$25 Prize Offered

Governor-elect Pingree has in a recent convarsation ontlined a plan by which he tbinks the professors and students of the U. of M. school cf ecouornies could be brought more in touch with the state iustitntions, making the state, its penal aud reformatory institntions aud its statistical bureaus the sociological laboratory of the university. In the course of this conversation he said : "It seems to me that they do not ïnake enongh study of the instituticns of their own state. I have talked with one or two of the professors out there about this matter, and as uear as I can learu there are a good many men out tbere who would like to do work of that kind, but they do not have snfïicient freeduin for the expression of opiiiions. "It occurred to me for one thing to offer a prize to the !aw students at the nniversity - to the law student who was able to dig up the largest number of obsolete laws, laws that have remained upoa the ttatute books, but were a dead letter, or laws tbat were on the statute books to which no penalty was attaohed and which were inoperative on that account. "I had but a short time to think over the matter, and so have not got the thing very clear jet. I have, however, wrirten a letter to Prof. E. F. Johnson, of the law dt.partiunat, aud to President Augell iu regard to the matter. I think we shall get some iuterestiog matter out of the inquiry. '' Following is a copy of bis letter to i Prof. Johnson, of the law depariment : "My Dear Sir: I huve uotified PresiI dent Augell that I woukl write you offeriug a prize of $25 to be paid to the student of the law department ho would point out the greatest nnmbfir of inoperative or dead letter laws on the statute books of the state of Michigan, these reports to be made in writiug aud should be as brief as possible. My object is to have the attention oalled to the laws that have never been enforced, or laws without auy penalty attached which cannot be enforced. I have reqnested Hon. Eobert E. Frazer, Wayne connty circuit judge, and James Poand, Esq., of the Detroit bar, to act aa judges. "If you will kindly present this matter to the students of the university, I will be very much obliged. This offer will be open until the 28th day of December, 1896." The prize offered by Mr. Pingree cannot be competed for nnless the comditions of the contest are changed. "Very few students are in the city at present, owing to the Christmas vacation aud as the offer is open only antil Dec. 29, it will close before the students return. The faculty of the law department haVe writteu Mr. Pingree and offered to furnish him any iuformation on the subject they are able to give, and also tbat tbe contest wonld be presented to the students if he vrould consent to extend the time nntil after the vacation.