A Point In State Finances

Vithoiit rellecting upon any previons administration, ïfeel it my dutyhere to cali your attention and that of the people oí the state of Michigan to a deficiency which exists. and which, I am iníorined, has existed for soine time. in the state finalices. Thia has necessitated the borrowinfj of considerable sums of money as high sotnetimes as $500,000, withoal authorityof law. in order to bridge over emprgencies when there were no funda in the state treasury. This condition should not be contiiiued. but shoukl be met openly and mnnfullyand provided for in an intelligent and businesslikn marnier. It is not so neeessary to aseertain where the responsibility lor this deficiency exists as it is to proTide for the existing condition without subterftige. The above remark- may be found in the message of Governor l'ingree to the Legislature, the italics are ours. That is just wliere the tronble lies. Ii' l!nv. Pingree can get the Legislature to do all their work in that spirit, the interests of the people will be safe in the.r hands. At last there seems to be a possibility that the Government proposes to obtain its rights in the contest with the great trans-continental railr ads. The funding bilí has been defeated, and Speaker Heed has set down in characteristic fashion upon a proposition to revive it. The llepublican party may desire to avoid issuing the bonds neces sary to pay ofï the first mortgage bonds of this road so as to be enabled to profil by a foreelosure of the secónd mort gage; but they will find tha! the people will support them in this case. The United States Courtscan take hold of a railroad. appoint a receiver, manage it for a number of years profitably, and turn it back to the original ouners. Why then cannot the United tates government manage the road proiitably for itself? It is an experiment thousands of good people are anxious to see tried. Enough fortunes have been stolen out of these roads already, and it is time the public had a chauce. Tuk suggestion of The Times that Regents Harbour and Cocker be succeeded by some represeiitative of the farm and work-shop, is causing considerable talk. There could be no possible objection to a man for the position ecause he was a farmer or mechanic, but we do not believe a man should be elected on that account. There is a great deal of time needed to do justica to the position, for whicb no remuneration can be received, and none but a man of some means and leisure would be apt to give it. Regent Barbour especially has given liberally of his time and also of bis means, and we should be sorry toseehim fail of reelection, and should be glad to seehim nominaUd by both parties. The splendid woman's building that now adorns the campus was made possible by his generosity, and we doubt if the women of the state will look with satisfaction on his retirement. Senator R. 13. Loomis of Kent county, thinks that the State of Michigan should provide a decent residence for its Governor. There are others. The idna that the Governor of such a state should have to live at a hotel or rent a house, is hardly in keeping with the (Ugnity of sueh a great state as Michigan The Governor's house should become a rallying point for Michigan events, and the social Ufe should become a thing of befltting dignity. This it caonot do while the Governor's home is atnigratory thing. By all raeans give us a ( rovernor's residence belonging to the state. Leut. Gov. Dunst an has done himself no good by making up a list of committees unfriendly to Governor Pingree. If Dunstan had attempted to strengthen Pingree with the people, he could have hitupon no better method than to adopt a policy of general antagonism. Rightly or wrongly as it may be, the people of this state look upon Pingree as their champion, and he who opposes him must do so on specific and well founded grounds, applicahle to the speciflc matter in question. Xo general opposition to Pingree will take with the people of Michigan. We commend to the careful reading of the merchants of the city, the article on advertising found in another column of' this issue. There is much truth in it. "Keeping everlastingly at it brings success," is a truism often heard, but it is a truth that should be remembered. ThbGeassLakb News insiststhat if Jackson must have a new Court House, the city in the county that is willing to paythe mostfor it, should have it. The benefit accruing from being the county seat, the News insists, should go to the city willing to pay for it without saddling the cost on the whole county. There is something in that argument, but the result will be sooner or later that Jackson will get the building and the county will foot the biil. '