proffers of State patronage, and if he
should carry Out his threats not to
sign the general appropriation bills of
the State unless we legislate accord-
ing to his views, I hope the answer
of the Legislature will be impeach-
ment.
For years the Governor, then mayor
of Detroit, kept the city involved in a
quarrel with the street railways, re-
fusing every equitable offer of adjust-
ment, which quarrel resulted in an ex-
penditure to the taxpayers of $150,000
in tedious litigation, the result of
which was entire defeat and discomfi-
ture to the mayor, without accomplish-
ing anything for the taxpayers. The
mimic warfare waged in Detroit is now
to be transferred to the broader fields
Of the State of Michigan, and because
the Governor's uneasy ambitions re-
quire it, the State is to be involved in
heavy litigation with the railroads,
with the consequent great legal ex-
penses to be paid to his favorites in
the profession.
I hold in my hand a most extraordi-
nary document, which purports to be
a message from the Governor; but, to
a person familiar with his style, the
internal evidence contained in it shows
that he never wrote a line Of it. HOW-
ever, he lets it come forth under his
name, and so he may be held account-
able for the matter contained therein.
I shall proceed to examine it Somewhat
in detail. *
I.
Quoting from the Governor’s mes-
Sage, he says:
The Governor states (page 11), that
there is no truth in the claim that rail-
road earnings have been falling off of
late, and in support of this extraordi-
nary Statement, SO much at Variance
with the facts, as known by every busi-
ness man, he cites certain figures from
the Railroad Commissioner's Report.
He says that “in 1891 the railroads lo-
cated entirely within and partly with-
in and partly without this State report-
ed their earnings” at $95,777,886.57, and
that “in 1895 they received” $144,484,-
148.16; and says further: “It will be
noticed by reference to this table that
the earnings of these roads for 1895
were more that ten millions more than
1894, more than thirty-two millions
more than 1892, and nearly fifty mil-
lions more than 1891;” and this state-
ment is ennphasized by a marginal
note: “$50,000,000.00 increase in railway
earnings in four years.”
It is not going beyond strict accuracy
to say that this statement is a gross
and wilful attempt to deceive the Leg-
islature and the people of the State.
Gross, because so extremely at vari-
ance with the facts, and wilful, be-
cause the truth is readily ascertainable
and the error in the Statement made is
so manifest that it can hardly be called
unintentional.
Everybody knows, of course, that
every road operating any railroad
within the State of Michigan makes a.
report to the Railroad Comissioner of
the earnings and expenses of its whole
System, both within and without the
State of Michigan, as well as a report
of the earnings of its lines within the
State of Michigan. Now, since 1891,
certain large railroad systems, which
prior to that time did not operate any
railroad" within the State of Michigan,
acquired by purchase or construction
sa few miles Of railroad within Our
borders, and consequently since 1891
have begun making reports to our Rail-
road Commissioner of the earnings of
their whole systems. Conspicuous
annong these are the Chicago, Milwau-
kee & St. Paul Railroad Company, a
great system operating 6,000 miles of
railroad, and extending from Chicago
through the states of Illinois, Wiscon-
sin, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota,
South Dakota, and Missouri, and Oper-
ating a few miles in the northern pen-
insula. Of Michigan. This system has
annual earnings in excess of thirty mil-
lions of dollars. Another system is the
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St.
Louis Railroad Company, commonly
called the Big Four, which Operates
thirty-three miles of road in Berrien
county, but whose total earnings On
its extensive system through Ohio, In-
diana and Illinois is in the neighbor-
hood of fourteen millions annually.
By including such earnings of rail-
roads, which did not make any reports
to Our Railroad Commissioner in 1891,
but did in 1895, the Governor gets fig-
ures which he alleges show a great in-
crease in the railroad earnings during
this year. I suppose that if the Penn-
sylvania Railroad Company should
build a branch in from Toledo to De-
troit, as I understand they have SOme-
times thought of doing (but which I
fear they will not do SO long as Our
present administration remains in pow-
er), and should report to our Railroad
Commissioner the earnings of their
whole system, aggregating, I believe,
upwards of $135,000,000 a year, the Gov-
ernor would claim that the railroads of
Michigan had doubled their business.
The report covering the year 1891 is
for 13,223 miles of road, of which 7,305
are Michigan and 6,918 in other states,
but belonging to the companies that re-
port to our Railroad Commissioner. In
that year the roads earned on their
Michigan mileage $36,517,389.41, and On
their outside mileage $59,260,497.16. In
1895, however, by reason of the facts
stated above, their reports cover a
mileage of 22,501 miles, of which the
Michigan mileage is 7,609, and the out-
side mileage is 14,992, or more than
double the amount reported in 1891. In
this last year, the earnings on Michigan
business were $29,211,014.48, and on the
business done on the 14,992 miles Out-
side of the State, $115,273,133.68.
The statements in the message are
the more inexcusable since the Rail-
road Commissioner's report contains
in plain sight the correct figures of the
earnings of the railroads in Michigan.
The figures in the Governor's message
are taken from the Railroad Commis-
sioner's Report for 1896, page lxxviii,
which page COntains a table of statis-
tics COVering earnings of railroads both
within and without the State of Mich-
igan. If he had turned over the page
(page 76) he would have found the fig-
ures for the Michigan business for thie
year 1895. The figures for prior years
are to be found as follows:
For 1894, see Railroad Commission-
er's Report, 1895, pages 21 and 56.
For 1893, see Railroad Commission-
er's Report, 1894, pages 50 and 51.
For 1892, see Railroad Commission-
er’s Report, 1893, pages 17 and 46.
For 1891, See Railroad Commission-
er's Report, 1892, pages 470 and 471.
The earnings, both gross and per .
mile, for each of these years are as
follows:
1891,–Gross earnings, $36,517,389.41;
gross earnings per mile, $5,005.08.
1892—Gross earnings, $38,377,426.59;
gross earnings per mile, $5,156.27.
1893—Gross earnings, $36,319,655.33;
gross earnings per mile, $4,789.49.
1894—Gross earnings, $29,537,475.71;
gross earnings per mile, $3,901.71.
1895—Gross earnings, $29,211,014.48;
gross earnings per mile, $3,835.17.
It will thus be seen that instead of an
increase of fifty millions between 1891
and 1895, the fact is that the earnings
Of the railroads have fallen Off Over
Seven millions, and from the state-
ment of the earnings contained in the
newspapers a few days ago for the
year 1896, and purporting to be put
forth by the Railroad Commissioner,
the earnings for the year 1896 show a
still further falling off.
When we consider that the great part
Of the expenses of Operating a railroad
are fixed and remain substantially the
same whether the road is doing a large
or small business, the figures , above
showing a falling Off in the earnings
per mile will indicate that the margin
between gross earnings and net earn-
ings must have been very seriously en-
croached upon during this disastrous
year. Since by far the greater part of
a railroad's disbursements go to the
payment of labor, or the purchase of
materials produced by labor, we can
see that to force upon them greater
L E G IS L A T L V E S O U V E N I R.
17
economy of Operation means a reduc-
tion of the number of employes or of
their Wages, and this means less safety
in Operation.
II.
The GOVernor follows his statement
about the increase of railroad earnings
by an altempt to Show that the Mich-
igan Central Railroad Company earns
$3,500,000. This he gets at by taking
the gross earnings, $13,651,420.61, and
Subtracting therefrom the Operating
expenses and taxes, aggregating $10,-
183,231.31, and calling the difference, $3,-
468,189.30, net profits. If this be the
profits Of the road, it is Strange that
the stockholders have not discovered
it, and are willing to part With the
Stock at the market quotation, ninety-
five cents on the dollar.
Now, it is well known that the Mich-
igan Central Railroad Company, which
itself owns less than 300 miles Of rail-
road, operates by lease or otherwise
something over 1,600 miles of road, of
which 500 miles are Outside Of Mich-
igan, and from this net income must
be deducted the amounts paid in One
way or another as rentals of these leas-
ed lines and the interest paid On money
borrowed.
These rentals, aggregating Over two
millions of dollars, are made up as
follows: Interest paid on the funded
debt of leased lines, $407,800; rentals Of
leased lines and Canada, Southern in-
terest, $1,334,401.28; Canada. Southern
proportion of net earnings, $304,715.2.1;
an aggregate amount of payments to
make out of the earnings of the Mich-
igan Central of $2,046,916.28. The inter-
est on the funded debt of the Michigan
Central is $660,000 additional, So that,
deducting the payments, the net earn-
ings of the Michigan Central are only
$761,272.81.
If a farmer leases a neighbor’s farm
and makes therefrom certain earnings,
he would certainly not expect to call
these net profits until he had deducted
from them the rent he was to pay the
neighbor for the use of the farm. If a
merchant did not deduct from his prof-
its his rent, or the interest he had to
pay on borrowed money, his profits
would doubtless seem a good deal high-
er than they really are, and yet the
Governor has the audacity to ask the
Legislature, in estimating What the
profits of a railroad company are, to
disregard common sense and not count
rentals or interest on borrowed money
as an item of expense.
III.
The Governor goes on with a State-
ment of the results Of the Operation of
the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern
Railroad with the design, I Suppose, of
leading the people to believe that there
is a great fund here from which the
State might draw large sums of money
in taxation. As a matter of fact, how-
ever, the Railroad Commissioner's Re-
port shows that only a small part of
the earnings of this system are made
in Michigan. Its main line does not
touch Michigan, and, while its mileage
here is considerable, this consists
largely in branches which little more
than pay the expenses.
As a matter of fact, it will be seen by
the Railroad Commissioner's Report
for 1896, on pages 281 and 282, that the
earnings of this railroad company in
Michigan were $2,223,731.75, while their
operating expenses during the Same
time were $2,024,982.58, leaving the Sum
of $198,749.17, out of which to pay rent-
als and interest on borrowed money
properly appertaining to the 407 miles
of road operated by this company in
Michigan.
IV.
The message contains SOme State-
ments in regard to certain railroads
being exempt from taxation. As to this
I have only to say that the Legislature
in 1891, for the purpose of encouraging
the building of railroads in the north-
ern part of the State, where the rail-
road facilities seemed insufficient, of-
fered ten years’ exemption from tax-
ation to roads thereafter built norther-
ly of the 44th parallel, unless their
gross earnings should equal $4,000 a.
mile. Relying upon the good faith of
the State, Six railroads have been con-
structed which come under the terms
of this act. These six railroads operate
316 miles of road, and their gross earn-
ings are $641,000, Or about $2,000 a mile.
It is well known that the expense of
Operating a railroad is in excess of this
annount, the average for the State be-
ing $3,150 per mile, and certainly no
facts appear which would suggest that
the State Should break faith with these
Companies.
V.
The message contains a good deal
about the percentage of taxes that the
railroads pay, and the suggestion is
made that they pay only about one-
tenth Of what they ought to pay. In-
as much as in the year 1895 the rail-
roads Of this State earned Only $29,-
211,014.48, and their operating expenses
were $23,981,053.55, leaving their net
earnings $5,229,760.93, it is rather diffi-
Cult to see where the railroads could
get $7,500,000, which the Governor sug-
gests they Ought to pay. As I have
Said, their net earnings were a little
Over $5,000,000, out of which they had
to pay in many cases rentals for cars
and locomotives that they had to lease
because too poor to buy them, and in-
terest on borrowed money, the interest
aggregating upwards of $10,000,000 a.
year. The general condition of the
railroads of the State can be seen from
the fact that their earnings over Oper-
ating expenses are not half enough to
pay the interest On their debts. The
actual condition, too, has been rapidly
growing worse, as will be seen from the
actual figures showing the earnings for
1891 and 1895 of a few railroads fairly
representative Of all the roads Sub-
Sisting On Michigan business (and I
Would call attention to the fact that
these Seven roads had a mileage in 1891
of 3,268, and in 1895 of 3,273, an increase
Of Only five miles, which certainly sug-
gests that their business had not been
SO profitable as to encourage them to
build more miles of railroad).
Gross Gross
Roads. earnings earnings
in 1891. in 1895.
Chicago & Grand
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,866,669 $3,005,458
Chicago & West
Michigan . . . . . . . . 1,757,552 1,563,353
(O m i t “N or th
Michigan r O a d,
not built in 1891.)
Detroit, Grand Ha-
ven & Milwaukee 1,200,998 1,013,320
Detroit, Lansing &
Northern . . . . . . . . 1,254,099 1,149,654
Flint & Pere Mar-
Quette . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,544,758 2,134,936
Grand Rapids &
Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . 2,624,617 2,235,226
Duluth, South
Shore & Atlantic 2,148,387 1,807,111
$15,397,080 $13,909,058
This is a falling off of nearly a mil-
lion and a half. The gross earnings of
the Michigan Central system during
the same years fell off from $15,162,960
to $13,651,420, or about an equal amount.
VI.
In figuring out the percentage that
railroads pay upon the value of their
property the Governor is guilty of a
Very Sly piece of misstatement. The
reports of the Railroad Commissioner
are required to state the total cost
Of the railroad property owned by the
Various companies. Now the improve-
ments and betterments which the rail-
roads are continually making and
which are continually wearing out and
needing renewal are added each year
to the cost of the plant, so that the
aggregate COSt Or annount that the rail-
roads have spent for their lines, rolling
Stock, etc., annount in almost every
CaSe to a Sum far in excess Of the value
Of the plant at any particular time.
The Governor states on page 5 of his
message that the total cost of railroad
property in the State, as returned by
the companies and verified by the af-
fidavit of their officers, was $301,003,-
148.44, and then a few lines after calls
this 301 millions “sworn valuation of
their property returned by the com-
panies.” This $301,000,000,000 is not a
SWOrn Valuation at all and does not
purport to be such, and the fact that
it is grossly in excess of the real valua-
tion of the property of the railroads in
the State can readily be seen when you
take a few 'individual cases.
The Chicago & Grand Trunk Rail-
road, for instance, runs through a very
fertile part of the State, passing many
good sized towns and being able to at-
tract quite a Volume of through busi-
neSS. The total COSt Of this road has
been $19,501,706.46, and yet during the
year 1895 its earnings were $3,005,458.04,
its Operating expenses, $2,837,685.38, leav-
ing the earnings $167,772.66, out of which
to pay rentals for cars, locomotives,
etc., which it was too poor to buy, ag-
gregating $133,303.47, leaving the sum
of $34,469.19 with which to meet interest
charges, $737,868.48.
During the year 1894 the earnings of
the road Over operating expenses were
Only $85,302.01, or $60,000 less than the
annount necessary to pay for rentals
that year, which were $145,000 and up-
Wards. In these two years the road not
Only earned no dividends, but did not
earn enough to pay Operating expenses
and rentals for rolling stock, etc., etc.,
necessary to enable it to do any busi-
neSS at all. Now if this road were to
be appraised by impartial appraisers,
Would its cash valuation be put at any
figure even remotely approaching its
actual COSt? It is obvious it would not,
and yet it is by assuming and menda-
ciously Stating that the figures return-
ed as the cost of the railroads of the
State are their “sworn valuations” that
the GOVernor gets at his figures of the
proper appraisal of railroad property.
The facts stated in regard to the Chi-
Cago & Grand Trunk are by no means
exceptional. Take the following roads,
Which are scattered over the State and
Which are wholly or mostly within the
borders of the State: the Chicago &
West Michigan; Detroit, Lansing &
Northern; Detroit, Grand Haven &
Milwaukee; Duluth, South Shore & At-
lantic; Flint & Pere Marquette; Grand
Rapids & Indiana; Toledo, Ann Arbor
& North Michigan; there is not one of
them which, during the year 1895, earn-
ed the rentals and interest on borrowed
money that it was bound to pay. In
fact, the deficit, including the Chicago
& Grand Trunk, was upwards of
$2,000,000.
The Only roads in the State paying
any dividends are two little roads in
the copper country having a combined
mileage of 54 miles; the Pontiac, Ox-
ford & Port Austin, which was bought
by its present owners at a foreclosure
Sale for a very small price and which
has no outstanding bonds, the invest-
ment being represented entirely by
Stock; the Chicago, Milwaukee & St.
Paul; Chicago & Northwestern, and the
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St.
Louis (Big Four), which have only a
few miles in the State and which cer-
tainly do not earn their dividends from
the Michigan business; the Lake Shore
& Michigan Southern, which does not
earn enough On its Michigan business
to pay the interest on the bonds prob-
ably chargeable to its lines here; and
the Michigan Central.
And yet the freight rates charged in
Michigan are the lowest of any.
The average rate per ton per mile
for the whole United States, including
the low rates made on long transconti-
nental hauls, is 83-100 cents per ton per
mile. In Michigan the rate is 76-100
Cents per ton per mile. Compare this
With the rates in other states:
Michigan ................... .76 Cents
Iowa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.07 “
Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.23 “
Massachusetts ............ 1.28 “
Minnesota ................. 1.08 “
Missouri .............. . . . . .1.07 “
Ransas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1.33 “
Connecticut ............... 1.42 “
Let me illustrate what this means in
another way. If Michigan railroads
Could charge the same freight rates on
the average as in these other states,
their increased earnings would be over
$10,000,000. The increased earnings of
the Michigan Central Railroad alone
Would, if it could charge the rates pre-
Vailing in most of the states, pay the
entire amount collected by those states
in taxes from their railroads. This will
be seen from the following statement:
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But the difficulty under which the
Michigan railroads labor is that they
have to meet water competition al-
most everywhere.
The Governor talks about the great
products Of Michigan, but on its to
mention that by far the greater part
Of these products of the forests and the
mines are transported by water, while
Indiana, with which he compares Mich-
igan, is practically an inland state. It
is a great blessing to Michigan that it
is nearly an island, and that almost
eVery part of the State is benefited by
Cheap water transportation, but we
Should not forget that this fact makes
the railroad problem of Michigan dif–
ferent from that of almost any other
State, and may well lead us to refrain
from imposing unjust burdens on our
railroads already so handicapped by
natural Conditions.
VII.
\ There is a good deal in the Gov-
ernor's message about railway taxes in
Ohio and Indiana. Without making
further investigation I am unable to
COmment Very fully On this, but con-
Sidering the gross inaccuracies of the
rest Of the message, it is fair to say
that probably what he says about rail-
road taxation in Ohio and Indiana is
entirely untrue. I would call attention,
however, to the fact that it appears
from the Railroad Commisioner's Re-
port that the gross earnings of the
roads in Ohio per mile are about double
What they are in Michigan, and as the
Operating expenses per mile do not in-
Crease proportionately anything like
the gross earnings, it is probable that
their net earnings are many times
greater than the net earnings of the
Michigan roads.
The State of Indiana is traversed in
eVery direction by great trunk lines,
among Which there Occur to me the
names of Our Own roads, the Michigan
Central, Lake Shore, and Grand Trunk;
and also the great Pennsylvania, road,
Operating its Pittsburg, Fort Wayne &
Chicago trunk line, and the Pan Handle
X.
trunk line; also the Vandalia line; the
Nickel Plate; Baltimore & Ohio, and
the Chicago connection of the Erie; the
Wabash; the Louisville; the Albany &
Chicago, and in fact all the great trunk
lines from Chicago east and southeast,
and from St. Louis east. There are
Very few local lines in Indiana, and it
is a mileage composed largely of trunk
lines, and yet the total valuation of all
the railroad property in the state is
given in the Railroad Commissioner's
Report at only $155,000,000. While
Michigan has a few more miles of rail-
road than Indiana, it is not probable
that its railroad systems could be fairly
appraised at anything like this figure.
As the Railroad Commissioner well
Says in his last report, page 5, “The
Cash Valuation of a railroad is fixed by
the amount of its earnings continued
for a term of years regardless of the
cost of construction. In short, the mar-
ket Value of a railroad depends upon its
past, present and prospective earn-
ings.”
I have meant to say little about the
Conclusions which the Governor draws
in his message from the alleged facts
that he states therein, but it seems to
me that, if the statements of fact are
shown to be grossly inaccurate and
misleading, the conclusions drawn
therefrom will fall to the ground.
However, I denounce the message of
the Governor as a fraud and a delu-
Sion, calculated and intended to de-
ceive the Legislature and the people
of Michigan; quite as much so as the
report of his Agricultural Municipal
Bureau last fall, in which to show a
profit on the Pingree Potato Patch, po-
tatoes were figured at 55 cents a bushel,
When they could be bought anywhere
for 15 to 20 cents a bushel. I have re-
sided in the State of Michigan a quar-
ter of a century, and during that time
I have known more or less intimately
the long line of Governors who have
presided over this State, and, however
much they may have differed in their
attainments and abilities, not one of
them would ever have appended his of-
ficial signature to a public document
So Wilfully misleading. Of course we
Who know the Governor are not sur-
prised at his putting his name to any
statements, however grossly untrue,
Which he thinks may awaken public
clamor and advance his political for-
tunes. But many of the people of the
State, having been accustomed to a
different kind of a chief executive, can
hardly realize that it is possible that
Our present Governor sets no bounds
to his statements but the credulity of
his admirers, and is as shameless in
18
T H E S T A T E R E IP U B L I C A N
his utterances as he is extravagant in
his annbitions.
However painful the task may be to
hold up the ignominy of Michigan to
public gaze, it is the duty of each One
of us to expose the falseness of each
mendacious emanation Of the exec-
utive Office, even though it claim the
sanctity of a State paper.
I have too great faith in the intelli-
gence and integrity of the people of the
State of Michigan to believe that blus-
ter and pretense can win, and, in View
of the intelligent and careful treatment
the Senate has given to this question
of railroad taxation, when we go be-
fore them I have no doubt as to the
result.
“THE THIRD HOUSE’”
A review of the Michigan Legislature
with no note made of the lobby and its
influence on legislation WOuld leave
the work incomplete.
The “third house” (the lobby) is com-
posed of men whose business it is to
cultivate the acquaintance of the Sen-
ators, Hepresentatives and attaches Of
the Legislature as a means of being in
a position to forward or thwart legis-
lation inimical to the clients who em-
ploy members of the “third House” to
look after their interests in the Legis-
lature. f
After an experience of more than
thirty years in watching the making
and unmaking of laws, one may be
pardoned if, in expressing an Opinion
as to the influence and power Of the
lobby, such opinion is given in favor
of the “third house” as the most pow-
erful and influential of any of the leg-
islative branches in the government
Of a State.
The lobbyist at the Legislature oc-
cupies very much the same position
towards it that the lawyer at the bar
does towards the court, in SO far as
it is his business to furnish the mem-
bers, as individuals and in Committee,
with such information as will present
the side he favors in the Strongest and
most commendable light. Were he to
stop at this there would be no occa-
sion for complaint against his pres-
ence about legislative halls, but he
does not stop there, as We Will ShoW
further on.
The larger number of the members
in the “third house” are ex-members
of the Legislature, and are usually
lawyers by profession, and like the
other two houses is composed of mem-
bers, some of whom have served in
previous sessions, a few for Several
consecutive Sessions, and Who, making
membership in the “third house” a
profession, are not only influential with
the Legislature while in session, but
are in no small degree influential in
selecting the candidates previous to the
election of the other two houses, a task
which attendance at previous sessions
enables the lobbyist to perform with
but little effort and small chance of
failure.
As this is a matter not generally un-
derstood, let us instance that at the
next State election there is to be elected
members of the Legislature who will
elect a United States Senator for Mich-
igan. During the Session Of the last
Legislature the lobby has not only
cared for those interests entrusted to
its care that might be affected by ad-
verse legislation, but have the oppor-
tunity to Sound every member On his
choice for Senator to be voted for at
the next session of the Legislature.
Whether a member desires a re-elec-
tion, if he does, who is liable to oppose
him as a candidate for nomination in
his Own party, who the candidate on
the Opposing ticket, and such other
information as will aid in nominating
nd re-electing him (or in defeating
im if he is found not favorable to the
purpose of the lobbyist); more than
that, the professional lobbyist watches
not Only the course and acts of mem-
bers in the Legislature so as to have
data that will assist in either their re-
election or defeat from their legislative
acts, but he goes farther and keeps a
memorandum of his private life and
acts When, as for instance, the bounds
of propriety may be overstepped on a
junket trip to some of the larger cities,
or in a night’s carousal about the cap-
ital city, in which the “third house”
furnishes such entertainment as incli-
nation may desire, and then holds it
as an Obligation to be paid in votes,
while the knowledge of personal be-
havior under conditions of stimulated
excitement is held as a conclusive ar-
gument with which to settle any future
difference of opinion of importance
enough to Warrant a support beyond
Xabout the Capitol.
X would be able to see merit in it.”
that usually advanced by members of
the “third house.”
The hold-over professional, while ap-
parently the most useful, is not the
only nor most important, member of
the lobby. That member is seldom seen
He is usually an at-
torney, known by Corporations and
others interested in having their inter-
ests protected or advanced at the State
capitol, as One who in a Subtle Way is
able to control the acts of legislators,
and by Such corporations and perSOnS
retained and furnished with the neces-
Sary means of furthering their plans,
upon Which he immediately puts hinn-
Self in COmmunication. With the Older
and tried members Of the lobby in Con-
Sultation as to Ways, means, and per-
sons to be employed; this done, lobby
work on the Legislature is begun.
Let us presume, for the purpose Of
illustration, that the attorney has been
retained to forward the enactment of
a law that will permit One railway Cor-
poration to become possessed of a par-
allel line of road. The lobby has pro-
ceeded so far in the Work Of the Ses-
sion as to be thoroughly acquainted
with the needs and almbitions Of the
members. He knows those Who be-
lieve it would be a good thing to have
one company own both roads, and
those who as a matter of public policy
Would Oppose Such an enactment.
These two are balanced One against
the Other, but On neither side is there
to be found the fifty-one votes neces-
sary to pass or defeat the bill. We
Will say that thirty of the members
Will Vote for the bill to enact Such a
law; twenty-one more are needed. How
will he get them? Buy them? No, not
yet; your professional lobbyist never
pays cash for Votes that can be got in
trade, besides there are but few mem-
bers Who WOuld not be insulted and
make a Scene if a. proffer of money
was made for their Votes, and your
professional underStands that While
all men may have their price, they are
not all purchased With the same kind
of coin.
The man who would spurn an offer
Of money for his Vote On any question
may nevertheless allow himself to be
placed under Obligations to a mem-
ber Of the lobby in the matter of a
State or federal appointment for a Son,
nephew, political adherent, or by Other
favors, which can be repaid Only in
Votes, given as a perSOnal favor to One
having such a deep interests in his wel-
fare. Or it may be that a member llas
measures Of his Own needing VOtes that
cannot be obtained except as Courtesy
from those whom he favors With a
Vote On SOme Other bill, which little
courtesy the lobby is always able to
Obtain.
It may be that another member, Who
with his family in a capital City al-
lows himself to be introduced and so-
cially entertained where the people he
meets are real warm friends of the
lobbyist, and for this Social recognition
and other deference paid to him as a
legislator will gladly do anything with-
in reason to Oblige, and On a matter
in which his Own district is not seri-
Ously affected willingly Votes as re-
quested. Other Votes may be had
among the easy-going, jolly lot who,
when down town, meet to enjoy the
pleasures of a foaming glass, a good
cigar, a rich Story and a chorus Of
Song, whose leading Spirits, if not in
the lobby's inner circle, well know how
the expense of these continuous per-
formances is met. and so the lobbyist
and his Staff Work for a bill until near-
ly enough of the twenty-one lacking
members are found who, voting for his
measure, will bring it up close to
the necessary fifty-one votes in the
HOuse. But he still lacks, we will say,
five votes, and so far has directly used
no money. Now if there are any venal
legislators he certainly knows them,
and would approach the leading bood-
ler, something after this manner:
“What do you think the chances are
of bill No. 2500 passing the House?” To
which the reply would be, “I don’t
think it will pass.” “Why?” “Because
it isn’t being handled right.” “What
would you advise?” “Oh, I don’t
know; I have no interest in it; I don’t
Cal’e anything about it. It may be a
good bill, but I haven’t looked into it;
haven’t ‘seen’ any argument in its fa-
VOr; and as it looks to me now, don’t
think I can vote for it; heard three or
four of the boys say they couldn’t see
any good reason for passing it; guess
it won’t pass,” etc. “Say, can’t you
take hold and help us pass this bill?
I think if you would look into it you
“O,
I might, but I am very busy now and
have a lot of things to look after; but
if you’re interested, I’ll tell you what
I'd do. There is Jack Gobetween; he
is pretty Well posted on these matters
and knows all the boys, and might be
able to help you; it may cost you some-
thing, but if you are really interested
l think it Would be a good plan for
you to See him. I know quite a num-
ber Who rely on his judgment in such
1natters. I do myself some times.”
Well, not to continue the subject
farther, Jack Gobetween, who is a close
friend of half a dozen or more mem-
bers, is “seen; ” he “sees” his friends,
and the fifty-one, two, or three votes
necessary to pass Or defeat a bill are
Secured, Who knows how 2
CLOSING DAYS OF THE SESSION
The closing days (three last) of a
legislative session are the days of
greatest interest and importance, both
to the members and those interested
in the passage or in the defeat of bills
introduced.
Those members who have been able
to get enacted into law the bills they
Were most interested in are Serenely
happy, and Show it by an inclination
to be jolly. Those who are watching
the possible chance of a committee re-
port On bills they would oppose are
fairly jubilant, but are still a little
nervous lest in the rush of business
incident to the closing of the session
a bill would be reported out and placed
upon immediate passage, slide through
and become a law which, were Oppor-
tunity given for more deliberate Con-
sideration, would fail in the attempt.
TO Others the closing days are days of
Serious aspect, if not days of real Sad-
ness. Such are the members Whose
pet bills are in the hands of the com-
mittee to whom they were first re-
ferred, Sleeping the sleep that knows
no Waking, or else so far down the list
On the calendar that there is no hope
Of consideration except under a sus-
pension of the rules. Such members
may be seen with elongated visage,
tally slip in hand, moving about from
Seat to seat, begging a vote here, trad-
ing one there, and in other instances
reminding members of a pledge given
to Support the measure now in jeo-
pardy. With each consultation, down
goes a check On the tally Slip for Or
against the bill in an endeavor to
ascertain Whether, if a motion is made
to suspend the rules, the necessary
tWO-thirds Vote Will Sustain the mo-
tion, and if the majority Vote neces-
Sary to pass the bill can be relied upon.
In these days members Will be found
pleading for the passage of a bill which
So far has had no consideration beyond
the introduction, giving the assurance
that it is neither hoped nor intended
that the bill will now receive the coll-
currence of the other house. But sup-
port is asked as a personal favor to
the introducer of the bill in order that
he may have the credit of passing it
through that branch of the Legislature
to Which he Was elected, in which case
While a Vote for a bill can do no harm,
it will be received as a great favor by
its introducer. tº
These closing days are indeed days
Of joys and Sorrows. Joyful to those who
feel that their course as legislators
Will commend them to greater respect
and additional honors from their fel-
low citizens. Others seem to be Sad
With the reflection that whatever polit-
ical leadership they may have pos-
SeSSed Or Whatever politieal ambitions
they may have indulged in, it is now
blasted on account of mistakes, oppor-
tunities neglected, and action taken
not in harmony with the views of those
who make and unmake legisltors.
The writer has witnessed the closing
days of many legislatures in this and
Other States, and in reply to much that
has been written, presumably by those
not present during the closing mo-
ments of the session of '97, would say
that it was little, if any, different from
the closing sessions of preceding leg-
islatures in this State, from which has
been handed down the custom of in-
indulging in somewhat of the horseplay
incident to the breaking up of long con-
tinued relations with large bodies of
men who have vigor enough to relish
a quick flow of blood through their
Systems. The boys just let Out of
School celebrate relief from the re-
Straint of the schoolroom by a rush,
push and wrestle. The students at col-
lege get reaction from mental strain
and labor by the college cane or class
rush; but the boy is no less a man
because of his boisterous sport, nor the
Student a no less competent scholar
because of his participation in the
Vigor of a rush. Is it then to be won-
dered at that in a body of men selected
, nant political party,
$155,684.02.
as are the men who become members
Of the Michigan Legislature, because
Of mental and physical vigor, should,
in the closing hours of a five months’
Session, when the time for dignified de-
meanor Was Quickly passing away, let
nature have full sway for an hour, and
With the relish of boyhood’s days en-
gage in a few monnents of horseplay in
Which Soft Wads of paper take the
place of Snowballs, patriotic songs are
Sung, humorous speeches are made,
and ludicrous fun-making resolutions
are Offered. This has been the custom
Of the breaking up of the Michigan
Legislature for many years, and while
it may have been prolonged beyond the
hours of closing in this session, it must
be remembered that the closing scenes
Were Of the usual character and car-
ried Out in the utmost good nature,
and that the session of ’97 adjourned
at midnight too late for members to
have thought about a train for home,
Or do aught except to rejoice with
Other good citizens of the State that
another legislative session had come
to an end.
To the credit of the Legislature of
’97 it may be truthfully said that no
previous body of men ever assembled
at the capitol in Lansing who, as leg-
islators, adhered so closely to the
aVOWed purpose of their coming as the
men Who represented their constitu-
ents in the Session of the Legislature
just closed.
It was given Out early in the ses-
Sion, by the Spokesmen. Of the domi-
that the Session
of '97 WOuld be known for One in which
the Watchword was economy. It was
also Well understood that the railway
COrpOrations Operating in Michigan
Would be asked to contribute a more
equitable proportion of the State tax
than had been hitherto assessed to
them. -
In both of the foregoing instances
faith was kept with the people. The
general appropriation bill was reduced
On Current expenses about one hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, and the tax
On railway properties increased ac-
COrding to the estimates of the Rail-
road Commissioner, to the amount of
In these two items alone a
difference was made in the funds that
must be collected in taxes from other
property of over $300,000.00.
While there were not many laws
enacted Working any very radical
Change in the Statutes of the State or
affecting the Social life of our people,
there are yet three of the laws passed
WOrthy Of Special mention. One of
these is the law providing for the pay-
ment of a bounty on sugar manufac-
tured from beets grown in Michigan,
introduced and Very ably championed
by Representative Dudley of Newaygo
county. The next is a law providing
for a system of uniform text-books,
introduced by Senator Forsyth and
Representative Graham, Of Kent. A
law also supported as in the interests
of the producing classes, was the one
introduced by Senator Jibb for pre-
Venting deception in the manufacture
and sale of butter. While all the bills
passed were of more or less interest in
different sections of the State, the
three here named, with that for the in-
Crease Of the Specific tax on railroads,
are those Which are the most liable to
affect the people of the whole State.
DAIRY AND FOOD COMMISSION
The so called “Redfern act,” which
really was the first law to open op-
portunities for the control of the sale
Of foods in Michigan, went into effect
about September first, 1895. From that
time until February first, 1897, the pol-
icy of the department was one of edu-
Cation rather than coercion. The com-
missioner took the ground that the
dealers in the State, particularly the
Wholesalers, would appreciate an effort
to teach them the objects of the law
and its enforcement, and that better
results could be obtained in this way
than a severe employment of the pen-
alties contained in the law. It is un-
disputed that the large majority of
both wholesale and retail dealers in
the State entered cordially into this
method, and assisted the commissioner
in his efforts to better the quality of
food goods sold, and there can be no
question but that better results were
obtained in this way than could pos-
sibly be brought about through a more
aggressive policy.
It was the expressed belief of the
former commissioner, when he left the
department, that the time had come
for a more energetic administration of
the department and a stricter enforce-
ment Of the food laws; this belief was
L E G IS L A T L V E S O U V E N I R
19
very generally and cordially supported
throughout the State.
It is the aim of the present depart-
ment force to so conduct its affairs as
to show as clearly as possible whether
the results to be obtained in this Way
are greater or less than might have
been obtained from a further policy of
education. The Dairy and Food Com-
missioner, at present, is allowed the
expenditure of $18,000 yearly, out of
which must come every outlay inci-
dent to the enforcement of the law.
The former method of conducting the
affairs of the department by an eco-
nomical administration, with an ap-
propriation of $10,000, has been able to
keep three inspectors on the road, and,
by using one of the department clerks
in the laboratory, has been able to
keep their expenditures within the
limit; but the needs of the department,
under a more aggressive policy, are
vastly different.
There are between 10,000 and 11,000
dealers in food products in Michigan.
The vast territory of the State and
the inaccessibility Of many to Wns,
show, upon a moment’s thought, how
utterly impossible it is for three men
to do anything like thorough Work.
The extra appropriation of $8,000
granted by the last Legislature to be
used in the employment of an assistant
Chemist and two or three extra, in-
spectors, and the employment of such
a force Will clearly demonstrate to the
people of Michigan whether results
commensurate with the Outlay can be
Obtained.
The Work expected of the depart-
ment to perform is to prevent the
adulteration Of all articles used for
food or drink, or intended to be eaten
Or drunk by man, whether simple,
mixed or compound. The greatest
annount of adulteration has been found
in Spices and condiments, jellies, coffee,
Syrup, lard and Vinegar. Pepper was
found without any pepper in it; cream
Of tartar made from plaster of Paris
and acid phosphate of lime; mustards
more than one-half wheat flour; ginger
mixed with gypsum, and SO on to the
end. At a low estimate more than ten
millions of dollars have been saved to
the consumers Of this State in the last
two years. In the One item of pepper,
nearly 600,000 pounds are annually used
in the State, and, at the average re-
tail price of thirty cents per pound it
Would annount to $180,000. Fifty per
Cent Of the pepper sold in the State be-
fore the food laws were enacted con-
Sisted of adulterants, a loss to the con-
Sumer of $90,000 annually on pepper
alone. Liberal legislation and a rigid
enforcement Of the food laws are re-
quired: First, for the protection of the
public health; second, in the interests
of the honest merchant and trader.
The upright trader is placed in a most
trying and unfair position in conse-
Quence of adulteration. He is exposed
to the most ruinous and unscrupulous
Competition; too often he is undersold,
and his business taken from him. It
is, therefore, to the interests of the
honest trader that effective legislation
Should take place, and not only is it
to his interest, but, we can state that
it is his most anxious desire that
adulteration should be abolished; third,
for the Sake Of the COnsumer. That
the consumer is extensively robbed
through adulteration, sometimes of his
health, but always of his money, is un-
questionable. The extent to which he
is cheated through adulteration is
GenOI’In OUlS.
EDGAR'S ASEXUALIZATION BILL
A bill introduced in the Legislature
Of '97 for the first time and One like the
bill to provide for capital punishment,
to hereafter come up in each future
Legislature, is the one introduced by
Rep. Edgar, Of Lenawee, through the
provisions of which, if enacted into
law, it was believed by the Supporters
Of the bill the number of inmates in
the asylums for the insane and in the
Home for the Feeble Minded and Idi-
Otic would be very materially reduced.
When first introduced the measure
provided for an examination, by a
board of physicians, of all persons
committed to the prisons, asylums and
Home for the Feeble Minded and
Idiotic, who should determine by such
examination. Whether the interests of
society could be served by the unsex-
ing of those committed to such institu-
tions through in Some cases removing
the desire for certain criminal acts and
in Other cases preventing the increase
of criminals by hereditary taint.
The vote was, however, taken upon a
Substitute not SO SWeeping in character
and providing only for the examination
and unsexing Of perSOnS Sent to the
Home for Feeble Minded and those
committed to prison for the third time,
the vote on the substitute Standing 39
yeas to 45 nayS.
There was much time given to the
discussion of this bill and there is little
doubt but that it will from now On be
one of the regularly introduced bills in
each coming Legislature of Michigan,
although it is not one of those meas-
ures that the public print can in decen-
Cy give much Space to.
FAILURE ON INHERITANCE TAX BILL
A bill which passed the House Only
to fail in the Senate was House bill No.
141 entitled “A bill to provide for the
taxation of certain transfers of prop-
erty by gift, grant, inheritance, de Vise
or bequest,” and known as the “Inher-
itance Tax Bill.”
This bill was introduced to provide a
law for the taxation of inheritances,
etc., SO as to comply with the Consti-
tutional requirements necessary in the
enactment Of Such laws, and remedy
the defect in the law of 1891, passed for
the same purpose but afterwards de-
clared by the supreme court of the
State to be constitutionally defective in
some of its language. It came up in
the Senate on the evening Of May 24
in a report Of the committee On taxa-
tion, who reported it dut with a sub-
stitute, recommending that the Substi-
tute be printed for the use of the com-
mittee. The motion to print Was Op-
posed by Messrs. Barnard, COVell,
Wagar and Hadsall, who claimed that
to send a bill to the printer Within
three days of the time Set for adjourn-
ment was to Send it to its death. The
motion to print was Supported by
Messrs. Blakeslee, Lawrence, Thomp-
Son and Westcott. During his remarks
in favor of Sending the bill to the
printer Mr. Thompson said “It is time
to Stop taking everything away from
the people of the State who have any-
thing,” thus emphasizing the position
Of the Opponents of the motion to print
that it was made with a view of killing
it.
Afterwards a motion was made to
annend the report of the committee
that the substitute be printed in the
journal Of that day, so that it would
appear On the desks Of the Senators
the next day for consideration. The
motion Was lost by yeaS and nays as
follo WS:
Yeas—Messrs. Barnard, Bostwick,
Campbell, Colman, Covell, Forsyth,
Hadsall, Holmes, Loomis, Mudge,
Preston, Robinson, Wagar–13.
Nays—Messrs. Blakeslee, Jibb, Lati-
mer, Lawrence, Mason, Merriman,
Prescott, Savidge, Teeple, Thompson,
Wagner, Westcott, Youmans—13.
The President of the Senate casting
the Vote that broke the tie. The report
Of the Committee was concurred in, the
Substitute ordered printed, and another
bill added to the list of those passing
the House to find its death in the
Senate.
A REVENUE BILL THAT FAILED
A bill that was introduced for the
purpose of obtaining greater revenue
was Senate bill 373, introduced by
Senator Flood, entitled “A bill to regu-
late the manufacture and Sale of beer,
ale and porter, and to provide a spe-
cific tax thereon, and to regulate the
liquor traffic,” came up in the commit-
tee of the whole on the day preceding
adjournment. While it was endorsed
as a party measure and had a member
Of the State central executive commit-
tee present to aid in its passage, this
bill to tax beer was stoutly opposed by
the members from Wayne and the Sen-
ator from the fifth district, who after
a motion to Strike Out all after the en-
acting clause was lost by a tie Vote of
11 to 11, moved to refer the bill to the
judiciary committee, which carried,
and the Opponents of the bill were for
the time happy, but their happiness
was not of long duration, as On the re-
port of the committee of the whole
recommending reference to the judi-
ciary committee the Senate refused to
concur by the following vote:
Yeas—Barnard, Campbell, Colman,
Holmes, Jibb, Latiner, Lawrence,
Moore, Robinson, Savidge, Teeple,
Thompson, Westcott—13.
Nays—Barnum, Blakeslee, Bostwick,
Covell, Flood, Forsyth, Hadsall,
Loomis, Maitland, Mason, Merriman,
Mudge, Prescott, Preston, Wagar,
Warner, Youmans—17.
Just enough to have passed the bill
had the same men voted. On its final
passage when, as recorded in the
Journal, it lacked two votes, the record
is as follows:
Yeas—Messrs. Barnum, Blakeslee,
Eostwick, Flood, Hadsall, Hughes,
Loomis, Maitland, Mason, Merriman,
Mudge, Prescott, Wagar, Wagner,
Youmans—15.
Nays—Messrs. Barnard, Campbell,
Colman, Holmes, Jibb, Latimer, LaW-
rence, Moore, Robinson, Savidge, Tee-
ple, Thompson, Westcott—13.
Messrs. Covell and Forsyth not being
in the chamber at the time of the last
roll Call.
Mr. Flood then moved to reconsider
the vote by which the Senate refused
to pass the bill, which motion did not
prevail, and the expected revenue to
the State of from $300,000 to $400,000 per
year will not be forthcoming on beer
for the present.
A PLEASING CUSTOM
One of the usual and pleasing feat-
ures of the closing hours of each Michi-
gan Legislature is the custom which
has come into vogue of the members
presenting to the Speaker of the House
and the President of the Senate tokens
of esteem and regard, and to the clerks
and sergeants-at-arms of both houses
substantial recognition of their Ser-
vices during the session about to close.
The following resolutions will show
how, on the last day of the Session of
'97, the clerks and sergeants-at-arms
of both houses were rewarded for their
fidelity and attention to the business
Of the Session.
In the House Mr. Wetherbee offered
the following:
Whereas, The chief clerk and his
assistants have, during the entire Ses-
sion, performed services for the House
and the individual members thereof,
outside of and in addition to the Special
duties belonging to their positions,
and some adequate compensation is
due for their zeal and earnest efforts
in forwarding the business of the
House; therefore
Resolved, That the following custom-
ary sums be allowed them as extra
compensation, Viz.:
To Lewis M. Miller, Chief Clerk. . $4 00
Samuel F. Cook, Journal Clerk 3 00
John D. Sumner, Heading Clerk 2 00
Fred Z. Hamilton, Cor. Clerk... 2 00
R. H. Gibson, Serg.-at-arms... 2 00
The resolution was adopted.
In the Senate Mr. Merriman offered
the following concurrent resolution:
Resolved by the Senate (the House
concurring), That the Secretary of the
Senate and the Clerk of the House be
and they are hereby, directed to compile
and complete for publication, make
indexes and superintend the publica-
tion of the Journals and documents of
the present session of the Legislature,
and when complete and certified to by
the President of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives, respectively, the Secretary of the
Senate shall be entitled to and receive
the sum of five hundred dollars, and
the Clerk of the House of Representa-
tives shall be entitled to and receive
the sum of six hundred dollars for
such services, the same to be paid on
the certificate of the President of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House
as aforesaid.
Which resolution was adopted, as
was the following, also by Mr. Merri-
man, on May 26th :
Resolved, That Charles S. Pierce,
Secretary of the Senate, be allowed $4
per day, and that E. V. Chilson,
assistant Secretary, and A. N. Arm-
strong, Sergeant-at-arms, be allowed
$2 per day each, extra compensation,
for extra work performed by them
during the legislative session.
PRESENTATIONS TO PRESIDING
officers
The presentation of a diamond ring
and a solid silver water pitcher to
Speaker Gordon was the Occasion for
much speech making, during Which it
became a question of personal privilege
to obtain the floor in Order to express
Sentinnents of esteem and love for the
gentleman who would soon, for the sec-
ond time, lay down the gavel as Speak-
er of the House at the close of a ses—
Sion more loved and respected than
when the session Opened some five
months previous.
In the Senate Mr. Loomis arose to a
question of personal privilege. He then
sent to the secretary’s desk and had
read an engrossed address, expressing
the thanks of the Senators to President
Dunstan for the able and impartial
manner in which he had presided over
the deliberations Of the Senate during
the session then drawing to a close.
The following is a copy of the address:
Hon. Thomas B. Dunstan, President of
the Senate:
In these closing hours of the Session
Of the Michigan Legislature of 1897,
the nembers Of the Senate desire to at-
test their appreciation Of the able and
impartial manner in which you have
presided Over the deliberations of this
body, and of the uniform kindness With
which you have treated every Senator.
Sharing with you the labors of each
day’s Session, We have realized fully
the difficulties of your position, and
We all take pride in the Splendid suc-
cess you have achieved. With the
greatest courtesy, and with the utmost
fairness to all, you have exercised the
power that was placed in your hands.
Your every action has shown that you
have been actuated by a desire to Serve
faithfully and well, not only the Sen-
ate, but the people by whom you Were
chosen to the responsible position you
OCCupy.
Whatever has been done during the
Session of ’97 that Will result in benefit
to the people has been accomplished
with your hearty co-Operation. The
important trust placed in your hands
has been carefully guarded and your
ever cheerful manner and kind words
have been a great encouragement to us
in our work. In the performance of
your duties, you have won Our high-
est esteem and you have the best
wishes of every member of the Michi-
gan Senate.
(Signed)
ARTHUR L. HOLMES, 1st Dist.
WILLIAM G. THOMPSON, 2d Dist.
CHARLES W. MOORE, 3d Dist.
SAMUEL J. LAWRENCE, 4th Dist.
WILLIAM JIBB, 5th Dist.
IEDWARD E. BOSTWICK, 6th Dist.
lº, DWIN A. BLAKESLEE, 7th Dist.
GEORGE W. MERRIMAN, 8th Dist.
HUTSON B. COLMAN, 9th Dist.
ANDREW CAMPEELL, 10th Dist.
CHARLES H. WESTCOTT, 11th Dist.
FIRED M. WARNER, 12th Dist.
GEORGE W. TEEPLE, 13th Dist.
HENRY S. HADSALL, 14th Dist.
ARTHUR D. HUGHES, 15th Dist.
IROBERT B. LOOMIS, 16th Dist.
EDMUND M. BARNARD, 17 Dist.
EDGAR S. WAGAR, 18th Dist.
ELISHA MUDGE, 19th Dist.
MATHEW D. WAGNER, 20th Dist.
JOHN L. PRESTON, 21st Dist.
HENRY M. YOUMANS, 22d Dist.
WILLIAM SAVIDGE, 23d Dist.
ALEXANDER FORSYTH, 24th Dist.
W. IRVING LATIMER, 25th Dist.
JAMES FC. FLOOD, 26th Dist.
GEORGE G. COVELL, 27th Dist.
GEORGE A. PRESCOT, 28th Dist.
EZR.A. C. BARNUM, 29th Dist.
RICHARD MASON, 30th Dist.
ALEX. MAITLAND, 31st Dist.
ORFIN W. ROBINSON, 32d Dist.
BAIRDe KERR CONTESTED ELECTION
CASB,
The Legislature of 1897–8 was not
without the usual contested election
case, in which the seat of the sitting
member was claimed by the candidate
opposing him at the polls. But, instead
of the usual endorsement given to the
report of the majority of the commit-
tee on contested elections when the
matter came before the House for final
action, a substitute was offered and
adopted, declaring the Seat Vacant.
This was followed by a resolution noti-
fying the Governor of the vacancy and
requesting him to order an election to
fill the same.
This was followed by another resolu-
tion, also adopted, Ordering that the
contestants be each allowed $325.00 to
reimburse them for the expense of the
Contest.
“THE world DO MOVE **
The old custom of first presenting a
bill to the Legislature in manuscript,
the Legislature after receiving it send-
ing the bill to the printers to be printed
With type and then after the bill had
passed the Legislature sending it to
the engrossing committee, to be by
the clerks of that committee engrossed
With pen and ink On parchment, was
by act of the Legislature of ’97 rele-
gated to the past and hereafter Michi-
gan will show the progress and ad-
Vancement of her people by henceforth
printing all laws with type before the
Signatures Of the presiding Officer of
the Legislature and the Governor of
the State are attached.
20
T H E S T A T E R E IP U B L I C A N
MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR
“The best laid plans of mice and men
- gang aft agley.”
On May 26th, the first Of the three
closing days of the session, while the
members were busily packing docu-
ments, books, Stationery, ink and muci-
lage bottles, rulers, shears, erasers,
paper baskets and all the Other acces-
SOries to legislative WOrk, into deal
boxes for home shipment, they were
temporarily paused by the announce-
ment of a message from the GOVernor,
through the reading of which it was
for a short time believed that the Ses-
SiOn Would be prolonged from two to
four Weeks beyond the time already
Set for adjournment.
In this Governor Pingree again ex-
ercised his prerogative of expressing
his Views on State affairs through a
message to the Legislature. This mes-
Sage was well received by the House,
Where action was taken in compliance
With the request Of the Executive of
the State. In the Senate, immediately
after the message was read by the Sec-
retary, on motion of Mr. Thompson, it
Was laid on the table, where it re-
mained until the session closed.
From page 1560 of the Legislative
Journal, we give a transcript of the
message and the action of the Legis-
lature thereon.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
Lansing, May 26, 1897.
To the Senate and House of Repre-
Sentatives:
The time fixed by the Senate and
House for adjournment is so close at
hand that it renders the possibility of
perfecting important legislation, now
pending, very remote.
Among the bills introduced at this
Session is House bill 1101 to provide for
a Bureau of Statistics and Accounts.
This bill was referred to the commit-
tee On State affairs, but so far as I
have been able to learn has received
no attention from that committee.
From all the information that I can
Obtain this bill is one of exceeding im-
portance to the people of the State.
The System of specific taxes, based
upon the earnings of certain corpora-
tions, makes it of the first importance
that the accounts of these corporations
should be not only honestly kept, but
SO reported that they can be under-
Stood by the people of the State. The
method of bookkeeping adopted by the
different companies and corporations,
upon Whose returns the taxing officers
Of the State are compelled to act, is
anything but uniform. In many cases
the accounts rendered are almost un-
intelligible, even to an expert book-
keeper. The State should provide for
a uniform System so carefully guarded
that reports made to the State can be
easily understood, and fraudulent re-
ports easily detected.
Another bill introduced at an earlier
day in the session, seeks to reach
cases of discrimination in passenger
and freight rates by railroads. This
bill has, as I understand it, passed
the committee of the whole of the
House, with certain amendments
Which have not yet been concurred in.
It is a bill of the first importance. It
seeks to secure to all of the people of
the State equal and fair treatment at
the hands of the transportation com-
panies, and to prevent favoritism as
between persons and localities.
Another bill which has passed the
House of Representatives, and which
has been referred, as I am informed,
to a committee of the Senate, but not
yet acted upon by the committee, pro-
Vides for the sale of five hundred mile
books, and a reduction of the railway
fares in the upper peninsula, from the
maximum rate of four cents per mile
to three cents per mile. This bill
seeks to enable those not able to buy
books for a thousand miles to get a
book covering five hundred miles. It
also provides for a measure of relief
to the overcharged, suffering people of
the upper peninsula.
Another very important bill provides
for interchangeable mileage tickets.
This measure, should it become a law,
Will prove One of great advantage and
COn Venience to the commercial travel-
ers of the State, and result in no loss
whatever to the railroad companies.
This bill has, as I understand it, also
passed the House of Representatives
and been referred to a committee in
the Senate, where it remains unre-
ported.
Two other important bills upon the
subject of trusts and combinations,
One embodying the trust law of Geor-
gia, and another the trust law of New
York, both of which have stood the
test of judicial investigation, Were in-
troduced in the House of Representa-
tives and referred to Committees, but
So far as I can learn remain unre-
ported.
There are also bills providing for
proper taxation of express Companies,
telephone and telegraph companies,
which have So far received no special
attention from the Legislature, but
which are of the highest importance to
the people of the State.
There are also before the HOuse Very
inportant appropriation bills. Many
of them have been reported within the
last few days, making an intelligent
examination of them next to impos-
Sible. They involve the appropriation
of millions of dollars of the people’s
money. In times like the present not
a Single dollar should be appropriated
Without receiving the careful atten-
tion Of the people's representatives. It
is certainly to be regretted that such
bills Should be acted upon in the hurry
Of a closing Session. Such appropria-
tion bills when passed by the Legis-
lature come to the GOVernor for his
approval Or disapproval. He has no
power to Veto any particular items,
but has the simple choice of making
each bill effective as a whole or entire-
ly destroying it. There are always
Very necessary appropriations mixed
up with very needless ones. The only
protection the people have in these
Cases is the careful scrutiny of the
members of the two houses.
In View of the pendency of these
bills, and their importance to the peo-
ple, I respectfully recommend that the
Senate and House rescind the resolu-
tion to adjourn on the 28th inst., and
extend their session for at least two
Weeks, so as to enable them to act up-
On these matters.
I do not Overlook the expense that a
Continuance of the session may be to
the people of the State, but I consider
it as insignificant compared with the
advantage of having these subjects re-
Ceive your attention.
Very respectfully,
H. S. PINGREE,
Governor.
Mr. Chamberlain offered the follow-
ing:
Resolved, That the message from the
Governor, just read, be referred to the
Committee on judiciary with instruc-
tions to report the same back to the
House at their earliest convenience,
together with such recommendation
thereon as they shall deem proper;
Which was not adopted.
Mr. Foster offered the following:
Resolved (the Senate concuring),
That the concurrent resolution adopted
by the House of Representatives May
10, 1897, providing that from and after
the 28th day of May, next, the two
houses of the I_egislature will transact
no other business, than for the Presi-
dent of the Senate and the Speaker of
the House to sign enrolled bills for
presentation to the Governor and the
entry of the same on the Journal, by
the Secretary of the Senate and the
Clerk of the House, and the time for
final adjournment of the Legislature
shall be the 31st day of May, next,
at 12 O'clock noon of that day, be and
the same is hereby rescinded.
Resolved (the Senate concuring),
That from and after the 11th day of
June, next, the two houses of the Leg-
islature Will transact no other business
than for the President of the Senate
and the Speaker of the House to sign
enrolled bills for presentation to the
Governor and the entry of the same on
the Journals by the Secretary of the
Senate and the Clerk of the House,
and the time for final adjournment of
the Legislature shall be the 14th
day of June next, at 12 o'clock noon
Of that day.
Pending the Order that the resolution
lie Over one day under the rules,
Mr. J. H. Dickinson moved that the
rules be Suspended and the resolutions
be put on their immediate considera–
tion;
Pending which,
Mr. Lusk moved that the resolutions
do lie on the table,
Which motion did not prevail.
The motion that the rules be sus-
pended and that the resolutions be put
On their immediate consideration then
prevailed.
The question being on the adoption
Of the resolutions,
Mr. Fuller demanded the yeas and
InayS.
The demand was seconded.
Pending discussion,
Mr. Stoneman demanded the pre-
Vious question.
'The demand was seconded.
The question being shall the main
question be now put,
The same Was Ordered. º
The resolution was then adopted, a
majority of the members present Vot-
ing therefor, by yeas and nays, as fol-
lowS:
Yeas—Messrs. Adams, Alward, Bab-
cock, C. G., Babcock, H., Belknap,
Bemis, Billings, Bricker, Bryan, Bus-
kirk, Cahoon, Caldwell, Camburn,
Chamberlain, Clark, Coad, Colvin,
Davis, Dickinson, J. H., Dickinson, L.
D., Donovan, Eikhoff, Fleischhauer,
Foster, Gibson, Gillam, Goodell, Good-
year, Graham, Hammond, Herrig,
Jackson, January, Kelly, Kerr, Lusk,
Mayer, McGill, Miller, Molster, Moore,
E. W., Niedermeier, Oberdorffer, Otis,
Peters, Phillips, M. F., Putney, Ruli-
son, Sawyer, Scully, Shepherd, F.,
Shisler, Stewart, Stoneman, Tefft,
Vought, Weier, Wetherbee, Whitney,
Widoe, Williams, Wing, Zimmerman,
63.
NayS—MeSSrS. Allison, Anderson,
Bates, Campbell, Clute, Connors,
Cousins, Dudley, Foote, Fuller, Green,
Gustin, Harris, Hofmeister, Kimmis.
Madill, Marsilje, Moore, M. G., O’Dett,
Pearson, Peek, Perry, Petrowsky,
Phillips, C. C., Powers, Reed, Salvage,
Shepherd, F. M., Smith, Van Camp,
Speaker, 31.
The resolution was then Sent to the
Senate, where, on being read,
The question being on concurring in
the adoption of the resolution,
Mr. Barnum moved the previous
Question,
Which motion was Seconded.
The question then being shall the
main Question now be put,
The same was ordered.
The resolution was then not adopted,
a majority of the Senators present not
Voting therefor, by yeas and nays, as
follows:
Yeas—Messrs. Blakeslee, Bostwick,
Homes, Hughes, Moore, Mudge, Rob-
inson, Youmans.
NayS–Messrs. Barnard, Barnum,
Campbell, Colman, Covell, Flood, For-
Syth, Hadsall, Jibb, Latimer, Law–
rence, Loomis, Maitland, Mason, Mer-
riman, Prescott, Preston, Salvidge,
Teeple, Thompson, Wagar, Wagner,
Warner, Westcott, 24.
After this action Of the Senate had
been reported to the House,
Mr. Sawyer moved that in the mat-
ter of the disagreement existing be-
tween the two houses relative to the
matter of final adjournment, the House
insist On its petition and ask for a com-
mittee of Conference, to consist of five
members from the House and five from
the Senate;
Which motion prevailed.
The Speaker announced as such com-
mittee on the part of the House,
Messrs. Sawyer, Fuller, Eikhoff, Mar-
Silje and Scully.
On Thursday, May 27, the President
Of the Senate announced the following
as a message from the House:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Lansing, May 27, 1897
To the President Of the Senate:
Sir—I am instructed by the House to
inform the Senate relative to the con-
Current resolution rescinding the form-
er resolution of final adjournment and
fixing a later date (as appears in
former messages), in the adoption of
which the Senate has non-concurred;
That the House insists and asks for
a COmmittee Of Conference to consider
the matter Of difference between the
two houses and further to inform the
Senate that Representatives Sawyer,
Fuller, Eikhoff, Marsilje and Scully
have been appointed as Such committee
On the part of the House.
Very respectfully,
LEWIS M. MILLER,
Clerk of the House of Representatives.
The question being on concurring in
the adoption of the resolution,
Mr. Loomis Offered the following
• resolution:
Resolved, That the House of Repre-
sentatives by respectful message be in-
formed that the Senate deems it in-
advisable to reopen the matter of final
adjournment as fixed by concurrent
resolution. That in this view of the
case no good purpose could be served
by a conference committee; therefore
the Senate respectfully and courteous-
ly declines to appoint such conference
Committee;
Which resolution being adopted,
The Senate again stood as a bar to
the recommendation of the Executive
Of the State.
IMPORTANT CHANGES IN HOUSE RULES
During the Session many important
changes were made in the House rules.
On February 26, Rule 34 was amended
SO as to read as indicated by the brack-
eted lines in the following paragraph:
Rule 34. Any member who voted on
that side of the question which pre-
Vailed may move for a reconsideration
thereof On the same or next succeed-
ing day; and Such motion shall take
precedence of all other questions, ex-
Cept a motion to adjourn; but shall not
be renewed On the same day. [A mo-
tion to reconsider any question, if laid
On the table, may be taken therefrom
and disposed Of at any time within the
period allowed by this rule for mov-
ing a reconsideration. The motion to
postpone indefinitely shall not be re-
considered.]
On May 25, Rule 59 was amended as
indicated by the lines in brackets, as
follows:
Rule 59. Every Order or resolution to
Which the Concurrence of the Senate
Shall be necessary, shall be read to the
House, and shall lie upon the table orie
day preceeding its passage. [No con-
Current resolution appropriating money
Shall be declared adopted unless a mal-
jority of all the members elected to
the House shall have Voted in favor of
the adoption of the same.]
The changes in Hule 10 Will do much
to remedy existing defects in the Work
Of the clerk, and provide for the great-
er Safety in the handling of bills, as
given in the report of the committee on
rules in the Legislative Journal of May
28, and adopted as follows:
Rule 10a. He shall make up and
Complete the Journal of the House, in
conformity to the rules; keep the sev-
eral Orders of business separate and
distinct, and keep on file the several
bills in the Order of the third reading
in the Order in which they were re-
ceived from the committee of the
Whole.
Rule 10b. He shall prepare and place
On the desk of each member each day
a list of the business on his desk un-
der each Order of business, and shall
also place on the desk of each member
each day, during the first fifty days
Of the Session, a calendar of bills in-
troduced, showing their reference; and
as Soon as may be after the first fifty
days of the Session, shall prepare a
clerk’s calendar of all bills and joint
resolutions introduced and their bill
history up to that date. As Soon as
may be after the announcement Of the
standing committees of the House, he
shall have lists prepared and placed
upon the desks Of the members, which
shall show a list Of the members with
their seat number, district, county,
home postoffice, Lansing address, na-
tivity and profession Or Occupation; a
list of counties showing the members
representing the Same; alphabetical
list of members ShoWing the commit-
tees upon which each One has been ap-
pointed; list of the Standing commit-
tees of the House, showing membership
thereof; list Of the Special committees;
the assignment Of committee rooms
and a list of the elective and appoint-
ive employes of the House.
Rule 10c. He shall be responsible to
the House for the care and preserval-
tion of every bill and joint resolution
introduced into the House and for
each bill and joint resolution received
from the Senate up to the time of its
return to that body, which responsi-
bility shall only be relieved by a re-
ceipt from a proper person when the
bill is necessarily in the hands Of a
committee for consideration. When a
bill has been finally passed by the two
houses, he shall attend to the enroll-
ment printing of the same, in acord-
ance with the statute relating thereto,
and present the enrolled copy to the
committee on enrollment for final com-
parison and determination of correct-
ness by said committee on enrollment
and present the Same to the Governor,
taking a receipt therefor, showing the
day and hour at which each bill Was
deposited in the executive Office.
Rule 100. The Clerk shall appoint as
assistants in the performance of the
duties required of him, a Journal Clerk,
bill clerk, proof reader, reading clerk,
and a financial clerk, each One Of Whom
shall be subject to the orders of the
L E G I S L A T I V E S O U V E N I R.
21
Clerk and subject to summary removal
On failure to properly perform the
duties assigned them; the reason for
such removal to be reported forth with
to the House. In case of the inability
Of the Clerk, from sickenss or other
cause, to perform the duties of his
Office, temporarily, the Journal Clerk
Shall be charged with the responsibil-
ity of the Clerk and shall perform his
duties.
THE LAST MESSAGE
The surprising incident of the last
night of the session came about eight
in the evening, when the Clerk of the
House and the Secretary of the Sen-
ate read a message from the Governor
that caused a few Of the members to
think that the boxes packed and sent
to the basement of the Capitol for
shipment would need to be brought
back and unpacked and the contents
again put upon the desks for use in
another two weeks of legislative work.
We here insert the message and the
action of the Legislature in relation
thereto :
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
Lansing, May 28, 1897.
To the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives:
I have certain information, prepared
at my request by the Commissioner of
Railroads, computing the amount of
taxes that will be realized from rail-
road Companies and depot companies
under the Merriman bill, so-called,
Computed upon the earnings of the
railroad companies for 1896. I have
also caused to be prepared and here-
With Submit the opinion of the Com-
missioner of Railroads, as to the valid-
ity of the railroad tax law, being act
No. 129 of the public acts of 1893, and
the so-called Merriman amendment
thereof, both of which matters of in-
formation I make a part of this mes-
Sage. I deem it my duty, even at this
late hour, to call your attention to
them. You have yet the time during
the present session, by taking proper
action, to frame a bill which will be
unquestionable in form, to secure to
the State that small amount which the
Merriman bill purports to give to it in
increased taxes.
While an early adjournment may be
desirable, it would be very unsatisfac-
tory if it shall result in leaving the
people without adequate legal relief.
I again earnestly recommend that the
few remaining hours of your session be
devoted to placing this matter in prop-
er legal form, and if time be found
insufficient that the session be extend-
ed a short time for that purpose.
I have submitted the opinion of the
Railroad Commissioner to other coun-
sel eminent in the practice of their pro-
fession, and am advised that what is
attempted by the Merriman bill is il-
legal and is an attempt on the part of
the Legislature to usurp the power of
Congress to regulate and tax commerce
anong the states and with Canada.
There is no necessity of running such
a risk and by a hasty adjournment to
leave work of this importance imper-
fectly done. If you in your wisdom
shall deem it of importance you have
Still the time to recall this bill and
pass One to accomplish the purpose
intended in such a form that no legal
Objections can be urged against it.
Very respectfully,
H. S. PINGREE,
Governor.
Lansing, May 28, 1897.
Hon. H. S. Pingree, Governor, Lansing,
Mich. :
Dear Sir—Your communication di-
recting me to report, first a computa-
tion of taxes under the Merriman bill
as passed by the Legislature, based
On reports Of earnings Of railroad com-
panies for 1896, and
Second, directing me to prepare a
brief concerning the validity of the
Michigan law relating to the taxation
of railroad Companies, being act No.
129 of the public acts of 1893, approved
May 27, 1893, and the Merriman amend-
ment thereof, so-called, has been re-
ceived, and I here with respectfully
comply with your request in that be-
half.
Very respectfully,
S. WESSELIUS,
Commissioner of Railroads.
Computation of tax, under Merriman
bill as passed by the Legislature,
based on reports of railroad companies
for 1896:
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Respectfully submitted,
S. WESSELIUS,
Commissioner of Railroads.
Brief concerning the validity of the
Michigan law relating to the taxation
Of railroad companies, being act No.
129 of the public acts of 1893, approved
May 27, 1893.
The question presented for discussion
arises under the law above named, and
especially with reference to that por-
tion of Sec. 3 of said act, which pro-
Vides that railroad companies shall
pay a certain percentage of tax fixed
in the act, upon their gross income
from all sources. In accordance with
the provisions of said section the tax
shall be computed and collected from
every railroad company formed under
the provisions of this act, or which
now is or may hereafter be brought
under the provisions of the general law
Of this State for the taxation of rail-
Way Or railroad corporations, and as
Well to every railroad company own-
ing or Operating any railroad situated
in this State.
The same section further provides
that “When a railroad lies partly with-
in and partly without this State,
prima facie, the gross income of said
company from such road, for the pur-
pose of taxation, shall be on the actual
earnings of the road in Michigan, com-
puted by adding to the income derived
from the business transacted by said
company entirely within this State,
such proportion of the income of said
company arising from interstate busi-
ness, as the length Of the road OVer
which said interstate business is car-
ried in this State bears to the entire
length of the road over which said in-
terstate business is carried.”
The above extracts from the law are
Such as are material to this discussion.
It will be important at the outset to
define the varying situation of the dif-
ferent railroad companies with refer-
ence to this Statute; and they may be
divided into three classes:
First, Railroad companies organized
under the general railroad law of
Michigan, whose business is transacted
entirely within this State.
Second, Such railroad companies as
are organized under the general rail-
road law of this State, or under spec-
ial charters granted by this State,
whose business is transacted Over its
lines partly within and partly without
the State.
Third, Such railroad companies as
are organized under the laws of other
states, and not incorporated under the
Michigan laws, owning railway lines
within the State and transacting
business thereon partly within and
partly without the State.
It will not be necessary to enter upon
an extensive analysis of the rights of a
State to tax corporations which are its
Own Creatures, in such manner and
form as the State shall deem just, so
long as the provisions Of the Federal
COnstitution are not violated in So do-
ing. It has been held that the right
Of a State, in the exercise of its tax-
ing power, is unlimited over subjects
Within its borders, and in support of
the position, I quote a few cases only.
In the case of the State of Indiana.
ex rel. Wolf vs. Pullman Palace Car
Company, reported in Vol. 13, Ameri-
Can and English Railroad Cases, at
page 307, and decided in the Supreme
Court of the United States in 1883, the
COurt uses this language:
“The right of a State to tax prop-
erty within its territory or jurisdiction
and protected by its laws, cannot be
questioned so long as no provision of
the Federal constitution is violated.
This right of taxing for revenue may
be exercised in any mode or form that
the State sees fit to adopt. Corpora-
tions may be taxed by the State whose
Creatures they are. They may be taxed
On their stock, their franchises, their
gross receipts, or their net receipts,
and they may be taxed upon their re-
Ceipts as part of their common prop-
erty or funds in their treasuries, al-
though such receipts have been de-
rived from the business of commerce
between the states. * * * The laws
Of a State can have no extra territorial
effect.”
And, again, the court held in the case
Of Fargo, President, etc., vs. Stevens,
Auditor General, a Michigan case, de-
cided by the Supreme Court of the
|United States, and reported in 121 U.
S. Reports, at page 230: -
“A State may tax the money actually
Within the State, after it has passed
beyond the stage of compensation for
Carrying persons or property, as it
may tax other money or property
Within its limits.”
From these and many other de-
cisions of the court of final resort it
appears beyond question that the Leg-
islature has a right to levy taxes upon
the gross income of such corporations
as are Organized under its laws and
doing business wholly within the State.
It is apparent that the same rule
Would apply to such railroad compan-
ies as for convenience I have brought
under the second classification, to wit:
Those organized under Michigan law
and having their lines in Operation
partly within and partly without the
State, provided that the principal of—
fice of the corporation is located with-
in the State, and that all its earnings
are there turned into its treasury, and
having its property within the tax jur-
isdiction of Michigan, and in my opin-
ion for that reason only. For, if the
principal Office of the corporation or-
ganized under the laws of this State
is located beyond its borders, and its
earnings arise from interstate busi-
neSS, the money received from its busi-
ness does not come within the juris-
diction of the Michigan tax law, and
Cannot be taxed as property within its
borders. And if it is then taxed upon
its grOSS earnings it must, to be valid,
Stand the Scrutiny of an analysis
which I will apply to the third classi-
fication above named, and with refer-
ence to which earnings the State will
be subject to the same limitations
and privileges as relate to its power to
tax gross earnings or foreign corpora-
tions.
Adding this latter Case of railroad
Corporations to those Organized under
the laws of other States, but trans-
acting business within this State by
the Operation of lines of railroads, we
are prepared to take the Subject of the
validity of a tax upon the gross earn-
ings of said companies. It will be seen
at a glance that in the transaction of
their business this latter class of rail-
road companies is engaged in what is
known in the Constitution of the
United States, as “commerce annong
the several States,” Or, to use the more
recent and terse expression, “inter-
state commerce.” And this being so
we are met at the very outset, in
searching for the power of a state to
interfere, either directly or indirectly,
by a declaration of the constitution of
the United States (in an enumeration
of the powers reserved by the general
government and not delegated to the
states), that congress has reserved
“the right to regulate commerce with
foreign nations and among the several
states and with the Indian tribes.”
(Sec. 8, Art. 1.)
The question as to what constitutes
“commerce among the several states”
has been many times discussed and de-
cided by the Supreme Court of the
|United States in the last three decades,
and the court has at last laid down
some well defined rules and interpre-
tations upon the subject so clearly
that no doubt longer exists as to what
COnstitutes interstate commerce. The
clearest cases perhaps upon that sub-
ject are those known as the State
Freight Tax, and the State tax of rail-
Way groSS receipts, which were decid-
ed in the December term of the Su-
preme Court of the United States, in
1872, and reported in the 15th of Wal-
lace, the first case at page 232, and the
Second Case at page 284.
In the first case the statute of the
State of Pennsylvania in posed a tax
upon all the railroad corporations do-
ing business within that State, as well
as On Steamboats and others engaged
in the carrying trade, and required
Such companies to pay the State
Treasurer a tax on each two thousand
pounds Of freight so carried, graduated
according to the articles transported.
These were arranged in three classes,
On the first Of which a tax of two cents
per ton was laid; upon the second,
three cents; and upon the third, five
CentS. The Reading Railroad Com-
pany, in making its report to the State
under this statute, divided its freight
On which the tax was to be levied into
tWO classes, namely, freight trans-
ported between points within the
State; and freight passed from within
the State Out Of it and from without .
the State into it. The Supreme Court
Of the United States, however, held in
that case, that freight taken up with-
in the State and carried out of it, Or
taken up without the State and
brought within it, all came under the
description of commerce annong the
States, and within the meaning of that
portion of the Constitution of the
United States above quoted.
And it was also held in that case
that freight transported from, and to
points exclusively within the limits of
the State, was internal commerce, and
not commerce annong the States.
The case above quoted has been the
leading case upon the Subject as to
what constitutes interState COmnerCe,
and has been followed by the Court
since the same was rendered. In the
interest of brevity, therefore, I will not
cluote from other cases upon the Sub-
ject, but simply cite you to them:
Robbins vs. Shelby county taxing
district, 120 U. S. R., 389;
Pickerd vs. Pullman Southern Car
Company, 117 U. S. R., 34;
Tennessee vs. Pullman Southern Car
Company, 117 U. S. R., 5.1;
Eleventh of Bissell, U. S. R., 561;
Erie Railway Company vs. State, 31
N. J. L., 531;
So in the case of
State vs. Woodruff Sleeping and Par-
lor Coach Company, 33 American and
English R. R. Cases,
It was held that a sleeping car Com-
pany engaged in the business of trans-
porting passengers from One State to
another is engaged in the business of
interstate COmnerce.
Under the provisions of our railroad
law there is, of course, no dispute but
that the Only tax upon railroad prop-
ty in this State is upon gross earnings,
and that tax is in lieu Of all Other
taxes. And I maintain that a tax up-
On gross earnings when levied upon
commerce between the states, whether
Originating within this State and go-
ing to another, or whether coming
from another state into this State,
which, according to the decisions above
quoted, is interstate commerce, is void.
In support of the position maintain-
ing the invalidity of a tax on gross
earnings we are much aided by a
Michigan decision of the Supreme
Court of the United States, which de-
Clared invalid
“An act to provide for the taxation
of persons, copartnerships, associa-
tions, Car-loaning COmpanies, COrpOra-
tions, and fast-freight lines, engaged
in the business of running cars Over
any of the railroads of this State, and
not being exclusively the property of
any railroad company paying taxes on
their gross receipts,” passed by the
Legislature of 1893.
The provisions of this statute are
very similar to the one now upon our
statute books taxing railroad compan-
ies upon their gross receipts. The
case was very hotly contested by the
State and the Merchants’ Dispatch
Transportation Company, a New York
corporation. After the law has been
22
T H E S T A T E R E P U B L I C A N
upheld as Valid by the Supreme Court
of this State, the Supreme Court of
the United States declared it invalid
in the case Of
Fargo, President, etc., vs. Stevens,
Auditor General, 121 U. S. R., 230.
And in Order that you may under-
Stand fully the position of the court,
I quote at length from the decision of
the court as follows, at page 457:
“The subject of the attempts by the
State to impose burdens upon what
has come to be known as interstate
commerce or traffic, and which is
Called in the Constitution. Of the United
States, ‘commerce among the states,”
by statutes which endeavor to regulate
the exercise of that commerce, as to
the mode by which it shall be con-
ducted, or by the imposition of taxes
upon the articles of commerce, or upon
the transportation of those articles,
has been very much agitated of late
years. It has received the attentive
Consideration of this, court in many
Cases, and especially within the last
five years, and has occupied congress
for a time quite as long. The recent
act approved February 14, 1887, en-
titled ‘An act to regulate commerce,”
passed after many years of effort in
that body, is evidence that congress
has at last undertaken a duty imposed
upon it by the Constitution of the
United States in the declaration that it
Shall have power to “regulate conn-
merce with foreign nations, and
anong the Several states and with the
Indian tribes,’ Congress has freely ex-
ercised this power, as far as relates to
Commerce with foreign nations and
with the Indian tribes, but in regard
to Commerce annong the several states
it has, until this act, refrained from
the passage of any very important reg-
ulations upon this subject, except per-
haps the statutes regulating steam-
boats and the operation upon the
navigable waters of the country.
“With reference to the utterances
Of this court, until within a very short
time past, as to what constitutes com-
merce among the several states, and
also as to what enactments by the
state legislatures are in violation of
the constitutional provisions on that
Subject, it may be admitted that the
Court has not always employed the
Same language, and that all of the
judges of the court, who have written
Opinions for it, may not have meant
precisely the same thing. Still we think
the more recent opinions of the court
have pretty clearly established the
principles upon that subject which can
be readily applied to most cases re-
Quiring the construction of the con-
Stitutional provision, and that these
recent decisions leave no room to doubt
that the statute of Michigan, as in-
terpreted by its Supreme Court in the
present case, is forbidden as a regula-
tion of commerce among the states,
the power to make which is withheld
from the State.”
In addition to holding that the Mich-
igan statute which attempted to levy
a tax upon the gross receipts of rail-
roads for the carriage of freight or
passengers into, out of or through the
State, is a tax upon commerce among
the states and therefore void, the court
in the case cited held,—that while a
State may tax the money actually
Within the state, after it has passed
from the stage of compensation for
carrying persons or property, as it may
tax other property within its limits, a
tax upon receipts for this class of car-
riage Specifically, is a tax upon the
Commerce out of which it arises, and if
that be interstate commerce it is void
under the statute. And the court
further held that states cannot be per-
mitted, under the guise of a tax upon
business transacted within their bor-
ders, to impose a burden upon com-
merce anong the states, when the
business so taxed is itself interstate
COInn InerCe.
In the case of the state freight tax
decision in the 15th of State of Penn-
Sylvania, which imposed upon all rail-
road Corporations doing business with-
in that state a specific tax on each
two thousand pounds of freight car-
ried, graduated according to the arti-
cles transported, was invalid. The
Court said upon the same subject:
“It is not at all material that the
tax levied is upon all freight as well
as that which is wholly internal, as
that embarked in interstate trade.
The state may tax its internal com-
merce; but if an act to tax interstate
Or foreign commerce is unconstitution-
al, it is not cured by including in its
provisions Subjects within the domain
Of the State. Nor is a rule prescribed
for the carriage of goods through, out
Of Or into the state, in the least a regu-
lation of transportation, because the
Same rule may be applied to carriage
Which is wholly internal. If the state
Chooses to exact conditions for allow-
ing the passage or carriage of per-
Sons Or freight through, out of or into
another state, the nature of the ex-
action is not changed by adding to it
Similar conditions for allowing trans-
portation wholly within the State.” .
The law as laid down in these decis-
ions has become so well established
that in a recent case decided in the
Supreme court of Dakota, being the
Northern Pacific Railway Company vs.
Raymond, treasurer, the attorney gen-
eral Of that state, upon the hearing of
that branch of the case relating to a
tax upon the gross receipts of a conn-
pany, arising from interstate business,
admitted the invalidity of the Dakota.
law, and the court thereupon held that
the Dakota statute, which provides for
the levy and collection of a percent-
age of the gross earnings of railroad
Companies, in lieu of other taxes, is un-
Constitutional and invalid in so far as
it imposes a tax upon the transporta-
tion of freight or passenger to or
from points outside of the state, such
traffic being interstate commerce sub-
ject only to the regulations of con-
greSS. The court says further that the
act passed by the legislature of that
State is an intermeddling with, and an
effort to tax the earnings or proceeds
arising from interstate commerce, and
an attempt of usurpation of a power
Which under the constitution is to be
Solely and exclusively exercised by
Congress, citing Fargo vs. Michigan.
Philadelphia S. S. Co. vs. Pa., 126 U.
S. R., 326-347, and the cases therein
cited;
Indiana vs. Pullman Palace Car Co.,
11 Biss. U. S. R., 561;
Delaware and H. Canal Co. vs. Com-
monwealth, 37 American and English
R. R. cases, 359.
In the case of the Commonwealth
Vs. Lehigh Railway Company, 12 At-
lantic Reporter, 179, the court held that
Where both or one of the terminal
points of a railroad company is beyond
the State, a tax laid on the gross re-
ceipts received from the transporta-
tion of freight or passengers within
those points, is void, being a tax upon
interstate commerce. This last decision
Will apply to railroad companies or-
ganized under the laws of this State,
but having a corporate existence also
in other states and in Canada. And in
Support of this general proposition I
also cite:
Philadelphia S. S. Co. vs. Pa., 126 U.
S. 326; cited in 138 New York at page 1.
And again in the case of the People
ex. rel vs. Wemple, 131 N. Y. 64, affirm-
ing 61 Hun, 63, the court said:
“It seems the property of a foreign
Corporation, engaged in the business
of State and interstate transportation
in this state, is subject to taxation
here in common with domestic cor-
porations engaged in the same busi-
ness, but a tax or other burden im-
posed upon the property of either cor-
poration upon its business carried on
in this state, when it is exclusively the
business of interstate commerce, is a
regulation of commerce between the
states, which is vested exclusively in
congress.”
It might be maintained that because
the Michigan statute provides that the
Computation of tax of the gross earn-
ings “shall be made upon the busi-
ness actually done within the State,
and computed by adding to the in-
Come derived from the business trans-
acted by Said company entirely within
this State, such proportion of the in-
come of Said company arising from
interstate business as the length of the
road Over which said interstate busi-
neSS is carried in this State bears to
the entire length of the road over
Which said interstate business is car-
ried,” that therefore the tax was upon
State commerce, and not upon inter-
State Commerce. But this is not ten-
able and would be a mere evasion and
an attempt by a division of interstate
traffic into parcels, to maintain that
neither the traffic outside of the state,
Coming into the state, or that going
Out of the state, constituted any por-
tion of the interstate traffic. In other
words, it would be an attempt to
maintain that the two parts do not
COnstitute the whole.
And so in the case of the State ex
rel. Car vs. Woodrull Sleeping and
Parlor Car Company, 33 American and
English R. R. Cases, 476, the court
SayS:
“The Attorney General ably and in-
geniously argues that the Statute is
Valid because it is competent for the
State to tax the local Occupation of
appellant by the measure of its gross
receipts for the proportionate amount
Of travel in the state. But this argu-
ment, while not without plausibility,
is radically unsound under the laws
authoritatively declared by the court
of last resort that no tax in any form,
or for any purpose, can be laid upon
interstate commerce.”
And again on page 480, the court
Says in that case, the theory of the
pleading is:
“That the state may levy a tax upon
the gross earnings of the COrpOration
in the proportion that the distance
traveled through this state bears to
the entire distance for which fares
Were received. That theory is un-
Sound, and the complaint bad. * * *
A man on his way to the Seaboard,
who travels through Indiana, is car-
ried in the course of the interstate
Commerce, and not in the course of do-
mestic commerce, and a fare received
from him is received in the matter of
interstate commerce. A fare thus I’e-
ceived no state can tax.”
I need only to add a further illus-
tration to that offered by the Supreme
Cour of Indiana, by Saying that a car-
load of coal shipped from Ohio into
Michigan, and a carload of grain from
Minnesota into Michigan, and vice
Versa, are transactions of interstate
COmmerce, and not domestic com-
IIlerCe.
After presenting the above line of
ar&ument and the leading case bear-
ing upon the question, permit me to
call your attention to certain Ca. SeS
Which, without a proper analysis,
might appear to authorize a tax up On
the gross earnings of COrpOrations en-
gaged in interstate Commerce, by say-
ing that in none of the cases herein-
after referred to are gross earnings
taxed, although in the process of tax-
ing the corporations, parties to the
Suits, the earnings have been used
as a basis upon which to determine
either the value of the property Or the
Value of the franchises exercised With-
in the particular tax jurisdiction in
Which the tax was spread.
In the case of Maine vs. Grand Trunk
Railway Company, reported in 142 lſ.
S. R., at page 217, the suit was brought
for the collection of an excise tax
upon the defendant corporation for the
privilege of exercising its franchises
Within the state of Maine; the tax to
be determined by the amount of its
8 roSS earnings, and not to be levied
upon the gross earnings themselves.
Mr. Justice Field, in delivering the
Opinion of the court, bears out this
View at page 229 of the opinion in the
following language:
“There is no levy by the statute on
the receipts themselves, either in form
or fact; they constitute, as said above,
Simply the means of ascertaining the
Value of the privilege conferred.”
So in the case of the Western Union
Telegraph Company vs. Massachu-
setts, decided in 125 U. S. R., at page
530. The question arises under the law
of Massachusetts, imposing a tax upon
the Western Union Telegraph Com-
pany on account of the property
OWned and used by it within that
State, the value of which was ascer-
tained by comparing the length of its
lines in that state with the length of
its entire lines.
Mr. Justice Miller, in delivering the
Opinion of the court, says: “The tax
in the present case, though nominally
upon the shares of the capital stock of
the company, is in effect a tax upon
that organization on account of prop-
erty Owned and used by it in the state
of Massachusetts, and the proportion
of the length of its lines in that state
to their entire length throughout the
Whole country is made the basis for
ascertaining the value of that prop-
erty.”
The same view was expressed by Mr.
Justice Gray in the case of Massa-
chusetts vs. Western Union Telegraph
Company, reported in 141, U. S. R., at
page 40. And the same view was held
in the case of Pullman’s Palace Car
Company vs. Pennsylvania, reported
On page 16.
In the case of People ex rel P. R. R.
Co. vs. Wemple, reported in 138 New
York, at page 15, the court affirmed
many of the cases which I have quoted
above, in its opinion, and distinguishes
them from the cases last above cited,
and Says:
“The case of Maine vs. Grand Trunk
Railway Company was decided on the
ground that the tax imposed under the
Statute Of Maine in that Case Was a
franchise tax upon corporate privileges
passed two of the most
conferred by the legislature of the
state on the defendant corporation, and
that it did not invalidate the tax be-
cause the amount was apportioned
with reference to the gross receipts for
transportation Over its whole line,
which extended beyond the State. The
dissent in that case proceeded upon a
different view taken by the minority
Of the court as to the character Of the
tax, their opinion being in Substance
that it was a tax on the business of
interstate commerce. These cases do
not disturb the general principle of the
Other cases.”
In conclusion, it can be said that the
case of Fargo vs. Michigan, the leading
case, held invalid statutes Similar to
the One under which this State taxes
railway properties, and it has never
been overruled or modified, but has
been affirmed many times since. And
not only the weight of authority, but
all authority of the courts of last re-
sort are against the validity of the
Michigan statute taxing railway Cor-
porations upon their gross receipts,
and as well the amendment known as
the “Merriman bill,” recently passed
by the Legislature; and so far as it
attempts to tax the gross earnings of
corporations not Organized under the
laws of this State, but doing business
therein, is a usurpation of the power
Of congress, which has exclusive right
to regulate commerce annong the
States.
Respectfully submitted,
SYBRANT WIFESSELIUS,
Commissioner of Railroads.
LAST BILLS OF THE SESSION
Amid the hub-bub and confusion in-
cident to the closing moments of a Ses-
sion, the House, after the Senate had
already ceased to transact business,
inportant
measures of the session. The first Was
called up by Mr. Scully of Ionia, who
moved to discharge the committee of
the whole from the further considera-
tion Of
A bill to annend Secs. 39 and 40 of
act 205 of the session laws of 1887, en-
titled “An act to revise the laws
authorizing the business of banking,
and to establish a banking department
for the supervision of such business,”
the same being Secs. 3208d8 and 3208d9
of Howell's annotated Statutes;
Which motion prevailed and, the
rules being Suspended, the bill was
placed upon innediate passage and
passed the House by a vote of 72 to 4.
The law as amended by this bill
authorizes the bank commissioner to
make two official examinations each
year of each bank in the State Operat-
ing under the laws of Michigan.
The next and last bill to receive Con-
sideration of the House was one of
considerable innportance to the finances
of the State in as much as it provided,
“That on January 15, and each thirty
days thereafter until the quarterly set-
tlement for the quarter ending March
thirty-first shall have been made each
year, the county treasurer shall pay to
the State all moneys coming into his
hands from the COllection of State
taxes.” This a mendment to the tax
law compelling county treasurers to
make quarterly returns to the State of
moneys collected on State account will,
it is claimed, obviate the necessity of
the State going into the market to
make short loans while money belong-
ing to the State is held back by the
county treasurers in the State.
The bill was called up by Mr.
Graham of Kent, who moved to dis-
charge the committee of the whole
from the further consideration of Sen-
at bill No. 75, entitled
A bill to annend Sec. 42 of act No.
206 of the public acts of 1893, entitled
“An act to provide for the assessment
of property and the levy (and collec-
tion) of taxes thereon, and for the col-
lection of taxes heretofore and here-
after levied; making Such taxes a lien
on the lands taxed, establishing and
continuing such lien, providing for the
Sale and conveyance of lands delin-
quent for taxes and for the inspection
and disposition of lands bid off to the
State and not redeemed or purchased;
and to repeal act No. 200 of the pub-
lic acts of 1891, and all other acts and
parts of acts in anywise contravening
any of the provisions of this act;”
On which motion he demanded the
yeas and nays. º
The demand was seconded, and the
motion prevailed by yeas and nays, 74
to 1.
On motion of Mr. Graham, the rules
were suspended, two-thirds of all the
members present voting therefor, and
L E G IS LA T IV E
23
S O U V E N I R.
the bill was put upon its innediate
palSSage.
The bill was then read a third time.
The question being on the passage of
the bill, the bill Was then passed, a
majority of all the members elect vot-
ing therefor, by yeas and nays, as fol-
lows:
Yeas—Messrs. Adams, Allison, An-
derson, Babcock, C. G., Babcock, H.,
Bates, Belknap, Bennis, Billings,
Bricker, Bryan, Buskirk, Cahoon, Cald-
well, Camburn, Campbell, Chamber-
lain, Clark, Clute, Coad, Connors,
Cousins, Crippen, Davis, Dickinson, J.
H., Dickinson, L. D., Donovan, Dudley,
Eikhoff, Fleischhauer, Foote, Foster,
Gibson, Goodyear, Graham, Green,
Gustin, Hammond, Herrig, Hofmeister,
Jackson, January, Kelly, Lusk, Madill,
Marsilje, Mayer, McGill, Molster,
Moore, E. W., Moore, M. G., Nieder-
meier, Oberdorffer, O’Dett, Otis, Pear-
son, Peek, Perry, Peters, Petrowsky,
Phillips, C. C., Phillips, M. F., Putney,
Reed, Rulison, Savage, Scully, Shep-
ard, F. M., Shepherd, F., Shisler, Smith,
Stoneman, Tefft, Van Camp, Vought,
Weier, Wetherbee, Wing, Zimmerman,
Speaker, 81.
Nays—Messrs. Edgar, Fuller, Gillam,
Goodell, Harris, Kimmis, Sawyer, 7.
It will be noted that on the passage
Of this bill, 88 of the 100 members elect
voted for this, the last recorded act
upon which a roll call was had. When
it is added that the next order of busi-
neSS was a motion to adjourn, upon
which the session of 1897 closed, it will
be readily seen that the members were
giving close attention to business up to
the very last moment of the session.
THE VETO POWER IN MICHIGAN
To enact a bill into law requires a
majority of all the members elected to
the Legislature, fifty-one in the House,
and in the Senate seventeen, a total of
Sixty-eight votes, to which is added
the Vote of the Governor recorded on
the act itself, and entered on the books
of the Secretary of State. But if the
Governor records his veto against a
bill by returning it to the branch in
Which it originated, it then takes as
many votes (sixty-eight) to pass the
bill in the House as it previously did
in the House and Senate, and twenty-
two in the Senate, a total of ninety
VOtes Out Of the votes Of One hun-
dred and thirty-three men entitled to
record their opinions for or against a
proposed law of the State, or twenty-
tWO more votes without than with the
Governor.
From the forgoing it will be seen
that in casting a negative vote the
executive exercises a power equal to
One-Sixth Of the total vote of all the
members elected to the Legislature, in
a proportion of five Senators and sev- .
enteen members of the House, or to
about one-third of a majority of the
members elected to either or both
houses.
During a legislative session the Gov-
ern Or can exercise a prerogative grant-
ed the executive in section 14, article
IV, of the constitution of the State,
Which reads as follows:
Sectic,n 14. Every bill and concurrent
resolution, except of adjournment,
passed by the Legislature, shall be pre-
Sented to the Governor before it be-
Comes a law. If he approve, he shall
Sign it; but if not, he shall return it
With his objections to the house in
Which it originated, which shall enter
the objections at large upon their jour-
nal, and reconsider it. On such recon-
Sideration if two-thirds of the members
elected agree to pass the bill, it shall
be sent, with the objections, to the
Other house, by which it shall be re-
Considered. If approved by two-thirds
of the members elected to that house,
it shall become a law. In such case,
the vote of both houses shall be de-
termined by yeas and nays, and the
names of the members voting for and
against the bill shall be entered on the
journals of each house respectively. If
any bill be not returned by the Gov-
ernor Within ten days, Sundays except-
ed, after it has been presented to him,
the Same shall become a law, in like
manner as if he had signed it, unless
the Legislature, by their adjournment,
prevent its return, in which case it
Shall not become a law. The Governor
may approVe, Sign, and file in the Office
of the Secretary of State, within five
days after the adjournment of the Leg-
islature, any act passed during the last
five days of the session, and the same
Shall become a law.
By which it will be seen that a bill
may become a law without the signa-
ture of the Governor, but just the same
as a presiding officer of a parliament-
any body who, in refusing to give his
vote to break a tie, is accountable for
his action as though voting nay. SO
with the executive of the State, when
allowing a bill to become a law by in-
action, he is just as accountable as
though recording his opinion by giving
his signature in favor of its enactment.
From a reading of the section of the
constitution above quoted, it will be
noted that for five days after the Sen-
ate and House have adjourned this sec-
tion of the constitution increases the
power of the executive branch in the
enactment Or annulment of laws pass-
ed by the other two branches, from
that of one-sixth of the number elected
to the House and Senate to more than
equal the whole number of persons
elected as legislators.
But it should be also borne in mind
that with the increased power comes
an increased burden of responsibility,
" for in the defeat Of a bill after ad-
journment Of the House and Senate,
the Governor becomes solely respon-
Sible for it. -
That Governor Pingree was willing
to assume responsibility for his indi-
Vidual Opinion as to the provisions of
SOme Of the bills, which came to him for
his approval, may be seen in the lan-
guage Of his vetoes, but one of which,
that of the Flint charter bill, was
passed Over his veto.
vetoes of the governor
G. A. R. BADGE BILL VETO.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
Lansing, March 24, 1897.
To the Senate:
I return here with without my ap-
proval Senate bill No. 105, "being “An
act to annend Section 1 of act No. 78 of
the public acts of 1887, entitled ‘An act
to prevent persons from unlawfully
using or wearing the badge of the
Grand Army of the Republic of this
State, or the badge of the Loyal Legion
of the United States,’ approved April
19, 1887.”
Under the act which is repealed by
this act any person wearing the badge
of the Grand Army of the Republic, or
the badge of the Loyal Legion of the
Lſnited States, or using the same to Ob-
tain aid or assistance within this State,
unless entitled to use or wear the same
under the rules and regulations of the
Grand Army of the Republic, or the
LOyal Legion, is guilty of a misde-
mean Or and punishable by fine Or im-
prisonment, or both, in the discretion
Of the court. -
The change introduced by the new
act is to make the mere wearing of the
badge or button, without any intent to
defraud others or to commit any crime,
a misdemeanor, and subject the wearer
to the same punishment. This act, if
it becomes a law, will reach every
member of the Grand Army of the Re-
public who happens, for the time be-
ing, to be in arrears as to his dues.
It is a notorious fact that many of
the old soldiers who belong to these or-
ders have fallen behind in the payment
of their dues, many of them through
misfortunes for which they are in no
way responsible.
The button of the Grand Army is
supposed to be cast from cannon cap-
tured by our soldiers. Those who ever
had the right to wear it must have Of-
fered themselves as a willing sacrifice
to Save their country. They must have
done faithful service and have receiv-
ed honorable discharges. In most cases
these men not only risked their own
lives, but the prosperity of their chil-
dren. Many of them are now Old and
poor. They can no longer pay their
dues and maintain their good Stand-
ing in their posts. To call Such men
criminals is monstrous. The Grand
Army has never asked these men to re-
turn their buttons. Their more for-
tunate comrades should be glad to
have them wear them as an evidence
Of honorable service, and if in their
aid them, all right minded people
misfortunes others should be moved to
should rejoice. These men are not
criminals and should not be treated as
Such.
I look upon this bill as an attempt to
collect dues through a criminal Statute,
and to punish the unfortunate and poor
so as to aid those who trade on their
Grand Army connections for political
purposes to keep up their organiza-
tion. I will not be a party to Such in-
gratitude on the part of the State.
Eraud should be punished, but I can
See no reason why the present law is
not amply sufficient to provide against
fraud or deception. Laws are brought
into contempt by making those things
crimes which are not so in fact.
I therefore respectfully return the
bill without my signature and ap-
proval.
Very respectfully,
H. S. PINGREE,
GOVernor.
VETO OF THE FLINT CHARTER
BILL.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
Lansing, April 2, 1897.
To the Honorable, the House of Rep-
resentatives:
Gentlemen—I return here with, with-
Out my approval, House bill No. 1212,
Gntitled “An act to revise and amend
the charter of the city of Flint.”
Since this document came into my
hands I have received protests from
more than 1,600 electors of the city of
Flint, protesting against this charter
becoming a law.
I have also received letters and tele-
grams from 33 persons, also electors of
the city of Flint, asking me to sign it.
I have accorded to the persons inter-
ested on each side a hearing, so as to
arrive as nearly as possible at the
wishes of the people of the city who
are interested in this act. It has been
made clear to me that the people of
Flint have had no opportunity to ex-
annine this charter before its passage;
that important changes are made in
which all the people of that city have
a deep interest.
I am aware that under our present
System, and in the hurry of legislation
it is impossible for the Legislature to
examine with any care charters pre-
pared in this way, and that it is the
usual practice to take the word Of the
local representatives as to whether or
not they are desired by the persons in-
terested in them. The system is one .
attended with many mischiefs.
Those who protest against the chair-
ter under consideration claim to be a
majority of the electors of the city to
be affected. It is a striking circum-
stance Of the necessity of Some pro-
vision by which home rule may be
given to our cities, and the people to
be affected may make Such changes
in their organic law as suit themselves,
and as cover the conditions existing.
A change in the present system would
secure to every municipality a charter
in accordance with the sentiments of
its people. It would at the same time
save the ILegislature from a waste of
many months which are taken up in
passing local measures, and give the
representatives of the people time to
consider matters of general State in-
portance.
I cannot too strongly condemn the
practice which prevails and which per-
mits a few people in any City to go to
the Legislature and obtain the passage
of an act in which all the people are in-
terested, but in which only a few are
consulted.
* Home rule in cities, as well as in
states, is the only rule consistent with
our system of government. The other
system permits a few designing people
to impose upon their fellow citizens Ob-
noxious laws, and a system of govern-
ment which they disapprove. In a re-
public the majority should rule, and
no change should be made in the Char-
ter of a city except by the consent of
the people of that city.
But I do not discuss any of the pro-
visions contained in this charter. My
objection to it is that it is obnoxious to
the people who are to be affected by it,
or to the majority of them.
TJnder these circumstances I cannot
approve it.
Very respectfully,
H. S. PINGREE,
Governor.
VETO OF THE CURFEW BILL.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
Lansing, April 29, 1897.
To the Honorable, the House of Rep-
resentatives:
Gentlemen—In returning here with
without my approval House bill No.
250, to prohibit minors over the age of
eight years, and under the age of six-
teen years, from being upon the Streets,
parks and alleys in cities and incor-
porated villages of this State during
certairl hours of the night, I beg leave
to state that it is a partial revival
of the ancient curfew law. That law
was established in England by Wil-
liam the Conquerer, in order to pre-
vent night meetings of his oppressed
subjects, and the name of “curfew
law” was employed as a by-word de-
noting the most odious tyranny. In
the year 1103 it was repealed, under
Henry I.
While the curfew bell is rung at the
present time in various parts of Europe
and the New England States, it has
long ceased to have the significance
attached to it in earlier times, as it is
Only used by Voluntary action. On the
part of societies, and as a reminder of
the hour of night when parents usually
require the children to be at home.
I further submit that the act pro-
vides for interference On the part Of
the State in matters of purely domestic
concern, and seeks to interpose police
for paternal authority. Under Such an
act the evident duty of the police
would be to arrest children improperly
Out at night, and imprison them in the
Station awaiting the court’s action
next day, thus bringing the immature
minds into familiar contact Wth crim-
inal courts, prisons and their surround-
ings, for an offense within the power of
parents and guardians to remedy.
The first impulse of boys would be to
Scheme to evade Such a law; and for
the State to provide for such lessons
of incipient law-defying, would be to
afford Schooling that might eventually
develop into something of a more Seri-
ous nature, both for the boys and for
the State.
I regret to refuse my approval to a
bill founded, as I believe this to be,
upon good intentions. It is a Serious
matter, however, to submit the citi-
zen even when of full age to ar-
rest. It is doubly so when the
person arrested is a child. An ar-
rest, even when followed by a small
fine, classifies one as a criminal. The
person arrested may be asked on the
witness stand if he has ever been ar-
rested, and he is compelled to answer.
An arrest of a boy or girl, for being Out
at night, may put a blot upon an
entire life. It not only tends to dis-
grace one in the eyes of Others, but to
destroy self respect.
|Under the present law persons who
are behaving in a disorderly manner
may be arrested and punished. This,
it seems to me, is as far as the State
should go in interfering with personal
liberty. The reports of the Attorney
General show that we are prosecuting
about 20,000 people every year for
crime; this is nearly one per cent of
our whole population. Nothing is more
revolting than to see children in
prison.
If such a law as this was aimed at
parents who allow their children on the
Streets at improper hours it would be
much more justifiable. We must re-
member that the family is the unit of
every civilized community, and the
State cannot take the place of fathers
and mothers. We must look to them .
for the training of youth, and unless
they discharge their duties we cannot
expect to see our boys and girls be-
come honorable men and Women.
This act is also objectionable from a
somewhat different point of view. Girls
between the ages of twelve and Sixteen
are maturing. They are nearing
womanhood and experiencing its Sen-
sitive modesty. It is, I believe, better
to trust to that than to shame it by a
law under which they could be arrested
for acts entirely innocent from a moral
Standpoint. The law, if enforced,
would be a constant shock to young
Womanhood.
It must be enforced, if at all, in
courts of inferior jurisdiction, those of
justices of the peace or their equiva-
lents. To place the personal liberty
of innocent girls of Michigan at the
discretion of these minor courts, and
the minor executive Officers who serve
process from them, could only result in
disgracing and clouding the after life
of many promising women With
ignominy. The resulting evil would, in
my opinion, be many fold greater than
the one it is sought to remedy.
In order to restrain the few evil dis-
posed ones the act puts in jeopardy
the youthful promise of all the young
maidens of the State. In disposition to
do right these girls will compare favor-
ably, in the mass, with any community
on earth. The act is an invasion of
personal liberty worse, if anything,
than the ones that are protested
against by the bills of rights in the
State and national constitutions. The
people struggled for hundreds of years
to write those safeguards into the Con-
stitutions, and now it is proposed to
lay the iron hand of capricious law
upon childhood at a period when youth
is not expected to know and under-
stand the scope of law.
Such laws as these have been long
since abandoned by enlightened na-
tions. It would in my opinion be a
step backward. Such laws belong to a
time when personal liberty was univer-
sally disregarded, when householders
24
T EI E S T A T E R E P U R L I C A N
were required to put upon their doors
the names Of those sheltered under
their roofs, and when no one was se-
Cure against police interference.
The struggle for personal right has
been a long and hard one, and the
fruits of such a struggle should not be
Surrendered, except under some strong
necessity exists at this time. When
Such laws become a necessity kings
Will be needed to enforce them, for
they have no proper place annong a
free people with free schools, and in
an enlightened State.
Respectfully,
H. S. PINGREE,
Governor.
VETO OF CIGARETTE BILL.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
Lansing, May 10, 1897.
To the Honorable the House of Repre-
Sentatives:
I return here with without my ap-
proval House bills Nos. 268, 416 and
3, consolidated as file 334, and entitled
“An act to prohibit the selling, giving
Or furnishing of tobacco or cigarettes
in any of their forms to minors, and
the use of tobacco or cigarettes in any
of their forms by minors, and provid-
ing penalties therefor.
The first section of the bill makes it
unlawful to sell, give or furinsh to
minors under the age of seventeen
years cigarettes, cigarette paper,
cigarette wrappers, cigarette materials
in any form whatsoever, or any sub-
stitute for the same, or any cigar,
Cheroot, chewing or smoking tobacco,
Or tobacco in any form whatsoever.
Section 2 makes it a misdemeanor in
the person so offending, and provides
a penalty. These sections are not un-
like Our present law, which provides
“that it shall not be lawful for any
person by himself, his clerk or agent,
to Sell, give or furnish any cigar,
cigarette, cheroot, chewing or smoking
tobacco, or tobacco in any form what-
SOeVer, to any minor under seventeen
years of age, unless upon the written
Order of the parent or guardian of said
minor.” Howell’s statutes, Sec. 9122c.
Sec. 9122d makes any one guilty of vio-
lating this statute punishable by a fine
Of not less than five dollars nor more
than fifty dollars, or by imprisonment
in the county jail for a term of not less
than ten days nor more than thirty
days, or by both such fine and impris-
Onment in the discretion of the court.
So far as the first two sections of the
bill are concerned, the old law seems
to me to be more carefully guarded
in its provisions than the present bill.
TJnder this bill children would not be
permitted even On the written Order
Of their parents or guardians to be
used as messengers to buy tobacco in
any form. I am in full sympathy with
the Object Of this law in so far as it
affects those of full age who throw any
temptation of the kind covered by the
bill in the way of children.
Section 3 of this bill, however, makes
the minor to whom any such goods are
Sold or given, guilty of a misdemeanor,
and provides for a fine of five dollars
for the first offense, a fine of not less
than ten nor more than twenty-five
dollars for the second offense, and a
fine of not less than thirty nor more
than fifty dollars for the third offense,
and imprisonment in the county jail
or in the Industrial School for Boys for
the fourth offense. This section ap-
plies to boys under seventeen years of
age. I have already expressed my
Opinion as to the arrest and imprison-
ment of children, and the probable
effects of such arrest and imprison-
ment upon their future lives. I believe
it to be the duty of the State to guard
them in every way possible against
temptation. The sale of cigarettes or
any other article by which children are
tempted to injure themselves, should
as far as possible be prohibited. The
remedy for the evils aimed at is the
punishment of those of full age who
are concerned in the transaction, and
X who make money by it, regardless of
, the injury that it may do to others,
< instead of the arrest of those who are
° so young that they do not appreciate
the nature of crime, and who may be
turned into criminals by forced asso-
Ciation with them.
The law as it stands and the law as
proposed strike at an evil. I fully ap-
preciate the good intentions underly-
ing this bill. The remedy proposed,
however, seems to me to be an unwise
One. Any child up to seventeen may
be arrested and fined if found smoking
Or buying a cigarette, or tobacco in
*
any form, Or even cigarette paper. He
may be branded as a Criminal. His
name goes upon the books of the police
department as a law breaker. While
the matter is under investigation, he
may be imprisoned, and forced into as-
Sociation with Criminals. The fine in
the first instance is Small, but Still
large enough to make it in possible
for the child to pay it. It must be
paid by the parents. The only effect
upon the child is to bring him into
public disgrace. The same may be said
as to the penalty provided for the Sec-
Ond and third Offense. The effect upon
the child is to increase its police
record, to enlarge its experience
annong criminals, and to destroy its
self respect. For the fourth offense,
the child may be imprisoned in the
county jail or sent to the Industrial
School, presumably to remain until he
is twenty-one. When this is done, all
hope for the boy's future life is ended.
His associations for the future are to
be with those who are branded as
criminals, and many Of Whom are
criminals in fact. A graduate from the
Industrial School starts in life with an
awful load upon him. Where he is of
an extraordinary Character he may live
down his shame, but where he is such
a character he may be trusted with
his own reformation, even though
caught for the fourth time Smoking a
cigarette or a cigar before he is sev-
enteen years of age.
What I have said applies to boys who
have parents able to pay their fine.
Those who have no parents or guar-
dians and who are unable to pay their
fines can only be punished by impris–
Onment from the beginning. *
Boys convicted under this statute
must be treated like Other criminals.
They must be kept with those who are
guilty Of theft and Other Serious Of-
fenses. No matter how humanely
treated, they will feel that society has
laid its hands upon them, and is treat-
ing them as its enemies. They will no
longer have the benefits Of parental re-
straint. They will be removed from
the sacred associations of home. They
must even WOrship God under guard.
In the vast majority of cases, the boy
whose mind is pure, who has integrity
of heart, and who has pride and am-
bition, must become worse under this
discipline.
In most cases, boys who indulge in
mischievous habits reform themselves
when they reach an age where the im-
portance of taking care of themselves
and Securing the respect Of Others be-
comes apparent to them. Every child
should be taught that law is sacred,
and that the statutes of the State are
entitled to obedience and respect. To
teach this lesson we must avoid mak-
ing laws which are easily evaded and
which, on account of their severity, are
not respected. The real criminals are
those who manufacture and sell the
articles named, instead of the children
who are tempted and yield to the
temptation.
Very respectfully,
H. S. PINGREE,
Governor.
VETO OF POLICE JUSTICES OF
DETROIT SALARY BILL.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
Lansing, May 20, 1897.
To the House of Representatives:
I return here with without my ap-
proval House bill No. 224 (file No. 208),
being “An act to annend Sec. 6 of act
No. 161 of the public acts of 1885, en-
titled ‘An act to establish the police
court of the city of Detroit.’”
The amendment contained in this act
provides for an increase of salary of
five hundred dollars a year to each of
the police justices of the city of De-
troit. The aggregate addition to the
taxes to meet this amendment is only
One thousand dollars a year.
Under Ordinary circumstances it
Would give me pleasure to approve this
act. The gentlemen to be affected are
perSOnS whom I would be glad to aid.
I cannot, however, forget that in the
city of Detroit, to which this act ap-
plies, there are at present more than
twenty-five thousand laboring men,
many of them heads of families, look-
ing for work and unable to find it. The
poor rates Of that city have increased
enormously during the last year, and
the sufferings of those who are too
proud to ask for aid from the poor
commission are beyond calculation.
The Salary paid to the police justices
Of the city of Detroit is three thousand
dollars a year each. This was the Sal-
alry fixed by law at the time of the
election of the present incumbents.
This bill imposes no new duties upon
them, and SO far as I have been able
to learn no reason exists why at the
present time there should be an in-
crease of salaries. It is time to Stop
and consider the appropriations that
we are making. Each appropriation
Seems Small in itself, but when they
are all added together Our extra Val-
gance becomes apparent.
When the Republican party took
charge of the affairs of this State in
1855, the salaries paid to Our judiciary
amounted to only $14,900.61. Auditor
General’s Report for 1855, page 5.
In 1867 the amount had grown to
$32,097.57. Auditor General's report for
1867, page 55.
In 1875 it had swelled to $50,839.48.
Auditor General's report for 1875, page
116.
In 1890 it had become $116,990.78.
Auditor General’s report for 1890, page
27.
In 1892 it had increased to $126,561.48.
Auditor General's report for 1892, page
30. t
In 1896 it had reached $146,184.26.
Auditor General’s report for 1896, page
33.
It will be seen by these figures that
we are paying to the judiciary of the
State nearly ten times as much as We
paid in 1855. We are paying twenty
thousand dollars a year more than We
paid in 1892, when our people enjoyed
unusual prosperity. We are paying
nearly three times as much as we did
in 1875, when the judges received their
salaries in depreciated currency. We
are paying nearly five times as much
as we did in 1867 at the end Of a great
war when extravagance was Supposed
to prevail in every department of the
government. Our legislation shows
that we have been constantly increas-
ing salaries and at the same time les-
Sening Services.
The salaries of circuit judges have
risen from fifteen hundred dollars a
year to twenty-five hundred dollars a
year, and in the city of Detroit to six
thousand dollars a year. The number
of circuits have increased, since the
adoption of the constitution in 1851,
from 10 to 35. They have increased
Since 1867 from 14 to 35. They have in-
Creased since 1871 from 18 to 35. We
have also since that time given to each
a. Stenographer with a Salary almost
equal to that of the judge.
Instead of increasing judicial Sala-
ries at the present time, the Legislature
Of the State should carefully consider
the question of reorganizing the cir-
cuits. It is a notorious fact that in
many of the circuits of this State the
judges are idle more than three-quar-
ters of the time, and Some Of them are
able to Spend many months in the dis-
charge of duties in other circuits where
they can obtain an additional Sum of
money for their services. From the
most reliable information that I can
Obtain the 35 circuits now existing in
the State could be consolidated into
less than half the number and Still
leave the judges annple time to do all
the business coming before them. It
may be too late for the present Legis-
lature to act upon this subject, but it
is not too late to call your attention
to the facts existing SO that you may
bear them in mind in making appro-
priations.
It must be remembered that in every
Other field the price paid to labor is
going down instead of up. I can see
no excuse for the gentlemen who have
been elected to Offices, for which sal-
alries were fixed at the time Of their
election, coming to the Legislature
during their terms and asking for an
advance. Patriotism requires that they
should be content with the salaries
fixed, and serve their constituents upon
the terms inplied by their contract
when they were elected.
I have Only pointed Out the advance
of salaries in the judicial department.
What I have said applies to the other
departments of the State government
as well as to the judiciary. We are
passing through a period of great de-
pression. We have apparently entered
upon a time when the compensation
for labor and the prices of commodities
of every kind are going steadily down-
ward. We cannot reduce the Salaries
of those who are holding office during
their terms, but I can see no possible
excuse for increasing them.
Respectfully,
H. S. PINGREE,
Governor.
VETO OF BILL APPROPRIATING
MONEY FOR THE MICHIGAN
PIONEER AND HSTORICAL SO-
CIETY.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
Lansing, May 20, 1897.
To the Senate: *
I return here with, without my ap-
proval, Senate bill No. 38 (file No. 151),
being an act “Making appropriations
for the Michigan Pioneer and Histori-
cal Society for the years 1897 and 1898.”
This bill appropriates “fifteen hun-
dred dollars per year for the ensuing
tWO years to be used,” in the discretion
of the executive committee of the
Michigan Pioneer and Historical So-
Ciety, “in collecting, arranging and
preserving a library of books, pamph-
lets, maps, charts, manuscripts, paint-
ings, statuary and other materials il-
lustrative of and relating to the history
Of Michigan; to rescue from oblivion
the memory of its early pioneers; to
procure and preserve narratives of
their early exploits, perils, privations,
hardy adventures and noble achieve-
ments; and also in collecting material
Of every description relative to the his–
tory, genius, progress or decay of our
Indian tribes; to exhibit faithfully the
past and present resources of Michi-
gan, and for the publication of addi-
tional Volumes of historical and other
material relative to and illustrative of
the history of Michigan.”
Similar appropriations to this have
been made for many years. This so-
Ciety has collected a good deal of val-
uable material which may be used by
the future historian in the preparation
of a history of our State and its people.
The volumes recently published by the
Society are not entirely without value,
but are largely given up to obituary
notices of those who came to Michigan
in an early day.
In times of prosperity it would be
proper enough to indulge in expendi-
tures of this kind, but in the present
depressed state of the times, when the
taxpayers of the State are groaning
under their burden, I feel that it would
be unjust to them to continue to make
appropriations which can be dispensed
with.
This work can be renewed when
times are more prosperous, and when
the taxpayers are able to bear the
burdens imposed upon them. At the
present time I can see no excuse for
making any appropriation that is not
absolutely necessary.
Very respectfully,
H. S. PINGREE,
Governor.
VETO OF BILL APPROPRIATING
MONEY FOR MACKINAC ISLAND
STATE PARK.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
Lansing, May 20, 1897.
To the Senate: .
I return herewith without my ap-
proval Senate bill No. 67 (file No. 107),
being “An act making an appropriation
for the Mackinac Island State Park for
the year ending June 30, 1898.”
This act provides for an appropria-
tion of $5,000 for the following pur-
poses: “For the construction and
maintenance of roadways through the
grounds of Said park; for the preser-
Vation and repairs of State buildings
thereon, and for such other improve-
ments as the said Mackinac Island
Park Commission may deem necessary
for the best interests of the said State
Park.”
In the present state of distress uni-
Versally prevailing annong those who
pay taxes in this State, I think it un-
Wise to enter upon the work of con-
Structing new roadways or making
new improvements. Every improve-
ment Of this kind that is not of im-
mediate and absolute necessity should
be delayed until such time as the tax-
payers are better able to bear the ad-
ditional burden.
I understand that there is sufficient
revenue from the rental of lots to take
care of the public property now upon
Mackinac Island, and that the inten-
tion of the commissioner asking for
this appropriation is to lay out a broad
driveway around the island for the use
of carriages and riders.
I do not care at present to enter into
the wisdom of making such an im-
provement as this at any time. I feel
compelled to return this bill without
my approval upon the simple ground
that the improvement proposed is not
L E G IS I, A T L V E S O U V E N I R
25
One of absolute necessity, and that the
condition of the times is such that the
taxpayers Of this State cannot afford
to indulge in any public luxury. We
must get along with what we have for
the present.
Very respectfully,
H. S. PINGREE,
Governor.
SALARY LIST OF STATE EMPLOYES RE-
CEIVING A RATE OF COMPENSATION
EQUAL TO $800 PER ANNUM
In compliance with resolutions intro-
duced in the House by Mr. Goodell
and in the Senate by Mr. Wagar, a
heads of departments and of State in-
Stitutions, reported to the Legislature .
as follows:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Lansing, March 3, 1897.
To the President of the Senate:
I have the honor to here with submit
a list Of the employes of the State de-
partment, together with the former oc-
Cupation, time employed in department
and Salary of each, in pursuance of
resolution of the Senate.
Very respectfully,
JOSEPH. W. SELDEN,
Deputy Secretary of State.
Jos. W. Selden, former occupation,
printer; time employed in department,
2 years, 11 months; salary, $2,000.
Samuel A. Kennedy, former occupa-
tion, lawyer; time employed in depart-
ment, 1 year, 10 months; salary, $1,200.
Albert Dunham, former occupation,
clerk; time employed in department, 2
years, 8 months; salary, $1,100.
GeO. F. Adams, former occupation,
clerk; time employed in department, 2
years, 8 months; salary, $1,000.
Frennont D. Nichols, former occupa-
tion, agent American Express Com-
pany; time employed in department, 4
years; salary, $1,000.
Grace Collins, former occupation,
Stenographer; time employed in de-
partment, 2 years, 10 months; salary,
$1,000.
Leo. D. Woodworth, former occupa-
tion, Student; time employed in depart-
ment, 5 years; salary, $840.
George C. Presley, former occupa-
tion, clerk; time employed in depart-
ment, no record; salary, $1,000.
Mrs. Katherine Blair, former occu-
pation, housewife; time employed in
department, 4 years; salary, $1,000.
Alexander Cohn, former occupation,
Stenographer; time employed in de-
partment, 4 years; salary, $1,000.
C. L. Wilbur, former occupation,
physician; time employed in depart-
ment, 4 years, 1 month, 19 days; salary,
$1,100.
W. K. Wheat, M. D., former occupa-
tion physician; time employed in de-
partment, 1 year, 6 months; salary,
$1,000.
Alfred Johnson, former Occupation,
druggist; time employed in depart-
ment, 3 years, 9 months; salary, $1,000.
IRobert L. Hewitt, former occupation,
teacher; time employed in the depart-
ment, 25 years; salary, $1,100.
Susie Bennett, former occupation,
Stenographer; time employed in de-
partment, 2 years, 5 months; salary,
$1,000.
Clara H. Allen, former occupation,
teacher; time employed in department,
3 years, 6 months; salary, $1,000.
Florence M. Abell, former occupa-
tion, housewife; time employed in de-
partment, 2 years, 7 months; salary,
$1,000.
R. W. Ely, former occupation, clerk;
time employed in department, no
record; salary, $1,000.
H. Chambers, former Occupation,
merchant; time employed in depart-
ment, 4 years; salary, $1,000.
Emerson E. Vance, former Occupa-
tion, farmer and teacher; time em-
ployed in department, 1 month; salary,
$900. *
Jennie Buell, former Occupation,
editor's assistant; time employed in
department, 2 years, 8 months; salary,
$1,000.
Fred Alexander, former Occupation,
clerk; time employed in department, 10
years; salary, $1,000. •
Geo. Lord, former Occupation, justice
of peace; time employed in depart-
ment, 4 years; salary, $1,000.
Charlotte Gray, former occupation,
clerk; time employed in department, 2
years, 5 months; salary, $1000.
C. F. Gardner, former occupation,
student; time employed in department,
2 months; salary, $1,000.
R. S. Rammage, former Occupation,
shoemaker; time employed in depart-
ment, 4 years; salary, $1,000.
Z
W. H. Silcox, former Occupation,
clerk; time employed in department, 2
years, 6 months; salary, $1,000.
Chas. S. Valentine, former Occupa-
tion, law student; time employed in
department, 3 months; salary, $1,000.
Alvah Sanborn, former Occupation,
clerk; time employed in department, 2
years, 3 months; salary, $1,000.
Fayette Wyckoff, former occupation,
merchant; time employed in depart-
ment, 2 years, 6 months; salary, $1,000.
Carl J. Westerlund, former OCCupa-
tion, shoemaker; time employed in de-
partment, 4 years; salary, $1,000.
Oliver S. Kerr, former Ocupation,
justice of the peace; time employed in
department, 4 years, 2 months; Salary,
$1,000.
Janet A. Ross, formaer Occupation,
none; time employed in department, 2
years, 6 months; salary, $900.
C. J. Van Haltern, former Occupa-
tion, commercial traveler; time em-
ployed in department, 4 years, 1 month;
salary, $180.
Total, $34,320.
AUDITOR GEN.'S DEP''T.
Lansing, February 26, 1897.
TO the President Of the Senate:
Sir—In compliance with Senate resO-
lution of the 18th inst., I have the honor
to submit here with a list Of the en-
ployes of this department, with a state-
ment of their former Occupations, Sal-
aries received, etc.
Very respectfully, .
ROSCOE D. DIX,
Auditor General.
John F. Wilkinson, deputy; male;
former Occupation, Chief clerk in State
Land Office; in department since Janu-
ary 1, 1897; salary, $2,000. Residence,
Ingham County.
Henry Humphrey, State accountant;
male; SOldier; former Occupation, a C-
countant; employed in the department
One month with previous experience;
salary, $2,000; residence, Ionia, county.
Fred Schneider, private secretary;
male; SOldier; former Occupation, real
estate, insurance and Collection agent;
employed in the department from Jan-
uary 1, 1897, with previous experience;
salary, $1,600 per annum; residence,
Ingham County.
E. J. Wright, chief clerk; male;
former Occupation, editor; employed in
the department since January 1, 1893;
salary, $1,200 per annum; residence,
IOnia, COunty.
William S. Humphrey, assistant chief
clerk; male; former Occupation, drug-
gist; employed in the department con-
secutively since January 1, 1893; salary,
$1,100 per annum; residence, Ingham
COunty.
Harry A. Morris, chief bookkeeper;
male; son of a veteran; former Occupa-
tion, bookkeeper; employed in the de-
partnent since January 1, 1893; salary,
$1,200 per annum; residence, Muskegon
CO11nty.
C. E. Dermont, assistant bookkeeper;
male; SOldier; former Occupation, book-
keeper; employed in the department
Since January 1, 1893; Salary, $1,100 per
annum; residence, OSCeola, County.
Fred M. Northrup, entry clerk; male;
former Occupation, clerk; employed in
the department since January 1, 1893;
salary, $1,000; residence, Montcalm
COunty.
Carrie Irwin Fisher, cashier; female;
employed in the department one year;
salary, $1,000 per annum; residence,
Calhoun County. *
R. A. Campbell, a sistant to deputy;
male; former occupation, druggist; em-
ployed in the department four years;
salary, $1,000 per annum; residence, St.
Clair COunty.
D. D. Mills; male; former Occupation,
clerk; employed in the department
Since January 1, 1897; salary, $75.00 per
month; residence, Ingham County.
D. H. McComas; male; distributing
clerk: Soldier; former Occupation,
clerk; employed consecutively in the
department since January 1, 1893; pre-
viously employed ten years; salary,
$1,000 per annum; residence, Wayne
COUnty.
Geo. H. White; male; chief of “look
up” division; son of a soldier; former
occupation, clerk; employed in the de-
partment four years; salary, $1,000 per
annum; residence, Jackson county.
Marquis B. Eaton; male; look up
clerk; SOn Of a Soldier; former Occupa-
tion, fruit farmer; employed in the de-
partment three years; salary, $1,000 per
annum; residence, Van Buren county.
J. A. Grant; male; Son of a Soldier;
chief of the purchase and pay division;
former Occupation, clerk; employed in
the department since March, 1893;
salary, $1,000 per annum;
Macomb County.
J. W. Hill; male; clerk in the pur-
chase and pay division; former Occupa-
tion, teacher; employed in the depart-
ment since July, 1893; salary, $1,000 per
annum; residence, Midland county.
S. G. Webster; male; soldier; chief
clerk in deeding division; former Occu-
pation, farmer; employed in the de-
partment four years; salary, $1,000 per
annum; residence, Mecosta, county.
Bertha Mae Sweet; female; assistant
deeding clerk; former occupation,
Clerk; employed in the department five
years; salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Rent county.
.Chas. H. Griffey; male; assistant
deeding clerk; former occupation, rail-
road clerk and printer; employed in
the department four years; salary,
$1,000 per annum; residence, Marquette
County.
Mrs. M. N. Brainerd; assistant deed-
ing clerk; female; soldier's widow;
former Occupation, draughtsman; em-
ployed in the department since July,
1893; salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Ingham county.
G. L. Wright; chief of division of
Cancellation and refunding; male; sol-
dier; former occupation, druggist; em-
ployed in the department continuously
since January 1, 1893; salary, $1,000 per
annum; residence, Ingham county.
GeO. L. Hauser, assistant cancellation
and refunding clerk; male; son of a
Soldier; former occupation, attorney;
employed in the department since Feb-
ruary 1, 1897; salary, $75.00 per month;
residence. Eaton county.
E. W. Troy, clerk in refunding divi-
Sion; male; former occupation, clerk in
general Office of railroad company; em-
ployed in the department since July 1,
1893; Salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Kent county.
C. H. Whittum; receipting division;
male; former occupation, farmer; em-
ployed in the department since Janu-
ary 1, 1897; salary, $75.00 per month;
lesidence, Eaton county.
E. D. McMillan, receipting clerk;
nnale; former Occupation; druggist;
Crn ployed in the department four
years; salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Kent county.
Bertha F3. Dix, stenographer; female;
Soldier's daughter; former accupation,
Stenographer; employed in the depart-
residence,
ment since January 1, 1897; salary,
$75.00 per month; residence, Berrien
COunty.
Ellen M. Latty, stenographer and
typewriter; female; soldier's daughter;
former Occupation, stenographer; em-
ployed in the department four years;
salary, $1,000 per annum;
Eaton county.
Gilbert R. Smith, chief of abstract
division; male; former occupation,
farmer; employed in the department
four years; Salary $1,100 per annum;
residence, Wayne county.
T. F. Timby, abstract clerk; male;
former Occupation, manufacturer of
Special machinery; employed in the de-
partment since January 1, 1897; salary
at the rate of $900 per annum; resi-
dence, Gratiot county.
Lester J. Kinney, chief of the dupli-
cate division; soldier; former occupa-
tion, farmer; employed in the depart-
ment four years; salary, $1,000 per
annum; residence, Shiawassee county.
Edward E. Rancier, duplicate clerk;
male; former Occupation, printer; em-
ployed in the department four years;
Salary, $1,000 per annum; residence,
Hillsdale county.
John H. Sayres, duplicate clerk;
male; soldier; former occupation, trav-
eling salesman; employed in the de-
partment since March 1, 1893; salary,
$1,000 per annum; residence, Wayne
COunty.
James E. Beavis, duplicate clerk;
male; former Occupation, deputy Sher-
iff; employed in the department since
January 1, 1897; salary, $75.00 per
month; residence, Detroit.
E. G. Holbrook, duplicate clerk;
male; former Occupation, barber; em-
ployed in the department two months
at a salary of $75.00 per month; resi-
dence, Harry county.
C. H. Abbott, clerk; male; former
Occupation, railway agent and tele-
graph Operator; employed in the de-
partment three and One-half years;
salary, $1,000 per annum; residence,
Sanilac county.
Nettie Avery, clerk; soldier’s daugh-
ter; former occupation, bookkeeper;
employed in the department two years;
salary, $1,000 per annum; residence,
Jackson County.
Harry W. Andrews, clerk; male;
former occupation, pharmacist; em-
ployed in the department since July 1,
residence,
1893; salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Lenawee county.
Izella Aplin, clerk; soldier's daugh-
ter; former Ocupation, stenographer;
employed in the department one month
at a salary of $60.00; residence, Bay
County. e
Edith A. Allison, clerk; former occu-
pation, School teacher; employed in the
department two months; salary, $75.00
per month; residence, Alcona county.
Frank T. Albright, clerk; soldier;
former Occupation, telegraph. Operator;
employed in the department four
years; Salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Ingham county.
Ray A. Beers, male; clerk; son of a
Soldier; former occupation, printer;
employed in the department since July
1, 1893; Salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Montcalm county.
Thomas I. Bush, clerk; male; former
Occupation, bookkeeper; employed in
department 23 months; salary, $1,000
per annum; residence, Barry county.
Peter Babo, clerk; male; former oc-
cupation, bookkeeper and collector;
employed in the department three
years; Salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Bay county.
Mrs. Cora A. Bradish, clerk; no
former manual ocupation; soldier's
widow; employed since February 1,
1897; Salary $60.00 per month; resi-
dence, IDetroit.
K. E. Beurmann, clerk; male; former
Occupation, farmer; employed in the
department since July 1, 1893; salary,
$1,000 per annum; residence, Living-
Ston County.
A. Cameron, clerk; male; soldier;
former Occupation, clerk; employed in
the department since January 1, 1897;
Salary, $75.00 per month; residence,
Ingham county.
Dwight S. Cole, clerk; male; former
Occupation, commercial salesman; em-
ployed in the department for two
months; salary at the rate of $900 per
annum; residence, Ingham county.
Wheaton D. Carpenter, clerk; male;
Soldier; former occupation, lumber and
log inspector; employed in the depart-
ment one month at $60; residence, Sag-
inaw County.
Charles J. Clark, clerk; male; former
Ocupation, finisher; employed in the
department two months; salary, $900
per annum; residence, Grand Rapids.
Dayton W. Closser, clerk; male;
former Occupation, teacher; employed
in the department three and one-half
years; Salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Monroe county.
Barney E. Cummiskey, clerk; male;
former Occupation, bookkeeper and
Stenographer; employed in the depart-
ment two months; salary at the rate of
$900 per annum; residence, Livingston
COunty.
L. M. Evans, clerk; male; son of a
Soldier; former occupation, clerk; em-
ployed in the department two years
and eight months; salary, $1,000 per
annum; residence, St. Joseph county.
John A. Evans, clerk; male; son of
a Soldier; former occupation, collector;
employed in the department four
years; salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Wyandotte.
Ella, Franklin, clerk; female; former
Occupation, clerk; employed in the de-
partment four years; salary, $1,000 per
annum; residence, Flint.
Sarah F. Foster, clerk; female; sol-
dier's daughter; former occupation,
clerk; employed in the department two
months; salary per annum, $900; resi-
dence, Ingham COunty.
Lillian M. Francisco, clerk; former
Ocupation, clerk; employed in the de-
partment four years; salary, $1,000 per
annum; residence, Flint.
Rate I. Giddings, clerk; employed in
the department four years; Salary,
$1,000 per annum; residence, Wexford
County.
Eva E. Gibbs, clerk; soldier's daugh-
ter; employed in the department ten
months; salary at the rate of $1,000 per
annum; residence, Ottawa. county.
M. Adelle Hazlett, clerk; former Oc-
cupation, public speaker; employed in
the department One year; salary, $1,000
per annum; residence, Lenawee
County.
Mrs. M. L. Hamilton, clerk; female;
soldier's widow; employed in the de-
partment three and one-half years;
salary, $1,000 per annum; residence,
Lansing.
F. E. Haynes, clerk; male; former
Occupation, traveling Salesman; em-
ployed in the department since July 1,
1893; salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Ingham county.
Clelle Humphrey, clerk; female;
former occupation, clerk; employed in
the department since February 1, 1897;
26
T EI E S T A T E R E P U B L I C A N
Salary, $60 per month; residence, Cal-
houn County.
J. N. Hatch, clerk; soldier; former
Ocupation, clerk; employed in the de-
partment four years; salary, $1,000 per
annum; residence, Berrien county.
Mrs. G. R. Higham, clerk; soldier’s
Sister; employed in the department
four years; salary, $1,000 per annum;
residence, Wayne county.
Louise M. Hopkins, clerk; former oc-
cupation, school teacher; employed in
the department since July 1, 1893; sal-
ary, $1,000 per annum; residence, Otta-
Wa, county.
Mrs. Emily R. Johnson, clerk; sol-
dier's widow; former occupation, school
teacher; employed in the department
four years; salary, $1,000 per annum;
residence, Kalamazoo county.
W. E. Jarrard, clerk; former occupa-
tion, commercial traveler; employed
in the department since December 1,
1896; salary, $75.00 per month; resi-
dence, Oakland county.
Louise Jagger, clerk; former occupa-
tion, school teacher; employed in the
department since July 1, 1893; salary,
$1,000 per annum; residence, Mason
County.
Walter Kephart, clerk; former occu-
pation, druggist; employed in the de-
partment since January 1, 1897; salary,
$75.00 per month; residence, Emmet
COunty.
Frank Kirk, clerk; former occupa-
tion, farmer; employed in the depart-
ment since July 1, 1893; salary, $1,000
per annum; residence Lenawee county.
Newell J. Kelsey, clerk; soldier;
former occupation, register of deeds in
Calhoun county; employed in the de-
partment since January 1, 1897; salary,
$75.00 per month; residence Calhoun
COunty.
M. H. Lee, clerk; former occupation,
journalist; employed in the department
four years; salary, $1,000 per annum;
residence, Cass county.
W. F. Lyon, clerk; former occupa-
tion, student; employed in the depart-
mentfour years; salary, $1,000 per an-
num; residence, Wayne county.
J. A. Moross, clerk; former occupa-
tion, student; employed in the depart-
ment since January 1, 1897; salary,
$75.00 per month; residence, Detroit.
R. H. Marsh, clerk; soldier; former
OCCupation, Commission merchant; em-
ployed in the department since July 1,
1893; salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Washtenaw county.
Sarah A. C. Plummer, clerk; soldier's
Wife; former Occupation, School teach-
er; employed in the department four
years; salary, $1,000 per annum; resi-
dence, Ingham county.
Cora E. Roberts, clerk; former occu-
pation, School teacher; employed in the
department since March 1, 1896; salary,
$75.00 per month; residence, Kalamazoo
County.
O. B. Shafer, clerk; son of a soldier;
former Occupation, school teacher; em-
ployed in the department since April 1,
1896; Salary, $1,000 per annum; re-si-
dence, Hillsdale county.
H. J. Switzer, clerk; former occupa-
tion, druggist; employed in the depart-
ment since January 1, 1897; salary,
$75.00 per month; residence, Macomb
County.
G. L. Sumner, clerk; son of a soldier;
former occupation, express messenger;
employed in the department three and
One-half years; salary, $1,000 per an-
num; residence, Kalamazoo county.
Henry L. Shulte, clerk; former occu-
pation, cigar manufacturer; employed
in the department four years; salary,
$1,000 per annum; residence, Detroit.
Mayme A. Steele, clerk; daughter of
Soldier; former occupation, telegraph
Operator; employed in the department
Since January 1, 1897; salary, $75.00 per
month; residence, Alpenal county.
John W. Taylor, clerk; soldier;
former occupation, railroad agent; em-
ployed in the department four years;
Salary, $1,000 per annum; residence,
Ingham county.
W. H. Tuller, clerk; former occupa-
tion, merchant; employed in the de-
partment four years; salary, $1,000 per
annum; residence, Oceana county.
L. B. Tompkins, clerk; former occu-
pation, bookkeeper; employed in the
department since July 1, 1893; salary,
$1,000 per annum; residence, Wayne
county.
R. H. Van Buren, clerk; former occu-
pation, bank clerk; employed in the
department since February 1, 1897; sal-
ary, $60.00 per month; residence, St.-
Joseph county.
Martha A. Whipple, clerk; employed
in the department since July 1, 1893;
Salary, $1,000 per annum; residence,
Jackson county.
Henry A. Wylie, clerk; soldier;
former Occupation, farmer; employed
in the department Since January 1,
1897; salary, $75.00 per month; resi-
dence, Kent County. -
Wm. Woods, clerk; former occupa-
tion, clerk; employed in the depart-
ment four years; salary, $1,000 per an-
num; residence, Wayne County.
Total, $88,800.
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH,
Office of the Secretary,
Lansing, March 1, 1897.
To the President of the Senate:
Sir—In compliance with a resolution
of your honorable body adopted Febru-
ary 18, 1897, the following is respect-
fully submitted:
C. W. Church; age, 65; male; clerk;
years employed, 20; former occupation,
merchant; monthly salary, $83.33.
H. B. Turner; age, 55; male; clerk;
years employed, 17; former Occupation,
pharmacist; monthly salary, $83.33.
E. H. McCallum; age, 65; male; clerk;
years employed, 12; former occupation,
fruit grower; monthly salary, $83.33.
W. C. Haines; age 59; male; clerk;
years employed, 12; former Occupation,
miller; monthly salary, $83.33.
Theo. R. MacClure; age, 28; male;
chief clerk; years employed, 7; former
Occupation, Student; monthly salary,
$83.33.
Mrs. George P. Clark; age, 58; fe-
male; clerk; years employed, 5; former
Occupation, housewife; monthly salary,
$83.33.
W. M. Force; age, 40; male; clerk;
years employed, 5; former occupation,
law clerk; monthly salary, $83.33.
Geo. H. Cattermole; age, 28; male;
clerk; years employed, 2; former Occu-
pation, physician; monthly salary,
$83.33.
R. P. Hudson; age, 25; male; clerk;
years employed, One and One-half;
former occupation, student; monthly
salary, $75.
Mrs. A. M. Breck; age, 36; female;
extra clerk; years employed, one and
One half; former occupation, house-
wife; monthly salary, $65.
Thos. S. Ainge; age, 36; male; clerk;
years employed, one and one-half; for-
mer Occupation, clerk; monthly salary,
$83.33.
O. H. Reed; age, 25; male; extra
clerk; years employed, one and one-
half; former occupation, student;
monthly salary, $65.
J. G. McHenry; age, 25; male; extra.
clerk; years employed, one and one-
half; former occupation, student;
monthly salary, $65.
S. H. Reynolds; age, 60; male; jan-
itor, etc.; years employed, 7; former
Occupation, book agent; monthly sal-
ary, $60.
Total, $12,960.
Very respectfully,
HENRY B. BAKER,
Secretary.
STATE LAND OFFICE,
Lansing, March 2, 1897.
To the President of the Senate:
In compliance with a resolution of
the Senate, adopted February 18, 1897,
I have the honor to submit here with
Such information as the Senate desires
with regard to this office.
There are two State land examiners
Whose expenses and salaries are paid
on bills rendered to and allowed by the
Board of State Auditors, and in addi-
tion thereto there have, from time to
time, been extra examiners employed
to examine lands coming under the Su-
pervision of this Office known as “Tax
Homestead Lands” under provisions of
act 206 of the laws of 1893, which has
greatly increased the expenses of this
department. But this act has been of
vast importance and advantage to the
people of Michigan; one hundred and
eleven townships in twenty-five coun-
ties of the State have taken advantage
Of Said act, and applications have been
made by many more townships. Under
the provisions of this act 368,402.96
acres of tax lands have been deeded to
the State by the Auditor General; 1,150
homestead certificates have been issued
announting to 80,832.35 acres, leaving
287,570.61 acres subject to entry. Fifty-
nine townships have made application
to the Auditor General and the Com-
missioner of the State Land Office for
examination of lands under the provi-
sions of Sec. 127, act 206, laws of 1893.
Twenty-one townships are now ready
for examination; 12 townships have
been examined, reported to the land
office, and are now in the hands of the
Anditor General for deeding.
The examinations are made upon re
quests of township boards. BOOks,
plats, and circulars have been prepared
and the work systematized so as best
to carry out the provisions and intent
Of the act. A complete list Of the lands
has been prepared and printed from
time to time, and mailed On application
in Order to aid and assist those seeking
homes and lighten their expense.
This land is obtainable by actual Set-
tlers upon payment Of ten cents per
acre for five years without real estate
tax during that time, thereby giving
to the settler, in a short time, a farm
and a home at a light cost and men of
energy not only from Michigan, but
from other states are seeking homes
within our own borders, and as I Stated
in my last annual report, “These are
the men that the State is sending into
these barren places, men of energy and
muscle; men who will, in a few years,
make gardens in the now wilderness,
build school houses and churches, add
health and wealth and Vitality to the
communities, and rear families that
will grow up into manhood and Wom-
anhood with a high patriotic love for
the State that gave to their fathers
and mothers, not as charity, but as a
legacy to her deserving children, the
vast tracts that shall have become by
their toil and skill rich Valleys and pro-
ductive plains and fertile fields.”
“The expense to the State has, un-
doubtedly, been greater this first year
than it will be in subsequent years, but
no person who has the best interests of
the State at heart will complain of
reasonable expense along the line of
this great and beneficent plan to better
the condition of thousands of our citi-
zens, while at the same time we add
to the population of sparsely settled
districts and benefit township, County
and State by an equalization of taxes
based on the paying taxable property
of the townships.”
This department now controls in ad-
dition to the 400,000 acres of tax home-
stead land, 102,435.81 acres of SW amp
land; 200,000 acres of primary School
land; 100,553 acres of Agricultural Col-
lege land, and 1,600 acres of salt Spring
and asylum land.
Many of the original records in this
department have become badly mu-
tilated and nearly obliterated, and
should be compiled in a concise form
easily traced. Such a compilation has
been commenced, but the necessity for
expedition in promptly meeting the de-
mands of the people for information
to be received only through this de-
partment, this work has been so inter-
fered with that but a small part of it
has been completed. This is a matter
of great importance, and requires the
attention of very competent, careful
and conscientious persons to prepaire,
as upon these records is based the title
to every acre of land acquired.
Trespass collections up to June 30,
1896, during Commissioner French's ad-
ministration, from March 21, 1894, have
been $13,361.65.
Total amount of cash receipts during
Commissioner French's administration
from March 21, 1894, up to June 30, 1896,
are $228,504.96.
Below will be found a list of those
employed in the Office:
Burton Parker, deputy land commis-
sioner; residence, Monroe; former OC-
cupation, attorney; a soldier; 2 years,
10 months in department; salary paid,
$2,000 per year.
Ed. R. Havens, chief clerk; former
residence, Berrien county; former OC-
cupation, clerk; a soldier; number of
years in department, 7, but out of Office
during Winan’s administration; salary
paid at rate of $1,200 per annum.
Henry Whiteley, bookkeeper; former
residence, Otsego county; former Occu-
pation, lawyer; number of years in de-
partment, 4; salary paid, $1,200 per
year.
James I. Berry, draughtsman; resi-
dence, Otsego county; former Occupa-
tion, draughtsman; son of a soldier;
number of years in department, 4; Sal-
alry paid, $1,200 per year.
J. A. Bowen, clerk; male; former res-
idence, Branch county; former Occupa-
tion, clerk; number of years in depart-
ment, 20, but out of office during the
Winans administration; salary paid,
$1,000 per year.
W. L. Brown; male; clerk; former
residence, Detroit; former occupation,
clerk; number of years in department,
4; salary paid, $1,000 per year.
Frank French; male; clerk; resi-
dence, Monroe county; former Occupa-
tion, student; number of years in de-
partment, 5 months; salary paid, $1,000
per annum.
Carl J. Golling; male; clerk; resi-
dence, Alpena; former Occupation
bookkeeper; son of a soldier; number
of years in department, two years, 10
months; salary paid, $1,000 per annum.
Emory M. Fletcher; male; clerk; res-
idence, Washtenaw County; former OC-
cupation, clerk; number of years in de-
partment, 10 days; salary paid, $1,000
per year.
Linias J. Halsey; male; clerk; resi-
dence, Iosco county; former Occupa-
tion, druggist; number of years in de-
partment, 10 days; salary paid, $1,000
per year.
Mabel C. Poole; female; clerk; resi-
dence, Detroit; former occupation,
stenographer; number of years in de-
partment, 4; salary paid, $1,000 per
year.
Total, $12,600.
WM. A. FRENCH,
Commissioner of the Land Office.
STATE OF MICHIGAN,
Attorney General’s Office,
Lansing, March 10, 1897.
To the President Of the Senate:
In compliance with the resolution of
the Senate, I have the honor to Submit
here with such information as the Sen-
ate desires with regard to this office.
Act No. 87 of the public acts of 1891,
as amended by act No. 127 of the public
acts of 1893, gives much of the informa-
tion called for.
The Attorney General receives $2.19 a
day, and is permitted to hire, if neces-
sary, clerical assistance to the amount
of $3,000. But by reason of the new and
extra duties that have been in posed
upon the Attorney General, and espe-
cially by act No. 164 of the public acts
of 1895, by which every corporation in
this State is required to make annual
reports and upon failure so to do the
Attorney General must take legal Steps
to compel them, and the great number
of tax cases, the absolute necessity of
an increase of appropriations Was
recognized by the Governor and the
Board of State Auditors, and accord-
ingly a temporary appropriation of
$1,200 a year was made until the Legis-
lature now assembled could by a gen-
eral act, increase the appropriation.
So that with this additional amount of
$1,200, the entire appropriation for the
Attorney General’s office, including his
own salary, is $5,000. I have three reg-
ular assistants—Henry E. Chase,
George H. Kuhns and Roger I. Wykes.
Mr. Chase and Mr. Kuhns have been
employed in the department since I
have been Attorney General. Chase is
33; Ruhns, 34, and Wykes, 23 years re-
spectively. Mr. Wykes has been here
Since the temporary arrangement as
aforesaid. Mr. Chase has, in fact, for
the last three years, discharged the
duties of deputy attorney general, and
has received the deputy’s pay. Mr.
Kuhns receives, as stenographer and
head clerk, $85.00; Mr. Wykes, as a spe-
cial attorney, is receiving pay at the
present time at the rate of $100 per
month.
FRED A. MAYNARD,
Attorney General.
By the select committee on salaries
of State employes:
Your committee appointed for the
purpose of prepairing and Submitting,
for the information of the mem-
bers of the Legislature, a detailed re-
port of the names, employment, and
salary of each person in the employ of
the State whose rate of compensation
is equal to, or in excess of $800 per an-
num, beg leave to submit the following
report:
SOLON GOODELL, Chairman,
ALFRED M. FLEISCHEIAUER,
CHARLES SMITH.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
Deputy Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,000 00
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Three (G) $1,100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,300 00
Twenty-five @ $1,000. . . . . . . . . . 25,000 00
Two (G) $900. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,800 00
$33,300 00
STATE UNIVERSITY, ANN ARBOR.
Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,300 00
Four professors (@ $3,000..... 12,000 00
Five professors (à) $2,700...... . 13,500 00
Eleven professors (@ $2,500... 27,500 00
Four professors (@ $2,000..... 8,000 00
One professor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,250 00
Seven prof. (ass’t) @ $1,600... 11,200 00
Seven instructors (à) $1,200 . . . . 8,400 00
Eight instructors (@ $900..... . 7,200 00
Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,700 00
Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,500 00
Supt. buildings and grounds. 1,600 00
Librarian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,700 00
Two ass’t librarians @ $1,200. 2,400 00
Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,400 00
$105,650 00
L E G IS L A T L V E S O U V E N I R
27
Department of Medicine and Surgery.
One professor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,000 00
Eour professors (@ $2,500. . . . . . 10,000 00
Five professors (G) $2,000...... 10,000 00
Assistant professor . . . . . . . . . . . 1,600 00
Assistant professor . . . . . . . . . . . 1,500 00
Assistant professor . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 00
Assistant professor . . . . . . . . . . . 9,00 00
$28,000 00
Homeopathic Medical College.
One professor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,000 00
Four professors (@ $2,000...... 8,000 00
$11,000 00
Department of Law.
One professor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,000 00
One professor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,700 00
Three professors (G) $2,500.... 7,500 00
One professor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,000 00
Two professors (@ $1,000...... 2,000 00
One professor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,600 00
One professor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Two professors (à) $900........ 1,800 00
$22,800 00
Engineering Department.
One professor................ ... $3,000 00
One professor ................. 2,700 00
Two professors (@ $2,500...... 5,000 00
Two professors (@ $2,000. . . . . . 4,000 00
One professor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,600 00
Four professors (@ $1,200...... 4,800 00
Five professors (@ $900........ 4,500 00
$25,600 00
Dental College.
One professor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,200 00
Three professors (@ $2,000.... 6,000 00
One professor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tº e 900 00
$9,100 00
University Hospital.
Superintendent ...... tº @ tº e º ſº º º $1,000 00
Total for University. . . . . . . . $203,150 00
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BU-
REAU.
Commissioner ................. $2,000 00
Deputy commissioner ........ 1,500 00
Chief clerk..................... 1,200 00
Stenographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 900 00
Factory inspector ............ 1,095 00
Four dep. fac. inspectors (@
$1,095 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,380 00
Additional clerk hire . . . . . . . . . 2,700 00
$13,775 00
MICHIGAN MINING SCHOOL,
HOUGHTON.
Principal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,000 00
One professor ........... tº e º e º 'º 2,500 00
One professor.................. 2,400 00
One professor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,300 00
One professor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,200 00
One professor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,100 00
One professor ................ 1,000 00
One professor ............ ..... 1,200 00
$17,700 00
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, LAN-
SING.
President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,200 00
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,000 00
Seven (ā) $1,800................. 12,600 00
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,300 00
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,500 00
Ten at $1,000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,000 00
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 900 00
Four (a) $800. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , .. 3,200 00
$35,700 00
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC IN-
STRUCTION.
Deputy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,000 00
Two clerks @ $1,000. . . . . . . . . . . 2,000 00
Stenographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 00
Two shipping clerks at $900... 1,800 00
$6,800 00
STATE AUDITORS.
One clerk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,600 00
Two clerks @ $1,000. . . . . . . . . . 2,000 00
$3,600 00
COMMISSIONER OF RAILROADS.
Commissioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,500 00
Deputy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,500 00
Mechanical Engineer . . . . . . . . 1,500 00
One clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 00
One clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 900 00
$7,400 00
STATE HOUSE OF CORRECTION,
IONIA.
Warden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,500 00
Assistant Warden . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Four clerks @ $1,000.......... 4,000 00
One clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800 00
Superintendent of factory ... 1,250 00
$8,750 00
OIL INSPECTOR, ROCKFORD.
Six Q $900 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,400 00
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 860 11
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 843 91
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 880 78
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 844 40
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $862 15
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 817 16
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 889 90
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 892 10
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 868 70
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 832 15
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 802 40
$14,793 56
STATE PUBLIC SCHOOL, COLD-
WATER.
Pres. (living for family and). $1,500 00
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL, LANSING.
Superintendent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,500 00
Assistant superintendent .... 900 00
$2,400 00
MICHIGAN ASYLUM.
Medical superintendent ...... $2,500 00
Assistant physician . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 00
$3,500 00
MICHIGAN STATE PRISON, JACK-
SON. ©
Warden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,000 00
Deputy Warden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Chaplain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 00
Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 00
Physician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 00
Warden’s Secretary . . . . . . . . . . 900 00
Superintendent broom shop.. 800 00
Hallmaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800 00
Superintendent Schools .....'. 800 00
Superintendent clothing . . . . . 800 00
Superintendent mails . . . . . . . . 800 00
Superintendent box shop .... 800 00
Sixteen keepers (@ $800........ 12,800 00
Night captain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800 00
$26,700 00
MICHIGAN STATE BOARD OF ED-
UCATION, BENTON HARBOR.
President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,500 00
Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,500 00
Ten (3) $2,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,000 00
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,500 00
One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Three (G) $1,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000 00
Rifteen (d) $800 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,000 00
$43,700 00
MICHIGAN ASYLUM FOR INSANE,
RALAMAZOO.
Superintendent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,000 00
Assistant superintendent .... 1,900 00
Physician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,400 00
Two physicians @ $1,000...... 2,000 00
Physician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800 00
Steward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Bookkeeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Foreman of construction .... 1,200 00
Chief engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,080 00
$13,780 00
NORTHERN MICHIGAN ASYLUM,
TRAVERSE CITY.
Medical superintendent ...... $3,000 00
Medical superintendent ...... 1,500 00
Assistant physician . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 00
Two ass’t physicians @ $900... 1,800 00
Assistant physician . . . . . . . . . . 800 00
Steward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,600 00
Chief of construction ........ 1,320 00
Chief engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Chef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,100 00
Stenographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 840 00
Chief accountant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
$15,360 00
MICHIGAN SCHOOL FOR THE
DEAF, FLINT.
Superintendent ............... $1,800 00
Steward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Three teachers (@) $1,200...... 3,600 00
One teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,100 00
One teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,050 00
One teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800 00
Foreman cabinet shop . . . . . . 800 00
$10,350 00
SOLDIERS' HOME, GRAND RAP-
. IDS.
Commandant ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,200 00
Adjutant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,600 00
Quartermaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 00
Surgeon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,600 00
Chief engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,050 00
$6,450 00
ASYLUM AT NEWBERRY.
Superintendent (board and
Washing for family)........ $2,500 00
Assistant superintendent .... 1,200 00
Bookkeeper ................... 1,200 00
Engineer . . . . . . . . . . © e º e g º e º e º gº º 1,000 00
$5,900 00
HOME FOR FEEBLE MINDED AND
EPILEPTIC, PORT HURON.
Superintendent ............... $2,000 00
Steward . . . . . . . . . .............. 1,000 00
$3,000 00
STATE HOUSE OF CORRECTION,
MARQUETTE.
Warden . . . . . . . . . ............. ... $1,800 00
Deputy ...... * * * * * * * * c e e º e o e º e e 1,200 00
Clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... ... 1,000 00
Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 00
$5,000 00
MICHIGAN SCHOOL FOR THE
BLIND.
Superintendent ............... $1,800 00
Steward . . . . . . . . . . . ............ 1,200 00
Three teachers (@ $1,200...... 3,600 00
One teacher ....... ſº tº ſº º e º 'º º e º 'º º 1,100 00
One teacher ................... 1,050 00
One teacher .................. 800 00
One teacher ................... 850 00
$10,400 00
EASTERN MICHIGAN ASYLUM,
PONTIAC.
Superintendent (and living)... $3,000 00
Ass’t Supt. (and living)...... 1,500 00
ASS’t Supt. (and living)...... 1,200 00
ASS’t physician (and living). 900 00
Steward ....................... 1,600 00
Accountant ................. te 1,200 00
Stenographer ................. 1,000 00
Supt. of Instruction (and
house) ..... & e º e º 'º e º e tº º º e º º e º º 1,200 00
Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Hallmaster .................... 900 00
Six teachers (G) $800............ 4,800 00
$18,500 00
BANIKING IDEPARTMENT.
Commissioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... $2,500 00
Deputy and examiner ........ 2,000 00
Chief clerk and examiner .... 1,500 00
$6,000 00
INDUSTRIAL HOME FOR GIRLS.
Superintendent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,000 00
Engineer . . . . . . . . tº e º e º e º e º e e º e e 850 00
$1,850 00
STATE LIBRARY.
Librarian ...................... $1,200 00
Five clerks @ $800........... 4,000 00
$5,200 00
MINERAL STATISTICS, ISHFE-
IMING.
Statistician ....... e e e º e e º e º e º e $2,500 00
ENGINEER AND STUPERINTENID-
ENT OF STATE CAPITOL.
Engineer and superintendent. $1,600 00
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT.
Commission of Insurance .... $2,000 00
Dep. Com. Of Insurance...... 1,500 00
Chief clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Actuary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 00
Two extra clerks @ $900...... 1,800 00
$7,500 00
DAIRY AND FOOD COMMISSION.
Commissioner ................. $1,200 00
Analyst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 00
Inspector (four) $3.00 per day
for time actually employed.
$2,400 00
Total . . . . . . . . . . . ..............3643,018 56
The total number of persons em-
ployed as per reports is 498, who receive
an average of $1,291.20 per year for each
perSOn.
A LITTLE TOO GOOD FOR ADOPTION
In the House on April 9th, Mr. Lusk
offered the following:
Resolved, That the general parlia-
mentary rules requiring members,
While discussing measures, to confine
Such discussion strictly to the question
under consideration, be hereafter con-
sidered as applying to the House when
in committee of the whole;
Which was not adopted.
TAX STATISTICIAN'S RECORD
On April 29th, by the following con-
Current resolution, the Office of Tax
Statistician was permanently closed:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Lansing, April 29, 1897.
To the President of the Senate:
Sir—I am instructed by the House to
return to the Senate the following
COn Cul’rent resolution:
Resolved by the Senate (the House
Concurring), That whereas, the term
of Office of the Tax Statistician has ex-
pired by linnitation under the provis-
ions of the act creating said office, that
the State Librarian be and she is here-
by instructed to take possession of
and properly preserve in said State
Library all the records and files of
Said office, and all other papers, let-
ters and correspondence relating
thereto; and that the same be pre-
Served in some convenient place in
Said library accessible to and for the
inspection of the public;
In the adoption of which the House
has concurred.
Very respectfully,
LEWIS M. MILLER,
Clerk of the House of Representatives.
MICHIGAN MANUAL
An ever present subject of conten-
tion between the House and Senate at
the opening of each session of the
Legislature, is that of the apportion-
ment Of the Michigan Manual or “Red
Book,” as it is more often called. In
the Session of '97, after the matter of
its apportionment had been used as a
Shuttlecock in a game of battledore,
On March 22 it was finally agreed upon
by the adoption of a concurrent reso-
lution which read as follows:
IResolved by the House (the Senate
Concurring), That there shall be
printed one edition of the “Michigan
Manual;” and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of
State be, and is hereby authorized and
directed, to cause to be published a
sufficient number of the “Michigan
Manual,” including those provided for
by law, to be distributed as follows:
For distribution by each member of
the Senate, 75 copies.
For distribution by each member of
the House, 45 copies.
And a further number Sufficient to
Supply One Copy to each public school
in the State, not otherwise provided
for, including district schools;
Whigh Senate substitute the House
anended to read as follows:
Resolved by the House (the Senate
COncurring), That there shall be
printed one edition of the “Michigan
Manual;” and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of
State be, and is hereby authorized and
directed, to cause to be published a
sufficient number of the “Michigan
Manual,” including those provided for
by law, to be distributed as follows:
For distribution by each member of
the Senate, 75 copies.
For distribution by each member of
the House, 60 copies.
For distribution by
House, 50 copies.
For distribution by Secretary of the
Senate, 50 copies.
And a further number Sufficient to
supply one copy to each public school
Clerk of the
28
T H E S T A T E R E P U B L I C A N
in the State, not otherwise provided
for, including district schools, and also
One COpy to each Of the Officers and
employes Of the House and Senate not
otherwise provided for;
And to inform the House that the
Senate has amended said substitute, as
anended by the House, by striking
Out Of line 7 the number “75” and in-
Serting in lieu thereof the number
“100.” And further to inform the
House that the Senate has concurred
in the House annendments as thus
annended.
Very respectfully,
CHARLES S. PIERCE,
Secretary of the Senate.
The Question being on concurring in
the amendment made by the Senate to
the resolution,
The House concurred.
THE LEGISLATURE OF 1897
It may be a waste of good paper and
ink to notice that the Legislature of
'97-8 failed not in receiving the usual
Castigation given by the metropolitan
press of the State to each succeeding
body of men chosen by the people to
represent them in the law-making
body of the State. But it seems as
though it is time that there was more
respect shown to the people, if not to
the men chosen, than is now the cus-
tom when reference is made to the
makers of the law all good citizens are
bound to respect.
On the assembling of each session of
the State Legislature it has become the
Custom of Certain newspapers of the
Country to lampoon the Legislature as
a Whole, Wisely refraining from an in-
dividual attack which would be liable
to react in a suit for damages. If the
management of such papers would give
but a moment's thought to the per-
Sonnel Of Such bodies it would be seen
that to reflect on the character of each
Succeeding Legislature is a gross libel
On the character and intelligence of the
people who elect the legislators.
It may be true that there is too much
truth in the statement that men are
too Often selected as candidates for
legislative honors on account of their
availability, but in making public that
Statement it should be taken into con-
sideration who are the men in each
community who interest themselves in
the selection of candidates for legisla-
tive honors. As a matter of fact they
are the men of property, the profes-
Sional men, the merchants, and in the
rural districts the farmers, against
Whose Opposition no man could be
nominated for a legislative office.
Availability means character and an
established reputation in the communi-
ty in which one lives, and for election
purposes the character and reputation
of an individual should be up to the
Standard Of the morale of the com-
munity in which he resides, or it will
not stand the searchlight of inquiry
into his past career that will be turned
on by friends of the opposing candi-
dates.
As an illustration, take the action of
the press for the last few months to-
Wards the two gentlemen who were the
leaders of opposing policies in the con-
duct of state affairs during the session
of the Michigan Legislature just
closed. One of these gentlemen stood
upon One side of a line of policy that
has been a mooted question, so far
back as the record of civil government
goes. The other stood upon the oppo-
Site side and each courageously con-
tended for the side on which he stood.
Upon this question, which was the ever
recurring one of taxation, the taxpay-
ers Were also divided, the press as a
rule Supporting one or the other side
of the issue made in the Legislature,
used the leaders on the opposing sides
as a target for the strictures and abuse
Which they seemed to consider neces-
Sary in the support of such arguments
as Were set forth in their columns.
In the House Mr. Atkinson led the
fight for local self government and a
change in the method of taxation, by
Which the amount of taxes paid on the
railway properties in the State would
be increased. In the Senate Mr.
Thompson led the opposition to the
theories of Mr. Atkinson. Both came
from the metropolis of the State. One
a man representing great wealth and a
stickler for vested rights in property,
the other one of the ablest men in the
State, a giant in intellect and a peer
of any practicing in the courts of this
COuntry, stood upon the floor of the
House a representative of that numer-
Ous and increasing class now known as
the common people. Who can truth-
fully assert that he is not the equal of
those who elected him to represent
Aſ
their interests 2 Or that Senator
/ Thompson who, twice mayor of Detroit
and twice chosen to represent in the
State Senate the interests Of those liv-
ing on a strip of territory lying right
in the very heart of the city of Detroit,
where the wealth, the intelligence,
Culture and honor Of the City is pre-
sumed to abide, have not also elected
a man who would be representative
of their district and the people he was
chosen to represent? It certainly
would be an insult to the intelligence
Of those people to say that in electing
a man who had served them twice as
mayor, once as Senator, and who for
several years has been a leader in the
politics of the city and State, was not
known of and desired by these people
as one who would fairly represent them
and their interests in the Legislature
Of the State.
Except in a very slight degree no
Legislature elected under Our System
Oſ popular government can be more in-
telligent, more learned, more honest,
Or more honorable than the community
it represents, and to go upon the
house-tops or into the public press to
proclaim otherwise is to dispute what
the great majority of Our citizens Con-
tend for in representative government.
If a Legislature as a whole is venal
Or imbecile, then the state as a whole
is not far removed from the condition
ſound to be true of its representative
In 62 n.
It is in bringing together elements of
character representing the different
degrees of honor, justice, and contend-
ing interests, that as a people we are
able to enjoy the blessings of a gov-
ernment under which none are able to
long dominate the life or social being
Of Others.
If, when Standing with uncovered
head before the graves at Gettysburg,
Mr. Lincoln uttered a truth when he
said to the assembled multitude, “This
is a government of the people, by the
people, and for the people,” then it
follows that the men elected as repre-
sentatives in the congress of the
United States, or in the legislatures of
the different States, when assembled as
legislators, are as a body a fair cri-
terion of the character and intelligence
in the people they represent, and in the
aggregate are as honest, VirtuOus and
truthful as the highest average that
Could be obtained Of the Citizens who
elected them to Office.
The foregoing is not a defense of the
Legislature of ’97-8; it needs none. If
we were to make a criticism Of it we
Should say that not since the Session
of ’87 has there assembled as legis-
lators at Lansing a body of men show-
ing greater intellectuality, a broader
experience in business life, or one which
gave closer attention to the work in
hand, than the men who composed the
Legislature of ’97-8, and it could be as
truthfully added that if the people of
the State who were not elected in like
capacity would remain at home in-
Stead Of CrOwding the floors of the two
legislative halls, worrying and con-
fusing the members with conflicting
advice, it would leave the mind of
each member Clearer as to the true
merit in the different propositions they
are called upon to COnsider.
BILLS PASSED
Below will be found a complete list
of all of the laws enacted by the legis-
lature of 1897, including bills and reso-
lutions of local and general nature that
originated in the house and senate:
Senate General Bills,
Robinson—Amending law protecting de-
fendants when they have been given a
set-off.
Robinson–Amending law relative to
garnishments in circuit court.
Covell—Providing for printing and dis-
tribution of compiled laws of 1897.
Jibb—Providing rules for use of Abbott
voting machine at elections.
Barnard—Repealing act providing for
collection of Statistical information of the
deaf, insane, dumb and blind.
Barnard—Repealing act providing for
collection of social statistics.
Thompson—Providing for incorporation
of National Societies of Colonial Dames
of America, in Michigan.
Latimer–Amending act relative to the
formation of corporations for the opera-
ting of summer homes or resort grounds.
Lawrence—Regulating taxation of costs
in malicious prosecution.
Merriman—Amending law so that cities
may regulate trimming of trees.
Wagar–Amending law relative to pro-
bate judges.
Merriman–Amending law allowing vil-
lages to extend water mains.
Colman—Providing that religious socie-
ties may receive bequests.
Warner—Repealing act providing that
plank road companies shall file their con-
sent with the secretary of state to any
amendment to their laws.
Thompson—Amending law SO that
grounds hereafter acquired by cemetery
boards shall not be exempt from taxation.
Flood—Regulating manufacture of vine-
gar.
X Jibb—Preventing deception in the manu-
>
facture and sale of butter.
Wescott—Authorizing the appointment
of a deputy attorney general.
Barnard — Preventing destruction of
signs, bills and notices of a lawful nature.
Latinner—Amending law relative to re-
ligious Societies.
Barnum—Regulating and licensing prac-
tice of Osteopathy. -
\ Warner—Compelling toll road companies
to keep roads in repair.
Robinson—Protecting fur bearing ani-
mals.
Moore—Extending corporate life of life
insurance companies.
Mudge—Incorporating undenominational
or independent churches.
Blakeslee—Preventing male and female
persons over 15 years from debauching or
depraving the morals of boys under 15
years of age.
Thompson—Protecting hotel keepers.
Hadsall—Amending law relative to regu-
lation of asylums.
Holmes—Mechanic lien bill. .
Robinson–Relief of Ontonogan suffer-
erS.
Hadsall–Amending law relative to Sur-
vival of actions so that persons who took
part in real estate through fraudulent
representation shall also survive.
Savidge—To facilitate proceedings to
quiet title of real estate as against un-
known claimants of title.
Loomis–Preventing forfeiture of fire in-
surance policies in certain cases.
Wagner—Providing for licensing of in-
surance companies to insure against bur-
glary and loss of money in transit by
mails.
Moore—Incorporating companies to in-
sure bicycles.
Moore—Providing for the incorporation
of companies to insure employes the in-
tegrity of their officers or employers.
Thompson—Defining the duties and lia-
bilities of hotel keeperS.
Covell–Amending law relative to COm-
mencement of suits.
Covell—Providing for republication and
sale of certain supreme court documents.
Loomis—Appropriation Central Michi-
gan Normal School.
Covell—Authorizing commissioners of
highways to purchase road tools.
Moore—Providing for preservation of
bills and resolutions passed by the legis-
lature.
Merriman—Amending
asylums.
Holmes—Permitting light guard com-
panies to give life insurance on members
of company as security for money to build
armory.
Barnum—Fixing the relations of the ex-
isting normal schools of the State.
Merriman–Amending law relative to
musical Societies.
Robinson—Anti-bar maid bill.
Lawrence—Amending plank road law. So
that improvements on roads may be made
with gravel providing that road is made
nine feet wide and nine inches of gravel
used.
Youmans—Providing life imprisonment
for persons wrecking or attempting to
wreck or rob trains.
Robinson—Allowing board of institu-
tions to draw money while legislature is
in Session.
Latimer—Appropriation for
School for the Deaf.
Mason—Electric light plant for univer-
sity, $20,000.
Loomis–Providing that plans for coun-
ty buildings shall be submitted to state
board of charities and corrections for ap-
proval.
Colman–Licensing deer hunters.
Mudge—Amending law relative to regu-
lation of School for the Blind.
Barnum—Appropriation for Industrial
school for boys.
Moore—Incorporation of companies for
production of flax fibre.
Teeple—Amending banking law.
Mason—Amending general tax law.
Bostwick—Amending general tax law.
Mudge—Relative to treatment of depen-
dent children.
Robinson—Appropriation Michigan Col-
lege of Mines.
Wagner — Regulating distribution
money appropriated by legislature.
Merriman–Amending election law.
Merriman—Railroad specific tax bill.
law regulating
Michigan
Of
House General Bills.
Graham—Preventing spread of , bush
vine and fruit tree diseases.
Rimmis—Appropriation Central Michi-
gan Normal School.
Lee—Appropriation Michigan Home for
Feeble Minded.
Atkinson–Amending law relative to
payment of debts of deceased persons.
Bates—Repealing act providing for col-
lection of apiarian statistics.
Donovan–Providing for collection and
publication of divorce statistics.
Molster—Providing for incorporation of
labor associations.
Bates—Amending law relative to mutual
benefit associations.
Clute—Incorporating home for aged, in-
digent and infirm persons.
Marsilje–Compelling county treasurers
to furnish tax histories without receiv-
ing fees.
Weier—Preventing destruction of musk-
rats.
Foote—Permitting spearing of fish.
January—Providing for action against
unincorporated voluntary associations,
clubs, etc.
Fuller–Providing for $3 pay for super-
visors who cannot arrive at place of
meeting of board same day of leaving
home, and $3 for return in Such cases.
Sawyer—Providing for service of notice
or other process upon councils, commis-
Sions, etc.
Donovan–Amending law relative to a C-
tion of ejectment.
Lee-–Amending election law.
Donovan–Amending law relative to re-
covery of lands.
Buskirk—Regulating water power com-
panies.
Smith—Describing authentication of rec-
Ords used as evidence.
Wetherbee—Providing for
traveling and state library.
Oberdorffer—Amending law relative to
destruction of wolves.
Foster—Allowing Northern
asylum to buy real estate.
Lusk—Amending act relative to protec-
tion of children.
Bates—Amending act regulating in Sur-
ance companies. T
Dudley—Beet sugar bill.
Gillam—Fixing salary of upper penin-
sula legislators for 1897, allowing them $2
extra per day.
Lee—Providing that fees paid by corpor-
ations for franchises shall be paid into
the state treasury.
Wetherbee—Protecting owners of bot-
tles, boxes, etc.
Shepherd—Providing for commencement
of suits on bonds.
Goodell—Prohibiting fraud and decep-
tion in the manufacture of buckwheat.
Sawyer—Providing for the treatment of
indigent and poor children.
F. Shepherd–Amending law relative to
township road systems.
Smith—Amending law relative to regu-
lation of insane asylums.
Rimmis — Authorizing governor and
board of auditors to repair buildings dam-
aged.
Davis—Amending election law.
ICimmis—Amending law regulating state
institutions.
Davis—Amending law so that councils
may direct assessor to make assessment
roll any time not later than May 1.
Graham—Amending law so that females,
aged 21 years, may be elected School in-
spector.
Lee—Authorizing the use of any thor-
oughly tested voting machine.
Fuller—Making it mandatory with
school boards to have flags over build-
ings.
Donovan—Providing for correctness of
School census.
Hammond—Increasing fees of justices
of the peace.
Sawyer—Providing for service upon cor-
porations of process issued from circuit
courts in chancery.
Anderson—Inspection of elevators in
factories and providing dressing rooms
for women when any are employed in
factory.
Rulison—Providing for tuition for per-
sons attending Michigan College of Mines.
Marsilje–Amending law relative to in-
corporation of villages.
Goodyear—Appropriation for School for
the Blind.
Bryan—Prohibiting shooting of wild
fowl by any person upon any floating de-
Vise.
Adams—Providing for change of rules of
evidence in cases where bills in aid of ex-
ecution are filed.
Scully—Providing for incorporation of
Temperance Volunteer associations.
Wetherbee—Providing for incorporation
of Deutscher Land Wehr Untersteut-
Zungs-Verein.
Adams—Amending act regulating Sure-
ties.
Wetherbee—Authorizing judges of pro-
bate to license executors or administrat-
ors to borrow money.
F. Shepherd—Providing for the adoption
of county road system by supervisors.
Billings—Providing for marking of high
explosives.
Lusk—Permitting street railways to car-
ry freight during certain hours.
Anderson—Compelling railroad compa-
nies to carry bicycles as baggage.
Green—Amending law relative to con-
firming letters of attorneys.
Alward—Regulating granting of fran-
chise to plank road companies.
Peters—Providing an attendant for board
of control of state public school.
Lusk—Amending truancy law so that
complaint may be made by any police
Officer.
Smith—Incorporation of Finnish Tem-
perance Friends association of America.
Washer—Amending food law.
Camburn — Regulating appointment of
board for industrial school for girls.
Van Camp—Prevent spreading of fruit-
tree diseases.
Allison—Preventing destruction of prai-
rie chickens.
Savage—Providing cadavers for Saginaw
Valley medical college.
Sawyer—Amending divorce law.
Graham—Preventing spread of San Jose
scale.
Wetherbee—Providing for the taking of
stenographic reports of evidence in cases
of embezzlement.
Wetherbee—Providing for appointment
of guardians for habitual drunkards.
books for
Michigan
I, E G IS L A T I V E S O U V E N I R
29
Wetherbee–Amending law relative to
judges of probate giving notices to for-
eign consuls.
Wetherbee–Amending law relative to
filing of certified copies of judgment with
recorder.
Williams—To preclude the appointment
as administrator of any incompetent per-
SOIl.
Wetherbee—Providing that justices of
the peace shall hold court only in the
township or village in which he was
elected.
Wetherbee—Permitting the filing of
Sureties by executors in probate court in
support of or in opposition to allowance
of accounts.
Foot—Fegulate purchasing of lands for
State purposes.
Donovan–Amending truancy law.
Crippen—Providing that telephone Stock
may be $10 a share.
Donovan–Requiring correct description
of lands attached in making Writs Of Cer-
tified copies by register of deeds.
Anderson—Fixing responsibility of mak-
ing permanent improvement to factories
when ordered by inspector.
Sawyer—Protecting the life and proper-
ty of persons at railroad crossings.
Peek—Michigan dangerous and criminal
insane asylum appropriation.
Bates—Amending law relative to Of-
fences against property.
Mayer—Hawking and peddling bill.
E. W. Moore—State board of health ap-
propriation.
E. W. Moore—Providing for police ma-
trons in Certain cities.
Aſ a mS—Amending law relative to Secur-
itles.
Mayer—Providing a set of law books for
assistant clerk for Ingham county.
Sawyer—Providing that where estates
are sold instead of being distributed the
widow shall receive a greater interest.
Weier—Regulating the hunting of Wild
ducks.
Edgar—Providing for the committing of
inmates of the Girls' Industrial School,
Who become insane, to the asylum.
Bryan—Providing for the committing of
indigent insane persons of Wayne county
asylum to State asylum, and Vice versa.
Hammond—Soldiers' Home appropria-
tion.
Herrig—Regulating the plugging of Salt
Wells.
Crippen—Regulating the appointment of
inspectors of mines.
Chamberlain—Authorizing the organiza-
tions of townships.
Lee—Amending law relative to election
Of county assessors.
Donovan–Amending law relative to for-
mation of incorporations for Sporting pur-
poses.
Mayer—Providing for punishment of
persons fraudulently connecting, using Or
obtaining water, electricity or gas.
Fuller—Amending law relative to cities
of fourth class.
Graham—Revising and amending laws
for protection of game.
Herrig—Amending law relative to heirs
of minors.
Zimmerman–Amending law relative to
sales of estate by executors.
Oberdorffer—Amending law relative to
county and township system of roads.
Zimmerman—Appropriating money for
support of University hospital during
SUllºn Iſle I’.
Shisler–Providing that no toll gate shall
be located within a half mile of any city
or village.
Davis—Regulating the catching of fish
by the use of trap or pound net or other
apparatus.
Fuller—Amending tax law.
Graham—Regulating institutes held by
State Board of Agriculture.
Pearson—Amending general tax law.
Harris—Appropriation for Michigan
Home for Feeble Minded.
Anderson—Appropriation Jackson Pris-
OIle
Atkinson—Prefering ex-soldiers for em-
ployment.
Davis—Amending plank road law.
Graham—Providing for payment of ex-
penses of matters in which state is in-
terested.
Washer—Regulating salaries and duties
of food commisisoner and deputies.
Shisler–Providing for the publication of -
proceedings of annual meetings of School
graded districts.
Green—Amending general tax law.
Campbell—Appropriation Michigan State
Normal School.
Widoe—Appropriation Upper Peninsula.
Prison.
Atkinson—Allowing Stockholders Of
railroad companies to vote by proxy at
meetings of board.
Foote—Allowing secretary of State and
attorney general $5 per day when Serving
on board Of consolidation, the same to
be paid by railroad companies.
Sawyer—Relative to judgments against
municipalities.
Eikhoff–Preventing corporations issu-
ing Script for Wages.
Scully—Making punishment for Stealing
goods valued at less than $25, 90 days im-
prisonment or $100 fine.
Peters—Industrial School for Girls ap-
propriation.
Graham—Authorizing state board of ag-
riculture to sell certain lands.
January–Appropriation State
School.
Wetherbee–Amending act relative to
letters testamentary.
Wetherbee–Amending act relative to
cruelty to children.
Public
*
Graham—Defining an Agricultural Col-
lege course in public schools.
Goodell—Providing for publishing of
itemized Statements of the condition of
the finances oſ townships.
Lee—Amending law relative to incor-
poration of cities and villages.
Graham—Agricultural College appropri-
ation.
Atkinson—Establishing a
horses for shoeing.
Herrig–Authorizing the
Of Lutheran Bund.
Foote and Sawyer—For protection of
good name of certain persons by providing
for Secret marriages.
Graham–Amending general tax law.
Weier and Williams—Amending law rel-
ative to incorporation Of cities and vil-
lages of the fourth class.
Graham—Amending divorce law pro-
viding for alimony for education of minor
children.
Graham—Uniform text-book bill.
Chamberlain–Fixing compensation of
Court Stenographers.
Reed–Amending general tax law.
Foote—Improvements Kalamazoo asy-
lum.
Atkinson—Permitting foreign railroad
Companies to OWn lands in the state.
Oberdorffer—Providing for punishment
by hard labor of persons convicted in up-
per peninsula as disorderly persons.
Oberdorffer—Providing for punishment
by hard labor of persons convicted in up-
per peninsula as having Committed Of-
fenses against property.
Wetherbee—Defining what testimony of
husband and wife in divorce cases shall
be admissible.
E. W. Moore—Providing for the incor-
poration of societies for study of liter-
ature.
Mayer—Providing for collection of tres-
passes on state tax lands by trespass
agent.
Atkinson—Amending law relative to mu-
tual benefit associations.
Shepherd—Amending election law.
Otis—Appropriation Michigan State Hor-
ticultural Society.
Pearson—D1 uſin bill.
Rimmis—Consolidate laws relative to
ecclesiastical bodies.
Sawyor--Repealing certain obsolete and
inoperative Statutes.
F. Shepherd—Amending law relative to
mandamus and . Writs.
Oberdorffer—Preventing firing of WOOds
and prairies.
Channberlain—Relative to appeals from
justice Courts.
Connors—Appropriation Newberry asy-
lum. -
Wetherbee–Registration of deathS.
Regulate the admission of poor persons
into asylums.
lien upon
incorporation
Foote—Improvements of Kalamazoo
asylum.
Cousins—Penalty for throatening or
blackmail.
Bates—Preventing the use of indecent
language.
Davis—Appropriation State Board of
Fish Commission.
Sawyer—Providing for bringing action
of assumpsit in certain cases.
Defining the limits of judicial circuits.
Appropriation State House of Correc-
tion.
Amending law relative to incorporation
of manufacturing corporations.
Atkinson–Amending law relative to
proceedings in chancery.
McGill—Amending truancy law.
\ Molster—Amending factory inspection
law.
Atkinson—Amending act relative to dis-
tribution of estates.
Smith—General budget.
Donovan—Authorizing secretary of State
to charge fees in certain cases.
Connors—Amending road law.
Molster—Regulating distribution Of
products of state institutions.
F. Shepherd—Authorizing auditor gener-
al to accept certain taxes.
Davis—Appointment of noxious Weeds
commissioners.
Molster—Stamping of boots and shoes
composed wholly or partially of imitation
leather. , *
Dudley–Limiting liabilities of Sureties
On bonds.
Adams—Providing for incorporation of
commercial, mercantile, collection and re-
porting agencies.
An act to incorporate the White Shrine
of Jerusalem.
Senate Joint Resolutions,
Mason—Restoring Fort Mackinac to the
Ljnited States.
Youmans—Adjusting claim of Saginaw,
Tuscola, and Port Huron railway Com-
pany.
Campbell—Relief of Charles A. Howind.
Covell—Authorizing auditor general to
cancel certain state taxes due and pay-
able from Manitou COunty.
Warner—Providing for transfer of cer-
tain funds to general fund.
Youmans—Authorizing settlement of
claim of Morley Bros. of Saginaw.
Hlouse Joint Resolutions,
Dudley—Compensating Supervisors Of
Newaygo county.
Mayer—Authorizing township board of
Delhi, Ingham county, to settle with Si-
mon Delhi, former treasurer.
Dudley—Authorizing land commissioner
to revive part-paid primary school land
certificate issued to Edgar O. Whitman,
Newaygo county. -
Connors—Authorizing cancellation of
patent for certain lands.
Graham—Authorizing payment to Kent
county of money expended for Henry O.
Baker, insane Soldier.
Lee—Authorizing issue of a land patent
to Elizabeth Ruby.
Smith—Relief of Mrs.
Heimes of Calumet county.
Harris—Make apple blossom State flow-
er.
Adams—Relief of Alphonzo Button.
Gustin—Authorizing Alpena county to
collect money from State On account of
mistake made by board Of equalization.
Lee—Relief of Charles E. Gibbon by
making him legal heir of Thomas Davis.
Mayer—Relief of Ira E. Lent and Frank
FCelley. º
Gustin—Authorizing land commissioner
to sell to John Staley certain State tax
lands.
Herrig–Authorizing State board to ad-
just claim of Joseph Schefnecker.
Margarette
Senate Local Bills.
Lawrence—Amending local acts relative
to election of overseers of highways in
Ecorse township, Wayne county.
Lawrence—Repealing act providing for
two clerks to assist in the extension of
the tax rolls in Ecorse township, Wayne
COunty.
Lawrence—Repealing act providing for
the Construction of Sidewalks in Ecorse
township, Wayne county.
Prescott—Changing the names of Mal-
come, George, Rozilla, Joseph A., Lillie
M., and Concreta. McCarty to Mackenzie.
Flood—Protecting fish in Pentwater
lake.
Jibb—Providing permanent headquar-
ters in the capitol for the G. A. R.
Robinson—Appropriation Mining School.
Barnum—Providing for joint cemetery
board, in Resort and Bear townships and
Petoskey, Emmet county.
Preston—Amending charter of Lapeer.
Blakeslee—Amending law relative to
catching of fish in Diamond lake, Cass
county.
Hadsall—Amending charter of Owosso.
Lawrence—Amending law relative to
salaries of officers in Ecorse township,
Wayne county.
Prescott—Authorizing Tawas City to is-
Sue bonds.
Youmans–Legalizing Saginaw tax rolls.
Barnum—Conveying real estate to
Greenwood cemetery board in Emmet
county.
Barnard—Detaching territory from East
Grand Rapids.
Prescott—Authorizing Tawas to issue
bonds.
Covell—Amending Cadillac charter.
MOOre—Amending Detroit charter.
Merriman—Authorizing Allegan to bor-
row money.
Forsyth—Authorizing Home Mutual In-
Surance COmpany to a SSume risks of
Home Mutual Fire Insurance company in
Bay, Arenac and Ogemaw counties.
Mason—Amending charter of Gladstone.
Mason—Amending charter of Gladstone.
Westcott—Amending St. Clair charter.
Thompson—Authorizing Sand Beach,
Huron county, to issue bonds.
Flood—Relief of treasurer of Claybanks
township, Oceana county.
Moore–Amending charter of Detroit.
Barnard–Amending fish law relative to
Reed's and Fish lakes, Kent county.
Prescott—Legalizing Crawford county
records of titles.
Moore–Amending Detroit charter.
Moore–Amending Detroit charter.
Barnum—Making president of Harbor
Springs and mayor of Petoskey members
of county board of supervisors.
Barnum—Amending Alpena charter.
Moore—Amending Detroit charter.
Preston—Making Lapeer county cities
and villages liable for all claims incurred
in the care of Sick and poor.
Holmes—Detaching territory from Ply-
mouth township, Wayne county, and or-
ganize it into Northville township.
Robinson—Changing voting districts of
Houghton county.
Warner—Providing for a lighting plant
and laundry for the Eastern Asylum for
the Insane.
Covell—Amending Traverse City char-
ter.
Barnum—Providing for a joint cemetery
board for Harbor Springs, Little Traverse
and West Traverse, in Emmet county.
Lawrence—Amending act relative to
publication of claims by Wayne county
board of auditors.
Moore–Amending Detroit charter.
Savidge—Allowing city of Farewell to
pay its debts.
Holmes—Regulating fishing in Les Che-
neaux channels.
Thompson—Amending Detroit charter. .
Mudge—Removal of bars and obstruc-
tions and to straighten Maple river.
Preston—Duties of stenographer, Lapeer
probate court.
Holmes—Protect rabbits in Wayne coun-
ty.
Flood–Amending Coldwater charter.
Holmes—Amending Detroit charter.
Jibb—Amending Adrain school law.
Covell—Authorizing the issuing Of a
patent to Rhases Shannon.
Teeple—Permit spearing of whitefish in
Portage and Little Portage lakes.
Mudge–Amending North Star school
law.
Merriman—Authorizing Sturgis to bor-
row money.
Mason—Amending
charter.
Sault Ste. Marie
Lawrence—Relative to Detroit disabled
firemen.
Covell—TO build a bridge across TOrch
river.
Barnum—Regulating catching of trout
in Maple river.
Younans—Appropriating 5,000 acres Of
Swamp lands for the clearing of Shia Was-
See river.
Moore—Annending Detroit charter.
Loomis—To have printed report of board
of World's Fair managers for Michigan.
Colman—Amending Kalamazoo charter.
Moore—Conveying land to the Lake
View cemetery board in Emmet county.
Hadsall—Providing for joint cemetery
board for Little Traverse, West Traverse
townships and Harbor Springs.
|House Local Bills,
Donovan—Authorizing Bay county
board of education to issue bonds.
Reed—Legalizing Mecosta county bonds.
Coad—Authorizing Leroy township, Ing-
ham county, to pay for bridges.
Foote—Changing name of Rose Thresa.
Sootofskie to Rose Thresa. Herman.
Smith—Permitting Houghton to make
conveyance of minerals.
McGill—Amending law relative to 17th
judicial circuit.
Gillam–Authorizing Alcona County to
issue bonds.
Lusk—Amending act allowing Arenac
county to borrow money.
Madill—Make Huron county townships
primarily liable for all claims incurred
for care of Sick Or poor.
Gillam—Authorizing Hill township, Oge-
maw county, to borrow money.
Dudley—Amending charter of Grant.
Whitney—Providing for the mainten-
ance of roads through Muskegon.
C. G. Babcock—Amending charter of
Quincy.
Kelly—Legalizing Muskegon taxes.
C. G. Babcock—Amending charter of
Sherwood.
Gustin—Amending Alpena. School district
law.
Foote—Providing for a roster of Mich-
igan soldiers from 1861 to 1866 inclusive.
Washer—Transferring money from Bay
county fund to road commissioners.
Foote—Appointment of an assistant
prosecuting attorney for Bay County.
Pearson—Providing registration of elect-
OrS in Alpena.
Clark—Authorizing Ludington
district to borrow money.
Donovan—Authorizing Midland Agricul-
tural Society to issue bonds.
Lee—Vacating city of Hadley.
Fuller—Authorizing Munising to bor-
roW money.
Stoneman—Amending Detroit charter.
Goodyear—Amending law relative to
spearing fish in Long lake.
Anderson—Amending act relative to
Grand Rapids justice courts.
Connors—Allowing School district in
Chippewa county to issue bonds.
Smith—Authorizing Laurium to
bonds.
Billings—Legalizing sewer assessments
in Negaunee.
Green—Regulating care of poor persons
in St. Clair county.
Chamberlain — Reincorporating
WOOd.
Camburn–Amending Adrian charter.
school
issue
Iron-
Relly—Legalizing Muskegon county
bonds.
F. M. Shepherd—Changing Owosso
School districts.
Otis—Changing name of Pine Plains
township, Allegan county, to Valley town-
ship.
Graham—Providing for construction of
bridge across Grand river in Kent county.
Shisler–Providing for construction of
bridge across Grand river, Kent county.
Whitney—Legalizing North Muskegon
taxes.
Fleischhauer—Consolidating Lake coun-
ty school districts.
Billings—Changing township boundries
in Marquette county.
Connors—Authorizing Sault Ste. Marie
to issue money.
Gustin—Changing township boundries in
Oscoda county.
Chamberlain — Amending
School law.
Crippen—Changing voting districts in
Dickenson county.
Sawyer—Incorporating Students' Chris-
tian Association of University.
Van Camp—Amending charter of St. Jo-
Seph.
Billings—Amending Marquette charter.
Billings—Amending Marquette charter.
Harris—Changing township boundries in
Charlevoix county.
F. Shepherd—Amending act relative to
Slack Water Navigation companies in
Certain counties.
Washer—Changing date of meeting of
Bay county supervisors.
Whitney—Amending Muskegon charter.
Zimmerman—Providing for care of con-
tagious diseases in St. Clair county.
Foster—Allowing board of Northern
Michigan Asylum to purchase real estate.
Harris—Changing township boundries in
Charlevoix county.
Donovan—Changing name of Matilda
Hutchinson to Matilda. Shearer.
Herrig–Authorizing Carrolton town-
ship, Saginaw county, to borrow money.
Fuller—Authorizing board of education
of Burt township, Alger county, to issue
bonds. -
Madill—Forming school district in Hu-
ron County.
Weier—Preserving deer in Monroe coun-
ty.
IronWOOd
30
T H E S T A T E R E P U B L I C A N
Scully—Amending Ionia charter.
Gustin—Amending Alpena charter.
O'Dett—Authorizing school inspectors,
St. Clair county, to rent room.
Kelly—Amending Muskegon charter.
E. W. Moore–Amending laws incorpor-
ating Battle Creek.
Connors—Bonding Chippewa county for
$40,000.
Oberdorffer—Providing for additional
Voting precinct in Menominee county.
Anderson—Revising charter of Grand
Rapids.
Crippen—Authorizing Iron Mountain to
build roads.
Peek—Amending charter of Jackson.
Madill—Defining limits of Wild Fowl
bay.
C. G. Babcock—Amending ColdWater
charter.
FHerrig—Providing for payment of Com-
mittees in Saginaw county.
Colvin—Protect fish in Saginaw river.
Build bridge in Saginaw County.
O’Dett—Organization of Methodist Prot-
estant churches.
Davis—Regulating catching of fish in
Clinton river.
Adams–Amending law regulating sal-
aries of Kent county officers. -
F. Shepherd—Amending laws incorpor-
ating Cheboygan.
Smith—Authorizing Linden to purchase
property.
O' Dett—Authorizing Yale to borrow
money.
Washer—Amending Bay county School
laws.
Chamberlain—Attaching Isle Royal to
Keweenaw county.
Donovan—Relative to drawing of juries
in Bay County.
Madill—Authorizing Sand Beach to is-
Sue bonds.
Gibson—Amending laws incorporating
Three Rivers.
Gibson—Providing for transfer of Three
Rivers library.
Gillam—Authorizing Arenac township,
Arenac county, to issue bonds.
Graham—Regulating catching of fish in
Lake Camp.
Rulison—Changing name of Michigan
Mining School to Michigan College of
Mines.
Lusk—Making president of Essexville
member of board of supervisors.
Graham—Providing for care of Kent
County insane.
Mayer—Amending charter of Lansing.
Belknap—Authorizing Tuscola, to per-
mit the laying of railway tracks.
Lusk—Regulating payment of fees in
Bay County.
Peters—Amending charter of Islipeming.
Donovan—Protecting fish in Saginaw
river.
Gustin—Changing union school district
in Crawford county.
Gillam—Making president of Roscom-
mon member of board of supervisors.
Gillam—Incorporating public schools in
Foster township, Ogemaw County.
McGill—Authorizing Grand Rapids to
issue bonds for improvement of Grand
river. -
Pearson—Authorizing townships in Hu-
ron county to permit laying of tracks for
electric railway.
Madill—Authorizing townships in Hu-
ron county to permit laying of tracks for
electric road.
Hofmeister—Authorizing townships to
permit laying of tracks for electric roads
in Tuscola county.
Donovan–Authorizing townships in Bay
county to permit laying of tracks for
electric road.
Green—Authorizing townships in St.
Clair county to permit the laying of
tracks for electric road.
Crippen—Authorizing Dickinson county
to build bridge across Menominee river.
Fuller—Making president of Manistique
ex officio member of board of supervisors.
Clark—Legalizing delinquent tax returns
of Mason county.
Foote—Authorizing trustees of Kalama-
zoo asylum to convey certain state lands.
Donovan–Amending act organizing
union school districts in Bay city.
C. G. Babcock—Amending charter of
Grand Ledge.
Gillam—Organizing township of Bour-
rett in Gladwin county.
Herrig—Authorizing Saginaw to borrow
money.
Marsilje—Making German carp fishing
lawful in Macatawa bay.
Campbell—Amending charter of Ypsi-
lanti.
Gillam—Providing for construction of
drain in Au Gres township, Arenac coun-
ty.
Kerr–Providing for construction of
drain in Saginaw county.
Gustin—Authorizing Gladwin township,
Gladwin county, to borrow money.
Putney—Disorganizing school district
in Worth township, Sanilac county.
Shepherd—Organizing school district in
Cheboygan county.
Shepherd—Organizing school districts in
Waverly township, Cheboygan county.
Bates—Providing stenographer for pro-
bate court of Genesee county.
Gibson—Amending charter of Three
Rivers.
Gustin—Providing for sale of state tax
lands in Atlanta.
F. M. Shepard—Authorizing board of
education of Cheboygan to borrow money.
Hadsall—Providing for erection of fish
ladders in Shiawassee river.
Lusk—Amending charter of West Bay
City.
Herrig–Amending charter of Saginaw.
Donovan–Amending charter of Bay
City.
Washer—Amending act creating Bay
county board of supervisors.
Peek—Consolidating school districts in
certain townships in Jackson county.
Davis—Creating new school district in
Macomb county.
Pearson—Providing for issuing bonds in
certain to Wnships in Sanilac, Huron and
TuScola Counties to construct drains.
Green—Amending Port Huron charter.
January–Amending Detroit charter.
Gustin—Creating new school district in
Alpena county.
Smith—Authorizing Michigan College of
Mines to transfer real estate.
Donovan—Establishing a sinking fund
in Bay County.
Donovan–Amending act to establish a
bridge district in Bay county.
Sawyer—Amending charter of Ann Ar-
bor.
Washer—Authorizing Bay county Super-
visors to fix compensation for chairman.
January–Amending Detroit charter.
January–Amending charter of Detroit.
Lusk—Amending act establishing bridge
district in Bay county.
Wetherbee–Amending act
city of Detroit with pure water.
Shepherd—Providing for deepening Mud
Creek in Cheboygan county.
January–Amending Detroit charter.
January–Amending Detroit charter.
Washer—Providing legal counsel for
road commissioners of Bay county.
Donovan–Amending Bay City School
district law.
Herrig–Amending charter of Saginaw
union school district, west Side.
Wetherbee—Providing for the collection
of taxes unpaid after March 1, in Wayne
County.
Supplying
POCKET VETOES
The bills killed by the pocket veto,
viz., failed to receive the Governor's
signature within five days after the
House and Senate had adjourned, were
mine in number, and included One to al-
low building and loan associations to
Create a reserve fund, and also One to
allow these associations to issue pre-
paid stock and dividend bearing Stock
under such terms as their by-laws
should prescribe.
Two were to permit the garnishment
for debt of the wages of municipal and
other public employes.
One was a bill to change the size
and number of public documents
printed by the State.
Another was a bill providing a prop-
erty qualification for school district
OfficerS.
A bill to repeal the law for the Col-
lection of cereal statistics.
A bill to disorganize Holmes to Wn-
ship on Mackinac Island and attach it
to the village of Mackinac.
A bill to allow the spearing of fish in
Intermediate, Torch and Elk lakes.
REPEAL OF OBSOLETE LAWS
One of the most commendable acts
of the past session was the enactment
of a bill by which laws that were Ob-
solete, laws superseded by other laws
and laws in conflict with Other acts
now on the statute books, to the num-
ber of thirty-five, were wiped from the
laws of the State. This bill was in-
troduced by Mr. Atkinson and referred
to a special committee on the revision
of the laws, of which he was the chair-
man. The following are the titles to
the acts amended . by the passage of
the bill above referred to:
AN ACT to repeal certain obsolete and
inoperative statutes.
Section 1. The People of the State of
Michigan enact, That the following
acts be and the same are hereby re-
pealed, to wit:
Act number sixty-six of eighteen
hundred and Seventy-three, entitled
“An act directing the county clerks in
each of the counties of this State to
provide uniform ballots on constitu-
tional annendments,” being section two
hundred and thirty-seven of Howell’s
annotated Statutes.
Joint resolution number five of
eighteen hundred and sixty-one, en-
titled “Joint resolution for the transfer
of certain Scientific works from the
State library to the library of the uni-
versity,” being section three hundred
and six of Howell’s annotated Statutes.
Act number one hundred and ten of
eighteen hundred and seventy-seven,
entitled “An act providing for the
transfer of unexpended balances of ap-
propriations,” being section three hun-
dred and fifty-nine and three hundred
and sixty of Howell’s annotated stat-
utes.
Joint resolution number three of
eighteen hundred and seventy-seven,
entitled “Joint resolution to provide for
a revision of the system of keeping
State accounts,” being section three
hundred and seventy-three of Howell’s
annotated Statutes.
Act number one hundred and
twenty-two of eighteen hundred and
sixty-one, entitled “An act to provide
for the redemption of the bonds of the
State maturing January first, eighteen
hundred and sixty-three,” being Sec-
tions three hundred and seventy-four
to three hundred and eighty-one inclu-
sive of Howell's annotated Statutes.
Act number eighty-five Of eighteen
hundred and sixty-five, entitled “An
act authorizing a war bounty loan,”
being sections three hundred and
eighty-two to three hundred and
eighty-six inclusive of Howell’s anno-
tated Statutes.
Act number two hundred and ninety-
five of eighteen hundred and sixty-
five, entitled “An act to authorize a
war bounty loan,” being sections three
hundred and eighty-seven to three
hundred and ninety-two inclusive of
Howell’s annotated Statutes.
Act number fifty-three of eighteen
hundred and forty-three, entitled “An
act in relation to the payment of in-
terest on certain State Stocks,” being
section three hundred and ninety-three
of Howell’s annotated Statutes.
Act number seven of eighteen hun-
dred and seventy-two, entitled “An act
to provide for the payment of the in-
terest of the State debt,” being Section
three hundred and ninety-four of
Howell’s annotated Statutes.
Sections one and two of act num-
ber one hundred and five of eighteen
hundred and fifty-five, entitled “An
act relative to the disposition of the
surplus funds in the State treasury,”
being sections three hundred and
ninety-six and three hundred and
ninety-seven of Howell's annotated
Statutes.
Joint resolution number seven of
eighteen hundred and sixty-nine, en-
titled “Joint resolution to provide for
applying the surplus funds in the State
treasury in payment of the interest
bearing bonds of this State,” being Sec-
tion four hundred and one of Howell's
annotated Statutes.
Act number one hundred and ninety-
nine of eighteen hundred and eighty-
five, entitled “An act to authorize the
enlisting, organization, equipping and
mustering into the State Service of
military companies at Menominee,
Muskegon, Detroit, Jackson, Grand
Rapids and Houghton, in the State of
Michigan, to be attached to the regi-
ments of the State troops,” being Sec-
tions nine hundred and seventy-six
a-b-c of Howell’s annotated Statutes.
Joint resolution number fifteen of
eighteen hundred and eighty-five, en-
titled “Joint resolution to provide for
alphabetically indexing the names of
all soldiers from this State in the late
war, found upon the records of the Ad-
jutant General’s Office,” being Section
nine hundred and ninety-three k of
Howell’s annotated Statutes.
Act number two hundred and eighty-
two of eighteen hundred and eighty-
Seven, entitled “An act to provide for
the publication of the names and post-
Office addresses of ex-Soldiers, Sailors
and marines living in the State of
Michigan and to make an appropria-
tion therefor,” being sections nine
hundred and ninety-three l—r inclusive
Of HOWell’s annotated Statutes.
Act number eighty-three of eighteen
hundred and eighty-nine, entitled “An
act to provide for the apportionment of
State taxes charged to Ontonagon
county for the years eighteen hundred
and eighty-eight, eighteen hundred
and eighty-nine and eighteen hundred
and ninety, between the counties of
Ontonagon and Gogebic, and to pro-
vide for the assessment, levy and col-
lection of the same,” being sections
One thousand one hundred and seventy
l 3–6 inclusive of Howell’s annotated
Statutes.
Act number two hundred and
twenty-nine of eighteen hundred and
eighty-one, entitled “An act to provide
for the sale of State tax lands,” and
act Seven Of eighteen hundred and
eighty-two amendatory thereof, being
Sections One thousand One hundred and
Seventy-two, One thousand One hun-
dred and seventy-three, one thousand
One hundred and seventy-three a-d in-
clusive of Howell’s annotated statutes.
Act number two hundred and
twenty-five of eighteen hundred and
eighty-one, entitled “An act to pro-
vide for the location, establishment
and organization of an additional asy-
lum for the insane,” being sections one
thousand nine hundred and thirty-one
to One thousand nine hundred and
forty-three inclusive of Howell’s anno-
tated Statutes.
Act number two hundred and thirty-
three of eighteen hundred and seventy-
nine, entitled “An act to provide for
the killing Of elk in the State of Michi-
gan,” being Section two thousand two
hundred and twenty of Howell’s anno-
tated Statutes.
Act number One hundred and fifteen
Of eighteen hundred and fifty-one, en-
titled “An act to provide for publish-
ing the annual report of the Michigan
State Agricultural Society,” being sec-
tions two thousand two hundred and
ninety-five Of Howell’s annotated Stat-
uteS.
Act number ninety-three of eighteen
hundred and fifty-three, entitled “An
act making an appropriation to aid the
Michigan State Agricultural Society
and to provide for publishing the an-
nual reports of said society,” being
Section two thousand two hundred and
ninety-six of Howell's annotated stat-
uteS.
Joint resolution number fifteen of
eighteen hundred and fifty, entitled
“Joint resolution relative to furnishing
Certain laws, journals and documents
to the Michigan State Agricultural
Society for the use of a library,” be-
ing Section two thousand two hundred
and ninety-seven of Howell’s anno-
tated Statutes.
Act number thirty-one of eighteen
hundred and sixty-five, entitled “An
act to authorize the State Treasurer to
burn and destroy the notes of the late
government Stock bank of Ann Arbor,
now remaining in his office, and the
notes of other banks in like condition,”
being Section three thousand two hun-
dred and nine of Howell’s annotated
Statutes.
Act number One hundred and thirty-
three of eighteen hundred and fifty-
five, entitled “An act to authorize the
formation of corporations for building
and leasing houses and other tene-
ments,” being sections three thousand
nine hundred and eighty-two and
three thousand nine hundred and
eighty-three of Howell’s annotated
Statutes.
Act number forty-one of eighteen
hundred and fifty-three, entitled “An
act to authorize the formation of cor-
porations for mining, smelting or man-
ufacturing iron, copper, mineral coal,
Silver Or other ores or minerals and for
other manufacturing purposes,” being
Sections four thousand one to four
thousand twenty-eight of Howell’s an-
notated Statutes.
Act number nineteen of eighteen
hundred and eighty-five, entitled “An
act Supplementary to an act entitled
“An act to authorize the formation of
Corporations for mining, smelting or
manufacturing iron, copper, mineral
Coal, Silver or other ores or minerals,
and for other manufacturing pur-
poses,’ approved February fifth, eight-
een hundred and fifty-three,” being
Sections four thousand twenty-nine to
four thousand thirty-four inclusive of
Howell’s annotated Statutes.
Act number one hundred forty-two
of eighteen hundred and seventy-three,
entitled “An act to relieve mining cor-
porations and their officers in the up-
per peninsula, Who have failed to make
their reports and returns as required
by law,” being section four thousand
Seventy-five of Howell’s annotated
statutes.
Act number one hundred and four of
eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, en-
titled “An act to authorize the forma-
tion of corporations for manufacturing
cheese and other products from milk,”
being sections four thousand one hun-
dred and sixty-five to four thousand
One hundred and sixty-seven inclusive
of Howell's annotated statutes.
Act number forty-three of eighteen
hundred and sixty-seven, entitled “An
act to provide for establishing health
institutions,” being sections four thou-
Sand eight hundred to four thousand
eight hundred and two inclusive of
Howell's annotated statutes.
Act number two hundred and thirty-
nine of eighteen hundred and eighty-
Seven, entitled “An act making an ap-
propriation for the erection and equip-
ment of a suitable building for the
use of the Mining School at Houghton,
in the upper peninsula of Michigan, in-
cluding all permanent fixtures, heat-
ing and lighting apparatus, etc.,” be-
ing Sections five thousand twenty-five
k-W of Howell's annotated statutes.
Act number one hundred and forty-
four of eighteen hundred and eighty-
three, entitled “An act to provide for
the compulsory education of children
in certain cases,” being sections five
thousand one hundred and seventy-
four g-m inclusive of Howell's anno-
tated Statutes.
Act number one hundred and eight
of eighteen hundred and eighty-five,
I, E. G. I. S L A T L V E S O U V E N I R
31
entitled “An act to provide for the
compulsory reformatory education of
juvenile disorderly persons,” being
sections five thousand one hundred and
seventy-four n-u inclusive of Howell’s
annotated Statutes.
Joint resolution number twenty-three
of eighteen hundred and forty-seven,
entitled “Joint resolution in relation to
bonds and mortgages given to secure
loans from the university and school
funds,” being section five thousand
three hundred and fifty-nine of How-
ell’s annotated statutes.
Joint resolution number twenty-eight
Of eighteen hundred and sixty-seven,
entitled “Joint resolution relative to
the location and sale of the lands do-
nated to the State of Michigan for the
endowment of colleges for the benefit
of agriculture and the mechanic arts,”
being section five thousand three hun-
dred and seventy-nine Of Howell’s all-
notated Statutes.
Joint resolution number twenty-eight
of eighteen hundred and seventy-nine,
entitled “Joint resolution authorizing
and instructing the agricultural land
grant board to adjust certain alleged
irregular sales of agricultural college
lands,” being section five thousand
three hundred and eighty of Howell’s
. annotated Statutes.
Act number one hundred and thirty-
seven of eighteen hundred and ninety-
five, entitled “An act to amend section
one of act number two hundred
and four, Session laws of eighteen
hundred and eighty-nine, entitled
“An act to authorize the to Wn-
ship board of any township in
the upper peninsula, to license hawk-
ers, peddlers and pawnbrokers,
hawking and peddling, and to reg-
ulate the license and sale or peddling
Of goods, Wares, merchandise, refresh-
ments Or any kind of property or thing
by persons going about from place to
place in the township for that pur-
pose, Or from any stand, cart, vehicle
and
or other device in the streets, high-
ways, or in or upon any wharves,
docks, open places or spaces, public
grounds or buildings in the township,
and to provide a forfeiture for every
person who, without license, or con-
trary to the terms of any license
granted to him, shall exercise any oc-
cupation or trade, or do anything in
respect to which any license shall be
required, by any resolution or regula-
tion of the township board made Or
passed under authority of this act;"
and to repeal section six of chapter
twenty-one of the revised statutes of
eighteen hundred and forty-six, as
amended by the several acts amenda-
tory thereof, being sections one thou-
sand two hundred and fifty-Seven to
one thousand two hundred and Sixty-
six inclusive of Howell's annotated
statutes.” -
Act number one hundred and eighty-
eight of eighteen hundred and ninety-
five, entitled “An act to amend section
one of act number one hundred and
forty-four of the public acts of eight-
een hundred and eighty-seven, entitled
‘An act to provide for the adoption and
change of name of minors, and for
making them heirs at law of the per-
son or persons adopting them,’” the
same being compiler’s section number
six thousand three hundred and
seventy-nine a. of third Howell’s an-
notated Statutes: Provided, however,
That notwithstanding the repeal of the
above mentioned acts, all rights of
whatever nature, whether of incorpo-
ration, existence, franchise, property, or
action now existing, are expressly pre-
served, and the above mentioned acts,
for the enjoyment and enforcement of
any such rights, shall be deemed to
be still in force, but for no other pur-
pose whatsoever.
This act is ordered to take immediate
effect.
Approved June 2, 1897.
32
Tº E IP U B L I C A N
&
T H E S T A T E
|TEMIZED STATEMENT—Showing the appropriations made by the legislature of 1897, and the tax levy provided for meeting the same.
This table gives in a manner easily understood, a detailed report of the appropriations for the years 1897–8 and also the tax ordered to meet each expenditure
authorized by the legislature; in a form more complete and concise than has heretofore been attempted outside of the report of the Auditor General of the State.
Where no tax levy appears opposite an appropriation, payment is made out of the tax for general purposes in line 77.
Itemized statement showing purposes for which appropriations were made. Appropriation for Tax for tº
6 O
Z Title of appropriation. Z
Q)
à LaW. Specific purposes. 1897. 1898. 1897. 1898. à
Michigan University --------------------------- Sec. 2, Act 128, 1875--| Homeopathic college. --------------------------------------------- $6,000 00 ,000 00 |--------------|--------------
: ug *::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 4 & 1, “ y §. 5. mill i.es * = * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * = sº as º ºs º ºs ºs º as as as s = * * * * * * * * * * * * * 184, 183 33 184, 183 33 $184, 183 33 $184,183 33 2
8 $ 4 “ --------------------------- “ 1, “ 203, 1897--| Summer hospital.--------------------------------------------------. 3,000 00 ,000 3,000 00 9 3
4 § { “ --------------------------- “ 1. “ 168, 1897--| Electric lighting plant--------------------------------------------- 20,000 00 |-------------- %929 |----…-:Ez-z- 4
5 | State Normal School---------------------- !---| “ 1, “ 196, 1897- - ;” *E. s in building additional library facilities; 62,150 00 61,150 00 73,650 00 61,150 00 5
{ { $ $ & 4 § { $ & º Or Changes in building additiona rary facilities; -----|--------------|--------------
6 | " " " -------------------------- 3, 196, 1897-- } $10,000 for providing a central heating plant ---------------- ſ 11,500 00 ||-------------- 6
7 | Central Michigan Normal School------------- “ 1, “ 165, 1897-- Current expenses.-------------------------------------------------- 12,000 00 12,000 00 ||------º-º- &= * *-* *-* º ºs º-, -º 7
8 tº 4 $ $ $ 4 “ ------------- “ 2, “ 165, 1897--| For improvement on school buildings and for heating plant, etc. ,000 00 ||-------------- 17,000 00 12,000 00 || 8
9 || Michigan Agricultural College---------------- “ 6, “ 210, 1897-. | For farmers' institutes -------------------------------------------- 5,500 00 5,500 00 5,500 00 5,500 00 9
|*ś, ź'A'."Éiº, i.e.:
$ 6 { { $ 6 ( & 4 & rary; , bath tu Ott hall; º , electric light-
10 | " " " ---------------- 1, 207, 1897 -- | .. injº tº º º $2,500 #} 11,200 00 11,000 00 11,200 00 11,000 00 | 10
Students' library; $2,500, electric lighting plant-------------- º
11 | Michigan College of Mines-------------------- “ 2, “ 272, 1897--| Current expenses-------------------------------------------------- 40,000 00 40,000 00 45,000 00 40,000 00 | 11
12 { { & 4 { % “ -------------------- $ 4 1, “ 272, 1897--| For erecting and equipping an assay building ------------------ 5,000 00 ||--------------|--------------|-------------- 12
13 | Michigan State Prison.------------------------- “ 1, “ 245, 1897--| For general repairs.--------------------------------...-------------- 10,000 00 || -------------- 10,000 00 ||-------------- 13
ſ $5,000, electric lighting plant; $1,000, general repairs; $500,
furnishing inmate kitchen and administration building; $200,
14 || State House of Correction and Reformatory “ 1, “ 218, 1897- - stationery, printing, etc.; $380, hose, garden and land 9,200 00 ||-------------- 9,200 00 -------------- 14
improvements; $1,000, two bake ovens, tiling kitchen floors;
* $500, repairing dining room floor; $200 for library ----------- *
15 || State House of Correctiºn and Branch Prison| “ 1, “ 191, 1897- - } *...º.º.º. pumping ºn and water } 3,700 00 || --- - - - - - - - - - - - 3,700 00 ||-------------- 15
16 || Industrial School for Boys-------------------. “ 1, “ 246, 1897--| Current expenses.-------------------------------------------------- 60,000 00 59,000 00 66,500 00 60,500 00 | 16
18.9% for *...*. ºº: i. sº and
gº 4 & { { & & 6 & { { ( & ence; $250, painting, papering, etc. 1898–$1,000, depart- 500 00 | --------------|--------
17 | “ ” “ ” -------------------- 2, 246, 1897- - ment technology; $250, Sidewalks and fence; $250, paint- 1,500 00 1,500 00 |:-------------|-------------- 17
ing, papering--------------------------------------------------
18 & 4 & 4 “ “ -------------------- “ 3, “ 246, 1897- - $5,000, boilers and water supply----------------------------------- 5,000 00 ||--------------|--------------|-------------- 18
19 || Industrial Home for Girls -------------------- “ 1, “ 208, 1897--| Curent expenses--------------------------------------------------- 40,000 00 40,000 00 46,750 00 40,000 00 19
$2,000 º: Fº *:::: ‘....". *::: sº ...]
{ { { { $ 4 & 4 & 8 { % struction, plumbing, and equipping hospital; $500, painting; 6,750 00 |_________________________________________.
20 | “ ” “ “ -------------------- 2, 208, 1897- - 50, new floors; $600, removal of old water tanks; $400, 6,750 00 ||-------------- 20
three fire escapes---------------------------------------------- J
21 | Michigan Asylum------------------------------- “ 2, “ 260, 1895--| Officers' salaries ---------------------------------------------------- 12,000 00 12,000 00 ||--------------|-------------- 21
$19,000, detached hospital building; $1,400, hose house, labora- pse 00'
22 $ $ “ ------------------------------ “ 1, “ 190, 1897-- } tory º mortuary building; $3,000, fire walls and other fire 23,400 00 || -------------- 11,700 00 11,700 00 22
protection ------------------------------------------------------
& ſº & 4 & 4 4 & DWelling house . Appropriation made from balance in institu- 2,500 00 || ||______________|______________
23 l “ “ ------------------------------ 1, 243, 1897. - } Dà ºre. *Hººsie'ſ* * * * * *funds in institutſon 2,500 00 ||--------------|--------------|------------- 23
$ 4 & 4 & & § { n1ng room. ppropriation made from funds in institution 2,500 00 |_____________|______________|______________
24 || “ “ ------------------------------ 2. as sº. Pºpºvº ºne tº ºn tº | 2,500 00 --------------|-------------- 24
25 | Eastern Michigan Asylum--------------------- “ 2, “ 260, 1895-. 9. †† ectric light. Appropr iation made 12,000 00 12,000 00 --------------|-------------- 25
{ { & 4 & 4 & 4 { { aundry g and electric light. ppropriation made
26 “ ” “ --------------------- 3, 90, 1897-- } from balance in institution treasurer's hands---------------- ſ 30,000 00 --------------|--------------|-------------- 26
27 | Northern Michigan Asylum------------------- “ 2, “ 260, 1895--| Officers' salaries---------------------------------------------------- 12,000 00 12,000 00 --------------|-------------- 27
28 || The Upper Peninsular Hospital for the Insane! “ 2, “ 260, 1895--| Officers' Salaries---------------------------------------------------- 8,000 00 8,000 00 --------------|-------------- 28
ſ $20,000, one cottage; $5,071, addition to power house; $18,942, )
Central heating plant; $600, one cloister; $750, additions
and changes in cow barn; $500, brick oven; $2,750, furnish-
ing two cottages; $175, additional laundry machinery;
29 6 & { { { { $ 4 & 4 tº 4 § { “ 1, “ 247, 1897-- $2,000, storm, windows; $1,175, horses, cows, vehicles, etc.; 30,000 00 28,063 00 30,000 00 28,063 00 || 29
$200, farm , implements; $200, orchard, small fruit, etc.;
$800, cleaning land, etc.; $300, library; $100, seeds; $5,000,
deficit in dining room. These items aggregate $58,063; are
payable as follows: $30,000 in 1897 and $28,063 in 1898------
30 | Michigan Asylum for Dang, and Crim. Insane! “ 6, “ 124, 1898--| Officers' salaries--------------------------------------------------- 4,500 00 4.500 00 |--------------|-------------- 30
($1,200 for purchase of land for water supply or otherwise
expended for water supply; $1,000, erection and comple-
31 & 4 § { tº { & 6 & & 6 & & 6 4 tº 1, “ 107, 1897. tion of one laundry building; $1,675, purchase of laundry 7,875 00 ||-----. -------- 7,875 00 ||-------------- 31
machinery and tiled floors in water closets; $4,000, build- -
ing, machinery and material for electric lighting plant ---- - pº tºy
32 || Mich. Home for Feeble Minded and Epilepticl “ 1, “ 215, 1897--| Current expenses.------------------------------------------------...- 35,288 00 42,788 00 76,788 00 42,788 00 || 32
$15,000, one new cottage; $12,000, enlarging dining room and
| tº: :*: oği i. §: *. ; º:
& & 4 $ { % & 4 & 4 ( & £ 4 & 6 § { Oller room; $5,009, laundry ng and machinery; $1,500, 7.40000 --------------|--------
33 2, 215, 1897. - . hospital building; $2,000, heating one cottage; $1,000, sewer- 24,100 00 17,400 00 --------------|-------------- 33
age; $2,400, finishing. These items aggregate $41,500, are
payable as follows: $24,100 in 1897 and $17,400 in 1898------- J
34 || Michigan Soldiers' Home---------------------- “ 1, “ 131, 1897--| Current expenses-------------------------------------------------- 88,000 00 88,000 00 88,000 00 88,000 00 || 34
35 | State Public School--------------------------- , & 6 1, “ 194, 1897--| Current expenses-------------------------------------------------- 31,000 00 31,000 00 33,767 00 31,000 00 || 35
36 { { $ & “ --------------------------- “ 1, “ 194, 1897 -- łº, ºntº and repairs on buildings and grounds *} 2,767 00 --------------|--------------|-------------- 36
37 | Michigan School for the Blind---------------- “ 1, “ 79, 1897-- Current expenses-------------------------------------------------. 28,000 00 28,000 00 28,000 00 28,000 § 37
38 || Michigan School for the Deaf---------------- “ 1, “ 166, 1897-- Current expenses.----------...--------------------------------------. 70,000 00 70,000 00 82,050 00 70,000 $8
$5,000 for shop building; $2,500, hospital; $600, addition stand-
pipe and hose; $750, steam pumps; , painting and cal-
39 & { & 8 § { & 6 “ ---------------- “ 2, “ 166, 1897. Cimining; $500, roofs and gutters; $500, fencing walks and 12,050 00 ||--------------|--------------|-------------- 39
- o grounds; $800, resetting and repairing boilers; $800, kitchen
range and utensils----------------------------------------------
40 | Michigan Fish Commission.------------------- “ 1, “ 216, 1897 Current expenses for years ending June 30, 1898 and 1899----1- 15,000 00 15,000 00 16,500 00 15,000 00 | 40
41 * { { { “ -------------------- “. . 2, “ 216, 1897--| For repairs of buildings at several stations--------------------- 1,500 00 |--------------|--------------|-------------- 41
42 | Quartermaster General.------------------------ “ 960, “ 198, 1893 General purposes-------------------------------------------------- 89,665 64 89,665 64, 89,665 64 89,665 64 42
43 | Naval Brigade---------------------------------- “ 86, “ 211, 1895--| Maintenance and discipline of naval militia--------------------- 2,802 05 ,802 2,802 2,802 05 || 43
44 || Copying records in Adjutant's office -------- “ 97, “ 15, 1897--| For general purposes---------------------------------------------- 4,000 00 ||-------------- 4,000 00 ||-------------- 44
45 || Michigan State Library----------------------- $ & 1, “ 29, 1897--| For general purposes---------------------------------------------- 4,000 00 4,000 00 4,000 00 4,000 00 || 45
46 4 4 & 4 “ ----------------------- “ 2, “ 29, 1897--| For traveling libraries----------...---------------------------------- 2,500 00 2,500 00 |--------------|--------------| 46
47 | State Teachers' Institutes-------------------- “ 6, “ 58, 1877--| For general purposes---------------------------------------------- 1,800 00 1,800 00 --------------|-------------- 47
48 || State Horticultural Society------------------ “ 1, “ 211, 1897 -- §: Pºrº ; jº: :* etc.------------- 1,000 00 1,000 00 1,000 00 1,000 00 || 48
w $ 6 & 4 are and preservation of monument and other general
49 | Soldiers and Sailors' Monument-------------- 2, 1, 1883-- expenses connected there with------------------------------- 100 00 100 00 l--------------|-------------- 49
50 | Geographical survey------------------ - - - - - - - - - 9, 133, 1895--| General expenses of survey but nothing for publishing reports 8,000 00 8,000 00 ||--------------|-------------- 50
51 | State Board of Health------------------------ “ 7, “ . 81, 1873--| General purposes--------------------------------------------------- 4,000 00 4,000 00 ||--------------|-------------- 51
52 & 6 & 4 & 4 “ ------------------------ § { 1, “ 241, 1881 -- #. Of i. §§§* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * s gº is 2.000.00 2,000 00 2,000 00 2,000 00 52
4 { 4 * & 6 { { $ 6 & 8 penses connected with the furnishing of printed data to *
53 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * gº º ºs º ºs 1, 142, 1897. } Schools throughout the State * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * | 2,500 00 2,500 00 2,500 00 2,500 00 53
54 || State Board of Charities and Corrections --| “ 4, “ . .64, 1873--| General purposes--------------------------------------------------- 5,000 00 5,000 00 |--------------|-------------- 54
55 | Relief of Supreme Court --------------------- “ 3, “... 157, 1891--| Clerk hire.---------------------------------------------------------- 4,000 00 4,000 00 |--------------|-------------- 55
56 | Bureau of Labor and Ind. Statistics--------- “ 4, “ .68, 1891--| General purposes--------------------------------------------------- 8,000 00 8,000 00 --------------|-------------- 56
57 6 & 4 & 6 4 4 & 6 & “ --------- “ 15, “ 241, 1897--| Factory inspection----------------------------...-------------------- 12,000 00 12,000 00 --------------|-------------- 57
58 || Commissioner of Mineral Statistics---------- “ 4, “ 74, 1883-- 3. ††isióñāfīāā’īā gº º gº ºs º gº as as ºs º gºlogical T 2,500 00 2,500 00 --------------|-------------- 58
6 & & 4 Ollection and COmpilation Of Climatic and meteorologica
59 || State Weather Service----------------------- 5, “ 26, 1895.]} sº ioner and deputv. an - - - - - - - - - - - - - -sea 1,000 00 1,000 00 1,000 00 1,000 00 59
& $ 6 alaries of commissioner and deputy, and other general
60 | Dairy and Food Commissioner---------------- “ 11, 154, 1897-- } expenses, exclusive of printing reports, etc.---------------- } 18,000 00 18,000 00 18,000 00 18,000 00 60
61 || Beet-Sugar bounty----------------------------- “ 7, “ 48, 1897-- Payment of bounties ---------------------------------------------- 5,000 00 5,000 00 5,000 00 5,000 00 61
Pºlº º Or re *º d; injured s
& 4 ( & or destroye y fire or accident, the Cretion of the
62 | Rebuilding property destroyed by fire------- 2, 176, 1895-- §o of State Auditors to an amount not exceeding 100,000 00 ||--------------|--------------|-------------- 62
63 | Relief Mrs. Margaret Heins------------------- J. R. No. 8 ºn......Hºxºlº while tº cºmpºnenºs by 3,000 00 ||--------------|--------------|-------------- 63
64 || Alphonso Button------------------------------- & & “ 11, 1897------ #::::::: Of º, #. *...*.*.*.*. of cannon--------- 2,000 00 --------------|--------------|-------------- 64
* { 4 & In e 9 pe,
65 | Treasurer Kent County----------------------- 7, 1897------ M: ... : to care of Henryo Baker. 279 71 |--------------|--------------|-------------- 65
Oney to be paid On Certificate of Governor after he has º t se
66 || Ontonagon Fire Sufferers--------------------- Sec. 11, Act 161, 1897 -- approved the requisitions of the commissioner------------- 25,000 00 ||-------------- 25,000 00 ||-------------- 66
67 Ira E. Lent------------------------------------- J. R. No. 16, 1897------ Relief of E. Lent on account of injury caused by cannon----|. 1,500 00 --------------|--------------|-------------- 67
68 | Frank Kelley----------------------------------- “ “ 16, 1897 ------ Relief of Frank Kelley on account of injury caused by cannon 2,000 00 |--------------|--------------|-------------- 68
69 || Relief of Charles H. Howind- - - - - - - - - -------- ( & “ 67, 1897------ ɺl. bodily º 8t, *ś ;e Prison -------| 8,000 00 --------------|--------------|-------------- 69
( & & 6 * elle I O pena County because it is claimed an error was pº gº
70 | Relief of Alpena County---------------------- 14, 1897------ made by the State Board of Equalization in 1891 ---------- 9,742 55 --------------|--------------|-------------- &
Relief of Charlevoix and Leelanau counties for debt of
71 Relief Charlevoix and Leelanau account & & “ 17, 1897 Manitou county when it was disorganized and portions of 2,665 95 71
4. Manitou county----------------------------- ſ y avºr w = - - - - - the tºry attached to Charlevoix and Leelanau y * * | * * = * * * * * * * * * * = | * * * * * * * * * * * * * = 1 = * = * * * * * * * * * * *
g - CountleS---------------------------------------------------------
72 | Relief of Morley Brothers -------------------- & & & & 9 **** * ~ * = - - - For express charges, etc.---------------------- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10800 --------------|--------------|-------------- 72
73 || Board of Comºrs, for securing uniform text-| Sec. 11, Act 198, 1897--| General expenses of Commissioner ------------------------------|-------------- 1,000 00 --------------|-------------- 73
74 Relief Joseph Schefneker, recruiting service J. R. No. 21, 1897------ For recruiting services-------------------------------------------- 788 00 --------------|--------------|-------------- 74
75 | Index of House and Senate------------------ C. R. No. 15, 1897------ Indexing Senate Journal------------------------------------------ 50000 I--------------|--------------|-------------- 75
76 { { ( & { { 4 & “ ------------------ { { “ 15, 1897- - - - - - Indexing House Journal------------------------------------------- 600 00 l--------------|--------------|-------------- 76
77 General expenses of State government----- Sec. 1, Act 244, 1897--| For tax for general purposes during years 1897 and 1898-------|--------------|-------------- 1,354,576 21 1,154,375 00 || 77
78 || Printing report of World's Fair Managers ... “ 1, “ 270, 1897--| Printing report of World's Fair managers ---------------------- 1,000 00 --------------|--------------|-------------- 78
79 || Relief of Sag., Tuscola & Huron R. R. Co.--| J. R. No. 12, 1897------ Freight on World's Fair goods------------------------------------ 1200 l--------------|--------------|-------------- 79
Totals------------ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * = = * = e = - a - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - as a - $1,284,177 23 || $966,952 02 || $2,379,907 23 $2,012,227 02
Tax of 1896------------------------------------------------------------------------------ $8,018,919 52 | Tax of 1897------------------------------------------------------------------------------ $2,379,907 28
Tax of 1890--------------------------------------------------------------------------- & s ,068,538 62 | Tax of 1898--------------------------------------------------------------------- tº dº e º 'º gº tº sº sº 2,012,227 02
Footings----------------------------------------------------------------------------- $5,082,458 14 § - $4,392,134 25
Tax of 1897 and 1898 less than tax of 1895 and 1896 by------------------------------ y
Footings----------------------------------------------------------------------------- $5,082,458 14
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
OF
LEGISLATORS, STATE OFFICERS, HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS, JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT
AND MEN
THE HOUSE
HON, WILLIAM. D. GORDON
Midlatid
The Mi d 1 a n d
represent ative
district, co m-
posed of the
counties of Glad-
win, Midland and
Arenac, is repre-
sented in the
L e g is lature of
1897–8 by one of
Michigan's best
known men, Hon.
William D. Gor-
don of Midland.
Mr. Gordon was
born in Bayfield,
Ontario, June 7, 1858, and received his
primary education in the common
schools. He graduated from the law
department of the Michigan University
when but twenty-one years of age,
and at once located at Midland, where
he has since lived and engaged in the
practice of law. In politics, Mr. Gor-
don is a Republican, and takes an ac-
tive part in the interests of his party
and has served as chairman of the
county committee of Midland county
for about fourteen years. He has been
city attorney of Midland, circuit court
commissioner, prosecuting attorney
and probate judge of Midland county.
Mr. Gordon so acceptably filled each
position to which he was chosen by
the people that in 1892 he was elected
to represent his district in the State
Legislature. In that body he served
as chairman of the judiciary commit-
tee, and was both a useful and popu-
lar member. He was re-elected to the
House of 1895 and upon its organiza-
tion was unanimously chosen Speaker,
an honor rarely accorded to any man.
Mr. Gordon was re-elected to the
House of 1897, and again was the
unanimous choice of his associates for
Speaker. His skill in control, his clear
comprehension and knowledge of par-
liamentary laws and customs, his
prompt decisions and uniform courtesy
and fairness, has established his repu-
tation as the ablest presiding officer
the House ever had.
At the opening of the session and
upon assuming his duties as Speaker,
Mr. Gordon took a decided stand
against some legislative abuses, which
stand received cordial endorsement
from all sections of the State. He
advised against the biennial legislative
“junket” to visit State institutions,
and recommended that individual com-
mittees go when their absence would
not interfere with work. He declared
against a long session, for he believed
by proper work a short session would
do all business necessary, and finally,
as the laws of the State were being
compiled, he recommended a commit-
tee on revision of the laws, to the end
that obsolete laws might be repealed
and other laws bearing on a single
subject be consolidated.
These recommendations were carried
out, and the result of the last recom-
mendation alone will reduce the com-
piled laws of the State from three to
two volumes.
HON. FREMONT C. CHAMBERLAIN
Ironwood
One of the most
conspicuous fig-
ures in the Leg-
islature of ’97-8
was he whose
comm a n ding
presence caused
him. to be
known as “The
Tall Pine of the
Gogebic.” But
it was not in
physical stat-
ure alone that
Representative
Chamberlain proved to be great. Intel-
lectually he is as great as his frame is
long. With a princely courtesy that
won personal regard and good will
from opponents, a courage to dare and
to do that which the urgency of a situ-
ation might demand, and, like a good
spring of water, which never running
to waste, yet the more it is drawn from
the more it seems to give forth, he was
intellectually possessed of a reserve
force that the more it was drawn upon
the more bounteous seemed the supply
of logic, wit, repartee, pathos or in-
vective, in all of which he was well
equipped for his work upon the floor of
the House as leader of his party.
While giving to Mr. Chamberlain the
credit to which as a leader he is enti-
tled, he is entitled to greater credit for
the close attention he gave to the work
of the session. This is especially true
of his work in the committee of the
whole, wherein all important bills were
perfected. Many members who now
take credit for the introduction of bills
which have been enacted into laws
know and gratefully concede that had
not Mr. Chamberlain closely read their
bills, line for line, in committee of the
whole, and gave to them the benefit of
his legal knowledge, such bills would
not now be constitutional acts.
Ever watchful of the interests of the
upper peninsula, Mr. Chamberlain
never appeared to be so much en rap-
port with himself as when champion-
ing an appropriation for one of its
State institutions, or when pleading for
aid in behalf of the sufferers by the
great fire at Ontonagon. To him
should be credited the passage of the
bill appropriating relief for that most
charitable purpose.
Fremont C. Chamberlain was born in
Ripon, Wis., October 6, 1856. His colle-
giate education was received at Ripon
College. Coming to Michigamme, in
Marquette county, Michigan, in 1875, he
taught school for twelve years, and
then removed to Gogebic county, where
he engaged in the practice of law, a
profession in which he has acquired
eminence, and he is now spoken of as
the next U. S. District Attorney for
the western district of Michigan.
That Mr. Chamberlain is respected by
those who should know him best is
illustrated by the fact that he has
served his fellow citizens as a member
and chairman of the county board of
supervisors, as treasurer and chairman
of the board of school inspectors, as
circuit court commissioner of his coun-
ty, and has represented his district for
three successive terms in the Legisla-
ture of the State.
Socially he is connected with the F.
& A. M., the I. O. O. F., the K. O. T. M.,
the A. O. U. W., the I. O. R. M., and
the K. of P.
HON. JAMES CONNORS
St. Ignace
The Chippewa
district of Mich-
igan was repre-
sented in the
Legislature of
1897 by Hon.
James Connors
of St. Ignace.
The district
which he so
ably represent-
ed is composed
of the counties
of Chippewa,
Luce and Mack-
inac of the up-
per peninsula. Mr. Connors was born
in Prescott county, Ontario, May 7,
1856, and was educated in the common
schools of that county. He worked on
a farm and attended school until 1879,
when he moved to Carson City, Ne-
vada. In August, 1880, he moved to St.
Ignace, Mich., and entered the employ
of the Martel Furnace Company, be-
coming manager of their plant at Al-
lenville, where he remained until 1884.
In 1885 he engaged in the business of
lumbering in connection with the
Mackinaw Lumber Company of St.
Ignace, in which business he is still
engaged.
Mr. Connors has been supervisor of
his township and alderman of St.
Ignace. In 1895 he was honored by his
neighbors by being elected mayor of
that city. In 1896 he was elected to
represent his district in the State Leg-
-
º º
tº- - - -
-
OF INFLUENCE IN THE STATE'S AFFAIRS
islature which has just closed its ses-
sion. In politics he is a Republican,
but as a legislator is not partisan.
While without previous legislative ex-
perience, Mr. Connors has readily
grasped its difficulties and proven a
useful member of the House. He is
chairman of the committee on Eastern
Asylum for Insane and a member of
the very important committee on State
affairs, as well as being a member of
the committee on apportionment. He
is a hard worker in committee, and is
prepared to vote intelligently upon all
questions submitted.
Mr. Connors believes members should
represent the views of their constitu-
ents rather than their own personal
views, and in the discharge of his duty
as a legislator has aimed to conform to
that idea, which is generally presumed
to be a safe basis of action.
HON. WILLIAM R. BATES
Flirit
The Hon. Wil-
liam R. Bates,
representative
from F 1 in t,
Genesee coun-
ty, c a me to
the Legisla-
ture of 1897
thorough ly
equipped for
the perform-
ance of the
duties of a
legislator rep-
resenting a n
in telliegent,
progressive constituency. His exten-
sive acquaintance with the affairs of
the State and the men whose influence
have dominated its progress and de-
velopment, a full vocabulary, with a
fervid style of delivery, an imagination
that spoke in poetic strain, and fearless
in defending a position taken in debate,
it was but a natural outcome of his
position that he should become power-
ful in shaping the course of legislation
in the session just closed.
That Mr. Bates was possessed of for-
ensic power and subtle tact was
notably apparent when, on the return
to the House of the Flint charter un-
der cover of the Governor's veto, he
took the floor in opposition to the veto
and the prestige it carried in coming
from the executive of the State, and
handled his side of the question with
such skill and force that when the for-
ensic battle between himself and Col.
John Atkinson, who spoke for the veto,
was ended, and the roll called, the
charter was sustained and the veto
failed by a vote of 72 to 19. This was
the only bill passed over the veto of
the Governor during the session.
William R. Bates was born in Caze-
novia, Madison county, N. Y., June 28,
1845, and is a great-grandson of
two patriotic great-grandsires who
fought for American independence in
the war of the revolution, one as a pri-
vate, the other as an officer.
After receiving an academic educa-
tion at the place of his birth, Mr. Bates
came to Michigan as a student and en-
tered the Law Department of the Uni-
versity of Michigan. During his col-
lege days he not only learned to love
Michigan and her institutions, but also
fell in love with a Michigan girl, mar-
ried the girl and settled in Flint, where
he has since resided.
Mr. Bates was admitted to the bar
in 1871, and served the State as a mem-
ber of the Legislature in the same year,
but before the extra session of 1872 he
resigned his seat in the Legislature
and was succeeded by the late Chief
Justice Marston.
He was register of the United States
land office at Saginaw from 1872 to 1879,
when he resigned to accept a position
as special agent in the Interior Depart-
ment of the United States, under the
Hon. Zachariah Chandler. In 1879 Mr.
Bates resigned his position as special
agent to accept an appointment as pri-
vate secretary to United States Sen-
ator H. P. Baldwin. At the expiration
of Senator Baldwin’s term as Senator,
Mr. Bates was appointed a special
agent in the United States Treasury
Department, to fill a vacancy caused
by the election of Special Agent O. L.
Spaulding to Congress. Holding this
position until after the inauguration of
Mr. Cleveland in 1885, he was then in-
formed by Mr. Cleveland's Secretary of
* the Treasury that on account of Mr.
Bates’ “pernicious activity in politics”
his resignation would be accepted.
* Mr. Bates served his party as secre-
tary of the State central committee
under the chairmanship of Governor
Baldwin in 1880–1, and under Senator
McMillan in 1886-7-8, and again in 1890–
1-2-3-4, and was private secretary to
Senator McMillan from 1888 to 1894 in-
clusive. He was elected to the Legis-
lature of 1897-8 from the Flint district
by a majority of 456, and proved to be
one of the most capable men of the ses-
sion.
Mr. Bates is a man of cultured liter-
ary tastes, and is possessed of a very
carefully selected library of rare books,
among which when at home he spends
the greater portion of his time. He is
a member of the Cosmos club of Wash-
Sington, the Michigan club, the Alger
club, and the Fellowcraft club of De-
troit.
HON. GEORGE D. CRIPPEN
Startibaugh
The counties of
Dickinson, Iron
and Baraga are
represented in
the Legislature
of '97–8 by Rep-
resent a tive
George D. Crip-
pen, of Stam-
baugh, Dickin-
son county. Mr.
Crippen was
born in Supe-
rior township,
W a s h ten aw
county, Mich.,
May 13, 1861.
His education was acquired in the pub-
lic schools of Superior and a two and
one-half years' course in the State
Normal school at Ypsilanti. After
leaving the normal he taught school in
Washtenaw county until twenty-Seven
years of age. He then went to the
upper peninsula, and locating in Iron
county, continued in his profession of
teacher for three years, when he drop-
ped it and took up that of mining engi-
neer, and is now considered an expert
on mines and mining properties, and
since the shut down of the Iron River
mines in 1894 he has had full charge
of that property.
Since going to Iron county Mr. Crip-
pen has become thoroughly acclimated
and greatly attached to the upper pen-
insula, and is as broad minded and
progressive in his views of life as the
most radical of the men who breath its
invigorating and strengthening atmos-
phere. On April 24, 1895, he was mar-
ried to Mrs. J. M. Quinn, of Iron River,
who is the owner of the most extensive
dry goods establishment in that sec-
tion of the country.
As a legislator, George D. Crippen
earned and commands the respect of
every member of the house in which he
served, and deserves the commenda-
tions of his constituents for the careful
consideration and time given to all
measures affecting their interests.
He introduced the bill which author-
izes the county of Dickinson, in con-
junction with the proper authorities in
Wisconsin, to construct and maintain
a bridge across the Menominee river;
a bill providing that it shall require a
majority of the votes of all the mem-
bers elected to a board of supervisors
to audit accounts conning before such
boards; a bill providing that all idle
and abandoned mines shall be under
the supervision and care of the in-
spector of mines; and a bill providing
that all shares of stock issued by tele-
phone companies shall be not less than
ten nor more than one hundred dollars
per share. -
Mr. Crippen has been often honored
with positions of public trust. In 1888-9
he was supervisor of his native town-






34
T H E S T A T E R E PU B L I C A N
ship, resigning to remove to Iron coun-
ty, where he was again elected a su-
pervisor in 1895, and still continues in
that office, and has served as township
clerk and justice of the peace of Stam-
baugh since its organization as a town-
ship.
HON. GEORGE B. DAVIS
Utica
One of the hard-
est worked mem-
bers of the House
in the Legislature
of 1897–8, and one
who gave consci-
entious consider-
ation to the du-
tº ties of the posi-
tion to which he
had been elected
was George B.
Davis of Utica,
Macomb county.
As chairman of the committee on fish-
eries he had to contend with the most
stubborn fight ever made by a lobby in
the State of Michigan, and to his credit
it can be said that notwithstanding the
combined efforts of the commercial
fisherman's association, to abolish or
destroy the effectiveness of the board
of fish commissioners, he not only suc-
ceeded in passing a bill providing for a
close season on fish, but he also
thwarted their purpose in reducing the
appropriations to a figure that would
be useless in even caring for the State
property for which the board is respon-
sible. After the appropriation had been
cut from the amount of sixty thousand
dollars asked for by the board down
to five thousand dollars and its ene-
mies comforted themselves with the
thought that the usefulness of the
board was gone, Mr. Davis rallied a
Support to the bill, had it reconsidered
and the amount raised to thirty thou-
sand dollars, which while not sufficient
for the purposes of the commission will
still allow it to keep up the work in
hand until the convening of another
Legislature.
In politics Mr. Davis is a Republican
and as such was elected to the Legisla-
ture of '95-6, and re-elected to the Leg-
islature of '97-8. In the session just
closed Mr. Davis was on three of the
most important committees of the
House, railroads, local taxation, fish-
eries and game, on the last of which he
served as chairman at a time when it
needed a man of his sterling character
to care for the great interest Michigan
has in fish and game.
George B. Davis was born in the city
of Detroit, June 23, 1858. His early ed-
ucation was acquired in the public
schools until at the age of sixteen
years, when as a clerk he entered the
employ of M. V. Bently at Grand Rap-
ids, Mich. He afterwards spent some
time as a traveling salesman from De-
troit, and then in 1882 embarked in bus-
iness on his own account at Utica, as
a manufacturer and dealer in hard-
wood lumber. Mr. Davis organized the
Detroit Sand and Gravel Company, of
which he is the vice president, the
Utica. Hoop and Lumber Company.,
and within the past year has become
the sole owner of that property. He is
now engaged in converting into lumber
a large tract of timber in Van Buren
county.
HON. HARLAN J. DUDLEY
Fretriotit
aſſºs ty is represent-
º ed in the House
- of Representa-
- º tives of the
State Legisla-
ture of 1897–8 by
Hon. Harlan J.
Dudley, of Fre-
mont.
Mr. Dudley
was born in
N e w fi e 1 d,
To m p k in s
county, N. Y.,
September 27,
1853, and came to Michigan in 1867.
He attended school in Hastings, Bar-
ry county, and supported himself by
doing work on a farm in payment for
his board while attending school. He
obtained a State certificate from the
State Normal school in 1879, and con-
ducted a teachers’ normal department
during the last half of that year as a
convenience of the teachers of Free-
port, Michigan. He moved to Newaygo
county to assist his father in establish-
ing a lumbering enterprise, and closed
his school work by serving as principal
Newaygo coun-
of the schools of Fremont,
county, in 1880-1.
In 1882 he began the manufacture of
shingles, and later became a general
wholesale dealer in lumber, lath and
shingles. In 1892 his business had so
grown that he handled to the trade
1,676 carloads of forest products, and is
still actively engaged in that business.
In politics, Mr. Dudley has ever been
an active, aggressive Republican, but
never a candidate for any office until
in 1896 he accepted the nomination for
Representative in the State Legisla-
ture, and was elected to represent his
county in the session of 1897.
Mr. Dudley had important committee
assignments, being a member of the
committees on lumber and salt, rail-
roads, and Upper Peninsula. Asylum
for Insane. He has been an active
worker, and was instrumental in the
passage of the beet sugar bill, which
attracted wide attention, and having
become a law bids fair to be of great
value to the State. The county in
which Mr. Dudley lives being admir-
ably adapted to beet culture, his con-
stituents are pleased with his success
in the Legislature.
Newaygo
HON. ROBERT D. GRAHAM
Grand Rapids
From an on g
the members of
the Michigan
Legislature of
1897–8, who
were recog-
nized as hav-
ing the inter-
ests of the ag-
ric ult u r is t
constantly in
mind, R e pre-
sentative Rob-
ert D. Graham
quickly came to
the front as a leader whose lead was
recognized as wise and judicious.
Well versed in parliamentary law, he
was ever on the alert to prevent un-
necessary expense in the management
of State affairs, and to forward such
legislation as gave promise of good
government economically adminis-
tered.
Robert D. Graham was born in On-
tario, November 11, 1855. While he
was yet an infant in arms, he re-
moved with his parents to Minnesota,
where he remained eight years, when
the family removed to Michigan, and
settled in Rent county, near Grand
Rapids. His early education was ac-
quired in the district school of his
township and the graded schools of
Grand Rapids. To this he added a
continued course of four winters’ study
in a law office in Grand Rapids, after
which he was admitted to the bar,
but preferred agricultural pursuits to
the practice of his profession.
In politics Mr. Graham is an ardent
Republican, and as such has been
elected to the Office of justice of the
peace, to the board of supervisors,
and for two consecutive terms as rep-
resentative in the Legislature of this
State. At the session of 1897 he was
a candidate for Speaker, and has
added to his legislative record until
he is now frequently spoken of as the
farmers’ choice for Governor of Michi-
gan on the Republican ticket at the
next election. Should the choice of the
Republican convention favor Robert D.
Graham as the candidate for Governor
of Michigan he will be found a popular
candidate with the masses of the peo-
ple, and one who would undoubtedly
give to them an administration of the
executive office in harmony with their
desires.
HON, PETER HERRIG
Sagittaw
The first dis-
trict of Sagi-
naw is repre-
Sented in the
L e g islature
of 1897–8 by
the Hon.
Peter Herrig,
who was born
in Bingen on
the Rhine,
Germany, Oc-
tober 27, 1847,
and Canne
when but two
years of age to America, and lo-
cated in Saginaw, where his early edu-
cation was obtained in the schools of
that city. His life has been that of an
American pioneer, and his early man-
hood was spent in lumbering on the
Saginaw river and its tributaries.
Having a rugged constitution, a good
character, and an honest purpose in
life, Peter Herrig, with these as his
only aids, has built a reputation and
fortune which any man should be
proud to own.
At sixteen years of age he began the
lumber business as an employe in a
mill, and for the first few years contin-
ued in this line of business by alter-
nating between felling the trees in the
winter; driving the logs down the
stream to the mill in the spring time
and then as a mill man during the
summer months, thus making all sea-
sons contribute towards the founda-
tion of the fortune he has since buill
in lumber and other enterprises.
In 1885 Mr. Herrig became the gener-
al manager of the lumber firm of
Green, Ring & Company of Saginaw;
he is also president of the Building and
Loan association, a member of the
Saginaw Ice & Coal Company, the City
Milling Company, the Hemmeter Cigar
Company, and other industrial enter-
prises in Saginaw including the ex-
tensive carriage works of that city.
He is devoted to the interests of Sagi-
naw, and has given a great deal of
time and much money to the develop-
ment of industries that tend toward
the growth and prosperity of the city
he delights in.
While Mr. Herrig is a pronounced
Republican, consistent in the advoca-
cy of Republican principles, his busi-
ness interests have prevented him from
accepting office except as a member of
the Legislature. It would be well for
the dignity and the best interests of
the State if more business men of his
character were found active in the
Legislature of the State.
- HON, AUGUST J. WEIER
Motiroc
A glance at
the vignette
which opens
this sketch
sh ows the
lon g h e a d
and clean cut
f e a t u res
which indi-
cate a keen
intellect. A.
c 1 os e Ob-
server will
also see that
under a gen-
ial d is posi-
tion the re
lies a latent
will power, that once roused into action
allows no opposition to bar the way to
purpose or desire.
Representative August J. Weier was
born in Monroe, Michigan, October 21,
1871, and is the youngest son of Anton
and Barbara (Shuman) Weier, who
came from Wackernheim, Germany, in
1854, and settled in Monroe, Michigan,
where they have since resided, ac-
cumulating property and raising a
family that is a credit to the parents
and the community in which they are
located. -
Until twelve years of age, August J.
Weier was educated in a private
school. He was then prepared for col-
lege in the public schools of Monroe,
after which he spent two years in St.
Frances College of the same city.
In the Legislature of '97, he, early in
the session, took rank as a member
having a marked influence in its pro-
cedure, and was by the Speaker
assigned to some of the most impor-
tant committees. Ever courteous,
affable, and prompt to be of service to
a fellow member, Representative
Weier was a universal favorite in both
branches of the law making body of
Michigan. In committee work he was
not only prompt in attendance, but so
thoroughly did he post himself on such
matters as came up for consideration
that, although a member of the min-
ority, he was able to be of material
assistance in the perfection of bills for
final passage.
Upon the floor of the House Mr.
Weier was not given to long drawn
argument, but said what he had to say
with a due regard to the value of time
and in earnest, terse sentences, that
went incisively to the point at issue,
and brought support to such measures
as he advocated.
Among the bills which he introduced
and was influential in the passage of
are the so-called muskrat bill, which as
an act permits the killing of those ani-
mals at a time when their meat is
edible; the marsh bill, permitting
hunting and fishing outside of low-
water mark, on the marshes of Lake
Erie; the bill prohibiting the coloring
of Oleomargarine to imitate butter; a
bill defining contributory negligence in
cases of accident at railway crossings;
also, a bill defining the liability of cor-
porations for accident to employes
while regularly employed, and the bill
providing that in cities of the fourth
class the council may so amend the or-
dinances as to provide for the pay-
ment of city taxes in July.
HON. CHARLES SMITH
South Lake Lindett
In the Mich-
igan Legisla-
ture of 1895-6
and 1897–8, the
first district
of Houghton
County Was
represented
by the Hon.
C h a r 1 e S
Smith, who in
the never to
be forgotten
session of 1897
Was most ac-
tive and in-
fluential in directing the course of leg-
islation and the policy of his party on
the great number of good and bad bills
introduced.
Charles Smith was born in Livonia.
township, Wayne county, Michigan,
December 24, 1839. His youth was
spent in the usual routine of farm life.
His education was acquired in the dis-
trict schools of his native place and
the union school of Ypsilanti, where he
resided at the breaking out of the war
of the rebellion, and from whence he
entered the service of his country as a
member of the First Michigan In-
fantry. On the expiration of his term
of service he located in Houghton
county of the upper peninsula, where
for twenty-two years he has been in
the employ of copper smelting com-
panies, and is now clerk of the
Calumet and Hecla Mining Company.
Mr. Smith is a public spirited citizen,
who takes an interest in all that af-
fects the welfare of the city, county or
state in which he lives. He has served
the people of Houghton county as su-
pervisor, is a director of the Northern
Building and Loan Association of Han-
cock, vice president of the First Na-
tional Bank of Lake Linden, and as a
member of the committee on ways and
means in the Legislature of 1897 has
given to the State the value of a good
business training, and as a member of
the committees on education and the
Soldiers’ Home at Grand Rapids was
prized as one of their most useful mem-
bers. While seldom taking part in the
debates, when Mr. Smith did take the
floor his views were presented with a
clearness that showed a knowledge of
the subject at issue and with a force
that was convincing of his earnestness
in the position assumed, and in the
running debate of a general discussion
there were few who cared to provoke
the sarcasm of his repartee.
HON. CYRENIUS P. BLACK
Latising
H on. Cyre-
nius P. Black
is of Scotch
descent and
was born in
Alfred, Alle-
gany county,
New York,
April 16, 1843.
His e a r ly
ye a r s were
Spent upon a
farm. He Was
educated a t
Alfred uni-
versity, one
of the oldest educational institutions in
western New York, at which some of
the most eminent men now in public
life were educated.
In 1864 he began the study of law at
Angelica, New York, with the late Mar-
tin Grover, who was later one of the
justices of the Court of Appeals, and
one of the ablest judges which that
State has ever produced. Mr. Black
afterwards continued the study of his
profession with Hon. Marshall B.
Champlain, at Cuba, New York, who
was for many years attorney general
of New York state, and was recognized
as one of its greatest attorney gen-
erals.
Mr. Black came to Michigan in 1866,
and located in Tuscola county, and was
soon appointed United States internal
revenue assessor for that county. He
was admitted to the bar in February,








L E G IS LA T L V E S O U V E N IR
35
1867, and was among the first lawyers
of that county who resided at Caro,
the county Seat, and for a number of
years was engaged as attorney in near-
ly all the cases tried in the county.
In 1873 he formed a co-partnership
with Dan H. Ball, Esq., then the lead-
ing lawyer of Marquette, Michigan,
where he resided for four years. Dur-
ing that time he was elected prosecut-
ing attorney of Marquette county, run-
ning a thousand ahead of his ticket.
He was also city counsellor of the city
of Marquette. During his residence at
Marquette the law firm of Ball & Black
was engaged in the heaviest mining
and other litigation in the upper penin-
sula of Michigan.
In 1877, on account of ill health, he
was compelled to leave the upper pen-
insula, and return to his old home at
Caro, Tuscola county.
When the twenty-fourth judicial cir-
cuit was organized, consisting of the
counties of Huron, Tuscola and San-
ilac, Mr. Black was nominated by the
bar of the circuit for circuit judge, and
although defeated he ran ten hundred
and ninety ahead of his ticket.
In the fall of 1880. Mr. Black was
nominated by the Democratic party as
a candidate for Congress against Hon.
Omar D. Conger, and again proved his
strength with the voters by running
five hundred and ninety-nine votes
ahead of the presidential candidate.
In 1882 he was elected as a Democrat
from the strong Republican county of
Tuscola to the Legislature, where his
talents and oratorical gifts won for him
increased popularity and a re-election
to the term of 1884-5. During both of
these sessions he was a member of the
judiciary and railroad committees, and
in the celebrated Riley-Jenison contest
over the circuit judgeship in Detroit he
made the minority report of the ju-
diciary committee, and argued the case
for Judge Riley before the Legislature,
and succeeded in winning to his views
quite a number of the members of the
majority. In 1885, and while a member
of the Legislature, he was appointed to
the office of United States attorney for
the Eastern District of Michigan,
which office he held for five years, de-
voting his entire time and attention to
its important duties. Upon the election
of President Harrison he tendered his
resignation, which was not accepted,
he being permitted to serve out the full
time for which he was appointed.
Upon retiring from the office of
United States attorney he was com-
plimented by the department of justice
for the capable and efficient manner in
which he had discharged the duties of
his office, there never having been an
indictment out of over one thousand
filed by him during his term of office
that was held bad by the court.
Mr. Black has been twice married.
His first wife, a daughter of Aaron
Watrous, of Watrousville, Michigan,
died in 1890. His second wife is the
sister of the late Hon. James M. Tur-
ner.
He has resided in Lansing since 1892,
during which time his entire attention
has been devoted to the practice of his
profession.
HON. ORAMEL B. FULLER
Ford River, Delta County
The Delta dis-
trict, compris-
ing the coun-
ties of Alger,
Delt a a n d
School craft,
was represent-
ed in the last
Legislature by
Hon. Orannel B.
Fuller, of Ford
River, Delt a
county.
Mr. Fu 11 er
was born in
Jersey City,
New Jersey, January 22, 1858, and
came to Michigan in 1869. He lived in
Lansing and attended its public
schools where the most of his educa-
tion was secured. In 1874 he went to
Muskegon and engaged as lumber in-
spector, which occupation he has since
continued. He moved to Ford River,
Delta county, in 1884, where he has
since resided, and by his honorable
course and faithful work has made for
himself a high standing, not only in
the immediate community in which he
lives, but throughout the entire upper
peninsula, where integrity and energy
count for much among the people.
Politically Mr. Fuller is a hustling and
enthusiastic Republican, and does much
to advance the interests of the party
with which he is identified. Mr. Fuller
has just completed a service of three
terms in the Michigan House of Rep-
resentatives, having been in the Legis-
latures of 1893, 1895 and 1897. Mr. Ful-
ler, as a legislator, has decided convic-
tions regarding measures presented for
his support, and has no hesitancy in
expressing them when occasion re-
quires, but is as tolerant of other peo-
ple's convictions as he is firm in his
own. At the beginning of the session
of 1897 his name was prominently men-
tioned as a suitable person for Speaker,
but he withdrew his name for that
position and was the unanimous
choice of his party for Speaker pro
tem. In this position he has been
called upon often to preside over the
deliberations of the body of which he
is a member, and has fully sustained
the opinion of his friends that he was
especially fitted for the trying position
of presiding officer of a legislative
body.
HON. FRANK L. DODGE
Lansitig
The H on .
Fºr a n k L.
Dodge was
born in Ober-
lin, Ohio, Oc-
tober 22, 1854.
His ancestors
We re among
the colonists
W h o c a me
from England
and settled in
M. a. ss a chu-
setts prior to
the revolu-
tion, a n d
where the Dodge family is still recog-
nized as factors in affairs of state and
business enterprise.
Until fourteen years of age, Frank
L. Dodge received the educational ad-
Vantages for which Oberlin has be-
come famed. He then spent his time
in railroading, traveling, and in the ho-
tel business with his father at Eaton
Rapids, until 1876, when he began the
study of law under the preceptorship
of the Hon. Isaac M. Crane, of Eaton
Rapids.
In 1878 Mr. Dodge was admitted to
the bar, and immediately admitted to
a partnership in the law business of
his former preceptor. In the fall of the
same year he made his first political
campaign as an independent candidate
for the office of prosecuting attorney
of Eaton county. Mr. Dodge was elect-
ed to the Legislature of 1883-5 in a dis-
trict usually Republican. As a legisla-
tor he soon found recognition for those
qualities which have made him popular
and brought success in other positions
of life, while his genial disposition and
Courteous manner soon won for him the
good will of the members, who gave
willing ear to the logic and eloquence
which always brought support to the
measures he advocated.
Mr. Dodge's success in the interest
of his immediate constituency was rec-
ognized by members of all parties.
Many of the most important acts on
the statutes of a local and State inter-
est are due to his untiring efforts. His
success professionally and as a busi-
ness man are evidenced in many ways.
Mr. Dodge married the youngest sis-
ter of the late Hon. James M. Turner,
with whom he was identified in several
important enterprises.
Since coming to Lansing in 1879, Mr.
Dodge has built an extensive law prac-
tice. He has taken a leading part in
many important cases which attracted
attention throughout the country. His
Successful efforts in defense of Hon.
Thos. B. Barry and others won for him
the gratitude and keen appreciation of
the laboring people generally, especial-
ly organized labor, Mr. Barry being an
officer of the national organization of
R. of L.
He with other eminent counsel de-
fended Hon. M. H. Dakin in the im-
peachment trial. The press of the
State and members of the Legislature
highly praised Mr. Dodge's efforts in
behalf of his client. He has been em-
ployed in many of the most important
civil cases tried in central Michigan.
He has taken much interest in the
affairs of the capital city and is identi-
fied with many of the most substantial
public improvements in Lansing. His
devotion and loyalty to the city of his
adoption no one will question.
In the ranks of the democracy of
Michigan there is no abler leader, and
it is an open secret that there is no
hand more active in shaping the course
of that party in this State than that of
the Hon. Frank L. Dodge, of Lansing.
HON. ADRIAN O. ABBOTT
Hudson
One of the most influential men in
the public affairs of southern Michigan
and one who is a regular attendant at
the primaries and conventions of the
Republican party, is the Hon. Adrian
O. Abbott, of Hudson. Mr. Abbott was
born in Munnsville, Madison county,
N. Y., August 26, 1842. When but three
years of age his parents removed to
Oriskany, Oneida county, where his
boyhood days were spent.
In 1856, at the age of fourteen, he
left school and entered a general store
as a clerk in the village where his par-
ents resided, which position he held for
two years, after which he engaged in
teaching school. In 1860 he secured a
position as a salesman. In a dry goods
store at Clinton, N. Y., where he re-
mained until the surnmer of 1861, at
which time he answered his country's
call for troops by enlisting in Company
A, First New York Artillery. After
serving with his battery for eleven
months he was discharged on account
of physical disability in the spring of
1862.
The illness that caused his discharge
from the army prevented him from en-
gaging in any business until the fol-
lowing year, when he secured a posi-
tion as clerk in a drygoods house at
Utica, N. Y., remaining there until he
removed to Michigan in 1866, when he
located at Adrian, Lenawee county.
Here he engaged in the ladies’ furnish-
ing goods business, and meeting with
success, he increased his business by
adding general drygoods to his other
lines, and continued in these until 1873,
in which year he removed to Hudson.
In Hudson, Mr. Abbott soon became
one of its most popular citizens, and
was for three years president of the
village, and was also elected to repre-
sent the Hudson district in Lenawee
county as a Republican in the Legis-
lature of 1887–8, and was re-elected to
the session of 1889–90.
Since 1873 he has been engaged in the
manufacture of his own inventions,
some of which have proven of great
utility, and have also secured a reputa-
tion throughout the entire country. The
most important of these inventions,
and one that bids fair to be far reach-
ing in its results, is the Abbott voting
machine. As this machine is liable to
revolutionize the method of casting a
legal ballot in this State a more minute
description is here with given.
The Abbott voting machine is con-
structed entirely of steel and iron. The
frame of the booth is of iron, and the
registering wheels and working parts
of the finest steel. The voter, on en-
tering the door of the booth and clos-
ing the door behind him, locks the ma—
chine, by which action he is prevented
from recording more than one ballot
until the door is again opened to its
extreme width. He is now confronted
by a series of slides movable in either
direction, on which are pasted separate
slips containing the candidate’s name
and the office for which he is a candi-
date, each party ticket being in a direct
line, each office to be voted for being in
proper order, and each party ticket be-
ing of a different color. The voter,
after locating his party ticket, grasps
a large handle on the right of the ma-
chine, draws it toward the left until
his party ticket is between two perpen-
dicular white rods in the center of the
machine, when he may vote a straight
party ticket by simply pushing up, by
means of a handle attached to the left
hand white rod last mentioned; this
action votes an entire straight party
ticket, casting and counting a vote for
each candidate on the ticket he has
chosen.
If a voter desires to split his ticket
he simply moves the slide containing
the person’s name he wishes to vote
for in the direction necessary, until he
has the name between the perpendic-
ular white rods in the center of the
machine, when by pushing up the rod
before mentioned he votes his party
ticket, excepting the one split from an-
other party ticket; that vote counting
for the person whose name the voter
inserted in the voting space, viz, be-
tween the two perpendicular white rods
in the center of the machine.
The votes recorded upon the Abbott
voting machine are counted upon a set
of steel discs placed in the back of the
machine, each set &apable of register-
ing one thousand votes. At the top of
the machine is a disc on which is count-
ed the voters who enter the booth and
cast a ballot. Behind each separate
slip, upon the face of the machine, is
a separate set of discs on which is reg-
istered the whole number of votes cast
for the candidate whose name appears
upon the slip immediately in front of
the set of discs.
These numbering discs are operated
as follows: The voter by pushing up
the right hand white rod in the center
of the machine detaches a lever from a
rod on the back of the machine, which
rod is grooved in such a manner as to
attach itself to cogs upon the number-
ing discs directly in front of it, and im-
mediately back of the tickets in the
voting space, and in this way adding
one vote to the total number of votes
recorded on each disc, and also pre-
venting more than one vote being re-
corded by any one voter, or a miscount
possible.
To canvas the vote after the closing
of the polls, the inspectors remove a
panel from the back of the machine,
disclosing all of the numbering discs,
each disc showing the total vote cast
for each candidate whose name ap-
pears on the slip directly in front of it.
By reading the totals as shown upon
the registering discs the clerks of
election are enabled to announce the
result quickly, as in the city of Lan-
sing in the spring election of 1897,
where with twelve precincts the entire
vote of the city on State, county and
city tickets was published in the State
Republican within forty-nine minutes
after the closing of the polls.
By the use of the Abbott voting ma-
chine a greater part of the election ex-
penses are saved, because of the less
number of officers necessary than by
use of the ballot system, and the sav-
ing of an entire day through the rapid-
ity and accuracy with which the votes
are counted.
THE SENATE
HON. Thom AS B. DUNSTAN
Lieutenant Govertior, Haticock
The Senate of
1897–8 will be
1 on g remem-
bered as one in
which the gen-
tle m a n w ho
for m e d its
committees and
presided over
its delibera-
tions gave to
the work a dig-
nity in keep-
ing with the
importance of
the body over
which, as the
Lieutenant Governor of the State, it
was his duty to preside. Always calm
and courteous, he held the attention
of the Senate to a recognition of the
decorum and the parliamentary pro-
cedure with which the deliberations of
a legislative body should be conducted.
In the making up of the committees
he gave such care and consideration to
the characteristics and fitness of the
different members for the various
duties they would be called upon to
perform as committeemen, that at the
close of the session the committee list
had the appearance of one whose
members had each been assigned to
work of his own choosing in the per-
formance of which the work done bore
the stamp of competency.
In the next Republican convention to
select a candidate for Governor of
Michigan the record of the present
Lieutenant Governor will place the
name of Thomas B. Dunstan high on
the list of candidates to be voted for.
Born in Camborne, Cornwall, Eng-
land, in 1850, and coming with his
parents to Ontonagon, Mich., in 1854,
the life of Thos. B. Dunstan has been
fashioned and tempered in the pure at-
mosphere of the upper peninsula,
where each breath inhaled is an in-
spiration to a love of liberty. His edu-
cation was received in the public
schools of Ontonagon and a course in
the Lawrence University, at Appleton,
Wis., where he graduated in June, 1871.
This was supplemented by attendance
in the law department of the Michigan
University during the winter of 1871-2,
from which he was admitted to the bar



36
T H E S T A T E R E PU B L I C A N
in the Keweenaw circuit, June, 1872.
In November of that year Mr. Dun-
stan was elected to the offices of pro-
bate judge and prosecuting attorney
of Keweenaw county, and held them
until July, 1879, when he removed to
Pontiac, Oakland county, remaining
there until the summer of 1882, when
on returning to his former home at
Central Mine, Keweenaw county, he
was elected to the Legislature of
1883-4, in which he represented the
counties of Keweenaw, Ontonagon,
Baraga and Isle Royal. In 1883 he
moved to Hancock, Houghton county,
which is now his home, and where in
the fall of 1884 he was elected prose-
cuting attorney and endorsed by the
Democrats of the county, was re-
elected to the same office at the suc-
ceeding election. While an ardent ad-
vocate of men and measures put for-
ward by the Republican party, Mr.
Dunstan is never personal in his op-
position, and respecting the opinions
of others commands the respect and
regard of political opponents. His
political record also shows that in 1888
he was a delegate to the Republicar,
national convention of that year, that
in the Senate of 1889 he was an able
and active member of that body, and
that in 1896 he was elected Lieutenant
Governor of Michigan.
HON, EDMUND M. BARNARD
Grand Rapids
The second city
of the penin-
sula State is in
part represent-
ed in the State
Senate by Hon.
E d m und M.
B a r n a r d, of
Grand Rapids.
Senator B a r-
nard was born
in Columbia
county, New
York, May 28,
1860, and at the
close of the
W. a r m oved
with his parents to Michigan, locating
on a farm near Grand Rapids, Kent
county. He had the advantages of the
fine schools of that progressive county,
and later completed his school work in
Olivet college. In connection with
farming he engaged in real estate and
insurance business, being a member of
the firm of L. K. Bishop & Co. He has
always been an active Republican, and
served the interests of his people
through that party. He was a member
of the House of Representatives in the
Legislature of 1891. In 1892
elected to the State Senate, where he
has just completed his third term, and
by his natural ability, education and
tact became an influential and valu-
able member. During the session of
1895 Senator Barnard served on several
very important committees, being
chairman of the committees on liquor
traffic and banks and Corporations and
a member of the committees on cities
and villages, fisheries, railroads, and
Soldiers' Home. During the session
just closed he was assigned the chair-
manship of the committees on rail-
roads, Normal School, and School for
the Blind, and was also a member of
the committees on claims and accounts
and rules and joint rules.
In 1893 Senator Barnard was the au-
thor of the joint resolution committing
the State to the election of United
States senators by popular vote. He
was also instrumental in restoring the
election franchise to the inmates of the
Soldiers' Home by a constitutional
amendment, as well as having the law
passed requiring street cars to be vesti-
buled, a law which all have recognized
as just and humane.
HoN. GEORGE G. covell
Traverse City
Hon. George
G. Covell of
Traverse City
represents in
the Senate of
1897-8 the 27th
district, com-
posed of the
counties of
- IV * Antrim, Ben-
º - zie, Charle-
- - voix, Grand
Tr a verse,
R. a l k a ska,
Leelenau and
Wexford. He
was born in Dundee, Mich., October 16,
1860, lived on a farm during his boy-
ſº-
he was
hood, and received his primary educa-
tion in the union school of Dundee. He
was a member of the junior law class
in the Michigan University, and con-
tinued his reading until 1887, when he
was admitted to the bar. In August
of the same year he located at Ben-
zonia, Benzie county, where he prac-
ticed his profession until 1892, when he
removed to Traverse City. In politics
Mr. Covell is a stalwart Republican and
a forcible speaker on the stump and in
debate. He was prosecuting attorney
of Benzie county two years, was a
member of the Michigan House of Rep-
resentatives in 1893-4 and in 1895-6, and
in the election of 1896 was advanced to
the Senate of 1897–8, where he was
chairman of the judiciary committee
and also a member of the committees
on constitutional annendments, federal
relations, House of Correction at Mar-
quette, and public buildings. He is a
hard-working member of committees,
and a very active member on the floor.
He took part in most of the important
discussions engaged in by the Senate.
He believes as many officers as possible
should be elected by the people, and to
that end has been an active supporter
of bills to make the offices of railroad
commissioner and labor commissioner
elective instead of appointive. The first
of these passed the Senate but was de-
feated in the House. Senator Covell
is a fine example of the possibilities
American energy and anbition, having
had always to make his own way and
by untiring work overcoming every ob-
stacle.
HON. ALEXANDER FORSYTH
Standish
Senator Alex-
ander Forsyth
of the 24th dis-
trict, compris-
ing the coun-
ties of Midland,
Arena c a n d
Bay, is a man
who, by his
course in the
Legislature of
’97–8, has prob-
ably attracted
more attention
than any other
of the Senate
branch of that
legislative body.
His course in introducing and fight-
ing through to a final passage a bill
providing for a State system of uni-
form text-books attracted the atten-
tion not only of the great mass of the
people favoring the passage of this
bill, but also the educators and school
book publishers of the entire country.
A harder fought and more successful
battle has never taken place within
the history of Michigan legislation.
Senator Forsyth was born at Ade-
laide, Middlesex county, Canada, Au-
gust 16, 1860. His early days were spent
on his father's farm, and his primary
education acquired in the common
schools. At the age of sixteen he en-
gaged in teaching school, and for a
number of years followed the profes-
sion of a teacher. He then engaged
in the business of underwriting, and is
now the secretary and general man-
ager of the Home Mutual Fire Insur-
ance Company, and at his home in
Standish, Arenac county, conducts a
general fire insurance business.
In politics, Senator Forsyth has al-
ways been independent, but since 1892
has allied himself more closely with
×the Populists and Silver Democratic
party, and we may add that there is
little doubt but the record he made in
1897 will cause the people of Michigan
to not only desire further service of
him but to call him to positions of
higher responsibility.
HON. RICHARD MASON
Gladstorie
Hon. Richard
Mason, of Glad-
st on e, Delta
county, Mich-
igan, was born
in Spring Lake,
Ottawa county,
Michigan, in
1842. When six
years of age his
parents moved
to Chicago, Illi-
nois, and four
years later to
M. a. so n ville,
Delta county,
In 1859 they returned to Chi-
Mich.
cago, where he worked in his father's
lumber yard until 1869. In 1870 he re-
turned to Masonville and took charge
of a sawmill, and is now the managing
partner of the lumber manufacturing
firm of Davis & Mason at Gladstone.
Mr. Mason when a boy had the ad-
vantages of good primary schools, but
began work for self-support when so
young as to make the higher courses
of study impracticable. He studied
law in 1874-5, but never applied for ad-
mission to the bar. He is in full sym-
pathy and active support of the Re-
publican party, and does what he can
to advance its interests. He has been
supervisor of his township, and mayor
of the city of Gladstone. He has served
in the State Senate in 1895 and 1897,
representing a large district composed
of the counties of Chippewa, Delta,
Luce, Mackinac, Menominee and
Schoolcraft, the territory of which
comprises about one-half of the upper
peninsula. His district has varied in-
terests, which receive careful and
painstaking attention at his hands.
As a legislator he believes the busi-
ness of the State should be conducted
with the same care and consideration
that a man would give his personal
affairs. He favors conservative action
in all matters, and is always on the
side of moral and social reforms. Mr.
Mason gives his whole time and at-
tention to public affairs when engaged
in them. He advocates what he be-
lieves with courteous firmness, and
uses business arguments expressed in
as few words as possible, rather than
attempt a resort to oratory.
HON, JOHN L. PRESTON
Columbiaville
In the organiza-
tion of the Leg-
islature of 1897-8
Senator John L.
Preston, Senator
from the 21st
district, Conn-
p r is in g the
counties of Tus-
cola and Lapeer,
was the choice
of the Senate
and elected to
the office of
President pro
tem. and has since justified the choice
by proving his fitness for the position
by the manner in which he presides
over the deliberations of that body,
and in developing an aptitude for ex-
pediting business that leaves the clerks
but little leisure while the president
pro tem is in the chair.
Senator John L. Preston comes of
New England stock and was born in
Eastford, Conn., April 15, 1853. Com-
ing to Armada, Macomb county, Mich-
igan, in 1855, he received the educa-
tional advantages of the schools of
that place, and afterwards fitted for
teaching in the union school of Ypsi-
lanti. After some time spent in teach-
ing, a natural trend towards business
drew him into business life, and caused
him to enter the employ of his father
as a clerk and bookkeeper in a general
store, and in the buying and selling of
stock. In 1875 he moved to Columbia-
ville, Lapeer county, where he has
since resided, and conducted a mercan-
tile business with profitable success.
In politics Mr. Preston is a Republi-
can of the ultra type and has served
his party as chairman of the county
committee of Lapeer county and as a
member of the State central commit-
tee. He was postmaster of Columbia-
ville from 1880 to 1885 and was elected
to and served in the Legislature of
1889–90, where he did good work on the
committees on State Normal School
and engrossment. In 1894 he was
elected to the State Senate from the
21st district and in 1896 his course was
endorsed by a re-election to the Senate
of 1897-8. Senator Preston has earned
the reputation of a careful, painstalk-
ing, conscientious committee worker,
and has done the State great service
in the scrutiny of, and the perfection
of, bills on the important committees
of finance and appropriations, educa-
tion and public schools, insurance,
rules and joint rules, and State library
in the Senate of ’95. He was on six of
the important committees in the ses-
sion of ’97–8, viz., the committee on
Asylum for the Insane at Pontiac, fish-
eries, insurance, normal schools, pub-
lic health and the conference commit-
tee to whom was referred the Merri-
man bill increasing the specific tax
upon railroad earnings, and was chair-
man of the first three.
HON. ALEXANDER MAITLAND
Negau11ee
The thirty-
first district,
composed of
the counties
of Alger,
Dick in so n,
Iron a n d
Marquette, is
represented
in the Mich-
igan Senate
by the Hon.
A 1 ex a n der
Maitland, of
Ne g a un ee,
Mar q u ette
county.
Senator Maitland was born in Ayr-
shire, Scotland, June 20, 1844, and there
received his education, which was
what the schools of that rugged coun-
try offered its boys. In 1856 he came,
with his parents, to America, and lo-
cated in Canada, where his education
was supplemented by a high school
course. Having completed his school
work, Mr. Maitland located at Negau-
nee, Michigan, his present home, in
1864, and entered the employ of the
Iron Cliff Mining Company, serving
that company thirteen years as its sur-
veyor and civil engineer, and during
most of that time was its active man-
ager.
In 1880 he was appointed manager
of that company, and the next year
was made its general manager, which
position he still holds. In addition to
his duties as general manager of the
Iron Cliff Mining Company he is man-
ager of the Cambria and Lillie mining
companies.
Although engaged in active business
pursuits, Mr. Maitland finds time to
devote to the interests of the State
through the Republican party, which
is the political organization with which
he is identified. He has served the
people as postmaster of Negaunee for
four years, was surveyor of Marquette
county two terms, and has just com-
pleted a term in the State Senate.
As a legislator, Senator Maitland
gives close attention to the most minute
details, and is a close student of the
character of all bills upon which he
votes. He states his convictions re-
garding measures in a clear, business
like manner, which carries weight with
his fellow members. He has not been
interested in legislation for personal
purposes, but much interested in the
bills presented which affect the whole
State.
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HON. GEORGE W. MERRIMAN
Hartford
The eight h
sen a to r i a 1
d is tric tº of
Michigan is
composed of
the counties of
Allegan and
Van Buren,
and is repre-
sented in the
Sen a t e by
Hon. George
W. Merriman,
of Hartford,
Van Buren
county.
Senator Merriman was born in Sa-
vannah, Wayne county, New York,
February 4, 1851. He had the advan-
tages of the good district schools of his
boyhood state, and later attended the
high school. He was brought up on a
farm, and when old enough engaged in
teaching, having taught in the union
school of South Butler, New York. In
1872 he came to Michigan and accepted
a position in a bank at Plainwell, Alle-
gain county, where he remained ten
years. In 1882 he graduated from the
law department of the Michigan Uni-
versity and was admitted to practice
law. He has since been located at
Hartford, Van Buren county, engaged
in banking business and the practice of
his profession. In politics Senator
Merriman is a Republican, and while
an active worker he is conservative
and reasonable in all his relations with
men. He was a delegate to the na-
tional Republican convention at Min-
neapolis in 1892, and has just com-
pleted his second term in the State
Senate.
Senator Merriman is not given to
speechmaking, but watches legislation
closely and is a hard working member
of the various committees upon which
he serves. As a member of the last
Senate, he, as chairman of the commit-
tee on finance and appropriations, fa-








L E G IS LAT I V E S O U V E NIR
37
vored such appropriations as were
needed to keep Michigan institutions
up to their present high standard, but
believed the times did not justify any
extravagances. He was an advocate
of and introduced a bill to increase the
specific tax on railroads, which passed
the Senate without opposition and
passed the House after being amended.
The interests of the eighth district
were jealously guarded by Senator
Merriman, who had in its fullest sense
the confidence of his associates in the
Senate as well as the people of his dis-
trict. -
HON, ORRIN W. ROBINSON
Chassel
Coming of old
colonial stock,
d e s c e n d e d
from grand-
sires who as
soldiers fought
for American
independence;
nurtured annid
the rugged
hills of New
England, in
whose public
schools he re-
ceived his ed-
ucation, Orrin W. Robinson was by
heritage and environment fitted for a
successful career in the hardy clime of
the upper peninsula of Michigan or to
compete for wealth and position with
the venturesome spirits ever ready to
brave danger and hardship in the de-
velopment of new countries. Born in
Claremont, N. H., August 12, 1834, he
enjoyed the advantages of the fine dis-
trict schools for which New England
has always been so justly famous.
When 19 years of age he moved to On-
tonagon, Mich., where he remained two
years. He then made a trip to Green
Bay, Wis., going overland on snow-
shoes, provisions and blankets being
carried by dog trains. He camped in
the woods nights and was two weeks
in making the journey. He then made
a trip further west and remained for a
time in Kossuth county, Iowa. In
May, 1862, he returned to Hancock,
Houghton county, Mich., where he en-
gaged as receiving and shipping clerk
for the Quincy Mill Company, which
position he filled twelve years. In 1873
he organized the Sturgeon River Lum-
ber Company and built mills at Han-
cock which were later moved to Chas–
sell in the same county; and has been
the company's superintendent since.
Mr. Robinson has served a term as
deputy collector of customs, superin-
tendent of the poor for Houghton coun-
ty, and in 1892 he was a delegate to the
national Republican convention at
Minneapolis. He was a member of the
Michigan House of Representatives in
1895, and has just completed a term in
the State Senate. During his term in
the House he was an earnest advocate
of lower passenger fares and so ably
advocated his bill to reduce the fares
on the railroads in the upper peninsula
from four to three cents a mile that it
passed the House, but was defeated in
the Senate. During his term in the
last Senate he was again one of the
foremost advocates of reduced fares;
but failed to receive sufficient support
to carry his measure. His work as a
legislator indicates a careful, earnest
worker who advocates only such bills
as he believes are for the public good.
HON. MATTHEW D. WAGNER
Safid Beach
Hon. Matthew
D. Wagner, who
represents the
twentieh sena-
torial district in
the State Sen-
ate, was born
in Ogdensburg,
St. Lawrence
county, N. Y.,
December 26,
1856. He was
educated in the
public schools
of Vassar, Tus-
cola, county,
Michigan, and in August, 1877, soon
after leaving the high school, entered
the banking house of Bostwick R.
Noble at Lexington, Mich. Mr. Wag-
ner remained in this position until De-
cenber, 1880, when with Mr. Noble he
established the Huron County Bank at
Sand Beach, Huron county. Since the
establishment of this bank Mr. Wag-
ner has been its manager, and has en-
larged his business by engaging in
real estate and insurance in connec-
tion with banking.
In politics, Mr. Wagner is a Repub-
lican and is an active member of the
party in which he believes. He has
been treasurer of the township and vil-
lage, and president of the village in
which he lives. In 1896, he was elected
to the State Legislature to represent
the twenty-first senatorial district,
composed of the counties of Huron and
Sanilac. In the Senate, without
previous legislative experience, Mr.
Wagner lost no time in" familiar-
izing himself with legislative rou-
tine, and soon became a very use-
ful member of the Senate, and was
constantly alert to the interests of his
constituents. In the session just closed
Senator Wagner served on the commit-
tees on counties and townships, finance
and appropriations, printing, rules and
joint rules, and taxation, being chair-
man of those on counties and town-
ships and printing. Senator Wagner
took an active interest in all matters
of legislation, although not disposed to
spend unnecessary time discussing
measures, but when discussion was
necessary had a happy faculty of say-
ing clearly and in a few words what he
considered necessary regarding the
matter under discussion. He had the
confidence of his associates which gave
him additional usefulness and strength.
COL. OSCAR A. JANES
United States Pension Agent, Detroit
Inmediately fol-
lowing the first
cabinet meeting
held under the
administration of
President Wil-
liam McKinley,
the first appoint-
ment to public
office made by
the President
Came to Michi-
gan, and was be-
stowed upon Col.
Oscar A. Janes of
Hillsdale, who on
March 8, 1897,
was named as United States pension
agent at Detroit.
This appointment not only gave gen-
eral satisfaction to the Republicans of
Michigan, but was also received by
every veteran soldier in the State as
a token that we are at last living
under an administration that makes
the carrying of a musket, in time of
war, no bar to any position on the civil
list, for such of the country’s defend-
ers as have the capacity and the in-
climation to serve the country in times
of peace.
In private life, Col. Janes is recog-
nized as a cultured, courteous gentle-
man who cherishes friends and enjoys
companionship. In public affairs he
is a man of very marked influence, and
is gifted with those rare gifts of native
courtesy and oratory that draw and
bind people with magnetic ties. In
politics Col. Janes is always an ardent
Republican, and enjoyed the distinc-
tion of being chosen chairman of the
Republican State convention held in
the city of Detroit in 1896 to elect dele-
gates to the national convention held
in the same year in the city of St.
Louis.
Born in Johnstown, Rock county,
Wis., July 6, 1843, his boyhood days
were devoted to farm work in the sum-
mer and study in the district schools
during the winter months. He later
prepared for college at Milton Acad-
emy, Mis., and in 1863 entered Hillsdale
College at Hillsdale, Mich. After two
months in college he put aside his
books to take up arms in the defense
of his country at a time when the ser-
vice of every loyal son was needed, and
on November 15, 1863, was mustered
into the United States service as a pri-
vate in the fourth Michigan Infantry.
The army record of Oscar A. Janes
shows that he was in the forefront of
battle, taking part in numerous en-
gagements, annong which were the bat-
tles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania,
North Anna, Cold Harbor, Petersburg
and Jerusalem Plank Road, Virginia,
where on June 22, 1864, he received a
wound that caused him to lose his left
arm. -
After the loss of his arm Col. Janes
returned to Hillsdale and again entered
college, from which he was graduated
in 1868; he at once began the study of
the law and was admitted to practice
in 1871. He has since made Hillsdale
his home, in which city he has been
successfully devoted to his profession,
and often honored by his fellow citi-
zens with positions of public trust, in-
cluding that of city attorney, city
clerk, alderman, circuit court commis-
sioner, judge of probate and State Sen-
ator.
Col. Janes received the title of
colonel while serving on the staff of
Gov. Alger in 1885-6. He served the
Union Veterans' Union as its depart-
ment commander, was department
commander of the G. A. R. of Michi-
gan in 1883, and inspector general of
the national G. A. R. in 1887. Col. Janes
is a trustee and an auditor of the col-
lege from which he graduated, and has
held high offices in the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights
of Pythias.
HoN, EDGAR s, wagaR
Editiore
That the leg-
islative ser-
vices of Sena-
tor W. a g a r
a re appreci-
ated by his
C on stituents
is apparent in
the fact that
having been
twice nomi-
nated by ac-
clamation and
twice elected,
each time by
an increased
majority, to represent the first repre-
sentative district of Montcalm county
in the State Legislature, he is now,
with the largest vote ever polled in
Montcalm county for any candidate,
representing the eighteenth senatorial
district in the Senate of 1897-8.
Edgar S. Wagar was born in Con-
stantine, St. Joseph county, Michigan,
August 30, 1850. His early life, like
many of the foremost citizens of the
State and country, was subject to the
conditions of farm life. He received
his education in the common schools
and the high school of his native city.
When twenty-three years of age he
moved to Cedar Springs, Kent county,
where he was employed as a clerk in a
store. From clerk he went to the book-
keeper's desk, and continued in the oc-
cupation of keeping books until 1878,
when he removed to Edmore, Mont-
calm county, and there engaged in the
general hardware business on his own
account. In 1887 he sold out the hard-
ware business and, engaging in the
lumber business, still continues it with
profitable success. He is also the pro-
prietor of a very successful bank in
the city of Edmore.
In politics, Senator Wagar is a Re-
publican, and, as such, has held many
offices of public trust. In the Legisla-
ture, his course has been marked as
that of a painstaking legislator, giving
more attention to the character and
perfection of work in hand than to the
fact that it was due to the efforts of
any particular person. Fully alive to
the importance of the careful consid—
eration of proposed legislation in the
dispassionate calm of the committee
rooms, Senator Wagar earned the rep-
utation of a legislator not afraid of
the arduous work in committee.
HON. FRED M. WARNER
Farinitigton
T he twelfth
Senatorial dis-
trict of Mich-
ig a n, com-
posed of the
count i e s of
- Macomb and
O a kland, is
> -
represented in
the Senate of
1897 by the
youngest man
in that body,
Hon. Fred M.
Warner, of
Farmington.
Mr. Warner
was born in
England July
canne to the United
year,
21, 1865,
States in the fall of the same
locating at his present home in the
village of Farmington, Oakland county.
He attended the village schools, and
at the age of fifteen entered his
and
father's store, the business being
turned over to the son when he arrived
at the age of twenty-one. He has since
been largely engaged in mercantile
cheese manufacturing, and cold stor-
age business. In politics he is a Re-
publican, but always tolerant of the
Opinions of others. He has held the
offices of village trustee and village
president, and was elected to the State
Senate in 1895-6, in which he also had
the distinction of being the youngest
member. Mr. Warner has proven a
useful member of the Senate, and his
ability was recognized by his ap-
pointment to the following commit-
tees, on all of which he was a
valuable member: Elections, horticul-
ture, mechanical interests, State af-
fairs, public improvements, and finance
and appropriations, he being chairman
of the first three. Senator Warner was
active and chiefly instrumental in se-
curing the passage of a law establish-
ing a toll road commissioner, who has
authority to insist upon toll roads liv-
ing up to the terms of their charters,
or on failure to do so of declaring the
charter void and directing the opening
of such roads to free travel. He takes
great pride, very justly, in the fact
that at home where best known he
received a very large majority of all
the votes cast, and feels that it indi-
cates the confidence his own people re-
pose in him.
HON, MARDEN SABIN
Ceriterville
A more con-
scientious
m ember of
the Michigan
L e g islature
never sat in
the capitol at
Lansing than
ex – Senator
Marden Sa-
bin, of Cen-
terville, who
in the session
of 1891–2 rep-
resented the
count i e s of
R. a 1 a. m. azoo
and St. Joseph, and in that of 1893-4
represented St. Joseph, Branch and
Hillsdale. In the Senate of 1891 Senator
Sabin, although in the minority, gave
such close attention to the business of
the session as to win the esteem and
regard of the majority members, who,
with full confidence in his integrity,
gave his local bills as free passage as
that given to those of their own mem-
bers. A distinctive mark of his at-
tention to the duties for which he was
elected may be given in the fact that
on the day (Feb. 22, 1891) when the
resolution unseating Messrs. Horton
and Morse was adopted he was one of
only three Republican members pres-
ent, many of the others being in at-
tendance at the Republican State con-
vention at Jackson.
In the Senate of 1893-4, as a member
of the majority, Senator Sabin had the
entire confidence of his party leaders,
and as a member of the steering com-
mittee was entrusted with the care of
the more innportant bills and party
measures. It was to his assiduous at-
tention and manipulation that notwith-
standing the most strenuous opposi-
tion the bills providing for a return
from the system of central boards of
control for the institutions of the State
(inaugurated by the IJemocrats in the
previous session) to that of the present
plan of a board for each institution,
were passed. In that session he also
championed a return to the safer test
of illuminating oils which the State
now exacts. The law for the preven-
tion of the introduction of cholera and
other dangerous communicable dis-
eases, the bill for the incorporation of
baptist churches and conventions, sev-
eral bills introduced by the State
Board of Health, the appropriations
for the asylums for the insane, and it
may be added that it was due to the
persistent energy of Senator Sabin that
the dominant party were enabled to
muster the twenty-two votes necessary
to give party measures immediate ef-
fect.
Marden Sabin was born at Orland,
Indiana, January 2, 1840. After several
winters spent in the Orland seminary
he in 1859 entered the literary depart-
ment of the Michigan University. Au-
gust 15, 1862, while at home on a sum-
mer vacation, he enlisted as a private
in Company B, 100th Indiana Infantry,
and while serving under Grant at
Vicksburg, Mission IRidge and Knox-
ville, Tenn., he was advanced through
the different grades from private to
captain, and commanded his company
at Atlanta, and under Sherman in his
famous march to the sea.
Captain Sabin was mustered out of
service in June, 1865, and again entered
college, taking a medical course at Ann
Arbor and at Cleveland, graduating
from the latter February 27, 1867, and
immediately located at Centerville,






38
R E PU B L I C A N
T B E S T A TE
Branch county, where he has since re-
sided and practiced medicine.
Doctor Sabin takes a great interest
in educational matters, and was for
twenty years chairman of the school
board, and also served several terms as
president of the village of Centerville.
ALLEN N. ARMSTRONG
Cassopolis
In the organiza-
tion of the Sen-
ate of 1897-8 one
of the stalwart
young republi-
cans of western
Michigan, Mr.
Allen N. Arm-
st r on g, w a s
elected sergeant-
at-arms of that
body, winning
the honor out of
a field of popular
candidates which
included the sergeant-at-arms of the
previous session and an ex-senator. As
clerk of the Senate finance committee
of 1895, Mr. Armstrong proved his fit-
ness for the position and at that time
formed the acquaintance of many of
the influential Republicans of the State,
who, recognizing his executive ability,
recommended him for the arduous du-
ties of a sergeant-at-arms in the ses-
Sion of '97.
Allen N. Armstrong was born in Red-
ford township, Wayne county, Mich.,
November 2, 1858. His education was
received in the public schools, the State
Normal School, where he spent two
years, after which he finished a busi-
ness course at Goldsmith, Bryant and
Stratton's University in Detroit, where
he fitted himself for his present voca-
tion, that of bookkeeping.
Mr. Armstrong is now secretary of
the Republican committee of Cass
county, has twice served as alderman
of the city of Cassopolis, and is a fa-
vored candidate for postmaster of that
city.
Of a sanguine temperament and an
energetic nature, Mr. Armstrong pur-
sues the affairs of life with a vigor that
makes his presence felt wherever he
directs his attention, and it is predict-
ed that he is one of the coming men in
the politics of this State.
STATE AND DEPARTMENT
OFFICIALS
HENRY B. BAKER, A. M., M. D.
Secretary State Board of Health, Larising
Born at Brat-
tleboro, Ver-
mont, Decem-
ber 29, 1837,
Doctor Henry
B. Baker is the
Son of Ezra
and Deborah
(Bigelow) Ba-
ker. His fath-
er dying when
Henry was but
three years of
age, he in 1849
came with his
stepfather and family to Bunker Hill,
Michigan, and with them removed, in
the year following, to Mason, the coun-
ty seat of Ingham county.
At the age of 14 years he left home in
the quest of self-support, and the
means of supplementing with the high-
er branches the education begun in his
native state, and continued in the pub-
lic schools of Massachusetts and Mich-
igan.
In 1861 he began the study of medi-
cine and a course of reading, with Dr.
I. H. Bartholomew, of Lansing, sup-
plemented by medical lectures and the
study of chemistry in the University of
Michigan. In the summer of 1862,
Henry B. Baker, who had hitherto
made great sacrifices in the pursuit of
an education, dropped his books, and
taking up the musket in defense of his
country, was enrolled as a member of
Company A in the 20th Michigan In-
fantry. His study of medicine made of
him too valuable a man for the ranks,
and he was soon assigned to duty as
hospital steward, and afterwards pro-
moted to be assistant surgeon in charge
of the regiment. In every battle in
which this regiment took part Dr.
Baker was present to administer to the
needs of the sick or wounded. The
nine months following the close of the
war Dr. Baker spent in Bellevue Hos-
pital Medical College, New York, from
which he was graduated in the spring
of 1866. After four years given to the
practice of his profession he, accepted
a positon in the office of the secretary
of state, as compiler of vital statistics,
where he was installed as a committee
representing the state medical society,
and also as a representative of the
faculty of the University of Michigan.
On the organization of the State
Board of Health, under Act. No. 81,
Laws of 1873, Dr. Baker was elected
secretary of the board, and its execu-
tive officer, a position he still holds to
the great satisfaction of the medical
profession and the better health of the
the State.
The work of Dr. Henry B. Baker is
already too well known to admit of a
detailed presentation at this time, but
it may not be so generally understood
that in addition to this work he keeps
up his association with the Lansing
Medical Society and with the State
Medical Association, the American
Medical Association, the American
Clintological Association, the American
Public Health Association, and the Na-
tional Conference of State Boards of
Health, which he was instrumental in
forming. Whatever spare time he may
find from the performance of his official
duties Dr. Baker gives to scientific re-
search and the presentation of well-
prepared papers on health conditions,
such as the “Climatic causation of con-
sumption,” “Causation of cold weather
diseases,” “Relations of certain mete-
orological conditions to diseases of the
lung and air passages,” and numerous
other treatises of a like nature which
are well received in the world of scien-
tific investigation.
HON, WASHINGTON GARDNER
Secretary of State, Albion
T h e H o n.
Washing to n
Gardner h a s
the distinction
of being once
appointed and
twice elected to
the office of
Secret a ry of
State for Mich-
igan. Born in
Morrow county,
Ohio, in Febru-
alry, 1845, and
receiving his
early education
in the public
schools of that
state until 1861, when, putting away
his books, he entered the school of the
soldier by enlisting as a private in Co.
D, 65th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, tak-
ing part in every campaign, skirmish
and battle in which that regiment was
engaged from the time of its muster
until May 1, 1864, when he was badly
wounded during the engagement at
Resaca, Georgia.
It is the lives of such men as Wash-
ington Gardner that embellish the
pages of American history with story
and example of the possibilities under
a Republican form of government for
those who pursue life with a laudable
purpose.
What greater incentive to patriotism
and ambitious endeavor can the youth
of a country have than to look upon
the picture of this soldier boy leaving
school at the age of sixteen, giving
the following three years in the bat-
tles of his country, where he was
wounded in action, and after return-
ing to civil life to become a useful
and honored member of society, in
which the lad who in the ranks of the
common soldier carried the musket is
now found a learned, polished gentle-
man; a professor in college halls; in
the cause of Christianity and sound
principles of government an earnest
advocate and eloquent orator; and in
political life the idol of his party.
Mr. Gardner was twice chosen a
member of the triennial international,
and once of the world’s Sunday school
convention. He has been regent of the
grand council of the Royal Arcanum,
and for several years chaplain of the
Supreme body in that order. Within
the camp of the Grand Army of the
Republic, Comrade Gardner is saluted
and welcomed with fraternal greetings
and has once served as department
commander of Michigan. He has for
several years been a professor ira and
lecturer for Albion College. In politics
he is an ardent Republican, and in the
support of its principles his eloquence
and personal character are powerful
factors in the progress of each cam-
paign.
In March, 1894, Washington Gardner
was, by Gov. John T. Rich, appointed
Secretary of State, and, by election,
has twice succeeded to that office.
HON, JOSEPH. W. SELDEN
Latising
There is prob-
ably no of-
ficial position
in Michigan
in which ex-
ecutive ability
is so valuable
to the State
as it is in the
office of the
Secretary of
State. One of
st r on gest
commendal-
tions of a
man to be
trusted with public affairs is to say
that he has a faculty of drawing to
him men of ability fitted for the posi-
tions they are to fill. When Hon.
Washington Gardner appointed J. W.
Selden deputy secretary of state he
had in mind the needs of the depart-
ment for a man with experience in of-
ficial life and in the directing of of
ficial business. That the appointment
then made was a wise one is borne out
through the conduct of the office since
that time, and the fact that the incum-
bent has been twice reappointed.
Joseph W. Selden, the present deputy
secretary of state, was born June 26,
1858, in the city of Detroit, and is the
eldest son of Joseph and Laura (Bris-
coe) Selden. He received a common
school education and graduated from
Vassar high school in 1874. In 1880 he
founded the Huron Times, and con-
tinued in the publication of that paper
at Sand Beach, Mich., for ten years.
He was employed in the United
States revenue service, both as deputy
collector and revenue agent, during the
whole presidential term of Benjamin
Harrison, resigning in May, 1893, to as-
sume the duties of deputy labor com-
missioner under Col. Chas. H. Morse,
who was appointed commissioner about
that time.
In March, 1894, after removing John
W. Jochim, Governor Rich appointed
Washington Gardner Secretary of
State, upon which Mr. Gardner made
Mr. Selden his deputy, reappointing
him in 1895, and again in 1897. Mr.
Selden married Elizabeth Wixson, of
Lexington, in 1880. They have four
living children, two sons and two
daughters.
HON. Joseph L. COX
Labor Commissioner, Battle Creek
-- Hon. Joseph
º * L. Cox was
- º born in Ox-
for d, Henry
county, Illi-
no is, March
24, 1858, but
Spent his boy-
h o O d a n d
youthful days
at Lafayette,
Indiana, as a
newsboy and
printer. The
late Hon. San-
ford C. Cox,
the well known pioneer lawyer and his-
torian of the Wabash valley, was his
father. His widowed mother, Charity
E. Cox, an active, scholarly lady, now
resides at Galesburg, Illinois. These
parents encouraged their five sons and
one daughter in the art of printing, in
various branches of which they have
all been engaged for years.
The Cox brothers founded the Daily
and Weekly Bee in 1872, and successful-
ly managed the same for many years.
J. L. Cox was afterwards connected
with the Daily Journal for five years
in various capacities, giving up the city
editorship in 1883 when he founded the
Daily Call, a successful and well-
known Hoosier publication.
At a very early age Mr. Cox develop-
ed wonderful ability as an inventive
genius and brought out several web
perfecting presses in the early 70's,
which were the first steps that led
to the final development of his
now famous and rapid Duplex type
perfecting printing presses, that
have gone into general use through-
out the country, and which are
today without a peer, though thou-
sands of dollars have been expended
in vain to equal these machines.
Mr. Cox removed to Battle Creek,
Michigan, in 1884, and entered the em-
ploy of the Duplex Printing Press com-
pany as their expert mechanic and in-
ventor, with whom he has ever since
been connected. He was elected the
Republican mayor of the city of Battle
Creek for the mayoralty term of 1892
and 1893, during which time he render-
ed valuable services for his city in
many ways, one of the crowning acts
of his administration being the set-
tlement of the long disputed and
litigated Minges brook difficulties and
the re-establishing of the Goguac
lake resort and city water works
supply, which proved a masterly
effort in view of the many difficulties
to be surmounted.
Over a hundred American and for-
eign patents upon valuable machinery
for the printer have been taken out by
Mr. Cox since 1879. Aside from his
arduous duties as a skilled mechanic,
Mr. Cox has obtained meritorious
praise for numerous political ventures
as a Republican worker and organizer,
and in the past two years has made
hundreds of warm personal friends and
acquaintances throughout the State.
During the past campaign he did un-
tiring service in behalf of the nomina-
tion and election of Governor Pingree,
and was sent as chairman of Calhoun
county’s solid delegation to the State
convention with sixteen instructed
votes for Mr. Pingree as a reward for
his labors. During the campaign he
made sixty speeches in fifty-seven con-
secutive days (Sundays excepted) un-
der the direction of the State central
committee. During the early part of
the present administration he served
temporarily for two months as chief
clerk for Railroad Commissioner Wes-
selius. As a matter of recognition of
his true ability and services, Governor
Pingree commissioned Mr. Cox as State
Labor Commissioner on April 28, and
the unanimous confirmation by the
Senate, under a suspension of the rules,
was a compliment that he most sin-
cerely appreciated.
HON. The RON F. Giddings
Commissioner of Iristºratice, Kalamazoo
Hon. Theron F.
Giddings, Com-
missioner of
Insurance from
July 1st, 1893,
to July 1st, 1897,
by appointment
of Gov. John T.
Rich was born
in Ralamazoo
county, Michi-
gan, December
25th, 1843, and
has ever since
been a resident
of his native
State, except during a three years' so-
journ in Kansas. Since attaining his
majority Mr. Giddings has been promi-
nent in the Republican politics of his
county and State, and though not a
voter in 1864, he took an active part in
the campaign which resulted in the
second election of President Lincoln.
During the closing years of the war he
was attached to the Quartermaster
General’s department, and thus identi-
fied with the concluding scenes of the
great struggle. Upon returning home
he established a fire insurance agency
in Kalamazoo, and afterwards engaged
in the saddlery and trunk manufac-
turing business, and prior to his elec-
tion for county clerk of Ralamazoo
county he was regarded as one of the
leading young business men of his
town. For twelve years he performed
the duties of his office in a most ac-
ceptable manner, and voluntarily re-
tired at the close of the term, having
in the meantime studied law and been
admitted to the bar. In the fall of 1890
Mr. Giddings became the Republican
nominee for Auditor General of the
State. In spite of his strength as a
candidate he was carried down by the
disaster which overwhelmed the Re-
publican ticket in that election.
When the First National Bank of
Marshall was wrecked by injudicious
speculation in 1891, Mr. Giddings was
appointed receiver by the Controller
of the Currency. His management of
the affairs of the defunct institution
was a marvel. Notwithstanding the
hard times which followed inmediate-
ly after his assuming control of the
affairs of the bank, he so managed
the remaining assets as to pay deposit-
ors in full, together with interest on
their claims.
In 1893 Governor Rich, without solici-
tation on the part of Mr. Giddings, of-
fered him the position of Commissioner
of Insurance. The duties of this office
were particularly congenial, and Mr.
Giddings accepted. For four years his
department has been managed in a
manner highly satisfactory to the
State and gratifying to Mr. Giddings’







L E G IS LA T L V E S O U V E NIR
39
friends. His wide experience and
technical knowledge of the insurance
business have made him a model com-
missioner.
Mr. Giddings resides in the old fam-
ily homestead in one of the most de-
lightful quarters of the beautiful city
of Kalamazoo. Only those who know
him intimately can appreciate the per-
fection of his home life. He was mar-
ried in 1869 to Miss Julia d’Arcambal.
One daughter, Bessie, the result of
this marriage, resides with her par
rents. His father, ex-Quartermaster
General O. N. Giddings, lives with his
son, and at the advanced age of
eighty-three years is in perfect health
and full possession of his faculties.
Mr. Giddings' relations with leading
Michigan Republicans in recent years
have been of the closest and most con-
fidential nature. He was a warm per-
sonal friend of the late Senator Stock-
bridge, and enjoys the same relation
with Senator Burrows, his successor.
For five terms of two years each Mr.
Giddings has been a member of the
Republican State central committee.
HON. HENRY W. WALKER
Latising
Hon. Henry W.
Walker, deputy
C 0 m. missioner
of insurance of
Michigan, was
born in War-
saw, Wyoming
county, New
York. When
but a child he
moved with his
p a rents to
Rochester, N.
Y., where they
remained until
1855, when they
moved to Michigan, which has since
been his home. Mr. Walker received
his early education in the public
schools of Rochester, N. Y., and later
supplemented his common school work
with a course in the preparatory de-
partment of the University of Roches-
ter.
His father was engaged in the mer-
cantile business in Rochester, and
after coming to Michigan continued
this line of business, with which Mr.
Walker became familiar, and himself
engaged in and followed mercantile life
for several years. In 1860 he moved
to the city of Lansing, where he has
since resided. He was engaged in the
local insurance business for several
years, during which time he was State
agent of the Lancashire Fire Insur-
ance Company, of Manchester, Eng.,
and also special agent of the Home
Fire Insurance Company of New York
city. In this business he received that
special training which so admirably
fitted him for the important duties he
was later to assume in the insurance
department of the State. In politics,
Mr. Walker has always been a Repub-
lican of a pronounced type, doing what
he could to promote the welfare of
State and county through the instru-
mentality of that party. In 1872 he
was appointed chief clerk of the State
insurance department, in which he has
served under every Republican admin-
istration since. He was appointed
deputy commissioner by Insurance
Commissioner Giddings, in which posi-
tion he is now engaged. Mr. Walker's
earlier experience in matters pertain-
ing to insurance makes his services of
real value to the State in the depart-
ment to which he so ably and faith-
fully devotes his whole time and en-
ergies, and in which he is enabled to
aid in protecting the interests of the
people in the important matters con-
nected with that department.
HON. JABEZ. B. CASWELL
Bay City
One of the great
industries of
Michigan con-
sists in the
manufacture of
Salt from salt
wells operated
chiefly in con-
nection with the
lumber mills of
the State, whose
refuse slabs,
edgings and
sawdust are
consumed in
generating the steam that pumps the
brine and heats the pipes that by evap-
oration reduces the solution of brine
to salt crystals. Michigan, ever care-
ful of her industrial interests, places
this industry under the watchful care
and supervision of a state salt inspect-
or, who makes report of the manner in
which it is operated each year. The
man now serving as State salt inspect-
or, Hon. Jabez B. Caswell, was selected
because of his previous connection with
its manufacture and expert knowledge
of the article he would be called upon
to inspect.
Jabez B. Caswell was born in Her-
kinner, Herkimer county, N. Y., Decem-
ber 10, 1858, and is now in the active
prime of life. From the time he was
four years of age until twenty-one he
lived in Rome, New York, and was
educated in the public schools of that
city. In the spring of 1880 he moved to
St. Louis, Mo., where for two years he
was employed as express messenger
on the various southwestern roads out
of that city. In 1882 he moved to Bay
City, Mich., where he has since resided,
employed in various enterprises, but
never too busy to have time to devote
to the Republican party, with which he
has always been identified and a con-
spicuous worker. He has been a mem-
ber of the Republican city, county and
congressional committees for several
years, and always a worker on each.
He has held several local offices, and
has recently been appointed State salt
inspector, which position he will no
doubt fill with the same efficiency that
has characterized all his former Work.
HON. ROSCOE D. Dix
Auditor General, Berrieti Spritigs
Few nnen in
Michigan are
better or more
favorably known
in the State
than Hon. Ros-
coe D. Dix, the
present head of
the most impor-
tant department
of the State gov-
ernment, that of
the Auditor Gen-
eral’s office. His
life is one full of
encouragement for every struggling
boy, from the time his patriotic im-
pulses in April, 1861, led him to decline
a commission in an Illinois regiment
for the sake of serving in the ranks
with comrades in his own State, to the
present time, when he has so recently
been honored by his election to the po-
sition of Auditor General of Michigan.
Auditor General Dix was born June 11,
1839, in Jefferson county, N. Y., and
moved to Berrien county, Mich., in
April, 1852, where he has since lived.
Until he was seventeen years old, he
lived on a farm, taught the district
school and later attended Albion Col-
lege. April 26, 1861, before the echoes of
the first gun fired on Sumpter had died
away, he enlisted at Kalamazoo in
Company K, 2d Michigan Infantry,
and was with his company in every en-
gagement in which it participated until
November 24, 1863. He was so severely
wounded at Rnoxville as to be perma-
nently disabled, and was discharged
May 25, 1864. He served in all non-
commissioned offices of his company
and had made so honorable a record
for bravery and soldierly qualities that
he would have been promoted to high
rank but for his serious injuries. In
politics Mr. Dix is a Republican,
and while tolerant of others’ opin-
ions has insisted upon his right to
enjoy his own. In 1864 he was elected
register of deeds of Berrien county,
and re-elected in 1866–1868, and in 1874.
In 1869 he engaged in the abstract and
real estate business and has since been
connected with the firm of Dix & Wil-
kinson in that business, at Berrien
Springs and St. Joseph. He is a mem-
ber of the Berrien county bar, was a
member of the school board of Berrien
Springs twelve years, village trustee
eight, and village president two terms.
Mr. Dix was elected Commissioner of
the State Land Office in 1886, and re-
elected in 1888, and gave the same
painstaking care to that as he had done
in all other positions. He was elected
Auditor General in 1896, and has al-
ready got that most important office
in the most efficient condition. Gen-
eral Dix is very popular in Grand
Army circles, in which he has
served as inspector general of the
Department of Michigan, delegate
to the National Encampment, judge
advocate general and is now the
Michigan representative on the nation-
all council of administration of the G.
A. R. and a member of its executive
council. That Auditor General Dix is
something of a financier as well as a
soldier will be best illustrated in the
Statement that at the time he as-
sumed the duties of Auditor Gen-
eral the State treasury was short
$21,993. His predecessor advised him
to immediately make a loan of
$200,000, to meet the immediate de-
mands on the treasurer for vouchers in
support of State institutions and other
purposes. Instead of creating an ex-
pense and humiliating the State by con-
tracting a loan he wrote every county
treasurer in the State stating the finan-
cial condition and asking each to for-
ward the State treasurer all moneys
held by them as State money. This re-
quest was promptly complied with, and
March 31, 1897, there was on hand after
paying the above deficiency $538,225.
About May 15, there was paid the pri-
mary school fund $376,000, and on
June 30, the end of the fiscal year, six
months after General Dix took charge
of the auditor's office, there was in the
treasury of the State $783,888, with
every voucher due up to that date
paid, without borrowing a cent.
COL, FREDERICK SCHNEIDER
Larising
There are few
men in Mich-
igan having a
more intimate
a c q u aintance
with the men
who are active
and forceful in
the political,
military a n d
business life of
Michigan, than
has C o 1 on el
F r e d e r i C k
Schneider, of
Lansing. His
education, cul-
tured tastes and career in life make
of him a man whose acquaint-
ance and friendship are worth seeking,
and when once obtained to be forever
cherished.
Colonel Frederick Schneider is a na-
tive of Michigan, and was born in the
village of Saline, Washtenaw county,
November 24, 1840, and is a son of
Peter and Mary (Ruehle) Schneider,
who, with their parents and the mem-
bers of five other German families, set-
tled in Detroit in 1832.
Three years after Frederick was born
his parents removed with him to De-
troit, where after receiving a common
school education, followed by academic
instruction, he was graduated from the
business university of Bryant & Strat-
ton, and received a military training
in the Detroit Scott Guards, a com-
pany organized by his uncle, J. V.
Ruehle, who later took part in the
Mexican war as a major in the First
Michigan Infantry, and during the war
of the rebellion was lieut. colonel of the
Sixteenth Michigan Infantry.
April 15, 1861, the day on which Presi-
dent Lincoln issued his first call for
troops with which to put down the re-
bellion, Frederick Schneider, at that
time engaged as a shipping clerk in the
city of Chicago, volunteered for enlist-
ment. But when on the next day a
telegram from the secretary of the De-
troit Scott Guards informed him that
the company had enlisted to a man,
and that a place had been saved for
him, Frederick Schneider canceled his
tender of services made the previous
day, and boarding the first train for
Detroit, he there re-enlisted in the
Scott Guards and was soon after ap-
pointed to duty as company clerk. This
company was given first place in the
Second Michigan Infantry; the first to
leave the State sworn for three years'
service.
The army record of Colonel Schnei-
der is a most creditable one. Enlist-
ing as a private, he rose through the
many gradations of rank until he stood
the colonel in command of the regi-
ment in which he at first enlisted. He
was twice wounded in battle; once seri-
ously hurt on a march; three times
made prisoner, thrice escaped, but was
the last time recaptured and held as a
prisoner of war at Petersburg, Libby
prison, Salisbury stockade, and at the
prison in Danville. He was finally ex-
changed and allowed to join his regi-
ment on the 22d of February, 1865.
After the surrender at Appomattox,
the Second Michigan Infantry, Col.
Frederick Schneider in command, was
ordered on provost duty at Washing-
ton, D. C., where it remained until
mustered out of service on July 28, 1865.
Returning to Detroit in August,
where the regiment was finally dis-
banded, Colonel Frederick Schneider
was on August 22, 1865, married to Miss
Lizzie Strengson, daughter of Christian
Strengson, of Detroit.
On February 1, 1866, Col. Schneider
accepted a position as a clerk in the
office of the Auditor General of Mich-
igan. The following year he was pro-
moted to be chief of the abstract de-
partment, an office he held continuous-
ly until the Democratic party being
about to come into control of the State
government on January 1, 1891, he ten-
dered his resignation, to take effect on
the 31st day of December, 1890. He
then started in business for himself in
real estate, insurance and foreign col-
lections, which he carried on success-
fully until recently, when Gen. Roscoe
D. Dix, his old comrade in arms, was
elected Auditor General of Michigan,
who tendered him the position of his
private secretary, which confidential
position he accepted, and selling out
his business, again entered the State
service in the Auditor General's office,
with the great mass of intricate busi-
ness details of which office he had so
long been familiar.
HON, ELLIOT O. GROSVENOR
Motiroe
Among the younger men in the Re-
publican party, whose republicanism is
abreast of the advanced principles of
that party, may be counted the present
Dairy and Food Commissioner, Elliot
O. Grosvenor, of Monroe, who will be
found possessed of the will power and
executive ability to bring this depart-
ment of the State up to the point of
efficiency it was expected to acquire
under the law creating that branch of
the State service.
Elliot O. Grosvenor is the son of one
of the ablest lawyers in southern Mich-
igan, and was born October 26, 1863.
His primary education was received in
the graded schools of his native city,
from which he entered the military
academy at Orchard Lake, Michigan.
After graduating from the military
academy in 1881, he entered the literary
department of the University of Mich-
igan, at Ann Arbor, where he was grad-
uated in the class of 1885. While pur-
suing his studies in the classics he
found time to attend some of the lee-
tures given before the law class, and
after graduation spent a year in the
study of law in the oſtice of his father,
from which he was admitted to the bar
in 1886.
Preferring the life of a farmer to
practicing before the courts, Mr. Gros-
venor has, since 1887, given his entire
time to the management of his dairy
farm, in the conduct of which he has
been very successful. This farm being
but one mile distant from the city of
Monroe, enables him to not only lead
the life of a Cincinnatus, but to also
keep in close touch with the every-day
events and affairs of the World.
Mr. Grosvenor's dairy interests and
the competition which dairy products
meet with in the open market when
put on sale by the side of spurious and
adulterated articles prepared him for
taking hold of the office he now holds
with a vigor that will be sure to count
in the enforcement of the laws relative
to adulterated and spurious goods.
HON, FRED H. BORRADAILE
Latising
In the beauti-
ful village of
Sodus, N. Y.,
on the first day
of July, 1857,
W as b or n of
American par-
ent a ge. Fred
Hathaway Bor-
r a da i lie, the
present St a te
a n a lyst and
chemist for the
Michigan Dairy
and Food Com-
mission.
From New York in 1867 he moved
with his parents to Canada, and set-
tled at Belleville. In Canada his early
school days were spent in laying a
foundation for an education which has
placed him amongst the promising sci-
entists of the country. His first col-
lege course was at the old Upper Can-
ada college at Toronto, entering there
in 1872, and receiving the thorough
and effective training characteristic of
that college.
At the end of three years he went to
Belleville and entered the Albert Uni-
versity college, taking up special work
in the natural sciences, and where he
became, through four years of ardent
studying and careful field and labor-
atory work, a recognized expert in
paleontology, mineralogy and chemis-





40
T H E S T A T E R E PUB I, IC AN
try. In 1879 Mr. Borradaile entered the
Michigan University law school, from
which he graduated in 1881. From Ann
Arbor he drifted west, and opened up
mining and assaying in Socorro, New
Mexico. At the end of eighteen months
he removed to El Paso, Texas, and en-
tered the drug business, doing a thriv-
ing trade for four years following. His
next move was into old Mexico, to the
city of Juarez, where he started an-
other drug store, continuing the trade
for three years, and occasionally doing
analytical work for the custom house
authorities.
In 1889 he returned to Ann Arbor and
entered the University school of phar-
macy, taking special analytical work
for nearly two years. In 1891 he pur-
chased a drug stock in the city of De-
troit, and continued the business until
1893, when he sold out, and the same
year was appointed sanitary expert
and chemist for the Detroit board of
health. Here he won the confidence
and recognition which led to his ap-
pointment to the present office.
Mr. Borra daile is a member of the
American Public Health Association,
the Murchison club of Canada, and the
Michigan State Pharmaceutical Asso-
ciation.
HON. Theodore C. SHERWOOD
Detroit
A m on g the
b a n ke r s of
Michigan, there
are none who,
through a long
series of years
in positions of
trust and re-
s p on si b ility
have acquired
a more envi-
able reputation
for honest and
h on or a b le
financiering than he who, for nearly
eight years, was Banking Commis-
sioner of Michigan, and who, in 1896,
resigned that position to become presi-
dent of the Peninsular Bank of De-
troit.
Mr. Sherwood was born in Geneva,
N. Y., January 31, 1839, and attended
the common schools of that state.
Coming to Michigan in 1855 with his
parents, who settled at Ypsilanti, he
entered the Ypsilanti Seminary, grad-
uating in 1859. After teaching school
three years, Supt. C. H. Hurd prof-
fered him the position of cashier in
the office of the Michigan Central rail-
road at Kalamazoo, Mich. This he ac-
cepted and held for one year, resign-
ing to become the bookkeeper of the
First National Bank of Battle Creek,
remaining with that bank until 1872,
when he was made cashier of the Ply-
mouth Bank in the village in which
he now resides. Holding this position
until 1881, when, as one of the organ-
izers of the Grand Rapids National
Bank, he was elected as its cashier.
In 1884 ill health compelled him to
tender his resignation and to return
to his home at Plymouth. After a
year's rest he assisted in the organi-
zation of the Plymouth National Bank,
and was elected its president, acting
as such until 1889, when he was ap-
pointed Commissioner of Banking by
Gov. Luce, a position he held under
three different Governors, elected by
two distinct political parties. At the
earnest solicitation of those interested
in the welfare of the Peninsular Sav-
ings Bank, Detroit, Mr. Sherwood re-
signed the office of Commissioner of
Banking to accept the presidency of
this bank, entering upon his duties as
such on November 2, 1896.
The sterling character and honor-
able reputation of Mr. Sherwood as an
able financier made his services of un-
told value, as Commissioner of Bank-
ing, to the people of Michigan during
the panic of '93, a period when the
most conservative bankers of Detroit
gave up hopes as to the final outcome,
but the visits of the commissioner to
the banks and bankers of Detroit re-
vived their spirit and caused them to
put forth unusual energy in the main-
tenance of bank values and credits.
His calls at the clearing house, where
he met the representative bankers of
the city, are memorable for the re-
newed confidence aroused by his wise
counsels and words of encouragement.
It was to his thorough personal knowl-
edge of the upright and honorable
characters in the directory and official
staff of Detroit banks, and bankers that
he was enabled to give such latitude
in the conduct of bank affairs as to
allow bank officials to care for the in-
terests intrusted to them in a manner
that averted the financial disaster
that at one time was apprehended in
the financial affairs of the city and
State.
Mr. Sherwood's talents and culture
as a writer and platform speaker are
in continuous requisition on this all-
absorbing question of finance and
banking.
In private life, Mr. Sherwood has
endeared himself to a host of people
through his kindly and considerate
nature and his unswerving loyalty to
his friends; generous to a fault, his
beneficences are as numerous as the
days of his life.
GEN. D. B. A.INGER
Lafisitig
There is no more important office in
the State of Michigan than that of
Banking Commissioner, within whose
care comes the banks of the State, with
total resources of nearly $100,000,000. It
is an office which calls for unswerving
fidelity, a thorough understanding of
systems of finance, a strong will power
and an honorable reputation that will
inspire confidence in the official acts of
the commissioner.
In the appointment of Gen. D. B.
Ainger as Banking Commissioner Gov-
ernor Rich exercised a care for the in-
terests of the people in the banks of
the State, and a discrimination in the
selection of a commissioner, that re-
flects credit upon him as an executive
officer.
In his capacity of National Bank Ex-
aminer, to which he was appointed by
Comptroller Edward S. Lacey, during
the administration of President Harri-
son, Gen. Ainger acquired a thorough
knowledge of finance and an experi-
ence in the examination of banks that
well qualified him for the position of
Banking Commissioner of Michigan,
and had he not been again called to the
broader field of usefulness as a Nation-
al Bank Examiner, the State would
have profited and her banking system
become more perfect under his wise di-
rection. As National Bank Examiner he
examined many hundreds of banks in
Ohio, Tennessee, Kansas, Oklahoma,
Indian Territory, Maryland, and Mich-
igan, in a manner so highly satisfac-
tory to the Treasury Department as to
make a call for his services desirable
immediately on the return of the Re-
publican party to control of the gov-
ernment. And it is claimed for him
that his reports were not only particu-
larly accurate, but that no bank, which
he examined, failed afterwards without
his reports having given warning of
their unsafe condition.
Gen. Ainger is a native of Ohio, and
was born at Bellevue, March 9, 1844.
He has in several instances rendered
honorable services to his native state,
his adopted state of Michigan, and to
the government of the United States.
He had not yet attained his majority
when the war of the rebellion broke
out but he enlisted as a private in the
Twenty-third Ohio Infantry, a regi-
ment in which he had as comrades in
arms Rutherford B. Hayes and William
McKinley, both of whom have since
been deemed worthy of promotion to
be presidents of the United States.
After the war he became a news-
paper publisher, and for a number of
years published newspapers in Ohio
and Michigan. Under the administra-
tion of President Hayes he was post-
master of Washington, D. C., and con-
tinued in the position under President
Garfield. As already stated, he was
appointed National Bank Examiner
during the administration of President
Harrison. From 1887 to 1891 he was
adjutant general of Michigan, by ap-
pointment of Gov. Luce, and for the
past four years he has been deputy
auditor general of the State.
HON, JOSIAH. E. JUST
Commission or of Batiking, Ionia
One of the
most responsi-
ble positions of
trust in the
State of Michi-
gan is that of
Commissioner
of Banking.
Upon his abil-
ity and fidelity
in executing
the trust im-
posed upon him
depends, in a
very marked
degree, the suc-
cess and safe
conduct of the
banking business of the State. In the
selection of the present incumbent of
that office, Governor Pingree has
shown a keen appreciation of the char-
acter of man in whom the responsibil-
ities of a banking commissioner should
rest.
Born in Ionia county, December 20,
1847, and educated in the public schools
of that county and the union school of
Ionia, of which city he is still a resi-
dent, Josiah E. Just comes to the office
of Banking Commissioner thoroughly
equipped for the duties he will be
called upon to perform. For the past
twenty-eight years his business has
been that of a banker. He was for
twelve years associated with Samuel
W. Weber of Muir and Lyons, as cash-
ier of the S. W. Weber & Company
bank, as cashier of the First National
bank of Lyons, Mich., and as cashier of
the First National bank of Muir, Mich.
In 1886 he organized the Ionia County
Savings bank at Ionia, with a capital
stock of thirty thousand dollars, and
was at that time made its cashier, and
increasing the capital to one hundred
thousand dollars retained this position
until he resigned to accept the office of
commissioner of banking to which he
was appointed on April 1, 1897, for the
term of four years.
Mr. Just was for two successive
terms elected treasurer of Ionia county,
and has an experience in the handling
of finance and in banking that few
men of his years possess; and it may
be added that the fifteen years he
spent in association with the Weber
brothers is not the least valuable of his
experience in the handling of finance.
HON, EUGENE A. SUNDERLIN
Larising
It of ten
h a pºp ens
th a t t he
real work
of an in-
stitution or
public of -
fice is per-
formed by
one who,
occupying a
subordinate
p o sit ion,
does not re-
ceive the
cred it or
b e c o m e
publicly known as the genius who
really performs the functions of direc-
tion and management. Since the office
of Banking Commissioner was first
established, Eugene A. Sunderlin has
held the position of deputy banking
commissioner, and it is an open secret
that to him belongs no small share of
the credit of the perfection to which
this department of the State’s affairs
has been brought. In banking circles
Mr. Sunderlin is known as a man pos-
sessed of a large fund of information
on the banking business of this State
and on the finances of the country, and
as one who freely gives to the duties
of the office somewhat more than is
presumed to be the obligation of the
office of deputy, giving as much study
and care to the duties of the office and
its purposes as though receiving the
honors and emoluments that go to the
head of the department.
Eugene A. Sunderlin was born in
Dundee, New York, in 1848, came to
Ionia, Michigan, in 1855, and was edu-
cated in the public schools of that
county, and afterwards attended Olivet
College from 1864 to 1867. He was
assistant clerk of the House of Repre-
sentatives in 1869, and in the same year
was appointed bookkeeper of the
Lowell National Bank, advanced to
assistant cashier in 1872, and to cash-
ier in 1874.
In 1889 Mr. Sunderlin was appointed
deputy banking commissioner for
Michigan, and each term of his office
has been since endorsed by reappoint-
ment, first in 1893 and again in 1897.
A singular coincidence in the office
of the Banking Commissioner at this
times lies in the fact that on the entry
of Mr. Sunderlin into banking as book-
keeper of the Lowell National Bank,
it was to succeed Mr. J. E. Just, who
now, after a lapse of twenty-eight
years, comes into the office as head of
the department where Mr. Sunderlin
has been so many years an efficient
and faithful deputy.
HON. TheoDORE. M. JOSLIN
Adriati
This souvenir
contains a num-
ber of sketches
of men who, be-
ginning in early
life, have, un-
aided by other
than their own
will and energy,
ca, r ved for
the m selves
fame and for-
tune. It is now
a pleasure to
note a man who
- - is at the pres–
ent moment engaged in building for
himself a name that the future will not
only be proud of, but who in the prime
of early manhood has so steered his
course that his sails are now filled
with the winds of success.
At the bar of Lenawee county, Theo-
dore M. Joslin stands as a lawyer
whose record shows integrity and hon-
orable dealing in the practice of a pro-
fession for which he has natural gifts
and trained talents that not only bring
him clients, but win for him the con-
fidence of the court and the respect of
every juryman in the first judicial cir-
cuit.
After receiving a common school ed-
ucation, Theodore M. Joslin entered
the State Normal School at Ypsilanti,
where he spent about two years in fit-
ting for a teacher, but after teaching
for a short time he entered the United
States mail service, where he fostered
his liking for the law by giving his
spare moments to reading Blackstone
and the other authorities on jurispru-
dence, until he was enabled to pass a
very creditable examination for ad-
mission to the bar, to which he was ad-
mitted five years ago, since which he
has earned the reputation of a pains-
taking, hardworking, successful law-
yer.
In Lenawee county there are few
men beter known or more popular in
the ranks of the Republican party than
Theodore M. Joslin, or whose influence
in the make-up of the conventions in
that county are more pronounced than
his.
Of a sanguine temperament and a
hustling disposition, the word fail is
not in his vocabulary.
That he is of true metal, well temper-
ed, there need be no more said of him
than that in selecting his staff of bank
examiners Bank Commisisoner Just
made Theodore M. Joslin the examiner
from southern Michigan.
HON. J. A. LATTA
Detroit
One of the first
steps necessary
to the success-
ful conduct of
the responsibil-
ity in the bank-
ing department
of this State is
the selection of
a reliable staff
of men experi-
enced and prac-
tical in the
banking busi-
ness. In this
reg a rid Mr.
Just, himself a
financier, has profited by his acquaint-
ance with men trained in banking to
draw about him as examiners men
whom he knows to be qualified for the
positions they are to fill.
As one of the examiners on the staff
of Commisisoner Just, J. A. Latta.
comes to the position with several
years’ experience in banking as book-
keeper and teller, that qualified him to
walk into a bank fully competent to
look into the affairs of the bank in
an intelligent and comprehensive man-
ner.
Mr. Latta was born in Otisco, Ionia.
county, Michigan, April 23, 1865. He
was educated in the public schools of







L E G IS LAT I V E S O U V E N IR
41
that county, and took his first lessons
in finance when but seventeen years
of age in the office of the treasurer of
Ionia county. He was for three years
teller of the Second National Bank of
Ionia, and seven years of the First Na-
tional Bank of Hurley, Wisconsin, after
which he returned to Michigan and ac-
cepted a position as discount clerk in
the Peninsular Bank of Detroit, where
he remained for two years, or until ap-
pointed bank examiner by Commission-
er Just, who has known him personally
from boyhood up.
HON. WiLLIAM. A. FRENCH
Continuissiotier of State Latid Office, Bel1,
Presque Isle Courity
Hon. Wm. A.
French, the pres–
ent Commissioner
of the St a te
Land Office, is
well and favor-
a b l y known
throughout the
State of Michi-
gan. Mr. French
was born in Pel-
h a m, Canada,
March 2, 1849,
and had the ad-
Vantages of his
home schools un-
til 1867, when he
went to Chicago and engaged as night
manager of the lines of the Chicago
& Northwestern Railroad. After four
years' service he moved to Dundee,
Michigan, where he was agent of the
Chicago & Canada, Southern railroad;
he also engaged in saw-milling, and
as a railroad contractor, furnishing all
the ties, fence and car material for
the line of the Chicago & Canada.
Southern railroad west of the Detroit
river. In politics he is an active Re-
publican, and as such was elected to
the Legislature of 1883-4, and was one
of the most useful members of that
body. At the close of his term he
moved to Bell, Presque Isle county,
where he continued in the lumbering
and milling business, and has since re-
sided. He served as a member of the
Republican State central committee
four years, and March 20, 1894, Gov.
Rich appointed him Commissioner of
the State Land Office in place of John
G. Berry, removed. In the Republican
convention held later the same year to
nominate State officers, Mr. French
was nominated to succeed himself, and
elected in November of that year.
After a further service in the office
for two years, in the convention of
1896, he was again nominated, and so
perfectly satisfactory had been his
work that his nomination was made by
acclamation, and he is now serving his
second full term.
Mr. French is a genial, social gentle-
man, who not only makes friends but
has a most happy way of retaining
them.
* -
º
MAJOR ARTHUR P. LOOMIS
Berlin Ionia County
Of the young-
er generation
of men in the
public life of
Mic hig a n,
Major Arthur
P. Loomis, the
present depu-
ty land com-
m is si on er,
has come into
a prominence
that extends
his reputation
be y on d the
years of one
but yet in the prime of early man-
hood.
Major Loomis is the eldest son of
James Loomis, of Berlin, Ionia county,
Michigan, was born September 12, 1859,
and was raised on the farm which is
still his home. And in this connection
it may be said that Major Loomis not
only tills the soil, but also the good will
of all those who cultivate the land as
farmers. His primary education was
received in the district school of his na-
tive township, and in the high school
of Ionia. But his educational acquire-
ments did not rest there; of a studious
mind, with thoughts turning towards
philosophical questions, he has since
been a profound student of political
economy and a deep reader of govern-
mental history..
In politics Major Loomis is a Repub-
lican, and since coming of age has been
a member of the Republican county
committee of Ionia county. His inter-
est in home county affairs and the es-
teen he is held in by his neighbors is
evidenced by service as director, treas-
urer and secretary of the Ionia. Fair
Association, and that he is now presi-
dent of the Ionia County Farmers’ In-
stitute Society.
Major Loomis was for four years pri-
vate secretary to Governor John T.
Rich, during his administration as
Governor of Michigan in the years
1893-4-5-6, a position he filled with
much credit, while he also profited by
the opportunities the position offered
for cultivating the acquaintance of
many of the most distinguished men
in this and other states of the union.
A peculiar coincident in the appoint-
ment of Major Loomis to be private
secretary to the Governor of Michigan
was brought out in the fact that on the
same day of his appointment a younger
brother, T. M. Loonnis, was commis-
sioned assistant quartermaster general
with rank as colonel, and private sec-
retary to Governor Charles H. Shel-
don, of South Dakota.
HON. DANIEL E. McCLURE
Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruc-
tion, Larising
Hon. Daniel
E. McClure,
deputy super-
intendent of
public in-
struction of
M ic hig a n,
was born in
Girard, Pa.,
Oc to be r 25,
1854. His early
life was spent
on the farm
a n d in the
1 u m be ring
district schools winters until seventeen
years of age, when he entered the Ed-
inboro state normal school, where he
took a three years’ normal course. In
September, 1873, he came with his par-
ents to Oceana county, Michigan, set-
tling in Elbridge township. Mr. Mc-
Clure at once entered upon the work
of teaching and devoted three years to
that work in the district schools
in Oceana county, and in 1876 ac-
cepted the position of superintendent
of the Shelby schools, where he re-
mained for four years, when he re-
signed to continue his studies, and took
a course at the normal school at Val-
paraiso, Indiana. He then served one
year at the head of the schools of Hes-
peria, after which for seven years he
represented the firm of Harper Broth-
ers, handling their school books in
several western states. In 1889 he was
elected county superintendent of
schools for Oceana county, which po-
sition he held until December, 1896,
when he resigned to accept the posi-
tion of deputy superintendent of pub-
lic instruction, which position he now
fills, having moved and settled in Lan-
sing so as to give all his time to the
discharge of the duties of that impor-
tant position.
In politics, Mr. McClure is an active,
hardworking Republican, and has been
elected to the public offices he has held
by that party. He is a tireless worker
and has always taken an active inter-
est in educational matters, and has
been one of the leading institute work-
ers of the State. He also takes an ac-
tive interest in agricultural matters
and is a popular speaker at grange and
other farmer gatherings.
In pleasures Mr. McClure finds those
of home life the most alluring, where,
with his wife and four children—one
son and three daughters—he enjoys the
life of a cultured gentleman.
CAPTAIN LUCIUS C. STORRS
Lansitig
One of the
most important
offices in the
State of Michi-
gan, and one in
which fidelity
to the State
and a humane
compassion for
the unfortu-
n a t e s co m-
mitted to its
numerous char-
itable and cor-
rective institu-
tions, demands
unusual capacity, is that which is filled
by Lucius C. Storrs as secretary of the
State Board of Corrections and Chari-
ties.
That he has performed the onerous
and delicate duties of that office with
fidelity and discretion, the records of
and the conditions in our State insti-
tutions best attest. That his services
are appreciated and acknowledged, his
tenure of office, dating from Septem-
ber, 1885, to the present time, amply
verifies.
Captain Lucius C. Storrs was born
in Buffalo, N. Y., June 10, 1837. When
but nineteen years of age he responded
to the first call for troops made by
President Lincoln in 1861, and enlisting
in the 12th New York Volunteers Was
at once commissioned lieutenant and
afterwards promoted to be captain of
his company, and after commanding it
in the engagements at Blackenford
and Bull Run, July, 1861, he was hon-
orably discharged in the following No-
vember.
Coming to Michigan in 1863 he lo-
cated at Saginaw, where he engaged in
the mercantile business, and later was
appointed assistant cashier of the Mer-
chants’ National Bank of that city,
and was afterwards made assistant
treasurer of the Flint & Pere Mar-
quette Railway Co.
With those persons who interest
themselves in penal reform and in
charitable institutions, Secretary Lu-
cius C. Storrs is considered reliable
authority on all matters pertaining to
such institutions and improvement in
reformatory work. He has been twice
elected to the secretaryship of the
national conference of charities and
corrections, to the conference held at
San Francisco and at Chicago during
the Columbian Exposition, and was
president of the national conference at
Nashville, Tenn., in 1894. He is a
member of the executive committee of
the national conference, and one of the
vice presidents of the National Prison
Association.
HON. HENRY E. CHASE
Grand Rapids
He n ry E.
C h a se, of
Grand Rap-
ids, the first
deputy attor-
ney general of
Michigan, is
one of the
ablest young
attorneys of
the State. His
experience
and extensive
practice as a
1 a w partner
of the Attor-
n ey. General
thoroughly equips him for the respon-
sible duties of the office. Mr. Chase was
born in Calhoun county, Michigan, in
1863. In 1877 he moved with his par-
ents to a farm in Van Buren county.
In 1886 he entered the law office of Hon.
Fred A. Maynard at Grand Rapids.
Mr. Chase was admited to the bar in
June, 1888, and on January 1, 1889, be-
came a law partner of Mr. Maynard,
under the firm name of Maynard &
Chase. He served as deputy surveyor
of customs at Grand Rapids under
President Harrison's administration,
and was appointed deputy inspector of
illuminating oils, but resigned the of—
fice a few months thereafter. In poli-
tics Mr. Chase is an earnest Republi-
can, and every campaign gives his
party loyal support in the advance-
ment of its principles. Though a young
man, he has managed many important
legal controversies in which the State
was interested, prosecuted many cele-
brated cases on the order of the Gov-
ernor of the State, and in handling of
the same he has shown himself to be
an astute and able advocate.
HON. FRED A. MAYNARD
Attoriley Geilera1, Grand Rapids
The present Attorney General of
Michigan is famed as a good all-round
lawyer, gifted orator, a powerful ad-
vocate, a man with broad, progressive,
practical theories in government; a
stalwart Republican, a man who is
loyal to his friends and faithful to a
cause he espouses.
Coming from patriotic stock, Mr.
Maynard has the proud distinction of
descent from three great grandfathers
who served in the war for American in-
dependence. He was born at Ann Ar-
bor, Michigan, January 20, 1852, under
the paternal roof of what is said to be
the oldest home in Michigan, and is
the son of one of the oldest living set-
tlers in Washtenaw county, by whose
generosity it was made possible for
Ann Arbor to become the seat of the
TJniversity.
After graduating from the Ann Ar-
bor high school in 1870, he entered the
University of Michigan, matriculated
in the classical department, and re-
ceived the degree of A. B. in 1874. He
then entered the law department, from
which he graduated after a two years'
course. In 1875, while still a student in
the University, he was admitted to the
bar of Wayne county, and in 1876 had
conferred upon him the degrees of M.
A. and L.L. B.
Locating in Grand Rapids in the lat-
ter part of the year 1875, Mr. Maynard
was in 1876 made assistant prosecuting
attorney of Kent county, where he be-
came the law partner of Captain
Stephen H. Ballard. In 1881 he was
elected prosecutor of the county, and
in the same year formed a partnership
with Geo. P. Wanty, Esq., which con-
tinued for three years. In 1885 Mr.
Maynard was unanimously nominated
for the office of judge of the superior
court of Grand Rapids, and in 1886
declined a nomination for the State
Senate. In 1887 he became associated
with Mr. Henry E. Chase, under the
firm name of Maynard & Chase, which
firm still continues. In 1890 he was
elected a member of the State Legis-
lature, and in 1894 received the nomina-
tion for Attorney General by acclama-
tion, and was elected by a plurality of
112,000 votes. In 1896 he was, by accla-
mation, renominated, and re-elected by
a plurality of 57,000.
MRS. MARY C. SPENCER
Lafisiiig
The Michigan
State Library,
which has the
enviable record
of being the
third in rank
in the United
States, is under
the management
of Mrs. Mary C.
Spencer, whose
home has been
in Lansing since
1884.
Mrs. Spencer
was the daugh-
ter of the late
Rev. J. A. Wilson, D. D., for many
years rector of St. Luke's church, Yp-
silanti, Mich. She was educated in the
fine public schools of that city, and in
the State Normal School, where she
was eminently fitted for the responsi-
ble position which she was later to fill.
In 1865 she married Capt. Clinton Spen-
cer, who had seen severe service in
the Union army during the civil war,
until the battle of Gettysburg, where
he received wounds from which he lost
a leg and the partial use of one of his
arms, and which resulted in his death
about two years ago. In 1885 Governor
Alger appointed Mrs. Spencer assistant
State librarian, which position she con-
tinued to fill until 1893, when Governor
Rich, recognizing her special fitness,
both by education and experience, ap-
pointed her State librarian. During
her twelve years of service in this
great library she has seen its growth
from forty thousand to nearly eighty
thousand volumes, and its usefulness
enhanced at a far greater ratio than
its numerical increase. It has been
Mrs. Spencer's aim in her management
of the library to not only make it valu-
able as a reference and study library
for specialists and public officials, but
to so popularize it as to make it use-
ful to people in all sections of the
State. To this end she has been in-
strumental in establishing the “travel-
ing” and “associate” library plan,
which has now been authorized by law,
and for which liberal appropriations
are made by the Legislature. By the
system thus established the library is
made available in the various com-
munities of the State, and during the
two years since its organization 44
communities have availed themselves
of its advantages. Mrs. Spencer's in-
telligent advocacy of these plans has
so aroused and educated public senti-
ment that the great library which
Michigan has placed within the reach
of all who can come to its rooms for
study will soon be in a great measure
within the reach of the reading and
studying classes of all sections of the
State.






T B E S T A T E R E P U B L I C A N
HON. GEORGE A. STEEL
State Treasurer, Detroit
In the financial
and banking cir-
cles of Michigan
there are few
men who are
better known
and none whose
integrity and
financial honor
rate higher than
that of the pres-
ent State Treas-
urer, the Hon.
George A. Steel;
scrupulously
honest and with
a high sense of personal responsibility,
he stands a peer annong the financiers
of Michigan.
In the Senate of '93, Senator Steel, as
chairman of the committee on banks
and corporations, gave to the work of
that committee such wise and careful
consideration of the bills which came
to it for review as to call forth the
commendations of every person at all
familiar with the legislation of that
year. And it is to be regretted that
the tone of legislative service is not
such as to warrant a desire on the
part of men of his character and abil-
ity to give more of their time to leg-
islative work.
The training that fitted Mr. Steel for
the position he has since attained as a
financier was begun while he was yet
in his teens, as an outline of his ca-
reer will show. He was born in St.
Johns, Clinton county, June 19, 1862.
His early education was acquired in
the public schools of that city. In
July, 1878, he went to Sauk Rapids,
Minnesota, as bookkeeper and pay-
master for James McIntyre & Com-
pany, bridge constructors. Later he
entered the employ of the Oregon con-
struction company (of which his father
was president) and served as paymas-
ter, agent and secretary in the con-
struction of about 400 miles of railroad
in Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and
Idaho. In 1885 Mr. Steel returned to
Michigan, and again locating in the
place of his birth, became interested in
banking, manufacturing and real es-
tate. He was for a number of years
the president of the Ithaca, Savings
bank of Ithaca, Mich., vice president
of the St. Johns National bank and
vice president of the St. Johns Manu-
facturing Company, the largest table
manufacturing company in the world,
and a director and large stockholder in
the St. Johns Electric Light, Heat and
Power Company. In these different
enterprises he acquired an experience
in business affairs that must be valu-
able to the business he is now en-
gaged in as banker and broker under
the firm name of Steel, Smith & Com-
pany, 214 Hammond Building, Detroit,
of which city he became a resident in
1896.
HON, SYBRANT WESSELIUS
Cortittiissioner of Railroads, Wayfie
There is no
man in the
R e publican
p a rity of
M ic hig a n
known to
m ore people
who a t t end
R e publican
convent i on s
than is the
present Rail-
road Commis-
sion er, the
Hon. Sybrant
Wesselius. A
close political
and personal friend of Governor Hazen
S. Pingree, it will not be necessary to
state that he will demand of the rail-
way corporations of the State a more
exacting account of the relations of
their roads to the State than has hith-
erto been attempted, and it may be
added that in the campaign for the
election of Governor Pingree there
was no more active figure than the
Hon. Sybrant Wesselius of Grand Rap-
ids, a man whose republicanism is al-
ways at a white heat, and whose ser-
vice to the Republican party has often
been highly complimented.
Sybrant Wesselius was born in Grand
Rapids, Mich., June 8, 1859, and is of
Holland descent, his parents coming to
this country in 1847. He was educated
in the schools of Grand Rapids until
15 years of age, when he entered a fac-
tory for the purpose of learning the
2-
trade of trunkmaker. During the three
years he spent in the factory he at-
tended evening school, and received
private instruction in preparing for the
profession of a teacher in the district
schools of the State. With funds ob-
tained in teaching he entered the
Ralamazoo College, from which he
graduated with the degree of A. B.
Later he studied law, and dropping the
occupation of a teacher adopted law as
a profession; in this his energy and
talent finds scope and a flattering re-
turn from a lucrative practice.
Mr. Wesselius has never been a
seeker after offices, and such office as
he has held came to him without solici-
tition and its duties discharged accord-
ing to the best of his judgment, with-
out fear or favor. He was elected to
the Legislature of 1889, and assigned to
the committees on constitutional
amendments, Industrial School for
Boys, executive business, judiciary, and
the Mining School in the upper penin-
sula. In the Senate Mr. Wesselius was
recognized as one who never shirked
the arduous duties of the committee
room, and as one who, on matters up
for consideration before the Senate, al-
ways had decided opinions backed by
the logic of sound argument.
HON, WILLIAM W. WEDEMEYER
Atiti Arbor
In the everlast-
ing push for
condition s of
life in h a r-
mony with ad-
vancing civili-
zation, Gover-
nor P in gree
wisely m a kes
h is a p point-
ments to office
from the ranks
of the men of
In the ap-
pointment of
W. W. Wede-
Ymeyer to the office of deputy railroad
commissioner there was chosen one of
the latter day aggressive Republicans,
who, taking up the standard of Re-
publican principles, carry it to the
front and lead now the way to as grand
achievement in civil government as
those who forty years ago began the
battle for human liberty under the
same banner.
William Walter Wedemeyer was born
in Lima township, Washtenaw county,
March 22, 1873. His boyhood was
spent on the farm where he was born.
After completing the course of study
in the district school of his native
township, he entered the Ann Arbor
high school, from which he graduated
in 1890. He then entered the Uni-
versity of Michigan and graduated
from the literary department in 1894,
and from the law department in 1895.
While in the university Mr. Wede-
meyer was popular with the students
and faculty, and was actively identi-
fied with the students’ organizations.
He was president of the Students’
Lecture Association in 1893-4, and also
president of the Northern Oratorical
League in 1894, and in the same year
represented the University of Michigan
at the Union League Club celebration
of Washington's Birthday at Chicago.
Mr. Wedemeyer early evinced a pen-
chant for political affairs, and before
leaving the university he was elected
school commissioner of Washtenaw
county, which position he filled until
the duties of his present office called
him to resign. He was ardent in his
support of Mr. Pingree in his campaign
for the nomination as a candidate for
Governor, and at the State convention
seconded his nomination in an effective
and timely speech. During the cam-
paign for election, Mr. Wedemeyer
went upon the stump in support of Mr.
Pingree and made a number of telling
speeches that proved their effective-
ness when the vote was counted in the
sections of the State which he covered
during the campaign. While it is true
that he was neither a candidate for or
desired office under the administration
of Governor Pingree, yet when called
upon to assist in the work the Gov-
ernor was engaged in he would not re-
fuse to serve under a man he so much
admired. By education and training
Mr. Wedemeyer is thoroughly qualified
for the position he fills as deputy rail-
road commissioner, and giving his en-
tire time to the duties of the office, it
will be found that his official acts will
be stamped as conservative in their
action.
HON. ELLIOT. F. MOORE
Sagittaw, E. S.
One of the po-
sitions of direct
responsibility
in the service
of the State is
that of general
railroad engi-
neer in the of—
fice of the Com-
mission er of
Railroads.
That the man
who has filled
th a t position
for the last
S e V e. n teen
years is ca-
pable and attentive to the duties of
his official position is clearly shown by
the freedom from accident in the rail-
way service of the State since his entry
upon the duties of the office, a freedom
that is due to the practical knowledge
of railway construction and operation
by he who examines the track, the
road-bed, the crossing, the culverts
and bridges of the railways operating
in Michigan.
Elliott G. Moore comes of good old
New England stock, and was born in
the Green Mountain state at West
Fairlee, June 7, 1847. His education was
received in the good district schools for
which New England is famous, and in
the Newbury Seminary of Vermont,
where he had nearly completed a pre-
paratory course for college, when in
1863 he dropped his books to take up
arms in defense of his country as a
member of the First Michigan Engi-
neers and Mechanics.
Since his discharge from the army,
Mr. Moore has lived in Michigan con-
tinuously, and entering the employ of
the Flint & Pere Marquette Railway
Company, continued in the service of
that road, in different capacities, until
appointed to his present position in
1893. He is a prime favorite in rail-
road circles and for his present posi-
tion has always received the endorse-
ment of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers, of which for the past eight-
een years he has been an influential
member.
HON. WiLLIAM McPhers ON
Howell
The H on .
William Mc-
Pherson, Jr.,
is on e o f
M ic hig an’s
substant i a 1
business men,
interested in
her progress
and develop-
m ent. For
m or e th a n
forty years
he has been
successfully
engaged in business in this State; first
as a clerk in his father's store at How-
ell from seventeen until twenty-two
years, of age, then as a partner from
1856 to 1884, and is still largely inter-
ested in business affairs as banker,
real estate, wool, and in the buying
and selling of the yellow leaf pine of
Mississippi and Louisiana.
The business affairs of Mr. McPher-
son are of such proportions that he has
neither the time nor inclination for
holding office, but nevertheless he takes
a lively interest in all that pertains to
the political welfare of the State and
State and congressional conventions,
and was twice delegate to the national
nation. He is a regular attendant at
convention of the Republican party,
first at Chicago in 1888, and again to
the convention of 1896 which nominated
President McKinley.
His first vote was cast in 1856 for
John C. Fremont, and his vote has
been cast for the Republican candi-
dates in every election since that year.
He was Railroad Commissioner un-
der Governor Alger in 1885–87, and he is
now a member of the board of control
of that important State institution, the
Industrial School for Boys.
Hon. William McPherson, Jr., was
born in Inverness, Scotland, March,
1834, and has the characteristics of the
rugged, thrifty race from which he
comes. Coming to America, while still
a baby in his mother's arms, and his
parents settling at Howell, his educa-
tion and training has made of him a
thorough type of the broad gauged
men raised in Michigan.
HON, IRA. T. SAYRE
F111shitig
Among the men who take a hearty
interest in the affairs of the State and
nation, and one always in the advance
guard of national progress and the
march towards a higher civilization, is
the Hon. Ira Sayre, of Flushing. Mr.
Sayre was born in Hector, Schuyler
county, N. Y., March 6, 1858. When but
six years of age he came with his
parents to Flushing, Michigan, where
he has since resided. His early edu-
cation was received in the public
schools of Flushing, after which he
took a course at the Agricultural Col-
elge at Lansing, and finished at the
University of Michigan.
On June 16, 1881, he was admitted to
the bar by the Supreme Court of Mich-
igan, since which time he has been
engaged in the practice of his profes-
sion and in farming.
In the affairs of his home, village
and county, Mr. Sayre takes an active
interest, and has been chosen to vari-
ous village and township offices.
During the first term of Gov. Rich
as the Executive of the State he ap-
pointed Mr. Sayre to be a member of
the Board of Control for the Boys In-
dustrial School at Lansing. On the
death of Hon. H. B. Rowlson, in 1895,
Mr. Sayre was chosen president of the
board, since which time the conduct of
the school has been influenced by his
broad gauged views of the obligations
of society, not only to the boys who
find their way to the school, but also
to the future welfare of the State, in
properly directing the course of these
future citizens into moral and useful
channels of life.
Although modest, unpretending and
without cant, Ira Sayre is one of the
forceful men of Michigan.
HON. J. EDGAR ST. JOHN
Latising
The care and
reform of the
boys committed
to the Industri-
al School for
Boys at Lan-
sing calls for a
man possessed
of a sympa-
thetic nature, a
knowledge of
humanity and
firm, executive
ability. Such a
man the State has in the present su-
perintendent of the Industrial School
at Lansing, in the person of J. Edgar
St. John, who has been connected with
that institution for about seventeen
years.
J. Edgar St. John was born in the
village of Clinton, Lenawee county,
Michigan, May 13, 1848, and with the
exception of two years spent in New
York, has always been a resident of
this State. His education was received
in the district schools of his native vil-
lage until when thirteen years of age
he left home, and for the following
four years procured his clothing and
the means that permitted him to at-
tend school in the winter by his labor
during the other months of the year.
The first years of his majority were
given to selling goods. A part of this
time was spent in the employ of Cross-
man & Woodhouse, in Dansville, Ing-
ham county, who, after taking Mr. St.
John into partnership, finally sold him
the business. While engaged in busi-
ness at Dansville J. Edgar St. John was
married to Miss Addie Bulen of that
place. After selling out the business at
Dansville they came to the Industrial
School, where Mr. St. John was em-
ployed as superintendent of the cigar
shop. Later he was for two years
assistant farmer, when becoming dis-
satisfied with this character of work
he resigned and removed to Mason,
where he purchased a half interest in
the Mason city flouring mills, with D.
L. Crossman as the owner of the other
half. Remaining here ten months he
sold out his milling interest and re-
turned to the Industrial School as
overseer in the cane shop. After
spending several years in. that depart-
ment he was promoted to the position
of bookkeeper of the institution, which
position he held for the period of
eleven years, resigning to take up the
management of his farm which is
located just north of the Agricultural
College. Spending the summer of 1891
on the farm, he sold it in the fall of
that year and removed to Lansing, and






L E G IS LA T L V E S O U V E NIR
43
on August 1, 1893, was made the super-
intendent of the Industrial School, in
which he had by previous service thor-
oughly qualified himself for the posi-
tion he was then called upon to fill,
and which he has since conducted to
the satisfaction of all interested in the
welfare of the inmates, and with great
credit to himself as an executive
officer.
Hon. WILLIAM DONOVAN
Latising
In the busi-
ness, public,
and so c i a 1
life of Lan-
sing, the re
a re n O In e
whose stand-
ing is more
pronounced
as best in
e a ch than
that of Hon.
W i l l i a m
Donovan.
Mr. Dono-
van was born
in Ann Arbor,
Michigan,
May 23, 1846, and received the educa-
tion and professional training for
which the University city is so justly
famous. After passing through the
graded schools of Ann Arbor and grad-
uating from its high school, Mr. Dono-
van entered the University of Mich-
igan, from which he was graduated in
the class of 1865.
After his graduation from the Uni-
versity, Mr. Donovan gave his time to
the pursuit of his chosen profession,
that of a civil engineer, and in 1869, on
the opening of the Jackson, Lansing &
Saginaw railroad, he was given the po-
sition of chief engineer, in which he re-
mained from 1869 to 1875, and is still
largely interested in the management
of that company’s affairs.
A man of unswerving integrity, he is
often sought for in the conduct of pub-
lic affairs, but is adverse to mingling
much in what is known as political life.
In 1885, Mr. Donovan was elected mayor
of Lansing by a vote largely in excess
of his party ticket, and so well were the
city’s interests cared for during his
term of office that he was re-elected by
an increased majority, and made one
of the most popular executives the city
has had.
In social, public and business life,
Mr. Donovan moves with a courtesy
and fine sense of honor that is now too
seldom met with, and for which gentle-
men of the old school were distinguish-
ed, and is given that respect and high
consideration that will always come to
those careful of their own self respect,
not only by the people of Lansing, but
also by those whose coming to the
capital city permits of the advantage
of his acquaintance.
The home of Mr. Donovan, situated
on Capitol avenue, almost within the
shadow of the capitol building, is an
ideal one, in which with his family he
finds the greatest enjoyment and at-
traction. Of a kindly and benevolent
nature, he is foremost in all charitable
and beneficent purposes, and was for
ten years, as resident member, a most
valued worker on the board of control
of the Industrial School for Boys at
Lansing. And it is no more than his
due to say that to his untiring, always
faithful labor and time given to keep-
ing this State institution abreast of our
advancing civilization, Michigan is en-
abled to point with much pride to that
home as a model of its kind. That he
is not there now is a loss to the State,
and almost a crime against the boys,
who have ever and do now hold him in
most respectful consideration and re-
gard.
DR. JAMES H. WELLINGS
Lafisiiig
One of the
most lo y a 1
R e publicans
in Michigan,
whose office
stands with-
in the shadow
of the capi-
to 1's do me,
and who al-
ways gives
h is time,
money a n d
energy in the
support of his
party and its
principles, but is never a seeker after
office, is one of Lansing's best known
and foremost citizens. In this connec-
tion we refer to Dr. James H. Wel-
lings, of Lansing, who, coming from
good English ancestry, was born in
the city of Detroit, September, 1840.
When but eight years of age his
parents removed to DeWitt, Clinton
county, and settling on a farm, the lot
of James bid fair to become that usual
with a farmer's son, but his father dy-
ing in the year of this removal, James,
as the eldest son and the second eldest
in a family of five children, soon found
that the life worth living is one of toil
and sacrifice, and in early life acquired
habits of industry, thrift and self-reli-
ance that have since brought to him a
goodly share of this world’s goods, and
the respectful consideration of all who
know him.
The early education of Dr. Wellings
was such as usually falls to the lot of
a poor boy, and was had mostly in the
school of practical experience. His
academic acquirements were secured
after he first labored for the means of
obtaining them. While yet in his min-
ority he took up the study of medicine
in the office of Dr. G. W. Topping at De
Witt. Continuing in this he supple-
mented it with a four years' literary
and scientific course in the Michigan
Agricultural College, from which he af-
terwards received the honorary degree.
In January, 1864, he left college to
serve in the war of the rebellion as a
member of the first independent com-
pany of Michigan sharpshooters. He
was soon promoted to be hospital stew-
ard of the regiment, in which capacity
he was enabled to continue his study of
medicine and acquire a knowledge of
the profession that has since been val-
uable in his practice as a regular phy-
sician. He was later promoted to lieu-
tenant of his company, and after re-
ceiving an honorable discharge from
the army continued his study of medi-
cine.
After a course in the medical depart-
ment at the University of Michigan
he entered the Bellevue Hospital Medi-
cal College in New York city, where
he completed his studies and gradu-
ated in the spring of 1874.
On May 21, 1874, Dr. Wellings located
in Lansing, from which date prosperity
has followed and remained with him.
His worth as a citizen and physician
is endorsed by his selection as the phy-
sician for the Industrial School for
Boys at Lansing for more than eight
years, and as the supervising medical
examiner of the grand council of the
Royal Arcanum for the past seven
years. The example set by Dr. Well-
ings was encouragement to a younger
brother, who, after graduating at Ann
Arbor and giving two years to study in
Europe, has become one of Detroit's
most successful and prosperous phy-
Sicians.
JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME
COURT
CHARLES DEAN LONG
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Charles De a n
Long, the pres-
ent senior justice
of the Supreme
Court of Michi-
gan, was born at
Grand Blanc,
Genesee county,
Michigan, June
14, 1841. His ear-
ly education was
acquired at the
* district school
and the Flint
city schools. He
taught for four
years prepara-
tory to a course at the University. The
outbreak of the civil war caused him
to substitute the battlefield for his
University course, and August, 1861,
he enlisted in company A, 8th Michi-
gan Infantry. In the battle of Wil-
mington Island, Georgia, April 16, 1862,
he lost his left arm and received a ball
in his left hip, passing through and
lodging in the right groin, from which
wound he is still a sufferer. He re-
turned home and later in the summer
entered the law office of Oscar Adams
of Flint. In the fall of 1864, he was
elected county clerk (Genesee county)
which office he held for four succes-
sive terms. He was prosecuting at-
torney of his county from 1875 to 1880
inclusive, was one of Michigan’s four
supervisors of the census for 1880. In
1885 he was commander of the depart-
ment of Michigan G. A. R. In 1887 he
was elected justice of the Supreme
Court for a term of ten years. During
this term public attention was directed
towards Justice Charles D. Long by
the action of the Pension Bureau at
Washington, under the administration
of President Cleveland, questioning a
right to the pension previously granted
to him. The matter was at the time
thoroughly discussed in the public
press and was finally adjudicated in
favor of Judge Long. His popularity
was increased by the publicity given
to his pension and the reason for it,
until it is doubtful if there is today in
Michigan a man more honored by the
people of the State than the one-armed
veteran of the Supreme Court who
continually suffers from wounds re-
ceived in his country’s Service, and
who was in April last re-elected to the
Supreme Court by a plurality of 71,414
votes.
CLAUDIUS B. GRANT
Justice of the Supreme Court
C 1 a u di u s B.
Grant was born
in Le b a no n,
York county,
º Maine, Oct. 25,
1835. C om in g
west in early
youth he en-
tered the Uni-
versity of Mich-
igan and grad-
uated in a clas-
sical course in
1859. After grad-
uation, he gave
three years to
teaching in the
public schools of
Ann Arbor, the last two years of that
period being spent as the principal of
these most thoroughly graded insti-
tutions of learning. He did gallant
service in the civil war, entering the
Union army as captain of Company D,
20th Michigan Infantry, being made
major Nov. 21, 1863, and lieutenant
colonel Dec. 20, 1864. Resigning this po-
sition April 12, 1865, he returned to Ann
Arbor and entered the law department
of the University. He was admitted to
the bar in June, 1866, and began the
practice of law in Ann Arbor. In 1866,
he was elected recorder of Ann Arbor,
and in 1867 he was appointed post-
master of that city. He served his dis-
trict in the Legislature in the terms of
1871-2, and in 1873-4. Was elected
regent of the University in 1871 and in
1872 was appointed alternate commis-
sioner of the State of Michigan under
the law authorizing the centennial
commission. Moving to Houghton in
1873, he then engaged in the practice
of law. In 1876 he was elected prose-
cuting attorney, and in 1881 he was
elected judge of the 25th judicial cir-
cuit, being re-elected to that position in
1887. In the spring of 1889 he was
elected a justice of the Supreme Court
for the full term, and thus has now
about two years to serve.
Justice Grant is known as a forcible
public speaker and is frequently called
to the rostrum in the promulgation of
good government, and as a strong ad-
vocate of law and order. His decisions
on the bench are frequently quoted in
general practice as unquestioned and
well established law.
FRANK A. HOOKER
Justice of the Supremie Court
Frank A. Hook-
er was born in
Hartford, Con-
necticut, Jan. 16,
1844. W he n
twelve years of
a ge he re-
moved with his
parents to Mau-
mee, and later
to Defiance, O.
He prepared for
college in the
public schools of
Connecticut and
Ohio, and fin-
ished his course
in the law de-
partment of the Michigan University
at Ann Arbor, where he graduated
with the class of ’65. He immediately
began the practice of law at Bryan,
Ohio, where he remained one year.
coming to Charlotte, Michigan, in 1867,
which has since been his place of resi-
dence up to the time of taking his seat
on the supreme bench of the State. He
has often been called upon to fill offices
of trust by the people of the vicinity
in which he lived, and has held the of:-
fice of superintendent of schools in
Eaton county, and served as its prose-
cuting attorney for two terms.
In 1878 Gov. Crosswell appointed him
a judge of the fifth judicial circuit, and
he was retained in that position by the
votes of the people until he resigned
to take his seat on the supreme bench,
in 1892, as the successor to Chief Jus-
tice Morse, who resigned his position
to accept an appointment from Presi-
dent Cleveland as consul to Glasgow,
Scotland. In 1893 Justice Hooker was
re-elected, succeeding himself to a full
term of ten years as a justice in the
Supreme Court of Michigan.
JOSEPH. B. MOORE
Justice of the Supremie Court
Born in Com-
merce, Oakland
county, Mich.,
Nov. 3, 1845, Jos-
eph B. Moore
comes from a
race of men
whose force of
character wins
for the individ-
ual recognition
in the affairs of
life. His boy-
hood days were
spent at Walled
lake, in Oakland
county, where in its public schools he
was prepared for a collegiate course
at Hillsdale College, from which he
was admitted to the University of
Michigan, graduating from its law de-
partment in 1869, and immediately en-
tering upon the practice of law. In
1870 he was elected circuit court com-
missioner of Lapeer county. In the
fall of the same year he was elected
prosecuting attorney of the same
county. In 1876 he was nominated for
the office of State Senator, but de-
clined the candidacy. In 1878 he was
renominated and elected prosecuting
attorney, serving his district with
marked ability. He was elevated to
the bench in 1887 by an election to the
circuit court, where his judicial mind
soon attracted attention by the fair-
ness with which he conducted trial
cases and the mercy with which jus-
tice was tempered.
In 1895 he was still more highly hon-
ored by an election to the position of
justice of the Supreme Court of Michi-
gan, where he takes high rank as an
able jurist, and to which he came fully
equipped in legal law, and a judicial
experience that qualified him to enter
upon the duties of a justice ripe in
the knowledge and practice of the law.
After his election to the bench, Jus-
tice Moore moved to Lansing, where
by his genial nature and courtesy he
has won the hearts and esteem of the
entire population. And there is no bet-
ter proof of the democracy of our in-
stitutions than to witness this justice
of the Supreme Court wheeling along
the streets of Lansing, greeting the
people he meets in a cordial manner
with a bow and a smile that speaks
of good will towards all men.
* -
-
º
/ ".
ROBERT M. MONTGOMERY
Justice of the Supremie Court
A son of Michi-
gan, respected
for his moral
worth and hon-
ored for his
intellectual at-
tainments, Rob-
ert M. Mont-
go m ery w a s
born in Eaton
Rapids, May 12,
1849. Here he re-
ceived his early
education in the
public schools.
Leaving the
E at on Rapids
at the age of eighteen,
high school
he immediately entered the law office
of F. J. Russell of Hart, Oceana
county, remaining in this office for
three years as a law student. He was
admitted to the bar and began the
practice of his profession in Pentwater
at the early age of twenty-one.
As a youth, his love of country was
early exemplified in his enlistment as
a soldier in the war of the rebellion,
but the war closing before he was
called into active service he was re-
lieved of the necessity of performing
the arduous duties of a soldier.
Continuing the practice of law at
Pentwater until 1877, he in that year
moved to Grand Rapids, where he was
appointed assistant U. S. attorney,
which position he held until October,
1881, and in which he displayed legal








44
T B E S T A T E R E PU B L I C A N
attainments that in the spring election
of that year brought him into notice
as a man with a judicial mind,
prompted his nomination and secured
his election as judge of the 17th judi-
cial circuit, to which he was re-elected
and remained in until 1888, when he
resigned and resumed the practice of
his profession at Grand Rapids, as a
member of the law firm of Montgom-
ery & Bundy, until entering upon the
duties of the position he now holds as
a judge on the supreme bench, to
which in 1891 he was elected.
As a justice of the Supreme Court,
Justice Montgomery has earned and
receives the respectful consideration
of the bar of Michigan, as a careful,
painstaking judge, whose work shows
a lucid comprehension of all the points
at issue, and whose opinions are val-
uable for the clearness and brevity
with which they are presented.
MEN INFLUENTIAL IN THE
STATE'S AFFAIRS
HON, JOHN T. Rich
Elba
Of the men
w ho .h a ve
been honored
by the people
of Michigan
by elevation
to the posi-
tion of Gover-
n or of the
State, no ne
have served
the St a te
more faithful-
ly than did
Gov. John T.
Rich during
his four years in the Executive chair of
the State.
Ex-Governor John T. Rich was born
at Conneautville, Pa., April 23, 1841,
coming with his parents to Michigan in
1848, and locating at Elba, where he
has since made his home. He is essen-
tially a Michigan man. Of heroic mold,
with intellectual cast of features, he
is so marked as to attract attention to
himself as being a man of no common
clay. He is of the strong, rugged,
sturdy type of character that never
takes mean rank in achievement, but
always makes his presence known and
felt in the advanced march of the
benefactors of his race.
Raised on a farm, his early educa-
tion was given him at the district
school of Elba, the public schools of
Lapeer, and the old academy at
Clarkston. His life among the farmers
has kept him in close touch with the
producing classes, and in public life
he has been known as a powerful
champion and able representative of
their interests.
In politicts he has been unflinching-
ly Republican, and as a member of
that party closely identified with the
dominant trend of State and national
affairs.
He was a Representative in the Leg-
islature of Michigan from 1873 to 1880,
and was elected to the State Senate of
1881-2, but was sent to congress from
the seventh Michigan district to fill
the vacancy left by Mr. Conger in 1881,
who had been promoted to a seat in
the United States Senate.
He was Commissioner of Railroads
under Gov. Cyrus G. Luce, another
important position which he filled with
great credit. In 1893, he was elected
Governor of Michigan, and was re-
elected to this position in 1895 by a
plurality of over 100,000 votes. And
now, at the close of his official career,
is retired from office with as creditable
a record for the discharge of the trust
with which the people honored him as
any who has yet filled the Executive
chair of Michigan.
Governor Rich was the author of
many official acts of which he may be
justly proud. The act providing for the
parole of prisoners was the outcome of
his official recommendation, the wis-
dom and beneficence of which has al-
ready been proven within the short
time it has been on the statute books
of the State. On May 5, 1894, Gov.
Rich appointed to the United States
Senate John Patton, Jr., of Grand Rap-
ids, a gentleman whose legal training
and scholarly attainments well quali-
fied him for the position and reflected
credit upon Gov. Rich.
Gov. Rich possesses strong business
traits of character that have been duly
demonstrated in commercial life. He
is now treasurer of the Delta Lumber
Co., whose operations in lumber ex-
tend annually into the millions of dol-
lars, and while he will henceforth give
much of his time to the business of this
company, there are none in Michigan
who doubt that in the future as in the
past the influence of John T. Rich will
be felt in the politics of the State.
HON. HENRY H. APLIN
West Bay City
Hon. Henry H.
Aplin, ex-aud-
itor general of
Michigan, is
known to ev-
ery one at all
familiar with
the men who
le a ve the
stamp of char-
acter upon the
political his-
tory of this
State.
General Hen-
ry H. Aplin
born on a farm in Genesee
Michigan, April 15, 1841,
was
county,
and has the look and bearing of a
man born to be leader of men. Indig-
enous to the political atmosphere of
Michigan, he is a lover of liberty, with-
out license, and is at no time so much
en rapport with himself as when cham-
pioning the cause of the common peo-
ple. His education was received in the
public schools of Flint, from whence he
returned to the farm in 1856. At the
outbreak of the civil war he enlisted in
Company C, Sixteenth Michigan vol-
unteer Infantry, and serving until the
close of the war was in 1865 commis-
Sioned second lieutenant.
On return to his native state he en-
gaged in the mercantile business at
Wenona, now West Bay City, and in
which he has since resided as one of
its most progressive citizens. For the
past thirty years General “Tip” Aplin
has been a prominent and forceful fig-
ure in the town, city, state and nation-
al conventions of the Republican party,
and was a delegate to the convention
that nominated James G. Blaine. He
was postmaster of West Bay City from
June, 1869, to November, 1886. In the
last named year he was elected auditor
general of Michigan, and in this elec-
tion ran more than eleven thousand
votes ahead of his ticket. He was re-
elected in 1888 and proved to be one of
the most popular incumbents of that
office. -
In 1891, General Aplin, with others,
began the construction of a system of
electric street railway in West Bay
City, of which he was elected the man-
ager, and continued in that position
until his interest was disposed of.
In 1892 he became a member of the
Republican state central committee,
and in 1894 was elected to the state leg-
islature. At each of the elections in
which the Hon. Rosseau O. Crump was
elected to congress Gen. Aplin was
chairman of the 10th congressional
committee and was instrumental in
changing the result of the vote from a
Democratic to a Republican majority.
In addition to the performance of his
duties as High Court Inspector in the
Independent Order of Foresters, Gen-
eral Aplin is now engaged in the ice
business as the proprietor of the West
Bay City Ice Company. -
HON. CHARLES E. BAXTER
Detroit
Of the young
men in Mich-
igan who are
active in public
life, Charles E.
Baxter, of De-
troit, is known
by more men
who se a C -
quaintance is
worth having
than any other
m a n in the
St a te. While
posses sing a
v i v i d vitality
that makes him “bon comrade” with
the young men of this generation, there
is yet a strain of serious thought for
the practical affairs of life that draws
to him the close friendship of men of
mature years.
Born on a farm located near Fayette,
Ohio, March 18, 1863, Charles E. Bax-
ter's early days were such as usually
fall to the lot of the lad raised in a
rural community. His primary educa-
tion was received in the schools of
West Unity and Bryan, and after a
preparatory course at Oberlin, he en-
tered Williams college, Ohio, from
which he was graduated in the class of
1885.
On leaving college Mr. Baxter en-
tered upon the career of a journalist as
a political writer on the Cleveland
Daily Herald. Coming to Detroit in
1885, he accepted a position as political
writer and correspondent on the editor-
ial staff of the Detroit Tribune. He
later located at Charlotte, Eaton coun-
ty, as associate publisher of the Char-
lotte Republican, a paper which, during
his connection with it, had much to do
with forming public opinion in the cen-
tral counties of Michigan.
In politics he is a Republican who
has served his party faithfully and
well, and as an organizer has shown a
wonderful capacity in harmonizing dis-
cordant elements and in the formation
of political clubs. He was assistant
secretary of the Senate in the Legisla-
ture of 1889–90, assistant secretary of
the Republican State league, 1889 to
1893, assistant secretary State central
committee in 1892 and 1894, and secre-
tary to United States Senator John
Patton during his term of office.
In 1892. Mr. Baxter returned to De-
troit, where he now resides and where
he has offices in the McGraw building
as the State agent of one of the oldest
life insurance companies of this coun-
try, the Manhattan of New York, to
whose business he now gives his entire
attention.
HON. HORACE L. DE LANO
Muskegoti
Hon. Horace L.
Delano of Mus-
kegon may be
counted annong
the men in Mich-
igan who, taking
an active, enthu-
siastic interest in
, the welfare of the
State and nation,
believes such in-
terests are best
served under the
direction and con-
trol of the Re-
publican party.
Horace L. Delano was born in An-
dover, Ohio, May 15, 1853, and is the
son of Horace G. Delano, who served
in the war of the rebellion, as a mem-
ber of Company I, 105th Ohio Volun-
teers, from August, 1862, until June,
1865. Two years after the close of the
war Horace L. Delano, as one of his
father's family, came to Hart, Mich.,
where he remained until 1876, when the
family removed to Whitehall, Mich.,
where in the same year he was admit-
ted to the bar from the office of F. J.
Russell. In 1877 Mr. Delano located in
the city of Muskegon, where he has
since resided and won distinction in
the practice of his chosen profession.
In 1878 he was elected circuit court
commissioner and held the office for
two terms. He was afterwards ap-
pointed prosecutor for Muskegon coun-
ty, in which office he continued for five
years. In May, 1896, he was appointed
by Mayor L. A. Smith city attorney,
and held the office for one year.
In the practice of law Mr. Delano is
classed as among the leading lawyers
in his section of the State, and has ac-
quired a practice that is flattering to
his ability as a lawyer. In politics he
is a Republican who never neglects the
prime duty of every good citizen in at-
tending the primaries, and never shirks
any responsibility his party may im-
pose upon him.
In 1880 Horace L. Delano was mar-
ried to Miss Cora Heald, daughter of
the late Joseph Heald, Esq., a union
that has been blessed with one son.
HON. D. R. CRAM PTON
Motiroe
In the politics
of M on r o e
county the
Monroe Dem-
o cr a t is a
very impor-
t a n tº factor,
and its man-
aging editor
one of the ag-
gressive Dem-
o cra, t S of
Monroe Coun-
ty and the
second c on-
gressional
district, who, always in attendance at
the primaries and conventions of his
party, is ever a power on the side he
favors.
D. R. Crampton was born in Louis-
ville, Ky., August 20, 1844. Coming to
Michigan in early youth, he settled in
St. Clair, where at the age of seven-
teen he began the printing business,
and three years later graduated from
the office of the Detroit Free Press.
He has since been engaged in journal-
ism. Settling in Monroe in 1872, he in
1880 organized the Monroe Democrat
Printing and Publishing company, and
at once began the issue of the Monroe
Democrat as a free trade paper, and is
now secretary-treasurer and manager
of the company.
Mr. Crampton is a man of extensive
reading and of literary tastes, a stu-
dent of and writer on political econ-
onny. He has written several well re-
ceived articles on fraternal life insur-
ance, and is Grand Orator of the Grand
Council, Royal Arcanum. He is a Ma-
son of high degree, a Shriner, and one
of the best known public men in Mich-
igan. He was secretary of the Monroe
school board for three years, and is
now the postmaster of that city.
HON. HENRY GUNTERMAN
Bay City
One of the
few Demo-
crats who
We althered
the adverse
political
gales of 1892
and landed
in the safe
h a r bor of
official po-
sition was
H e n r y
Gunterman,
o f B a y
county, who
as a candi-
date for sheriff, with Judge Wright as
candidate for probate judge of the
same county, survived the great po-
litical cyclone through which the peo-
ple of the county resented the inaction
of the Democratic administration to
promptly fulfil its before election prom-
ises to the people. It may readily be
surmised that under the conditions it
was not so much party strength as
personal popularity which carried Mr.
Gunterman through that and the suc-
ceeding election for the office of sher-
iff which he now holds.
Henry Gunterman was born March
20, 1849, in Germany, where he received
a good education. He came across the
ocean to seek a home and fortune in
America, and settling at West Bay City
began his career in this country in the
business of baking. He later engaged
in the handling of meat and the buying
of live stock for market on his own ac-
count, in which he was most success-
ful, and through his son continues the
business at West Bay City.
In Bay county there is no man better
known than Henry Gunterman, whose
upright character and charitable dis-
position endear him to all classes of
citizens. In 1872 he was married to
Miss Hattie De Schriver, of Salzburg,
a union that has been blessed with five
children, four daughters and one son,
the last now old enough to look after
the father's business interests.
HON, WILLIAM G. HOWARD
Kalaitiazoo
The Hon. Wil-
liam G. Howard
of K a la mazoo
stands in the
front rank with
the ablest law-
yers composing
the bar of Mich-
igan. He was
born in Cass
county, Michigan,
May 10, 1846, and
received his early
education in dis-
trict schools sup-
plemented by a
course at Kalamazoo College, from
which he was graduated in 1867, after
which he studied law in the office of
Balch, Studley & Balch of Kalamazoo,
and was admitted to the bar in Octo-
ber, 1869.
February 3, 1870, Mr. Howard opened
an office in Dowagiac, Cass county,
where his abilities as a lawyer were
soon recognized by his election to the
office of prosecuting attorney. In 1873
he removed to Kalamazoo where he
formed a partnership with Mr. Balch,
which continued for five years. He
then became a member of the law firm
of Brown, Howard & Roos. On the
removal of Mr. Brown to Utah, where







LE GIs LAT IV E so U V E NIR
45
he was elected one of that state's first
United States Senators, the firm was
continued as Howard & Roos until
January 1, 1897, when Mr. C. H. How-
ard was admitted to partnership, and
the name changed to Howard, Roos &
Howard. When but ten years of age
Mr. Howard lost a hand, in operating
a mowing machine, an accident that
probably changed the course of his life
and brought to the bar of Michigan a
strong legal mind thoroughly trained
in the intricacies of the law.
In politics Wm. G. Howard is an un-
compromising Democrat, who is ever
active in forwarding the principles of
that party or the promulgation of its
doctrines, and at the convention of
that party held in Grand Rapids Feb-
ruary last was a prominent candidate
for a place on the supreme bench of
Michigan.
Col. CHARLES. W. HERBST
Detroit
Col. C h a rºles
W. Herbst, of
Governor Pin-
gree's sta, f,
- is a native of
Detroit, where
he was born
June 4, 1866.
He was gradu-
alted from the
St. John 's
E v. a ng elical
School of De-
troit and after-
wards took a
business course
at a night school. -
In military circles Colonel Herbst
has earned the distinction of one of the
best tacticians and drill-masters in
Michigan, and brings into the military
family of the Governor a knowledge
of the militia that is in harmony with
the title he bears. At the time this
appointment was made there was some
question, among ranking officers, as to
why those of higher rank had been
passed in the selection, but the choice
of the Governor was conceded to be an
exceptionally good one, both in the
personal character and military equip-
ment of the appointee.
At the age of twenty-one Col. Herbst
was enrolled as a member of the De-
troit Light Infantry. After several
years’ training in this crack military
company, and while yet a corporal, he
was, on the organization of the De-
troit Grays, elected captain of that
company. Under the command of Cap-
tain Herbst, this company rapidly in-
creased in proficiency and member-
ship; starting with eighteen members
the company turned out for its first
annual parade with ninety-eight active
members in line.
Colonel Herbst is engaged in the
manufacture of clothing on Monroe
avenue, Detroit. Beginning business
life as a clerk in the employ of C. R.
Mabley & Co., he was afterwards in
the employ of J. L. Hudson & Co., with
whom he learned the merchant tailor-
ing business. In 1887 he began manu-
facturing on his own account and has
built a most successful and prosperous
business, in which he is making the
manufacture of military uniforms a
special feature.
HON. Otto ihling
Kalatriazoo
Kalamazoo contains no more public
spirited citizen than the Hon. Otto
Ihling, who, born in Germany, Decem-
ber 3, 1846, came to this country when
but six years of age and spent the
formulating period of his life under
conditions which cultivated feelings
and aspirations thoroughly and unmis-
takably American.
In public affairs, Mr. Ihling is al-
ways an active and patriotic citizen
and has been often honored with
positions of honor and trust. In
1880 he was elected trustee of what
was then the village of Ralama-
zoo; in 1884 alderman of his ward,
and in 1888 he was elected mayor
of Kalamazoo, re-elected in the year
following, and in 1895 was for the third
time elected to the office of mayor. As
a presidential elector from the third
congressional district of Michigan, he
cast his ballot for President Harrison,
and in all public positions has ably
and faithfully served the people who
placed him in power.
The firm of Ihling Bros. & Everard
was first organized by Mr. Otto Ihling
in 1869. In 1872 his brother Rheinhold
was admitted to the firm under the
firm name of Ihling Bros., which, in
1887, on the admission of Mr. Herbert
H. Everard, was changed to the name
it now bears, that of Ihling Bros. &
Everard, the mention of whose name
is immediately associated with dupli-
cate whist and the Kalamazoo Book
Holder, two of their leading special-
ties, which have brought the name of
the firm into prominence throughout
the country. The firm is also the
holder, for the past eight years, of the
State contract for supplying the vari-
ous officials of the State with station-
ery and stationery supplies, including
flat, bond and legal papers. The last
of these contracts was for the fifth
time awarded to Ihling Bros. & Ever-
ard in the spring of this year.
Mr. Otto Ihling is a man of domestic
habits, and finds his home with his
wife and two children the most at-
tractive place on earth.
HON. NEAL McMILLAN
Rockford
Governor Rich, during his two terms
as Executive of the State, made no ap-
pointment to office that has given more
universal satisfaction to the people of
Michigan, in the discharge of the
duties incumbent upon an appointee
by virtue of the office filled, than did
the appointment of Hon. Neal McMil-
lan to be State Oil Inspector. During
his four years in the office the casuali-
ties from the use of unsafe kerosene
oil has been reduced until we now sel-
dom, if ever, read of accidents from
this source.
Hon. Neal McMillan was born in
Godmanchester, province of Quebec,
December 25, 1845, and came to Michi-
gan with his parents seven years later,
where he has since resided. He was
educated in the public schools of Mich-
igan, and has since a young man been
actively interested in them. He was
for several years engaged in farming
summers and teaching winters, and
finally engaged in the drug business,
which he followed several years. In
politics he has always been an active
Republican and interested himself in
the success of his party. He has been
supervisor of his township, village re-
corder, treasurer, and alderman of the
village where he resides, and county
school commissioner of Kent county.
He represented the third district of
Rent county in the Legislature of 1887
and again in 1889, each time having
good majorities. In the Legislature
of 1889 Mr. McMillan was a useful
member of the committees on North-
ern Asylum for Insane, railroads, and
State library, being chairman of the
latter.
He is now engaged in the brokerage
business at his home in Rockford, Kent
county, where for many years he has
been one of its most honored citizens.
HON. LEWIS MONTGOMERY MILLER
Larising
Few men are
better known
in Michigan
than is Hon.
Lewis M. Mil-
ler of Lansing,
who for several
years has been
the guiding
genius of the
ºf House of Rep-
* resentatives
and the one to
whom the en-
tire State has
turned as au-
thority upon
questions of parliamentary law. Mr.
Miller was born at “Freeman’s Mills,”
Ray township, Macomb county, Michi-
gan, March 3, 1849. He was educated
in the public schools, including the
high school of Mt. Clemens, Mich., and
studied law with Hubbard & Crocker
of that city, and on November 14, 1871,
was admitted to the bar by the circuit
court of Macomb county. In politics
Mr. Miller has always been a Republi-
can, and his ability and efficiency have
been frequently recognized by the
party. He was assistant enrolling
clerk of the House in 1871 and 1873, cor-
responding clerk of the House in 1875,
Journal clerk of the House during each
session from 1875 to 1883 inclusive, and
secretary of the Senate in 1885, 1887 and
1889. By a change in the political con-
trol of the State in 1891 he was suc-
ceeded by a Democrat and became
managing editor of the Telegram-Her-
ald of Grand Rapids, but spent the
time of the legislative session in Lan-
sing on editorial work and correspond-
ence. Mr. Miller was assistant Secre-
tary of the Republican State central
committee in 1892, having special
charge of the newspaper work of the
committee. Mr. Miller was elected
chief clerk of the House in the years
1893, 1895 and 1897, and has the distinc-
tion of being the only man who has
been both secretary of the Senate and
clerk of the House.
A most distinguished honor was con-
ferred upon him by the Legislature of
1895 in electing him compiler of the
laws and authorizing him to prepare
an annotated edition of Michigan laws
which are to be published under his
supervision immediately after the close
of the Legislature of 1897. His com-
pilation has been completed and ap-
proved by the commission appointed
for that purpose, who pronounce it a
most excellent one. Mr. Miller finds
some time outside his other duties to
indulge his love for the study of
languages, and has so become pro-
ficient in several ancient and modern
tongues.
HON. WILLIAM. C. MAYBURY
Detroit
The present
mayor of De-
troit, William
C. Maybury,
is on e of
Michigan's
most favored
sons. Strong
and compact-
ly built, he
possesses a.
healthful vig-
or that gives
force to the
prompting of
a keen intel-
lect.
Born in the city of Detroit, Novem-
ber 20, 1849, he received his education
in the public schools of his native city,
and graduated from its high school.
He was afterwards graduated from the
literary and law departments of the
University of Michigan, whereupon he
immediately engaged in the practice
of law in the city of his birth, where
he earned a reputation as a wise coun-
selor. After four years of practice at
the bar of Wayne county, he was elect-
ed city attorney for the city of De-
troit. In this position he was noted
for his assiduous attention to the du-
ties of an office in which, while guard-
ing with a zealous care the interests
of the city, he was also careful that it
should be involved in no unnecessary
litigation or unwarrantable expense in
the conduct of its law department.
In 1880, the year in which he severed
his conection with the law department
of the city of Detroit, Mr. Maybury
was honored by his alma mater, in
having it confer upon him the degree
of A. M. The same year he was a can-
didate for Congress in the first dis-
trict, but was defeated by a small ma-
jority. In the following election he
was again a candidate and was elect-
ed; he was re-elected in 1884, and re-
fused to be a candidate for the fourth
time. His career in Congress is one
of which he and his constituents may
justly be proud, and one which the
magnificent postoffice building in the
city of Detroit stands commemorative
of.
Mr. Maybury is a vigorous, uncom-
promising Democrat, and yet his abil-
ities and patriotism are such as to
command the respect and confidence of
the voters in all political parties; a
fact that was quite evident in the spe-
cial election of last spring when, re-
ceiving the support of many of the
most prominent men in the Republican
party, he wiped out the six, eight and
ten thousand majorities of Mr. Pin-
gree, and was elected, the first Demo-
crat to hold the office in eight years.
In social life Mr. Maybury is of a
genial, companionable disposition, and
is possessed of attributes of head and
heart that make him a man whose ac-
quaintance and friendship is sought
and cherished in kindliest regard.
• In the Masonic order, William C.
Maybury is recognized as a Frater,
who not only espouses Masonry, but
lives it; and it is in the ranks of this
fraternity that his genial nature warms
into comradeship and brotherly love.
He is a 33d degree Mason and a past
eminent commander of Detroit Scot-
tish Rite Consistory.
CAPTAIN CHARLES R. MILLER
Adriati
An outline of
the career of
Captain Charles
R. Miller of
Adrian, Lena-
Wee County,
will show not
only that which
is typical of the
best in Ameri-
can life, but in
- º ºf a brief way
º A. lº exemplify the
º º possibilities
there are in
our social sys-
tem for the youth who, aspiring to the
higher spheres of usefulness and hon-
ors, is willing to forego something of
the present for the more satisfying en-
joyments of later life.
Captain Miller is a native of New
York state. Fifty-nine years ago,
when but four years of age, he came
to Michigan with his parents who first
settled in Bridgewater, Washtenaw
county, but soon afterwards removed
to Saline in the same county, where he
profited by the district schools for
which Saline was then famous. At the
age of seventeen Charles began to
teach school and for four terms com-
plied with the custom of those days by
“boarding round” in the families of the
scholars, this board being accepted as
part payment for his services in teach-
ing. But, out of the cash he did re-
ceive, he saved enough, with a little
help from relatives, to pay the expense
of a course in the State Normal School,
from which he graduated in 1855. In
the same year he entered the State
University as a sophomore and grad-
uated from the literary department in
1858. He immediately began the study
of law with ex-Governor Alpheus
Felch at Ann Arbor, remaining with
him until the opening of the law de-
partment of the University of Michi-
gan, from which he graduated in 1860.
On completing his studies in the law
school of the University. Mr. Miller
sought a field for his ambition at St.
Joseph, Mo., but, to use his own words,
“Found more gunpowder than law
business in the air.” Here he was
active in the struggle that kept Mis-
souri from secession, and also spent
some time in the “St. Jo” postoffice,
where he helped to make up the first
“overland mail.”
Returning to Michigan in 1862, to visit
visit his family, he formed a partner-
ship with Norman Geddes, Esq., of
Adrian, Lenawee county. In July of
the same year he was mustered into
the United States service as a second
lieutenant in the Eighteenth Michigan
Infantry. In the winter of 1863 he was
advanced to the rank of captain, in
which capacity he served until the war
closed. The ability since shown in civil
life, in the practice of law, was soon
recognized in the army and caused
him, after a year's service in the field,
to be detailed on staff duty as judge
advocate successively on the staffs of
Post Commander Miller at Nashville,
Maj. Gen. Rousseau and Maj. Gen. Geo.
H. Thomas.
On the close of the war Captain Mil-
ler returned to Adrian and resumed
the practice of his profession under the
firm name of Geddes & Miller, until
Mr. Geddes was elected judge of pro-
bate. Captain Miller succeeding to the
law business of the firm continued in
the practice of law up to 1893, when he
relinquished the law as a profession to
devote his time to the leisurely super-
intendence of his real estate, banking
and manufacturing interests, from
which he derives an income enabling
him to live in a way satisfactory to a
man of intellectual strength and cult-
ured tastes.
The good fortune which came into
the professional and business life of
Captain Charles R. Miller followed him
into the home circle. His first wife, a
most estimable and accomplished lady,
was a daughter of Hon. Hiram Becker
of Ann Arbor; his second marriage was
with Mrs. Anne Marie Wendell of De-
troit and Mackinac Island, who brings
into his home life those Christian and
cultured graces that make home a
haven of rest and enjoyment.
In politics Captain Miller is a Repub-
lican of the sound money school. He






46
T H E S T A T E R E PUBLIC AN
has served the State as prosecuting at-
torney of Lenawee county from 1868 to
1872, as member and treasurer of the
board of control of the Reform School
for Girls at Adrian (now the Industrial
Home). He was for eleven years sec-
retary of the school board of Adrian,
and on the twenty-second day of June
of the present year, by appointment of
Governor Pingree, became a member
of the Board of State Park Commis-
sioners of Mackinac Island.
HON. GEORGE W. STONE
Larising
Ex - Auditor
General Geo.
W. Stone, of
Lansing, was
born in New-
berg, N. C.,
A u gust 27,
1849. H is
father, a na-
tive of the
se a port of
Londonderry,
Ire., was cap-
tain of a ves-
sel engaged in
the West In-
dia trade, fi-
nancial reverses in which caused the
subject of this sketch, when but eight
years of age, to be sent to Albion,
Michigan, where he was confided to the
care of a most estimable family, in
which he was cherished as one of their
own number.
On December 12, 1862, when but thir-
teen years of age, George W. Stone
signed his name to the muster roll of
Company D, First Michigan Sharp-
shooters. Serving in the ranks of that
regiment until August 11, 1865, he was
never absent from duty except when on
a furlough granted for meritorious
conduct.
The four years following his dis-
charge from the army he gave to ob-
taining an education in the public
schools of Albion and Albion College.
In 1869 Mr. Stone engaged in the dry
goods business at Albion. In the fall
of 1870 this business was removed to
Petersburg, Va. In 1873 he returned to
Michigan and located at Lapeer, where
he engaged in the grocery trade, and
in 1881 was elected clerk of that city.
From February, 1882, until 1885, he
held a position as a clerk in the Audit-
or General’s Office at Lansing. After
a speculative trip of two years in Da-
kota, Mr. Stone in 1887 engaged in the
lumber business in Clare county, and
was, in the following year, elected
clerk of that county.
The election of Geo. W. Stone in
1890 gave to Michigan one of the very
best Auditor Generals the State has
had. His administration is still known
as one of marked ability, and as being
conducted with the strictest economy
consistent with the best interests of
the State.
The sterling integrity, business tact
and executive ability of General Stone
was given recognition and indorsement
by Judge Rollin H. Person, who, in 1892,
without any intimation to the general
that such an appointment was con-
templated, appointed him the receiver
of the Central Michigan Savings Bank
of Lansing, a trust he is now executing
to the advantage of the people inter-
ested.
In Grand Army circles, Comrade
Stone is an honored favorite and has
served the department of Michigan as
adjutant general in 1887, as aide-de-
camp on the staff of Commander-
in-Chief Fairchild during the same
year, as junior vice commander of the
department of Michigan in 1889, and as
delegate to the national encampment
at Boston in 1890.
HON. MICHAEL RIEGAL
Bay City
There is no
figure in Bay
county better
known to the
people of Bay
and through-
out the Sag-
inaw valley
than that of
the d is tin-
guished Ger-
m a n citizen,
Michael Rie-
gal, the pres-
ent treasurer
of Bay county.
Michael Riegal was born in Gunder-
finger, Bavaria, December 9, 1852. His
history since the time he left home at
the age of eighteen to seek a home,
fortune and a name in free America,
is one of commendable thrift and no-
ble effort.
His first entry into the United States
was at the port of Boston, Mass., from
whence he went to Brooklyn, N. Y.
After about one year spent in Brook-
lyn, he removed to Bay City, where he
has since resided, sowing the seeds of
industry and cultivating a thrift from
which he now garners a harvest of
golden sheaves and honors.
On his arrival in Bay City in 1871,
Mr. Riegal found his first employment
in one of the large sawmills for which
the city was at that time noted, and in
which he remained for about two
years. He then became a clerk in the
store of Starker & Co. After three
years spent in clerking, he engaged in
the grocery business on his own ac-
count. This business he has conducted
with profitable success, and is still in
control of it, although other interests
are demanding much of his time and
attention.
In 1878 he was married to Miss Anna
Schmidt, and is now the happy father
of seven children.
In 1894 Mr. Riegal was elected on the
Republican ticket, in the Democratic
county of Bay, to the office of county
treasurer, and was re-elected in 1896 to
the same office, which he is now filling
with credit to himself and satisfaction
to those who elected him.
HON, FRANK D. WESTOVER
Bay City
Born Dec. 17,
1853, in Berk-
shire county,
M as sac hu-
setts, annong
whose rugged
h i 1 1 s a n d
brac in g a t-
m O s p her e
many of the
most famous
men of the
country were
reared, Frank
D. Westover,
the present
clerk of Bay
county, is by
right of inheritance a progressive up-
to-date American citizen.
He had the benefit of the common
schools of western Massachusetts un-
til 1866, when at thirteen years of age
he came with his parents to Bay City,
Mich., where, continuing his education,
he later took up the study of law in
the office of Judge Green, by whom, as
judge of the eighteenth judicial cir-
cuit, he was admitted to the bar of
that circuit in 1879.
After practicing law for four years,
Mr. Westover was appointed by Presi-
dent Arthur to be postmaster of Bay
City, where he served the people of
Bay City for four years and three
months, or until he was removed by
President Cleveland. Mr. Westover
then became engaged in business en-
terprises until 1890, when, as a candi-
date for county clerk on the Repub-
lican ticket in the Democratic county
of Bay, he established his popularity
by an election to the office by a plur-
ality of 264 votes, and by a re-election
with exactly the same figure as a
plurality.
As lawyer, editor, postmaster, busi-
ness man and county official, Mr.
Westover is ever popular, and in all
the relations of life by straightfor-
ward, honorable conduct in each posi-
tion, increases the number of his
friends and well wishers.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF A COURTESY
Learning that the State Republican
was about to get out a souvenir edition
in which it was proposed to show what
good paper, good ink, first-class press-
work and fine engravings would do, Mr.
F. B. Le Clear, photographer in the
Hollister building, Lansing, kindly
came forward to assist in furnishing
photographs of a character in style
and in art that would leave nothing
wanting to fulfill the realization of our
purpose. That he has succeeded, the
character of the engravings in this
edition is annple evidence of.
hon. JOHN AT KINSON
Detroit
The strong figure in the legislature of
1897, was he, who always a lover of lib-
erty, and a champion of the lowly from
the time he entered the army of the
United States in 1862, until the last
forensic battle was ended in the session
of the Michigan legislature just closed,
and who stood the leader in a long con-
tested struggle for local self-govern-
ment, a uniform system of taxation on
all kinds of property, uniform passen-
ger and freight rates on the railroads
in the state, and in opposition to un-
reasonable concessions to corporate in-
terests. Never in the history of Michi-
gan has any one man, through his po-
sition as a legislator, commanded the
attention and plaudits of the legisla-
tors and the people as did the man here
referred to, Col. John Atkinson of De-
troit, representative in the legislature
of 1897.
Coming from a family every member
of which is noted for breadth of intel-
lect, scholastic attainments and ora-
torical gifts, he couples these with a
keen wit, a princely courtesy, and a
penchant for repartee that make of him
a powerful adversary in debate.
It is seldom that the people of any
state are so fortunate as to be repre-
sented in the legislature by One so
thoroughly qualified in natural gifts,
training and experience in the affairs
of life to assume the role of an ideal
legislator, and although he gave to the
state time and talent that in his profes-
sion is said to be worth one hundred
dollars a day, there was no member in
the last session who put in more time
at work upon bills, at his office in De-
troit, in committee rooms of the capi-
tol, on the floor of the house, and in
chasing them through the mazes of
parliamentary procedure, than did Rep-
resentative Atkinson.
Representative John Atkinson is of
Irish descent and is a son of James and
Elizabeth (Shinner) Atkinson, who
came to America and settled in Canada,
where John was born May 24, 1841.
In 1857 the family removed to Port
Huron, Michigan, where the subject of
this sketch first began the study of law,
afterwards graduating from the Uni-
versity of Michigan, he in March, 1862,
and on his twenty-first birthday, was
admitted to the bar by the Supreme
Court of the State.
On the 25th day of the July following
he responded to the appeal of President
Lincoln for three hundred thousand
men and entered the army as a member
of the Twenty-second Michigan infant-
ry and Serving until after the close of
the war rose through the different gra-
dations as second lieutenant, captain
and major in the Twenty-second and
as lieutenant colonel of the Third
Michigan infantry, of which he was an
officer at the time he was mustered out
of service February 26, 1866, just twen-
ty-five days after he had married Miss
Lyda Lyons of San Antonio, Texas, to
which State his regiment had been as-
signed immediately after the surrender
of General Lee at Appomattox.
On his return to Port Huron in the
spring of 1866 he engaged in the prac-
tice of law, in which he has since con-
tinued. Shortly after his return from
the war, he was appointed collector of
customs at Port Huron by President
Johnson, but, on account of political
reasons was not confirmed by the
United States Senate.
In 1870 he removed to Detroit, where
he has since resided, raised a family
and earned the reputation of being one
of the ablest lawyers in Michigan.
Since residing in Detroit Mr. Atkin-
son has taken an active part in the de-
velopment of the city, and as a maem-
ber of the board of estimates was in-
fluential in bringing about the pur-
chase of Belle Isle against a strong op-
position which declared that such an
expenditure was a theft of the people's
money, and a move towards bankrupt—
ing the city of Detroit. But now, less
than twenty years since the purchase
was made, it would take more millions
of dollars than was expended in thou-
sands for the purchase, to induce the
people of that city to part with their
beautiful Island Park.
Representative Atkinson is at pres-
×ent a member of the Detroit Electric
Lighting Board, and at the last elec-
tion, in addition to his election as a
legislator, was also honored with the
distinction of an election as Presiden-
tial Elector on the republican ticket.
During the past winter a question
frequently asked by those who knew
nothing of the man’s history was,
“Why he left his professional interests
and home comforts for the toil and
worry of the legislative work he en-
gaged in 2’’ This was not only asked
by those who knew him not, but also
by those whose purpose in coming to
Lansing was such as to prompt them
to suggest an ulterior motive to him,
as an answer to their own question.
The writer, who has not had the
honor of a personal acquaintance with
Representative Atkinson, has watched
his career for a number of years, and
as early as 1873 marked him as one
who would some day make history. In
that year he was furnishing the money
and brains in the publishing of “The
Union,” a paper issued in the interest
of working men. He was later a
friend and ally of the late Charles
Stewart Parnell in his attempt to im-
prove the condition of the tenant farm-
ers in Ireland, and has been engaged
in enough other reform movements to
give a negative answer to the oft
mooted question, viz.: “Has the day
passed in which men are willing to sac-
rifice self on the altar of duty.”
In sending Col. John Atkinson to
Lansing to look after the interests of
the people, the citizens of Detroit sent
no raw recruit or late day convert to
the people's interests to care for the
general welfare, but one who today, as
in '62, lets his own interests wait while
he wages war for better conditions of
human life.




POL
The political history of Michigan may
‘be divided into three periods—Michigan
as a territory, Michigan under the
Democracy, and Michigan under Re-
publican rule. Each period is sharply
defined; each has its Striking features;
and each its principal actors. During
each period Michigan made steady pro-
gress in population, material wealth
and civilization. When the first period
opened in 1796, with the abandonment
of British claims to the territory, under
the Jay treaty, and the raising of the
American flag at Detroit, the entire
population of what is now Michigan
was less than that of many modern
Michigan villages. In 1837, when
the Second period Opened, the
population was 174,619; and when
the third period began, in 1854,
the population was 507,521. The
population today is nearly two and a
half millions and in every respect
Michigan is foremost among the great
States Of the Union, and is still mov-
ing Onward and upward to a still more
glorious future.
Michigan as a territory was a
“minor,” or what in law would be
called “an infant.” She had no polit-
ical power nor influence, and was with-
Out participation in the political affairs
Qf the nation. Originally a part of the
Old Northwest Territory, she was gov-
£rned by Gen. Arthur St. Clair under
the Ordinance of 1789, and his jurisdic-
tion also extended Over what is now
C) hio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin.
Gen. William Henry Harrison, later
the hero Of Tippecanoe and of the hard
Cider campaign of 1840, and the grand-
father of ex-President Benjamin Hair-
Tison, was Gov. St. Clair's successor by
appointment of President John Adams,
and then in 1805 Michigan became a
separate territory with a governor of
her own. Gen. William Hull, appointed
by President Jefferson, was the first
Governor under the new order, and he
had a council or cabinet of Judges ap-
pointed, like himself, by the President.
The Governor and Judges not only en-
acted the laws for the government of
the territory, but also interpreted and
executed them, and the people had no
political rights whatever even in the
Selection of the most minor of the local
Officers. The Surender of Detroit in
1812 to the British closed Gov. Hull's
administration, and he was succeeded
by Gen. Lewis Cass, appointed October
29, 1813, by President Madison, and he
Continued as Michigan’s executive for
eighteen years, under the administra-
tions of Presidents Madison, Monroe,
John Quincy Adams, and Andrew
Jackson, finally resigning to accept the
War portfolio in President Jackson's
Cabinet. When Gen. Cass entered upon
his gubernatorial duties, all civil ap-
pointments in the territory were made
from the national capitol, and were
often bestowed as rewards for political
Service. But step by step, as the popu-
lation increased, political rights were
conferred upon the people, and before
the end of the territorial period they
had almost full control over their local
affairs. In 1819 an act of congress gave
them the privilege of electing a dele-
gate to COngress who should have a
voice, but not a vote, in the delibera-
tions of the nation’s law making body.
In 1823 the territory was given an
elective legislative council, supplanting
the Old appointive council. But even
this right was restricted. The people
elected eighteen members of the coun-
cil and from those elected the Presi-
dent Selected nine to act. By a subse-
Quent act the number elected was in-
Creased to twenty-six, from whom thir-
teen were chosen. In 1825 another step
forward was taken in an act authoriz-
ing the Organization of townships and
making county officers elective, except
judges of Courts of record, clerks of
Courts, sheriffs, probate judges and
justices of the peace, the appointment
Of whom and other civil officers of the
territory was vested in the Governor.
Gov. Cass, in his opening address to
the first legislative council, in 1824,
said:
“All township and corporation and
CAL HISTORY
OF MICH IGAN
AN OUTLINE OF MEN, MEASURES AND EVENTS IN HER ONWARD MARCH FROM A TERRITORY
TO HER PRESENT STANDING IN THE SISTERHOOD OF STATES
many county Officers, and particularly
those whose duties relate to the fiscal
and police concerns of the respective
counties should be elected by the
people.”
After the act enlarging the civil
rights Of the people, in a special mes-
Sage to the Council, GOV. Cass said:
“An expression of public opinion
Ought to have great weight in all nom-
inations to Office. Where it is unani-
mous Or uncontradicted it should be
conclusive. In county offices newly
Created Or Occasionally vacated, where
the citizens assemble upon proper no-
tice and without any concealment, and
by the form of an election recommend
a person to Office, I can conceive few
reasons which would justify the neglect
Of Such an application.”
These pasages from GOV. Cass' mes-
Sages are interesting as Showing the
growth of the desire for political rights
in the territory and his part in foster-
ing such desires. He virtually annulled
the Spirit Of the congressional enact-
ment, though he observed its letter, by
appointing such local officers as should
be commended to him by popular vote.
Michigan remained a territory until
January 26, 1837, but even before be-
COming a SOVereign State exercised the
rights of statehood by electing state
Officers and a legislature, a congress-
man and Senators.
The first election in Michigan was
under the act of congress of 1819 allow-
ing Michigan to choose a delegate.
There were Six candidates in the field
for that first election. With no polit-
iCal rights and little concerned in po-
litical affairs the issue in the cam-
paign was not One of politics, but . Of
personal popularity.
The Only newspaper published in the
territory at that time, the Detroit Ga-
zette, observed an impartiality in the
Campaign which was beautiful to Ob-
Serve, freely complimenting each of
the candidates and Sometimes two or
three of them in the Same paragraph.
The candidates fought it out almong
themselves with hand bills, posters,
public addresses and meetings, and
doubtless put as much spirit into the
fight as would be done under similar
Circumstances today. The election was
held the first Thursday in September,
1819, and resulted in the election. of
William Woodbridge by a majority
almost as large as the combined vote
of all the Other candidates. The total
Vote was 725. The other candidates
were Gen. John R. Williams, James
McCloskey, Henry I. Hunt, Maj. Max-
well and Judge A. B. Woodward, the
last One Of the judges in Gov. Hull's
original “cabinet” tailing the poll.
William Woodbridge was secretary of
the territory at the time of his election,
and retained the Office, resigning as
delegate a year later to resume his
duties as secretary. Solomon Sibley
was Woodbridge's successor in con-
gress, both to fill the vacancy and for
the following full term, and then Rev.
Fr. Gabriel Richard. Fr. Richard came
to the territory in 1798, and founded St.
Ann Catholic church in Detroit. He
was here under the administrations of
Gov.S. St. Clair and Harrison, and was
among those who greeted Gov. Hull
upon his arrival in Detroit in 1805. He
was in Detroit at the Surrender to the
British and alleviated the sufferings of
his fellow prisoners. He brought the
first printing press west of the Alle-
ghany mountains, published the first
newspaper, and printed the first books
in the west. He was One Of the fore-
most men of the territory and One of
the best known, but his candidacy for
congress was not undisputed. Five
Other candidates entered the field, and
as in the first election, the issue was
not political, but One of the personal
popularity Of the Candidates. That the
campaign was heated may be judged
from the returns. Fr. Richard received
441, John Biddle 421, Austin E. Wing
335, Whitney 165, James McCloskey 164,
and John R. Williams 51. Although
comparatively few in numbers the
brethren in those days lived in no
greater harmony than in these modern
times, and Mr. Biddle, whose vote was
Second highest, Sought to gain the seat
by a contest On the ground that Fr.
Richard was not an American citizen.
This was Michigan's first appearance
in congress in the role Of contestant.
The seat was given to Fr. Richard, he
proving his citizenship, and he was the
first and Only priest Of the Catholic
church who ever sat in Congress.
Two years later, in the campaign of
1825, the contest was even more spir-
ited than in 1823, and with the rivalry
was a Strong element of bitterness.
The result was: Fr. Richard, 720 votes;
John Biddle, 732; and Austin E. Wing,
728; probably the closest election in
all the history of Michigan. The cer-
tificate of election was given to Biddle
On the face of the returns, and both the
Other candidates contested. The report
Of the congressional committee on con-
tested elections in this case is of more
than Ordinary interest, not for the
purely political issues involved, for
there Were none, but as a reflection of
the Spirit and election methods of the
day. The report, in part, reads:
“Mr. Richard rests his claim to the
Seat On grounds which to the Commit-
tee appear entirely novel, and as they
do not at all interfere with any of the
matters in controversy between the
Other candidates, will be first exam-
ined. He does not pretend that he has
received the greatest number of votes
that were actually given, but that he
would have received the greatest num-
ber of votes had not his friends at the
election, holden at the city of Detroit,
been intimidated from voting by real-
son of the interference of deputy sher-
iffs and constables who, it is alleged,
under pretense of keeping the peace,
Struck Several persons on the head,
and by that means prevented them and
many others from voting for Mr. Rich-
ard. * * * The election in that city
(Detroit) was very warmly contested;
it was held in the council house, a.
room capable of holding two or three
hundred persons; the electors were per-
mitted to come into the room and give
in their ballots, and to stay or retire
at their pleasure. Under this state of
affairs, it is natural that much con-
fusion should exist, to the great an-
noyance of the inspectors. By the laws
Of the territory, sheriffs and constables
are required to aid in preserving peace
and good Order, and although the
friends Of Mr. Richard are those who
alone complain, it is by no means cer-
tain that the attention of the Officers
was directed Solely to them. Besides,
the fact of Mr. Richard having re-
ceived at that election nearly as many
votes as were given for both the other
candidates seems to forbid the idea.
that anything like intimidation would
have been resorted to by either of the
weaker parties.” t
AS between the two Other candidates,
the committee found that votes of Sol-
diers, aliens and non-residents cast at
Sault Ste. Marie had been counted for
Biddle to the number of 18, and deduct-
ing this number from his vote, left
Wing with a plurality, and he was
given the seat.
The personal popularity issue contin-
ued to be the leading feature of subse-
quent elections to the close of the ter-
ritorial chapter, but as the population
increased and the territory more and
more looked forward to statehood and
a participation in national affairs, the
spirit of partisanship arose. The cam-
paign of 1831 was notable as it intro-
duced the convention system Of mak-
ing nominations into Michigan politics,
a system which has ever since been
with us.
The convention system of making
party nominations and adopting party
platforms was first established in the
Jackson and Van Buren administral-
tion. The first national convention was
that of the anti-Masons, held at Phila-
delphia in September, 1830. This was
merely a preliminary convention and
Michigan territory was represented by
a delegate. A second convention Was
held at Baltimore, September 26, 1831,
and William Wirt was nominated for
the presidency. The national Republi-
cans met in national convention in
Baltimore, December 12, 1831, and nom-
inated Henry Clay. The first Demo-
cratic convention was also held in Bal-
timore, May 21, 1832, and Andrew Jack-
son was named as the party candidate,
and at this convention the two-thirds
rule was adopted for making nomina-
tions, a rule that still clings to the
Democracy.
The convention idea took early hold
in Michigan. The anti-Masons nomi-
nated Samuel W. Dexter for COngress
in 1831, the Independent Democrats
nominated Austin E. Wing, who Sup-
ported Jackson's administration in
congress in so far as his limited powers
permitted, and the Democrat Republi-
Cans named John R. Williams. Even
in those days the farmer Vote was
sought after. One of the planks in the
Democratic Republican platform read:
“Resolved, that as the sense of this
meeting, that the best interests of the
people of the territory of Michigan
loudly call upon them to discard all
local jealousies and the advice and per-
suasion of illiberal and selfish parti-
sans, and to unite their exertions to
secure the election of a citizen for their
next delegate to congress who has been
reared in the great republican family;
who is proud of ranking himself with
the honest and patriotic farmers and
mechanics of our country, whose voice
called the present chief magistrate
from his agricultural pursuits to pre-
Side Over the nation, and whose COun-
tenance has enabled his administration
to place the republic in its present ele-
vated and enviable situation.”
Mr. Wing was elected in 1831, but in
1833 he was defeated by Lucius Lyon,
who was the last of the territorial del-
egates from what is now Michigan.
The population of Michigan had in-
creased to above 60,000, and Michigan
was clamorous for admission to State-
hood. A convention was called to form
a state constitution and to it delegates
were elected. The convention was de-
signed to be a non-partisan body, but
the Whigs formed a plan to capture it.
At a “numerous and respectable meet-
ing of the Democratic citizens of De-
troit,” held in Detroit, December 18,
1834, resolutions were adopted against
the scheme. The first resolution of the
series adopted was:
“Resolved, That in repugnance to the
sober and enlightened views of all good
citizens, not under the dominion of an
unholy spirit, the Federal Whigs of the
city of Detroit have publicly evinced a
determination to organize for the pur-
pose of securing the election of a party
convention to form a state constitution
of a party character.”
The resolutions denounced the plot,
and earnestly and enthusiastically en-
dorsed the administration of President
Jackson. The Whig plan, if it ever
existed, did not succeed. The Demo-
crats controlled the convention, but its
non-partisan nature was shown by the
election of John Biddle, a Whig, as
president. The constitution was duly
adopted, and then came the prolonged
struggle for admission as a State.
Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois Opposed
Michigan's claim to a southern bound-
ary, which would include the Toledo
strip of territory, and general politics
became involved in the COntroVersy.
The details of the controversy need not
now be recounted, but the difficulties
were finally overcome, and on January
26, 1837, Michigan took her place among
the sisterhood of States.
But not waiting for admission, the
people of Michigan assumed the rights
of statehood and proceeded to organize
her internal affairs in accordance with
the constitution adopted. On June 29,
1835, the Democrats met in state con-
vention at Ann Arbor and nominated
a full state ticket, with Stevens T.
Mason, the acting territorial Governor,
at its head, and Isaac E. Crary for Con-
gress. The Whigs also nominated a
ticket with John Biddle for Governor.
The election was held the first Monday
in October, 1835, and it seems to have
gone pretty nearly all one way. Ma-
48
T B E S T A T E R E PU B L I C A N
GENERAL RUSSELL. A. ALGER
Secretary of War
Under a republican form of govern-
ment, the men who obtain pre-emi-
nence in public affairs are those who
have grown to manhood under condi-
tions which develop self reliance, cour-
age and continuous application to the
advantage of environment. From
among the men whose honorable
careers illustrate the true type of
American character, the present Sec-
retary of War, General Russell A. Al-
ger, will stand as a fitting figure with
which to embellish the history of this
republic.
The story of this officer in the cabi-
net of President McKinley shows that
from early boyhood days his career
has been one of steady advancement.
Mounting the ladder of fortune at
the first round, he, on each step up-
ward, made the most of the oppor-
tunities at hand. On the farm, he es-
tablished his claim to a livelihood by
earning it; his education was obtained
by sacrificing youthful pastime in the
acquirement; he gained honorable dis-
tinction through the ardor with which
he tendered his services to the coun-
try in its hour of peril; he won fame
by deeds of heroism on the field of
battle, and credit as a statesman
through his broad and comprehensive
views of what should be the condi-
tions of life in a republic such as ours.
General Russell A. Alger was born
in Lafayette township, Medina county,
Ohio, February 27, 1836, and is the son
of Russell Alger, whose ancestors
came from England to Massachusetts
in 1759. Espousing the cause of lib-
erty, in the war of the Revolution his
grandfather was engaged in many of
the most important battles waged for
the independence of the Colonies. His
mother, Caroline Moulton, was de-
scended from Robert Moulton, who
came to Massachusetts in 1827.
When but eleven years of age, death
bereft him and a younger brother and
sister of parental care, since which
time Russell A. Alger has been the
arbiter of his own fortunes. For seven
years he labored on a farm, attended
the district school in winter, and after-
wards taught school in support of him-
self and the younger children, in the
meantime saving sufficient of his earn-
ings to defray the expense of a two
years' course at the Richfield Univer-
sity, where he received a good English
education and prepared for the study
of law.
After spending two years as a law
student in the office of Walcott & Up-
son, at Akron, Ohio, he was admitted
to the bar, by the supreme court of
that state, in March, 1859. He then
entered the law office of Otis & Coffin-
bury, of Cleveland, Ohio, where he re-
mained until fall, when he removed
to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Shortly after locating in Grand Rap-
ids, ill health compelled him to relin-
quish the practice of law; he thereup-
on engaged in the more invigorating
occupation of dealing in pine lands and
lumber, a business he has since fol-
lowed With marvelous success.
On April 2, 1861, Russell A. Alger
was married to Annette H. Henry,
daughter of Wm. G. Henry of Grand
Rapids. The following August he
responded to his country’s call for
troops by enlisting in the Second Mich-
igan Cavalry, and was mustered into
the United States service as captain of
Company C of that regiment.
That General Alger was a true
patriot and a brave soldier, the follow-
ing record of his army service will
most convincingly attest: He Was
commissioned captain of Company C,
Second Michigan cavalry, September
2, 1861; major of the regiment April
2, 1862; was wounded and taken pris-
oner at Boonesville, Miss., July 1, 1862;
promoted to be lieutenant colonel Sixth
Michigan Cavalry October 16, 1862;
colonel of the Sixth Michigan Cavalry
February 28, 1863; wounded in action
at Boonsboro, Md., July 8, 1863; re-
signed and honorably discharged Sep-
tember 20, 1863. During the winter of
1863-4 he was assigned to special duty
of a secret nature, in the performance
of which, under orders direct from
President Lincoln, he visited nearly
son's vote was 7,508, and Biddle's 814,
and the Legislature was strongly Dem-
Ocratic, but how strongly has not been
recorded. It may be said that the old
issue of personal popularity was in-
volved in this first state election to as
great a degree as ever in the history of
the state or territory. Gov. Mason, as
the champion of downtrodden Michi-
gan, as the leader of the belligerent
forces in the bloodless Toledo war,
young, handsome and dashing, was a
popular favorite and hero, and parti-
Sanship was forgotten in the eagerness
to assume the rights and dignities of
statehood. The first Legislature elected
Lucius Lyon United States Senator, by
unanimous vote of both houses, and
John Norvell, then postmaster of De-
troit by appointment of President Jack-
son, was chosen as his colleague by a
vote of 35 to 28 for John Biddle.
This closes the territorial period of
Michigan's political history. In forty
years the territory had developed from
a wilderness to a region rapidly filling
up with sturdy and enterprising set-
tlers from the east, bringing with them
the institutions and the ideas of the
older communities regarding self-gov-
ernment and the rights of citizenship.
They had brought with them a love for
freedom, a desire for education, and a
respect for religion, and these senti-
ments were all reflected in the first
constitution. The territory had passed
from a system of government in which
her people had no political rights, to
one of self-government and full repre-
sentation in the councils of the nation.
She had increased vastly in population
and wealth, and when she came into
the Union she was fully fitted to take
on the higher duties and responsibil-
ities of statehood. In the early terri-
torial days the political issues which
divided older communities were unfelt
in Michigan, but as the transition peri-
od approached partisanship developed,
and since the first election, when Gov.
Mason was chosen by an almost unan-
inous vote, Michigan statesmen have
been chosen chiefly on partisan lines.
The universal harmony which accom-
panied the first election did not long
continue. Early in the decade a land
boom developed in the west. It was
felt in Indiana, Illinois, and what is
now Wisconsin, but it raged with par-
ticular virulence in Michigan. When
Michigan became a state the boom was
at its height. The land offices were
thronged with eager speculators, towns
and cities were being built (on paper)
all over the territory, at the mouth of
every stream and wherever water
power promised to drive the wheels of
industry. New York had completed
her Erie canal. Ohio was well ad-
vanced in her project of connecting
the waters of Lake Erie and the Ohio
river by canal. As a territory Michi-
gan entered upon the era of internal
improvements by chartering railroads
and building roads. The first Legisla-
ture passed a state banking law, under
which banks, with authority to issue
bank notes, were established in every
He Was
all the armies in the field.
made brevet brigadier general United
States volunteers, for gallant and
meritorious services, to rank from the
battle of Trevellion Station, Virginia,
June 11, 1864; June 11, 1865, brevet
major general United States volunteers
for gallant and meritorious services
during the war; and in March, 1897,
was appointed and confirmed as Secre-
tary of War in the cabinet of President
McKinley. Add to this record the fur-
ther fact that, in the war of the Rebel-
lion, General Alger took part in sixty-
six battles and skirmishes, and we
have one of the grandest military rec-
ords of modern Warfare.
In times of peace and prosperity
General Alger has not forgotten old
comrades in arms, but takes an active
interest in all that pertains to the com-
fort and Welfare of the Veteran. He
has several times represented his post
in State and national encampments of
the Grand Army of the Republic, and
at the national encampment held in
Milwaukee was the unanimous choice
for commander-in-chief of that organi-
zation. He is also an active and pop-
ular member of the Loyal Legion of
Honor.
In politics General Alger is an en-
thusiastic Republican and an influential
factor in the councils and campaigns
of that party. He was a delegate to
the national Republican convention of
1884, and being elected Governor of
Michigan in the same year, he gave to
the State such proof of his abilities as
an executive officer that the Republi-
cans of Michigan, through their dele-
gates to the national convention of
1888, pressed the name of Russell A.
Alger as the party candidate for the
presidency with a persistency that re-
sulted in a compromise candidate on
the final ballot.
Coming to Detroit in 1865, General
Alger has since made Detroit his home
and conducted his vast business inter-
ests from that city. He is president
of the lumber firm of Alger, Smith &
Co., who are the successors of R. A.
Alger & Co., who succeeded to the
formerly well known lumbering firm
of Moore & Alger.
Alger, Smith & Co. are among the
most extensive operators in pine lands,
timber and manufactured lumber in
the United States, in the transaction
of which business they operate their
own mills and transport a very large
percentage of the product in vessels
owned by the company. In addition
to his lumber interests General Alger
is also a heavy stockholder and officer
in many of Michigan's most success-
ful corporations.
When putting aside the activities of
public and business affairs, General
Alger finds enjoyment in the comforts
and attractions of a well-appointed
home in Detroit, where, surrounded
by a family very dear to his affections,
he lives in the enjoyment of all that
good taste and art can provide for
the requirements of a cultured people.
The library has been selected with
great care and is one of the most com-
plete private libraries in the country.
His halls and picture galleries are
famed for the selections of paintings,
statuary and other art.
In the fall of 1896, during that mem-
orable campaign of education and ap-
peal to patriotism, it was a most in-
spiring sight to view those veterans
of earlier days—Alger, Howard, Sick-
les, Stewart, Marden and Tanner—
traveling more than seven thousand
miles as the guest of General Al-
ger, speaking each day from the
car platform, from hastily improvised
platforms in the open air, in crowded
halls and opera houses, where in
fervid appeal they called upon old
comrades in arms to once more show
their patriotism in defense of stable
government and safe money.
Since assuming the duties incumbent
upon the head of the war department
of a country with vast and varied in-
terests, General Alger has again
proven his capacity to intelligently
apply himself to the conditions of im-
mediate environment, and has already
stamped the imprint of his prompt,
businesslike methods of performance
on the heretofore slow, red-tape style
of the war office.
village and at almost every cross roads
settlement. The Legislature authorized
a loan of $5,000,000 to build railroads
and canals as state enterprises. The
enactments of the Legislature added
fuel to the speculative fever which
raged, and made still more eager the
men who were growing rich by the
simple and easy process of marking up
real estate values. Before the close of
Gov. Mason's first term the rumblings
of coming disaster began to be heard.
The boom was still on, but there was a
growing scarcity of good money and an
increasing distrust of the bank notes.
It is needless to say that the Whigs
made the most of this condition of
affairs, for they were as prone to pick
flaws in the administration of the op-
position as partisans are today. In the
election of 1837 they came within 237
votes of electing their candidate for
governor, Charles C. Trowbridge. Dur-
ing Gov. Mason's second term the boom
collapsed entirely and the state was
Strewn with wrecked fortunes. Men
had grown wealthy by the rise in land
values, and almost in a night dropped
to poverty. Those whose wealth was
in bank notes became penniless by the
collapse of the banks. In addition to
the private distress, the state was em-
barrassed. The five million dollar loan
became involved in scandal, and with
an empty treasury work on the public
improvements had to be suspended and
the creditors of the state were paid off
in scrip, which in time depreciated to
far below its face value. In the cam-
paign of 1839 the Whig slogan was
“Woodbridge and reform,” and all the
troubles, financial and otherwise, were
1aid at the door of the Democracy.
The Democrats of the state were di-
vided among themselves in this critical
period, and the election went against
them. Woodbridge, the first territorial
delegate from Michigan, was elected
by a majority of 1,158 over Elon G.
Farnsworth, after a campaign that has
had few equals since for acrimony and
ill feeling. Gov. Woodbridge had a
Whig Legislature at his back, and for
the ensuing two years the Whigs en-
joyed the pleasures of office-holding,
the only time in the history of the state
that they were in the ascendancy.
Their brief control was of more than
ordinary importance, as it gave them
the election of two United States Sen-
ators, Augustus S. Porter, in 1840, and
William Woodbridge in 1841. The elec-
tion of Senator Porter was made pos-
sible by the dissensions in the Demo-
cratic ranks, which caused a default
in the election of a successor to Lucius
Lyon in 1839, and which will be re-
ferred to later.
The victory of 1839 was repeated in
the national campaign a year later. It
was the famous hard cider campaign,
with William Henry Harrison, the hero
of Tippecanoe, as the candidate for the
presidency. The campaign was one of
songs and “horse play” and it swept
the Whigs into power. In possession of
the state and national administrations,
the Whigs soon found that they had

L E (; I S ; , A T L V E S () U V E N I R
49
HON. DEXTER M. FERRY
Chairmati Republica11 State Central Corn-
rtiittee
Sterling integrity and recognized
abilities in general business and com-
mercial affairs are qualities that com-
mend themselves to the public when a
crisis is at hand, either in financial,
commercial or political affairs. It was
attributes such as these that brought
the astute financier and business man,
Dexter M. Ferry, into the arena of
public life as Chairman of the Repub-
lican State central committee on the
eve of the greatest political battle ever
waged in this country.
While on the very picket line of the
great battle of 1896, when past party
affiliations counted for naught; when
the minds of many of our most loyal
citizens were in doubt as on just which
side they should be aligned and what
standard support, and in what ranks
his duty to country and to family de-
manded one should be found, the Re-
publicans of Michigan sought for a
leader with a career and abilities that
would command respect and inspire
confidence in the cause he would be
called upon to represent. When the list
of available men had been thoroughly
canvassed, the party turned from the
place hunter and selfseeker and chose
a leader from the ranks of business
men, and elected a man who, while
modest and unassuming in all that
pertains to himself, is known to be
bold and aggressive in the advance-
ment and maintenance of the interests
he endorses. Taking command of the
Republican forces at a time when their
allied enemies were already on the
breastworks in unknown numbers and
the loyalty of the leaders a matter of
doubt, Chairman Dexter M. Ferry
Soon proved the wisdom of his selec-
tion.
The business training and valuable
experience of Mr. Ferry when brought
to bear on the political situation as it
then existed in Michigan quickly gave
assurance of future victory and al-
layed the anxiety hitherto felt, an as-
surance that on election day was veri-
fied beyond the hope of the most san-
guine enthusiast.
At the State convention held in
Grand Rapids soon after Mr. Ferry's
election to the chairmanship, his fit-
ness for the position was at once
recognized by each and every Repub-
lican present. As he stepped to the
front of the platform to call the con-
vention to Order, the eyes of the dele-
gates there assembled were at once
focused on the face of the new chair-
man, and there in unmistakable lines
saw indications of a reserve force and
strength of character on which, in an
emergency, unlimited drafts could be
made in the advancement of Republi-
can principles. From that moment
there was no doubt as to a Republican
victory in Michigan.
Order obtained, Mr. Ferry won the
good will and hearty plaudits of the
Republicans there assembled in the
following language:
“Gentlemen of the Convention—The
accredited representatives of the Re-
publican party of this nation, duly
elected from every nook and corner of
the land, met in convention a few
weeks ago at St. Louis. After careful
deliberation, by an overwhelming ma-
jority, they adopted a platform of prin-
ciples, broad enough for any patriot
to stand upon, for party guidance dur-
ing the coming campaign, and upon
that platform placed in nomination the
next president and vice president of
the United States.
“Gentlemen of the Convention—We
are here today to perform a similar
duty for the State of Michigan. As
loyal Republicans we are here today
to ratify the nominations made at St.
Louis, and to reaffirm the platform
there adopted. Every sentence of that
platform bristles with patriotism and
every word of its financial plank is as
sound as the Rock of Ages. As loyal
Republicans we are here today to
name the man who shall be the next
governor of Michigan—a man whose
patriotism shall be unquestioned,
whose republicanism shall be above
suspicion, and who shall stand square-
ly upon the St. Louis platform.
“As loyal Republicans we are here
today to nominate other State officers
whose patriotism and republicanism
cannot be successfully assailed. The
Republicans of Michigan expect this
at our hands. They can ask nothing
more, nor Will they be satisfied With
anything less. With such a ticket, led
by the loyal patriots and statesmen,
William McKinley of Ohio and Garret
A. Hobart of New Jersey, the Repub-
lican party will march on to a glorious
victory next November.”
When he had finished, the Republi-
cans of Michigan knew that the man
at the head of the column Was no car-
pet knight. And it may here be said
that the value of his services as a
leader being now established, Mr.
Ferry will not in the future be allowed
to remain long from the forefront of
conflict and of honors while the battle
for progress and prosperity is on.
Chairman Dexter M. Ferry comes
from New England stock, being born
in Lowville, Lewis county, New York,
on the 8th day of August, 1833. Like
many of our most successful business
men and statesmen, he began the bat-
tle of life in the early years of his ex-
istence by the application of brawn
and brains to the conditions of his en-
vironment, remaining in the vicinity
of Rochester, New York, where his
time was divided between work on a
farm and attendance at the district
school until he arrived at the age of
nineteen years.
In 1852 he came to Michigan and lo-
cated in Detroit, as a junior clerk in
the book store of S. Dow Elwood &
Co. Rapidly advancing to the position
of bookkeeper, he remained with that
firm until 1856, when, as one of the or-
ganizers of, he became junior partner
in the firm of M. T. Gardner & Co.,
seedsmen. In 1865, the interest of Mr.
Gardner was purchased by the
firm. In 1867 the style of the
firm was changed to that of D. M.
Ferry & Co., and in 1879, while doing
the largest business of the kind in the
world, the firm was incorporated under
the official title of D. M. Ferry & Co.,
and is today doing a business requiring
seven figures to write its annual pro-
duct.
In addition to his interests in the
seed business of D. M. Ferry & Co.,
Mr. Ferry is largely interested in real
estate investments, and is president
and director in several of Detroit's
most prosperous institutions, such as
banks, insurance companies, trust and
loan companies. He is also at the head
of many manufacturing industries,
notable among them being the Amer-
ican Harrow Co., the American Blower
Co. and the National Pin Co. These
facts are mentioned only to show the
possibilities that always await thrift
and industry, when coupled with sa-
gacious foresight and executive ability,
in this land of equal opportunity for
those willing to make the first sacri-
fices necessary for the achievement of
ultimate success.
troubles of their own. The scramble
for office drove President Harrison into
the grave, and it gave rise to endless
dissatisfaction and factional fights.
Besides this, the reforms which the
Whigs had so profusely promised were
not forthcoming, and the financial dis-
tress did not materially decrease. The
campaign of 1841 found the Democrats
united. The bitterness of defeat had
wiped out the factional lines, personal
animosities were forgotten, and skill-
fully throwing the responsibilities for
the public and private woes upon the
party in power, the Democrats lined up
for a winning compaign. The election
resulted in a victory for the Democrats
by a majority which in those days was
considered tremendous. John S. Barry
was elected Governor by a majority of
5,326 and the Democrats controlled the
Illegislature by a large majority. The
Democratic Free Press of Detroit, then
the leading organ of the Democracy in
Michigan, celebrated the victory by
displaying in its columns a log cabin
blown high in the air, and the Ohio
Statesman, commenting upon the re-
sults, said:
“Our friends in Michigan have out-
stripped all creation. We never heard
anything to equal the tornado of Dem-
ocracy that has swept over the
Peninsula. State.”
From the election of 1841 to that of
1852 the Democrats enjoyed an unin-
terrupted series of victories. In the
Legislature of 1844 not a Whig was to
be found in the State Senate, and in
the House there were but six Whig
members, a political condition paral-
leled only by the Legislature of 1895,
when the Democrats had but one mem-
ber of the House and none in the
Senate.
During the succeeding years of the
Democratic ascendancy in Michigan,
they gave us Governors John S. Barry,
Alpheus Felch, E. Ransom and Robert
McClelland. They gave us Senators
Lewis Cass and Thomas Fitzgerald,
Alpheus Felch and Charles E. Stuart.
The electoral vote of Michigan was cast
for Polk, Cass and Pierce.
Although the national Democracy
won one more victory, the election of
President Buchanan in 1856, the elec-
tion of Governor McClelland in 1852
was the last Democratic triumph in
Michigan for many years, and the
campaign of that year closes the sec-
ond period of Michigan's political his-
tory. Before passing to the third and
last period it might be well to consider
for a moment the growth and develop-
ment of the state under the Democrat-
ic regime. The most interesting and
important event was the admission of
the state to the Union and the organi-
zation of the state government. The
state university was organized and the
school system established. The state
prison at Jackson was built by act of
1839, and the insane asylum at Kala-
mazoo by act of 1848. The state cap-
ital was located permanently at Lan-
sing. Railroads which were only pro-
jected when the state government be-
gan had been pushed across the state.
A geological survey had been made,
and the development of the mineral
resources of the state begun. The pop-
ulation had increased from 175,025 in
1837 to 507,521 in 1854, and the assessed
valuation in a like proportion. The
growth in every respect had been phe-
nomenal, but a period even more bril-
liant and progressive was in prospect,
and it came under the Republican ad-
ministrations which followed. The
state constitution still in force was
adopted under Democratic auspices in
1850, and it bears the impress of the
hard times which prevailed after the
collapse of the boom.
While the Whigs and Democrats
were warring for the possession of the
state and national government, a new
factor was slowly coming upon the
field. The abolition of slavery agita-
tion began almost with the foundation
of the government. The purchase of
Louisiana and of Florida were both in
the interest of slavery, to increase the
power of the south in congress, and
to insure favorable legislation for the
peculiar institution of the region be-
yond the Mason and Dixon line. Under
the Missouri compromise of 1820 Mis-
souri and Arkansas were admitted as
slave states, and the annexation of
Texas was a slavery measure. The
compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-
Nebraska agitation, were the begin-
nings of the end. The anti-slavery
agitation increased in intensity and
strength in the north, and the attitude
of the south became more and more
defiant, until at last came the war and
emancipation. The slavery question
first appeared in national politics when
the Abolition party was organized at a
national convention held at Warsaw,
N. Y., November 13, 1839, and nomi-
nated James G. Birney for the presi-
dency. He received 7,069 votes in the
election, an insignificant number, but
a nucleus for future growth. Birney
was renominated in 1844 by the Liberty
party and received 62,300 votes. In
1848, Martin Van Buren, defeated in
convention for the Democratic nomina-
tion, accepted the Free Soil Democratic
nomination and polled 291,263 votes,
contributing very materially to the de-
feat of Michigan’s Lewis Cass, non-
inated by the Democrats. In the Van
Buren campaign the slogan was “Free
soil, free speech, free labor and free
men.” In the Free Soil Democratic con-
vention of 1852 all of the northern free
states were represented. John P. Hale
of New Hampshire was nominated for
the presidency, and his vote was 155,825.
Then came the organization of the
Republican party, combining all ele-
ments opposed to slavery under the
ringing platform adopted at Philadel-
phia in 1856. The Republican party did
not win its first battle at the polls, but
the vote given John C. Fremont,
1,341,266, was the precurser of future
success.
In Michigan the Liberty party, in
1841, nominated Jabez S. Fitch for Gov-
ernor, and he received 1,214 votes.
James M. Birney was nominated in
1843 and 1845, and Gurney in 1847. In
1849 the Whigs and Free Soil Demo-
crats united on F. J. Littlejohn, and
were defeated by the Democrats. In
1852 the Whigs nominated Zachariah
Chandler, the Free Soil Democrats
Isaac P. Christiancy, and the Demo-
crats Robert McClelland. The Demo-
crats won a sweeping victory in state
and nation, and out of this defeat came
the destruction of the old Whig organ-
ization and the coalition of all elements
opposed to slavery or its extension.
The old Whig organization had become
fossilized. It had a strong southern
wing, and its leaders had endeavored
to Steer a course which would hold the
southern vote and yet retain its follow-
ing in the north. Thoroughly whipped
in the election of 1852, the younger and
more progressive element saw the nec-
essity for a new alignment, with new
and living issues as the only hope for
the future. The conservative Whigs
insisted upon maintaining the old or-
ganization in 1856, but with Fillmore as
the Whig candidate, it was far out-
stripped in popular vote by the new
Republican organizaton, and then
passed out of existence.
The Republican party was born “un-
der the oaks at Jackson” in 1854, and
was the result of an agitation which
began immediately after the election
of 1852, when the Democrats swept the
State. Aaron B. Turner, then editor of
the Grand Rapids Eagle, the principal
Whig organ in western Michigan, was
foremost in advocating a new align-
ment of the party with anti-slavery as
the issue. In the municipal campaign
of 1854, as a result of his agitation, the
anti-slavery element, regardless of for-

50
R E IP U B L I C A N
T H E S T A TE
HON. JAMES McMill AN
Setiator in Congress from Michigan
The people of Michigan have good
reason to be proud of the distinguished
ability with which the State has been
served by the gentlemen elected to
represent her as senators in the con-
gress of the United States. While the
memory of each will live so long as
the history of the State continues,
there is none whose record will show
a more faithful or commendable ser–
Vice to the State than that of the man
of affairs who is now serving his sec-
ond term as senator from Michigan.
James McMillan was born in Ham-
ilton, Ontario, May 12, 1838, and is
one of six sons and one daughter in
the family of William and Grace
McMillan. He received his early edu-
cation in the common schools and
was prepared for college in the pre-
paratory school of Dr. Tassie, who had
acquired a considerable reputation for
fitting youth to enter the university at
Toronto. At the age of fourteen years,
finding his inclination tending more
to business than to a professional
career, he gave the next four years to
the hardware business, after which he,
in 1855, came to Detroit and entered
the employ of the wholesale firm of
Buhl & Ducharme, a position he
left at the end of two years to be-
come the purchasing agent of the De-
troit & Milwaukee Railway Company.
In 1863, Mr. McMillan, with Messrs.
John S. Newberry, E. S. Dean and
George Eaton, organized the Michigan
Car Company. In 1867, through the
enterprise of these gentlemen, the De-
troit Car Wheel Company came into
being. In 1870 they established simi-
lar works at St. Louis, Mo., and in
1872 the building of cars was extended
to Canada by the location of a plant
for the building and equipment of cars
at London, Ontario.
In business affairs Mr. McMillan has
been pre-eminently successful, and is
financially interested in many of the
most prosperous industrial, commer-
cial and banking institutions in Mich-
igan. -
Out of the success of the Michigan
Car Company has come the Detroit
Car Wheel Company, the Detroit Iron
Furnace Company, the Baugh Steam
Forge Company, the Fulton Iron and
Engine Works, the Newberry Furnace
Company, the Detroit Pipe and Foun-
dry Company, in the operations of
which Mr. McMillan is largely inter-
ested as an investor and as an official.
The six hundred miles stretch of the
Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic rail-
road, which is a great stimulus in the
development of the upper peninsula of
Michigan and which binds it to the
body of the State in bands of steel,
forged in the fires of mutual interests,
was a conception of Mr. James McMil-
lan, and is now in successful operation
as the result of his resistless energy
in its behalf.
At the capital of the nation the repu-
tation and character of Mr. McMillan
had preceded his credentials as a sen-
ator from Michigan, and on being
sworn into office for the first time, he
was at once given high rank with the
ablest members of the United States
senate, and assigned to some of the
most important senate committees.
He was assigned to the committees on
agriculture and forestry, on the Dis-
trict of Columbia, of which he was in
two years made the chairman on post-
offices and post roads, and on the crea-
tion of the select committee On cor-
porations in the District of Columbia
was placed on that committee. At
present he is chairman of the commit-
tee on the District of Columbia, one
of the three busiest committees of the
senate; and he is a member of the com-
mittees on commerce, on naval affairs,
and on corporations organized in the
District of Columbia.
In party caucus Senator McMillan
was at various times assigned to the
committees having charge of financial
legislation, on the committee having
in charge the assignment of members
to the various committees of the sen-
ate, and to that very important com-
mittee on the order of business (popu-
larly known as the steering commit-
tee).
In the reorganization of the present
senate of the United States congress,
where the Republican party has but
forty-two votes and the opposition con-
trols forty-six, Mr. McMillan, as the
spokesman for the Republican side, has
managed to secure a division of the
committees and senate appointments
that gives to his party a fair equity in
the organization of the senate, an ar-
rangement that is said to be without
precedent in either branch of congress.
As chairman of the Republican State
central committee, the great executive
abilities of Mr. McMillan have been
clearly shown in the management of
party interests and the wonderful vic-
tories won under his leadership. In
the last election for which he con-
ducted the campaign, the Republican
party elected the entire State ticket
and every member of the Legislature
except the member from Bay county,
Mr. Donovan, who, in the election of
a United States senator in the Legisla-
ture of 1895, cast his vote for Mr. Mc-
Millan, thus making the election
unanimous.
From the duties of public life and
the cares of business Mr. McMillan
takes time to give sympathy and aid
to those whose afflictions can be re-
lieved only by those possessing the
means for their alleviation. The
founding of Grace hospital in Detroit,
dedicated to the loving charity of his
deceased daughter, Mrs. Grace McMil-
lan Jarvis, is due to a desire on the
part of Mr. McMillan to provide a place
where none would be denied the ad-
vantages of the most scientific treat-
ment.
On the mention of his purpose to
found a hospital containing free beds,
his friend, Mr. John S. Newberry,
asked and was granted permission to
assist in this commendable charity.
The result is that Detroit now possesses
Grace hospital, in buildings costing
$150,000 and endowed with $100,000 in
six per cent bonds; a hospital that is
complete in all that science can sup-
ply, and to these advantages the poor-
est of the poor find the doors are ever
Open.
From him the educational institu-
tions of the State are in almost con-
tinuous receipt of valuable gifts that
supply them desirable library collec-
tions and such other advantages as
the State makes no appropriation for,
and for which he is held in high regard
as the friend of extended knowledge.
In the social life of Detroit and
Washington, Senator McMillan and
family are eminent, through the cour-
tesy, culture and elegance of their
home life.
CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF THE PUBLIC
SERVICE OF SENATOR JAMES MC-
MILLAN.
1874—Member Detroit board of edu-
cation.
1876–Member Republican State Cen-
tral committee.
1879–Chairman
central committee.
1881–3—Member Detroit board of
park commissioners.
1884–Republican presidential elect-
Republican State
Or.
1885—Director Detroit Museum of
Art, appointed by the city.
1886–Chairman Republican State
central committee.
1889–Elected to the United States
senate for the term ending March 3,
1895.
1890–Chairman
central committee.
1892—Chairman
central committee.
1894–Chairman
central committee.
1895–Elected United States Senator
for the term ending March 3, 1901.
Republican State
Republican State
Republican State
mer affiliations, united in putting a
ticket into the field with Wilder D.
Foster as the candidate for mayor.
The old line Whigs and the Democrats
nominated tickets, and to the surprise
of all, the new party, as yet unnamed
and without a formal organization, was
triumphant. This was the first victory
won by the Republican party, a sort of
pre-natal victory.
The Free Soil Democrats met in state
convention in Jackson, February 22,
1854, and nominated a ticket, with
Ringsley S. Bingham for Governor.
The advocates of a new party move-
ment held a mass convention at Kala-
mazoo June 21 following, and appointed
a committee to confer with the Free
Soilers with a view of a general coali-
tion of all anti-slavery elements, the
Free Soilers to withdraw their ticket
and a new ticket to be nominated. The
Free Soilers agreed to the plan, and
under a stirring call signed by sev-
eral thousand of the leading citizens of
the state, the “under the oaks” con-
vention was held in Jackson, July 6,
1854. The convention was largely at-
tended, more so, perhaps because of
new aggressions by the slave power in
national legislation, and effected a
temporary organization by the election
of Levi Baxter of Jonesville, chairman,
and Jeremiah Van Renselaer, secre-
tary. The permanent organization
was: Chairman, David S. Walbridge
of Kalamazoo; vice presidents, F. C.
Beaman, Oliver Johnson, Rudolph Die-
penbeck, Thomas Curtis, C. T. Gorham,
Pliny Power, Emanuel Mann, Charles
Draper, George Winslow, Norman Lit-
tle, John McKinney, and W. W. Mur-
phy; secretaries, J. Van Renselaer, J.
F. Conover, and A. B. Turner. Jacob
M. Howard was chairman of the com-
mittee on resolutions, and the address
sent forth, giving the purposes and
aims of the new organization, was pat-
riotic and inspiring, and even to this
day, nearly half a century after, will
stir the blood of those who read it.
The convention nominated a full state
ticket with Kingsley S. Bingham for
Governor, and in the following cam-
paign the first Republican victory was
won. Bingham's majority was 4,977,
and the Republicans elected 25 of the
state Senators and 48 of the 72 mem-
bers of the House. In 1856 Bingham
was re-elected by a majority of 17,317,
and Michigan gave Frennont her elec-
toral vote by a majority of 19,623. In
the nation the Republicans lost the
election of 1856, although casting 114
votes for Fremont in the electoral col-
lege. The first national Republican
convention was a mass convention held
at Pittsburg, February 23, 1856. Among
those in attendance were Gov. Bing-
ham, Charles Dickie, and Mr. Sinclair
of Michigan. The mass convention
called a delegate convention to be held
at Philadelphia June 17, 1856, and the
delegates to this convention from
Michigan were E. J. Penniman, Fer-
nando C. Beaman, Noyes L. Avery,
Thomas J. Drake, Zachariah Chandler,
George Jerome, all at large, and Gov.
Bingham, D. McIntyre, M. A. Mc-
Naughton, G. A. Coe, I. P. Christiancy,
W. J. Baxter, H. G. Wells, John R.
Ixellogg, R. Strickland, Whitney Jones,
A. P. Davis and H. B. Shank from the
several districts. I. P. Christiancy was
Michigan's member of the committee
on resolutions, G. A. Coe of the com-
mittee on credentials, Thomas J.
Drake, permanent organization; Kings-
ley S. Bingham, vice president, and
Zach. Chandler was elected Michigan's
member of the national committee.
The history of the Republican party
in Michigan from 1854 to the present
time is a history of the state covering
that period. It is written in the laws
established, and millions of acres of
land have been reclaimed from the
primeval forest to become fruitful
farms and orchards. All the state in-
stitutions, educational, penal, reforma-
tory and charitable, except the three
established under the Democracy, have
been erected, the state capitol has been
built, and Michigan today stands fore-
most annong the great states of the
Union.
and in the institutions of the state, and X While the Republican party has been
it is to be found in the lives and rec-
ords of those who have served the peo-
ple in places of trust, responsibility
and honor. It need not be repeated
now, but in the history of Michigan for
all time to come the names will shine
forth of Governors Bingham, Wisner,
Blair, Crapo, Baldwin, Bagley, Cros-
well, Jerome, Alger, Luce, Rich and
Pingree; of Senators Stuart, Chandler,
Bingham, Howard, Ferry, Christiancy,
Baldwin, Conger, Palmer, Stockbridge,
McMillan, Patton, and Burrows; of
Justices of the Supreme Court Cooley,
Campbell, Christiancy, Graves, Mars-
ton, and those now on the bench. The
list could be indefinitely extended of
those who have served their state with
credit to themselves and honor to
Michigan, both at home, in the halls of
congress, and abroad; and all under
the Republican regime. Since the Re-
publicans came into power, nearly half
a century ago, the state has been grid-
ironed with railroads which reach into
almost every nook and corner, the pop-
ulation has increased nearly six fold,
the assessed valuation twenty fold, the
mineral and forestry resources have
been developed, industries have been
dominant in Michigan since 1854, side
issues have from time to time arisen,
and twice largely through these agen-
cies, the Republicans have briefly
lapsed, either in part or wholly from
power. In 1870 the prohibition question
assumed a political phase, and since
then there has not been an election in
which the Prohibition ticket has failed
in its appearance. The highest vote
ever cast by the Prohibitionists was
26,681 for Azariah Partridge in 1890, and
this vote was materially increased by
the endorsement of the Farmers' Al-
liance. Following the financial panic
of 1872-4 the Greenback party was
formed and made its first appearance
in Michigan politics in 1876, when 8,297
votes were cast for Sparks, the Green-
back candidate for governor. The
Greenbackers continued as an inde-
pendent political force until 1882, when
they formed a fusion with the Demo-
crats with Josiah W. Begole as the
gubernatorial candidate. The combine
was sufficiently strong, with disaffec-
tion in Republican ranks, to elect the
fusion candidate for Governor, but the
balance of the state ticket and the Leg-
islature went Republican. The fusion

L E G IS LA T L V E S O U V E N IR
51
HON, PETER WHITE
Marquette
The best known figure in the upper
peninsula today is Peter White of Mar-
quette. He has been very busy making
a large mark in the community ever
since 1845, when he made his appear-
ance at Mackinac from Green Bay, a
fifteen year old runaway, and began to
go on his own responsibility. His fam-
ily was originally from Rome, Oneida
county, N. Y., where Peter White was
born October 31, 1830.
He lived at Mackinac and Detroit for
several years, until 1849, part of the
time as clerk for Edward Kanter, and
as an employe of the Lighthouse
Board, under Captain Canfield. He
owed his entry into a better position
than boatman to writing Capt. Can-
field's name and titles on the sand of
the beach. The captain noticed that
it was well done and promoted him to
be time-keeper.
Mr. White came to Marquette, then
called Worcester, with Robt. J. Grave-
raet, traveling in a Mackinac boat, in
April, 1849, and has resided there con-
tinuously ever since. He was first em-
ployed by the Marquette Iron Com-
pany, Amos R. Harlow, agent, but em-
barked in business for himself as gen-
eral storekeeper and private banker in
1852. The store business was dropped,
but, adding an insurance agency in
1854, and incorporating his bank as a
national bank in 1863, he continues in
both lines of business to this day.
Besides these specialties, he has as-
sisted in promoting every considerable
manufacturing or business enterprise
that ever came to Marquette, and is di-
rector in nearly all of the important
older mining corporations.
Mr. White has always been a patri-
otic and public-spirited citizen. He
raised Company B of the First Michi-
gan Cavalry in 1861, and was elected
its captain, but was prevailed upon by
the citizens of Marquette not to accom-
pany the command to the front, as he
could be of greater service at home in
helping on the cause of the war. -
He has held several federal and Stat
appointments. He was postmaster in
1851, and at one time carried the mail
with a dog sledge from Marquette to
Green Bay through an entire winter.
He was instrumental in removing the
federal business from Sault Ste. Marie
to Marquette, and was successively col-
lector of customs and register of the
land office in 1855 and 1857 to 1861.
He has since declined very important
national posts, preferring to be a friend
of the administration rather than an
office-holder.
He is a well-known figure at Lan-
sing, having been representative in
1857 and senator in 1875, and having
carefully watched the course of all
legislation affecting the northern pen-
insula ever since.
Although in politics a Democrat, and
a familiar figure in state and national
conventions for that party, he has been
honored with the appointment by Re-
publican governors as World’s Fair
Commissioner in 1892, and one of the
Mackinac Island State Park Board,
more lately, and also represents the
State at the Tennessee Exposition at
Nashville.
In Marquette he has been for many
years park and cemetery commissioner,
and it is to him more than to any one
else that Marquette owes its beautiful
cemetery and beautiful Presque Isle
Park. The town in these particulars
is ahead of any town of the size in the
United States. He has also been treas-
urer of school district No. 1 in Mar-
quette for forty-eight years continu-
ously, and the city owes to him largely
the beauty of its public schools, their
uncommon excellence, and the liberal
dealing which has always character-
ized its treatment of the teaching force.
The public library called by his name
is in a building given by him, and sev-
eral thousand books were donated by
him to begin it.
While never going to school after the
age of fifteen, he has acquired by sys-
tematic reading and travel, a thor-
ough general education, and is an au-
thority on economic, political and his-
torical subjects, besides being a good
linguist. -
While not often thought of as a law-
yer, he nevertheless has been admitted
to the bar of the supreme court of the
United States, and has been special
master in chancery in U. S. court mat-
ters where millions were involved.
In religion, Mr. White is a zealous
Episcopalian, being one of the found-
ers of the beautiful church at Mar-
quette, and also of the diocese, and is
not only its most liberal supporter, but
has always helped every religious en-
terprise in the community. He has
been five times a delegate to the Epis-
copal general convention.
Mr. White married in 1857 Ellen S.
Hewitt, daughter of Dr. Morgan L.
Hewitt, who came from Cleveland in
the early days of Marquette and was
long a conspicuous and attractive fig-
ure in the pleasant society of the town.
Added to these particulars, he has a
national fame as a raconteur of
French-Canadian and Indian stories,
having been always a mighty hunter
and woodsman, and knowing these
people intimately and affectionately.
He is as well known as Pierre Le Blanc
of the Snow Shoe Club as Peter White,
the public-spirited citizen.
with the Democrats was continued in
succeeding years until 1888, when the
Greenback organization, both inde-
pendent and as a Democratic auxiliary,
\ was abandoned. In 1890 the Democrats
Tº carried the state, electing their entire
state ticket, with E. B. Winans as their
candidate for Governor, and also se-
cured control of the Legislature, but it
was not a straight, unassisted victory
for the Democracy. The Patrons of In-
dustry, Farmers’ Alliance, and Indus-
trials, all aided in the campaign
against the Republicans, and the Re-
publicans themselves were divided into
factions which prevented them pre-\
º
senting a united front to the opposi-
tion.
A matter of more than state interest,
and one that commanded attention
throughout the entire country, was an
act passed in the Legislature of 1891,
which afterwards became known as
“The Miner law,” and which, when
signed by Governor Winans, provided
for the election of presidential electors
by the votes in each congressional dis-
trict being cast for one elector, the
same as for members of congress, in-
stead of being voted for as candidates
at large on one ballot and elected by a
plurality of the votes cast in the state,
as was the custom in the other States
of the Union.
This was passed in conformity with
the Democratic theory of local self-
government at a time when the Demo-
cratic party had control of the state,
and was objected to by the leaders of
the Republican party, who carried the
matter to the supreme court of Michi-
gain, where it was claimed that the act
was unconstitutional. After this court
had pronounced the act valid it was
then taken to the supreme court of the
United States, with the same result.
In the following election, under the
provisions of the “Miner law,” Michi-
gan's electoral vote was divided be-
tween the Democratic and Republican
parties in about the same proportion as
that of the two parties to the total vote
cast by both, the Republicans electing
nine and the Democrats five out of the
fourteen electors to which the state is
entitled. The Democrats elected their
candidates in the first, second, seventh,
and tenth congressional districts and
one of the delegates at large, the Hon.
George W. Durand, in the eastern dis-
trict of the state.
In the election of 1892 the Republican
party again came into control of the
state and made a repeal of the “Miner
law” one of the first measures intro-
duced in the Legislature of 1893, where
as a party measure the bill was passed
by a strictly party vote. -
A political history of Michigan, no
matter how brief, would not be com-
plete without reference to a law passed
in 1895, which prohibits the duplicating
Of names in different tickets on the
same ballot, thus preventing the fusion
of parties on the same candidates and
the printing of the same names on
more than one ticket.
This law was also taken to the su-
preme court of the state, by the Silver
Democrats, on the claim that it inter-
fered with the rights of the citizen to
make up his ticket with the names of
such candidates as he desired to vote
for, but the court held the law to be a
valid one.
In the Legislature of 1897 a bill to
repeal this section of the election law
was introduced by the silver Demo-
crats, but failed of pasage.
The Democratic victory of 1890 was
followed in 1892 by the election of Gov-
ernor Rich by a plurality of 14,000, then
in 1894 by his re-election by the un-
precedented plurality of 106,000, and
finally in 1896 by the election of Gov-
ernor Pingree by a plurality of 80,000.
The causes which contributed to these
more recent Republican victories are
too well known to need repeating. The
election of Governor Pingree closes the
political history of the state up to
date, and with it the third period.
The first national convention in which
Michigan took part was that of 1836,
when a delegate from Michigan was
given a seat in the convention which
nominated Van Buren. The Michigan
Democrats nominated and elected Da-
vid C. McKinstry, W. H. Hoeg and
Daniel LeRoy as presidential electors
in that year, and the vote was counted
for Van Buren, although when the elec-
tion was held Michigan had not yet
become a state. Michigan was repre-
sented in both the Democratic and
Whig conventions of 1840, and the elec-
toral vote was cast by Thomas J.
Drake, Hezekiah G. Wells and John
Van Fossen for William Henry Har-
rison, the Whig candidate. In the na-
tional Democratic convention of 1844,
the Michigan delegates went to Balti-
more instructed for Van Buren, but
finding that there was a strong senti-
ment for General Cass, changed to him
and voted for his nomination until a
combination of the southern vote nomi-
nated Polk. General Cass was the
Democratic candidate in the disastrous
campaign of 1848, and the Michigan
delegation supported him in the con-
vention of 1852, but the two-thirds rule
defeated his nomination.
The most interesting, perhaps, of the
early Republican conventions was that
of 1860, when Abraham Lincoln was
nominated. The Michigan delegation
went to Chicago solid for William H.
Seward, of New York, and voted for
him through thick and thin to the very
last, refusing to be stampeded on the
last ballot when it was apparent that
Lincoln had carried the day. When
the nomination of Lincoln was de-
clared, Austin Blair, at the head of the
Michigan delegation, eloquently
pledged Michigan's support, and that
the pledge was well kept is shown by
the election returns of that year, giv-
ing Lincoln a majority of nearly 25,000.
In the first national Republican con-
vention, Michigan's solid eighteen votes
were cast for Frennont. In the conven-
tion of 1860, Michigan, with twelve
votes, cast them from first to last for
Seward. The convention of 1864 re-
nominated Lincoln by acclamation, and
on the first ballot Michigan supported
Hamlin for vice president. In the con-
vention of 1868, Grant received every
vote in the convention on the first bal-
lot, and it was the same in the conven-
tion of 1872. In the convention of 1876,
at Cincinnati, on the first ballot Mich-
igan gave Blaine 8 votes, Conkling 1,
Bristow 9, and Hayes 4. On the sev-
enth ballot Hayes was nominated, and
Michigan's 22 votes aided in this happy
result. In the convention of 1880, held
in Chicago, James F. Joy presented the
name of James G. Blaine as Michigan's
choice, and on the first ballot Blaine
received all but one of Michigan's 22
votes, the single exception being that
of William G. Thompson, who was one
of the “old guard” who stood by Grant
to the last. In this convention it re-
quired thirty-six ballots to nominate,
and until the last ballot the vote from
Michigan stood 21 for Blaine and 1 for
Grant; and then the break came, and
the 21 Michigan Blaine votes were
thrown to Garfield, while Mr. Thomp-
son remained true to Grant. In the
convention of 1884, held in Chicago,
Michigan's vote was cast on the first
ballot, 2 for Arthur, 15 for Blaine, and
7 for Edmunds. Blaine was nominated
on the fourth ballot, and Michigan's
vote was solid for him. In the conven-
tion of 1888, held in Chicago, Michigan
voted first, last, and all the time for
General R. A. Alger; on the eighth bal-
lot Harrison was nominated. In the
convention of 1892, held in Minneapolis,
Michigan's vote was cast, on the first
and only ballot, 7 for Harrison, 19 for
McKinley, and 2 for Blaine. In the
convention of last summer, at St.
Louis, the Michigan delegation, headed
by Gen. Alger, voted solid for McKinley
for first place on the ticket, and for
vice president gave Hobart 21 and
Evans 7.
A political history of Michigan would
not be complete without a reference to
the senatorial elections. In the first
senatorial election by the first Legis-
lature before Michigan had yet been
admitted, Lucius Lyon was elected by
the unanimous vote of both houses.
For the second seat the contest was be-
tween John Norvell and John Biddle,
and the former won on joint ballot by
a vote of 35 to 28. In 1839 the Demo-
crats, although in control of the Legis-
lature, were hopelessly divided with
Warner Wing, E. Ransom, Randolph
Manning, Alpheus I'elch, and Lucius
Tyon as the candidates, although the
latter did not come home from Wash-
ington to look after his fences. The

52
T EI E S T A T E R E P U B L I C A N
Whigs, a strong and active minority,
Supported Augustus S. Porter. The
Democrats were unable to come to any
agreement, chiefly through Warner
Wing's obstinacy, and no election was
effected. The seat remained vacant
until the following session of the Leg-
islature, when the Whigs had a major-
ity and Porter was elected. The Leg-
islature of 1841 was Whig, and the
Whig caucus nominated Lieutenant
Governor J. Wright Gordon, while the
Democrats nominated Charles E.
Stuart. Whig bolters, aided by the
Democrats, elected Governor Wood-
bridge. In 1845 Cass was elected, the
Vote in caucus giving him 48 out of 63,
With two Democrats, Littlejohn and
Pratt, voting against him on the ground
that the seat should go to western
Michigan. The Democrats controlled
the Legislature of 1847, and the sen-
atorial candidates were Governor
Felch, Judge E. Ransom, and ex-Lieu-
tenant Governor O. D. Richardson.
After twenty ballots the caucus nom-
.inated Felch, and the caucus action
Was confirmed by the Legislature on
the following day. In 1849, after three
days 'caucussing, the House nominated
Cass, with Judge Goodwin, Judge Ran-
Som and W. A. Richardson as his ri-
Vals, and Cass had a majority in the
Senate and was elected, the Whigs sup-
porting Williams. The Legislature of
1853, elected the last of the Democratic
senators, Charles E. Stuart; the vote
in the Legislature standing, Stuart 72,
Chandler (Whig) 27, and Clarke (Free
Soil) 1.
The Legislature of 1855 was the first
of the long series of Republican legis-
latures, and in 1857 Zach Chandler, I.
P. Christiancy, Austin Blair, Moses
Wisner, J. M. Howard and K. S. Bing-
ham were the Republican candidates
for Senator Cass' seat. On the fifth
ballot, extending over two days,
Chandler was nominated, and the Leg-
islature confirmed the action of the
caucus, the Democrats giving a com-
plimentary vote to Cass. In 1859, K. S.
Bingham was nominated on the first
ballot in the Republican caucus, receiv-
ing 48 votes, with F. C. Beaman 16,
Austin Blair 12, and scattering 4. Mr.
Bingham was elected the next day.
Senator Bingham died before the ex-
piration of his term, and at the special
Session of 1862 his successor was elect-
ed. On the first ballot in caucus, Jacob
M. Howard received 21, Austin Blair
20, H. G. Wells 16, Henry Waldron 11,
F. W. Kellogg 5, Henry P. Lappan 5,
and Scattering 12. On the seventh bal-
iot Howard was nominated and elected.
The election of 1863 was a walk-away
for Senator Chandler, who was nom-
inated in caucus by acclamation and
elected, the vote in the Legislature
standing, Chandler (Republican) 83,
James F. Joy (Union) 45, Alpheus Felch
(Democrat) 2, H. G. Wells 1, and S. L.
Withey 1. The contest in 1865 was
Sharp and decisive between Jacob M.
Howard and Austin Blair; the Only
ballot taken resulted, Howard 56 and
Blair 42. Howard was elected, the
Democrats voting for General G. V. N.
Lathrop. The fight in 1871 was based
on geographical lines, the western part
of the State putting forward Thomas
W. Ferry and William A. Howard,
while Austin Blair represented the
middle ground and Jacob M. Howard
the eastern part of the State for re-
election. On the sixth ballot in caucus
Ferry was nominated, with Blair a
close second, and Ferry was elected,
In 1875 it was Chandler against the
field, and nineteen Republicans refused
to go into caucus. A combination of
the bolting Republicans and the Dem-
Ocrats elected Judge Christiancy as a
conservative Republican. The senator-
ial election came on during the famous
Hayes-Tilden contest. Ferry was
president pro tem. Of the Senate, and
great pressure was brought to bear to
insure his return; he was nominated in
caucus and re-elected by the solid Re-
publican vote. Senator Christiancy re-
signed his seat to accept a fereign mis-
sion February 10, 1879, and Chandler
was elected his successor, and died be-
fore the expiration of his term, and ex-
Governor Baldwin Served Out the term
by appointment of Governor Crosswell.
In 1881 the contest was between Con-
gressman O. D. Conger and ex-GOV-
ernor Baldwin, and Conger won after
a sharp contest. In 1883 occurred the
long fight which resulted in the elec-
tion of Senator Thomas W. JPalmer.
Senator Ferry desired a re-election
for a third term, but nineteen
Republicans under the leadership
of Jay A. Hubbell refused to go
into caucus. The balloting contin-
ued until March 1, and then the
Ferry forces broke, and with F. B.
Stockbridge and Thomas W. Palmer as
the candidates, Palmer won. Senator
O. D. Conger, for re-election, and F. B.
Stockbridge were the contestants in
1885, and after a short and sharp fight
Stockbridge received the caucus nom-
ination and was elected. Senator MC-
Millan was the unanimous choice of the
Republican caucus in 1889, and was
elected, and six years later, in 1895, he
was re-elected by the unanimous Vote
of both houses, the second time in the
history of the state that a senatorial
seat had been so conferred. Senator
Stockbridge was re-elected without Op-
position in 1893, and upon his death,
April 20, 1894, John Patton, Jr., was ap-
pointed to the vacancy by Governor
Rich. In the senatorial election in 1895
for the vacancy, the candidates were
Julius Caesar Burrows, John Patton,
Jr., and S. S. Olds. Mr. Burrows won
on the second ballot, in caucus, and
was elected the following day. -
The chairmen of the State centra
committees have been:
DEMOCRATIC.
1831-36
Wayne.
1836-38—David C. McKinstry, Wayne.
(territorial)—Andrew Mack,
1838-9–Horace A. Noyes, Wayne.
1839-40—N. B. Carpenter, Wayne.
1840-41—Henry N. Walker, Wayne.
1841-47—Ezra, Williams, Wayne.
1847-49—Silas A. Bagg, Wayne.
1849-51—George E. Hand, Wayne.
1851-52–Elon G. Farnsworth, Wayne.
1852–54—Alfred Williams, Oakland.
1854-56—John S. Bagg, Wayne.
1856-58—T. F. Broadhead, Wayne.
1858-60—Michael Shoemaker, Wayne.
1860-62—S. Dow Elwood, Wayne.
1862-64–Levi Bishop, Wayne.
1864-68—William A. Moore, Wayne.
1868-70—Merrill I. Mills, Wayne.
1870-72—William W. Wheaton,
Wayne.
1872–76—Foster Pratt, Kalamazoo.
1876-78–Don M. Dickinson, Wayne.
1878—William B. Moran, Wayne.
1879–A. W. Copeland, Wayne.
1879-84—O. M. Barnes, Ingham.
1884-85—Jerome Eddy, Genesee.
1885-86—J. J. Enright, Wayne.
1886-90—I. M. Weston, Kent.
1890-94—Daniel J. Campau, Wayne.
1894-96–Elliot G. Stevenson, Wayne.
1896–Fred A. Baker, Wayne.
REPUBLICAN.
1854-58–Rufus Hosmer, Wayne.
1858-60–E. C. Walker, Wayne.
1860-64—James M. Edmunds, Washte-
Ila, W.
1864-68—William A. Howard, Wayne.
1868-70—John J. Bagley, Wayne.
1870-78—Stephen D. Bingham,
ham.
1878–George H. Hopkins, Wayne.
1878–79–Zachariah Chandler, Wayne.
1879-80—James McMillan, Wayne.
1880-82—Henry P. Baldwin, Wayne.
1882-84—E. S. Lacey, Eaton.
1884-86—Philip T. Van Zile, Eaton.
1886–88—James McMillan, Wayne.
1888–90—George H. Hopkins, Wayne.
1890-96—James McMillan, Wayne.
1896–Dexter M. Ferry, Wayne.
Ing-

ALPHABETICAL
Abbott, Adrian O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Acknowledgment of a Courtesy. . . . . 46
Address of the President of the Sen-
ate on the Opening Of the Ses-
Sion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Address of Speaker Gordon on Tak-
ing the Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Alger, Gen. Russell A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Alger, Russell A., Legislative En-
dorsement of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
A Hot Day in the House. . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
A Little Too Good for Adoption.... 27
Ainger, Gen. D. B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
A Pleasing Custom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Aplin, Henry H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
A Revenue bill That Failed. . . . . . . . . 19
Armstrong, Allen N. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Atkinson, John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
A Warnn Half Hour in the Senate... 11
Baker, Henry B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Baird-Kerr Contested Election Case 19
Barnard, Edmund M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Bates, William R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Baxter, Charles E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Bills Passed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Black, Cyrenius P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Borra daile, Fred H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Biographical Sketches (House) . . . . . . 33
Biographical Sketches (Senate). . . . . . 35
Biographical Sketches State and De-
partment Officials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Biographical Sketches Men of In-
fluence in the State's affairs. . . . . . 44
Bills Passed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 28
Caswell, Jabez B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Chamberlain, Fremont C. . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Chamberlain, Frennont C., Presenta-
tion to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Chase, Henry E...................... 41
Cigarette Bill Veto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Closing Days of the Session........ 18
Committees of the House. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Committees of the Senate . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Conference Committee's Report on
the Merriman Tax Bill. . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Connors, James. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Congratulations to President Mc-
Kinley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
COVell, George G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Cox, Joseph L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Crampton, D. R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Crippen, George D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Cuba, Joint Convention in Sympathy
With . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Curfew Bill Veto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Dairy and Food Commission. . . . . . . . . 18
Davis, George B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Delano, Horace L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Discussion on Merriman Tax Bill.... 13
Discussion on Railroad Bills, April
14th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Dix, Roscoe D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Dodge, Frank L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Donovan, William . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Dudley, Harlan J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Dunstan, Thomas B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Edgar's Asexalization Bill . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Failure of Inheritance Tax Bill...... 19
Ferry, Dexter M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Flint Charter bill Veto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Forsyth, Alexander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 36
French, William A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Fuller, Oramel B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
G. A. R. Badge bill Veto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Gardner, Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3S
Giddings, Theron F. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Goodell's Menu bill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Gordon, William D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Governor's Message on the Taxation
of Railroad Property ............. 10
Governor's Message of May 26,
Recommending Delay in Adjourn-
ment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Governor's Message of May 28,
Recommending Delay in Adjourn-
ment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
GOVernor Pingree and the Legisla-
ture of 1897. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Graham, Robert D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Grant, Cladius B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Grosvenor, Elliot O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Gunterman, Henry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Herbst, Charles W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Herrig, Peter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Hooker, Frank A..................... 43
House General Bills Passed. . . . . . . . . 28
House Joint Resolutions Passed.... 29
House Local Bills Passed . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
House Of Representatives, Discus-
Sion of R. R. Bills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
House of Representatives, Organi-
zation of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
House Rules, Important Changes of 20
Howard, William G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Ihling, Otto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Inheritance Tax Bill, Failure of.... 19
Important Changes in House Rules 20
Itemized Statement of Appropria-
tions for 1897-8 and Tax Levy for
Meeting same . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Janes, Oscar A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Joint Convention, Sympathizing
With Cuba. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Joint Convention of the Two Houses 2
Joint Resolutions Passed . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Joslin, Theodore M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Just, Josiah E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Justices of the Supreme Court,
Biographical Sketches of . . . . . . . . . . 43
Lansing's Fifty Years as the Capi-
tal of Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Last Bills of the Session . . . . . . . . . . 22
Latta, J. A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Loomis, Arthur P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Long, Charles Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Legislature and Our State Insti-
tutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Juegislative Endorsement of Gen.
Alger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Legislature of '97, the, and Gover-
nor Pingree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Legislature Organized ............... 4
Legislative Procedure Showing the
Passage of a Bill to which there is
no Opposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Legislative Procedure Showing the
Passage of a Bill Four Months in
Passing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Legislature of 1897, the . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Lobby, the . . . e tº e s tº tº e º e º 'º e e e . 18
McClure, Daniel E.................... 41
McKinley, Congratulations to . . . . . . . 9
McMillan, James ................ . . . . . ju
McMillan, Neal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
McPherson, William . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.
Mackinac Island State Park Ap-
propriation Bill Veto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Maitland, Alexander ................. 36
Mason, Richard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6
Maybury, William C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Maynard, Fred A..................... 41.
Members of the House, Certified as
Elected, by the Secretary of State 1
Members of the House, List of, Cer-
tified as Elected, by the Secre-
tary of State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.
Men Influential in State Affairs.... 44
Merriman Tax Bill Conference Com-
mittee's Report On................. 15
Merriman Tax Bill, Discussion on... 13
Merriman, Senator, Speech of . . . . . . . 15
Merriman, George W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Message from the Governor, May 26,
recommending a COntinuance Of
the Session and Action Thereon. . 20
Message of the Governor, the Last... 21
Michigan Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Michigan Pioneer and Historical So-
ciety Bill Veto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Michigan’s Trust Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Miller, Charles R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Miller, Lewis Montgomery . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Montgomery, Robert M.............. 40
Moore, Eliott F. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Moore, Joseph B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Obsolete Laws, Repeal Of . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Organization of the Legislature. . . . . . 1
Pingree, Hazen S., Biographical
Sketch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Pioneer and Historical Society Veto 24
Pocket Vetoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Police Justices of Detroit Salary Bill
Veto
Political History of Michigan . . . . . . 47
Presentations to Presiding Officers. 19
Presentation to Rep. Chamberlain... 9
Preston, John L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . º e º e e º e e 36
Railroad Bills, Discussion on . . . . . . . . 5
Railroad Taxation Report of Confer-
ence Committee on the Merriman
Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Railroad Commissioner’s Table
Showing Increased Tax on Rail-
road Earnings under the Merri-
man Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Repeal of Obsolete Laws . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Report of the Railroad Commission-
er on the Validity of the Merri-
man Bill if Enacted into Law.... 21
Rich, John T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Rigal, Michael . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Robinson, Orrin W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Rules, Important Changes in . . . . . . . . 20
Reports of State Departments and
Institutions on the . Number of
Employes Receiving a Compensa-
tion Equal to $800 per annum...... 26
Agricultural College . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Asylum at Newberry . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Attorney General’s Office. . . . . . . . 26
Auditor General's Department... 25
Board of State Auditors......... 27
Commissioner of Railroads De-
partment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Department of Banking.......... 27
Department of Labor. . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Department of State . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Department of Public Instruc-
tion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Department of Insurance........ 27
Dairy and Food Commissioner... 27
Engineer and Superintendent of
the State Capitol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Home for the Feeble Minded and
Epileptic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Industrial School for Boys at
Lansing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Industrial Home for Girls at Ad-
rian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Insurance Department . . . . . . . . . . 27
Land Commissioner's Depart-
ment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Michigan Asylum for the Insane 27
Michigan Asylum for the Insane
at Kalamazoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Michigan Asylum for the Insane
at Pontiac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Michigan School for the Blind... 27
Michigan School for the Deaf.... 27
Michigan Mining School . . . . . . . . 27
Michigan State Prison . . . . . . . . . . 27
Mineral Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Michigan State Board of Educa-
tion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Northern Michigan Asylum for
the Insane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Oil Inspector's Department. . . . . . 27
Soldiers’ Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
State Auditors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
State Board of Health . . . . . . . . . . 26
State House of Correction at
Ionia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
State House of Correction at
Marquette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
NDEX
State Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
State Public School at Cold-
Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
State Prison at Jackson . . . . . . . . 27
Sabin, Marden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Salary List of State Employes Re-
ceiving \a. Rate of Compensation
equal to $800 per annum. . . . . . . . . . 25
Sayre, Ira T. . . . . . . . . tº e s ∈ e º e e s tº e e s & e & e e 42
Schneider, Frederick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Selden, Joseph W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Senate General Bills Passed. . . . . . . . 28
Senate Joint Resolutions Passed. . . . 29
Senate Local Bills Passed . . . . . . . . . . 29
Senate Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Senate Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Senators, List v of, Certified as
Elected, by the Secretary of State. 1
Sherwood, Theodore C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Smith, Charles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Speech of Senator Merrinnan. . . . . . . . 15
Speech of Senator Thompson . . . . . . . . 16
Spencer, Mrs. Mary C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
St. John, J. Edgar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Stone, George W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
State and Department Officials,
Biographical Sketches of . . . . . . . . 38
State University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Standing Committees of the House... 2
Steel, George A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Storrs, Lucius C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Standing Committee of the House... 2
Stenographer’s Report of Discussion
On Merriman Tax Bill in the
House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Stenographer’s Report of the Dis-
cussion on the Railroad Bills in
the House on April 14th. . . . . . . . . . 5
Sunderlin, Eugene E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Table Showing Appropriations made
by the Legislature of ’97 and the
Tax Levy Provided for Meeting
the Same . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Table of Railroad Commisioner
Showing Increased Tax on Rail-
road Earnings under the Merri-
man Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Tax Levy for 1897-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Taxation of Railroads, Governor's
Mesage on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Tax Staticians' Records. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
The House . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 e º e < * * * * * * * * * 33
The Legislature of 1897 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
The Last Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
The Third House (the lobby)........ 18
The Senate (Biographical Sketches) 35
Thompson, Senator, Speech of....... 16
The Perennial Bill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
The Veto Power in Michigan........ 23
“The World do Move”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
The Two Houses in Joint Conven-
tion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
University of Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Wagar, Edgar S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Wagner, Mathew D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Walker, Henry W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Warner, Fred M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Wedemeyer, William W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Wedding Presentation to Represent-
ative Chamberlain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Weier, August J . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Wellings, Dr. James H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Wesselius, Sybrant ..... a • * * * * * * * * * * * 42
Westover, Frank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
White, Peter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Vetoes of the Governor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Veto of Cigarette Bill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Veto of the Curfew Bill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Veto of the G. A. R. Badge Bill . . . . . . 23
Veto of the Flint Charter Bill....... 23
Veto Of Police Justices Of Detroit
Salary bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Veto of Bill Appropriating Money
for Mackinac Island State Park... 24
Veto of Appropriation for the Pio-
neer and Historical Society. . . . . . 24
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