Lansing

Lansing, Feb.28, 1879. Thia is the ninth week and the fiftyninth (lay of tlie Legislative session, and thcugh the work of the session is not quarter done, the time for doing it is probably half gone. The unprecedentedly large mass of bilis introduced, still lie undigested and unreported apon by the several eommittees, except a few of sucli urgent eharacter or bucji unquestioned merits as to make delay unnecessary or improper. Those passed have either been noted at length in these letters or mentioned by title in your daily summary of Legislative proceedings. In this letter, referenee will be made to a few of the most important bilis in prospect. THE MAINE LIQUOR LAW. Contrary to expectation at the opening of the session, the prohibitionists prove to be quite numerous and aggressive in the Legislature, and a strenuous effort is to be made to replace the present liquor tax law by a prohibitory law similar to that in operation in Maine. Such a bilí has been introduced in each House, and, it is said, will be pressed to a vote in the Lower House at an early day. The bill is quite long, containing forty-seven sections, too elabórate, in fact, for me to find room in this letter for a mere outline of it. Sufflce it to say, it provides among other things, for the appointment by the Governor of a State Liquor Commissioner, who gives $10,000 bonds to the State. The Commissioner buys all liquors used in the State, and sells only to township, village and city offieers ; all liquorB to be pure, and sold at an advance of not more than seven per cent. over wholesale price at place of purchase. This Commissioner is to keep a complete record of the business and report to the Governor annually, and quarterly to municipal offlcers who are requhed to appoint an agent to sell for medicinal, mechanical and manufacturing purposes only. The agent gives bonds to the municipality, and has no interest in the profits. The offieers fix the price, and pay the agent for services. Agent sells under direction of board. The bill also prohibits the sale or keeping for sale of liquors by all persons except the authorized agents and prohibits manufacture for illegal sale. Manufacturers are required to give bonds to not sell to any bnt commissioner ; to not adultérate, and to manufacture pure "rum and alcohol only. The bill prohibits drinking houses and tippling shops; selling or giving away liquor to be deemed keeping tippling shop. The wife, child, husband, parent, guardián, etc., may recover actual and exemplary damages caused by drunken persons, from the seller of tlie liquor, It is made the duty of Prosecuting Attorneys, sheriffsand deputies to enforce the act ; upon neglect fine of $100, and Goveraor to appoint other officer, who has like powers and dutiee and pay. Liquor in transit may be seized. Although highly commended as an efficiënt and benolicent law by the temperance men of Maine, it seems scarcely probable that a bill so sweeping and radical in its proviflions will be passed by the present Legislature. I am still inclined to think that after a diseussion and test vote to show the strength it' tho ii-ioiKliiof proliibiliuii, Uir ljcgialature will do no more than make some amendments to the present tax law, which seems to have given general satisfaction. However, in speaking of Legislatures and petit juries, it is safe to follow Hosea Bigelow's advice, "Don't never prophesy onless you know." DIVISIÓN OF WAYNE COUNTY. A favorite vxisstime on the part of Wayne county legislators for several years has been the Lntroducing of bilis for the división of Wayne county, generally oarving out of the southern townshlpa a county to be called Wyandotte. Such a bilí has been introduced this session and af ter the usual discussion has been defeated in the Sonate by a vote of 9 to 17. Had it become a law the question of división would of course, have been submitted to a vote of the people. The position of the county is somewhat anomalous. Though the oldest and by f ar the most wealthy and populous in the State, it is without any separate court house or county offices. Several bilis have been introduced for the división or change of boundaries of judicial circuits, but the well known opposition of the Governor to that kind Of legislation, makes their success doubtful. THE WORK OF INVESTIGATION. The Committee on Printing, to which had been referred the investigación of charges against the State Printers, made a report yesterday. The majority report recites the testimony at considerable length, and exonerates the printers and State offlcers f rom all aceusations made against them. A minority report signed by Senator Ilodge was also presented, claiming that by the use of half bastard type, a loss to the State of three lines in 51 was occasioned, amounting in the aggregate to many thousand dollars. Both reports were received and ordered printed along with the testimony, and this probably ends the matter for this session. The joint committee inyestigating the charges of cruelty and ill-treatment against inmates of the Kalamazoo Asylum, are still busy taking test' - mony at that institution. An efïort was made by resolution in the Senate to have the committee set with open cloors ; Dllt alter ii vv.uui debau-, tincommittee were left to pursue the investigation in their own way. THE UNIVEBSITY. Regent Ilynd addressedthe members of the Legislatura Wednesday evening on the condition and needs of the University. He went into the discussion of recent eveuts quite elaborately, the meeting lasting fully three hours and bting the leading topic of conversation ever since. He defended the action of the Regents in restoring Dr. Rose to his professorship and in dismissing thejudgment against hini. In reference to the latter he said that in June last the Regents unanimously voted that this decree should be vaeated in return for a hal f interest in the BealSteere collection. In Febrnary it was vacated, and Mr. Beal had since conveyed to the University the whole collection, whlch President Angelí liad repeatedly valued at f rom $20,000 to $25,000. I Ie said the board had beun severely criticised for inquiring into the absences without leave of tl ie professors and in justificalion he referred to one instance where a professor was absent two years without consent of the Regents, though drawing his salary all the time; of another who was absent a year, and another who was occasionally off on lecture tours. He also referred to the frequent absence of law professors. Prof. Kent of the Law Department being present, explained the method of giving lectures and maintained that the absences were not, un usual nor damaging to the institution. The sympathies of the audience were evidently with Regent Rynd. BENEFICIARY INSURANCE COMPANIES. The deadest of all dead things brouught before the Legislatura is that part of Senate bilí No. lü which aimed to kill off the mutual or beneflciary insurance societies - the Ancient Order of United Workmen, Jloyal Arcanum, etc. Tt was a sehenie of the insurance ugeiits, and they hoped to get it through without attracting attention, by quietly working wiüi the committees. But the ofücers of the societies had been looking for it, and they put in various protests, petitions, etc, presenting so many and inrtuential names that the thing lias fallen dead, and no om; is willing to be responsible for it. The Diovement has reacted against the movers, and a prominent member of a committee has become so thoroughly convinced of the beneiicient character óf these orders, that he has signilied his desire to join one or more of thein at once.