Press enter after choosing selection

A Number Of Our State Exchanges Are

A Number Of Our State Exchanges Are image
Parent Issue
Day
27
Month
February
Year
1874
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

engagcd in a systematic discussion of tho new Constitution, as perfected and proposod by tho Constitutional Commission and to bo actcd upon at tho coming extra session of tho Logislaturc. Wo havo not aeen disposed to spend much labor in atbempting to resuscitato a doad horse, - perhaps wo sliould be moro rospoctful to ;ho Commission and writo a "doad lion," - jut wo can ouly regard it as such unloss the Legislature shall seriously inutilate lts fair proportions. There are at least two provisions in the document as it goes to tho Legislature which will insuro its defeat by the people. Wo refer to tho article or section providing for tho appointmont of judges of the Supreme and Circuit Courts by tho Governor - now elective, and to the salary article, whioh givos tho Legislature power ;o regúlate and ostablish the salaries of ;he Stato officers and judges. Men may heorize until tho crack of doom concerning the best method of sclecting our udiciary, and may demónstrate to thcir own satisfaction the suporiority, both in ability and integrity of appointed judges as compared wilh those clected, but they cannot convince the people whoso ballots aro to pronounce tho verdict. It is an easy matter to liberalizo constitutions and increaso tho powors of a peoplc, but the seoplo novcr give up or cut down their own privileges. Besides, a comparison of tho eloctod judges of our own State with ;he appointed judges of the various grades of the United States Courts furnishes a poworful argument against a chango from the electivo to tho appointïve system. Until the nation and the tate can bo assured of Presidents and Governors ruuch abovo tho average in udgmont, discrirninating powers, and correct appreciation of tho material fit to adorn the bench it is safer to trust the people. A political convention cannot se as easily inanaged as a Governor or President, and the average delégate to a State or National Convention may bo relied upon as certainly as the average Govornor or President. Recent exporience has taught this lesson beyond ques:ion, una the recent verdict of New York ïas positively foreshadowed the will of ;he people - for the people of Michigan ire of like mako up and liko views of ihose of New York. Touching tho salary question we personally sympathize with the action of the Commission, suggesting, however, that the article should have fixed a limit beyond which tho Legislature could not go. But if tho members of the Commission had stood all day at tho polls- as we have - and begged for votes in favor of an increase of tho beggarly salaries of udges and Stato officers they would have known more of the disposition and will of the people. The aotion of the last Congress in doubling up the salary of the President, and increasing the salaries of judges and department officers with their own, has not prepared the way for tho radical chango proposed by the Commission. We shall bo told that it is unmanly to tako this view ; that we should plant ourselves upon the right, go to the people in defenso of it, and accept the consequences. Where there is doubt of results or evenly balanced sides this may do. But it is supreme folly not to recognize the inevitable, and to advocate the change under notice manifests the same wisdom that would be displayed by driving one's head against a stono wall which he might oasily flank. We are confident that an amendment can be carried increasing the salaries of tho Circuit Judges to $2,500 a year, with a reasonable increase to State officers, but we know that the people will not iudorse the article as it stands, and that it alone would sink the revisions if all else were acceptablo. The Michigan State publishers held an extra meeting on Tuesday to discüss the postal laws relating to postage on newspapers. The sentiment expressed appeared to be in favor of the payment of postago on exchanges, but there was a unanimous expression that papers should circuíate free in the county where published. - New York World. The World is just half right. There was not "a unanimous expression that papers shonld circuíate free in the county where published." The discussion, which was general, developed a decided preferonce for graded newspaper postage - distance and size or woight to determine tho rates of postago. The rnombers insisting on absolutely free county circulaticn wero few. But the Association, given to understand that no graded postal law could be prooured, and that general newspaper postage would notbo increased, accepted freo county circulation as the logical sequence and the nearest approach to justice to the local press. Such has always been our individual opinión and expression ; but if that shadow of justice cannot bo obtained without furnishing an excuso for Congress to restore tho inïquitous franking privilege we ask no change. Wo would even prefer an incroase of local postage to free postage with Congressmen and their " pub. does.'1 and " oldcloes," their windy speeches and partisan pamphlets, again quartered upon the postal department and increasing tho outrageous expenses of tho governraent printing office. At ïiie special elections held on Monday last tho following Senators and Representativos wore olected : Senators. Sth District - Williiim Y. Hewitt, Democratie " Reformer." A surprise to Calhoun county. 97 District- John P. Cook, Democratie " Reformer." An astonisher for Hillsdale county. 'Mth District - J. D. Lewis, Republican, without opposition. llcprcsentatives - Berrien- 3d district- Ethan A. Brown, Democrat. Gain. Oencsee - 2d district- Leroy Parker, Bepublican. No opposition, Marquette - Henry J. Colwull, Independent Democrat. Mason and Manistee - Andrew J. Dovel, Democrat. Shiawassee - 2d district Taylor, Rep., 23 inajority. Lut the Grant glee clubë eing : " What has caused this great cominotion r"' Detuoit has another Park Bond case on the way to the Supreme Court, tho Mayor having refused to sign " the papers." Heaps o' holes in a skiinmer.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus