No. 1205. By Mr. Harris: Petition of Eastport Grange No. 470 for a bill to prevent appeals from justice courts. Referred to the committee on Judiciary. No. 1206. By Mr. Harris: Remonstrance of Eastport Grange No. 470 against repeal of farm statistics law. Referred to the committee on State Affairs. No. 1207. By Mr. Harris: Petition of Eastport Grange No. 470 for traveling library appropriation. Referred to the committee on Ways and Means. No. 1208. By Mr. Harris: Petition of Peninsular Grange No. 706 for a bill to prevent appeals from justice courts. Referred to the committee on Judiciary. No. 1209. By Mr. Harris: Petition of Peninsular Grange No. 706 for the passage of the anti-color bill. Referred to the committee on Agriculture. No. 1210. By Mr. Harris. Petition of Peninsular Grange No. 706 for a traveling library appropriation. Referred to the committee on Ways and Means. No. 1211. By. Mr. Harris: Remonstrance of Peninsular Grange No. 706 against repeal of farm statistics law. Referred to the committee on State Affairs. No. 1212. By Mr. Harris: Remonstrance of Peninsular Grange No. 706 against repeal of farm statistics law. Referred to the committee on State Affairs. No. 1213. By Mr. Harris: Petition of Peninsular Grange No. 706 for the continuance of the office of Tax Statistician. Referred to the committee on State Affairs. No. 1214. By Mr. Harris: Petition of Peninsular Grange No. 706 for a farmers' institute appropriation. Referred to the committee on Agricultural College. No. 1215. By Mr. Harris: Petition of Peninsular Grange No. 706 for the passage of the Kimmis county salary bill. Referred to the committee on Towns and Counties. No. 1216. By Mr. VanCamp: Petition of 80 citizens of Benton Harbor against passage of House bills 658 and 659, relating to fishing. Referred to the committee on Fisheries. No. 1217. By Mr. Camburn: Petition of Farmers' Social Club for the passage of the anti-color bill. Referred to the committee on Agriculture. No. 1218. By Mr. Camburn: Petition of Farmers' Social Club for the passage of the Kimmis county salary bill. Referred to the committee on Towns and Counties. No. 1219. By Mr. C. G. Babcock: Petition of Gilead Grange No. 400 for a treveling library appropriation. Referred to the committee on Ways and Means. No. 1220. By Mr. C. G. Babcock: Remonstrance of Gilead Grange No. 400 against repeal of farm statistics law. Referred to the committee on State Affairs. No. 1221. By Mr. C. G. Babcock: Petition of Gilead Grange No. 400 for the passage of the Kimmis county salary bill. Referred to the committee on Towns and Counties. No. 1222. By Mr. C. G. Babcock: Petition of Gilead Grange No. 400 for a farmers' institute appropriation. Referred to the committee on Agricultural College. No. 1223. By Mr. C. G. Babcock: Petition of Gilead Grange No. 400 for the passage of the anti-color bill. Referred to the committee on Agriculture. No. 1224. By Mr. Mayer: Protest against House bill No. 560. No. 1225. By Mr. Fuller: Remonstrance of F. P. Bohn and 32 other residents of Grand Marais, Alger county, against the passage of the bill making the president of the village of Munising a member of the board of supervisors of Alger county. Referred to the committee on Towns and Counties. No. 1226. By Mr. Kelly: Proclamation of the Governor relative to salary of Attorney General. On demand of Mr. Kelly, The proclamation was read at length and spread at large on the Journal, as follows: To the voters of Michigan: COMMONWEALTH OF MICHIGAN, The legislature of this State, by a practically unanimous vote, and without party division, has voted to amend the constituton of this State, so that hereafter the Attorney General shall reside at the capitol during his official term and give all of his time and strength to the duties of his office. In return for this work they have said that he shall receive three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500) a year, instead of eight hundred, which was put in the constitution nearly 50 years ago, with the understanding that as there was then little for the Attorney General to do, he could give nearly all of his time to his own business. I approve of this amendment, and now that it has been submitted to you for the purpose of determining whether you will ratify and approve that which your representatives have already done, I desire to address you in advocacy of this amendment, by using the strongest language that I can command. As your Governor, chosen by you to execute the laws, I am anxous to do so to the best of my ability. But on a moment's reflection, you will see that it is absolutely necessary, if any work is to be done which has for its object the defense of your rights and the protection of your interests, that the time of the Attorney General must be taken up. His place is here at the capitol. But it is wrong to ask that this service be performed, unless some provision is made for his pay. Unless you, as voters of this State, are willing to ratify this amendment, then one of three things must follow: Either that no attempt shall be made to protect your interests, or that the Attorney General must work practically for nothing, or the custom be continued of hiring outside attorneys and paying them liberally for doing the work which you elect the Attorney General to perform. The simple fact is, as shown by the official records, you have paid out for this service, on an average, much more per year than the amount named in this amendment. What the State of Michigan has lost by reason of its refusal to pay a decent salary to a good attorney, no man can tell; in my judgment it would run into the millions. The proposed amendment would cost the average taxpayer so much less than a cent a year that it would be difficult to compute. In the interest then, of good government, in the interest of economy, and as one determined, so far as I can, to protect and defend your rights, I ask you to vote "Yes" on the proposition to amend the constitution as submitted to you. Very respectfully, H. S. Pingree, Governor. Referred to the committee on Judiciary. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES. By the committee on Enrollment: The committtee on Enrollment report as correctly enrolled, signed and presented to the Governor, House bill No. 25 (file No. 68), entitled An act to provide for the purchase of books and equipment for the Michigan State Library and the Michigan traveling libraries; For which your committee hold the receipt of the Executive Office dated March 12, 1897, at 2:55 o'clock p. m. Report accepted. By the committee on State Affairs: Geo. E. Gillam, The committee on State Affairs, to whom was referred Chairman. A bill to amend Sec. 1 of act No. 185 of the public acts of 1893, entitled "An act to amend Sec. 1 of an act entitled 'An act to designate the holidays to be observed in the acceptance and payment of bills of exchange and promissory notes, in the holding of courts, and relative to the continuance of suits,'" approved March 8, 1865, as amended by act No. 208 of the session laws of 1881, and to add a new section thereto to stand as Sec. 2 of said act, and as amended by act No. 77 of the public acts of 1873; Respectfully report that they have had the same under consideration, and have directed me to report the same back to the House, without amendment, and recommend that it do pass, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. Report accepted and committee discharged. E. S. Williams, The bill was ordered printed, referred to the committee of the whole, and placed on the general order. By the Committee on Towns and Counties: The committee on Towns and Counties, to whom was referred, A bill to amend Sec. 105 of Chap. 10, being compiler's Sec. 595 of the compiled laws 1871, relating to the duties and compensation of county surveyors, approved April 3, 1869, being compiler's Sec. 624 of Howell's annotated statutes; Respectfully report that they have had the same under consideration, and have directed me to report the same back to the House, without amendment, and recommend that it do pass, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. Report accepted and committee discharged. T. M. Camburn, Chairman. The bill was ordered printed, referred to the committee of the whole, and placed on the general order. By the committee on General Taxation : The committee on General Taxation, to whom was referred House joint resolution No. 17, entitled Joint resolution authorizing the Board of State Auditors to investigate, examine and settle any claim found to be due the county of Alpena, State of Michigan, against the State of Michigan; Respectfully report that they have had the same under consideration, and have directed me to report the same back to the House, without amendment, and recommend that it do pass, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. Report accepted and committee discharged. H. K. Gustin, Chairman. The bill was ordered printed, referred to the committee of the whole, and placed on the general order. MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR. The Speaker announced the following: STATE OF MICHIGAN, To the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Sir I have this day approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State, House bill No. 1219, being An act to authorize the city of Sault Ste. Marie to borrow money to refund certain outstanding indebtedness, and issue bonds therefor. Respectfully, H. S. Pingree, Governor. The message was ordered spread on the Journal. The Speaker also announced the following: EXECUTIVE OFFICE, To the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Sir-I have this day approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State, House bill No. 395, being An act to amend act No. 120 of the public acts of 1895, entitled "An act to prevent the spearing of fish in the waters of Long lake in Genesee county." Respectfully, H. S. Pingree, Governor. The message was ordered spread on the Journal. EXECUTIVE OFFICE, To the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Sir-I have this day approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State, House bill No. 25 (file No. 68), being An act to provide for the purchase of books and equipments for the Michigan State Library, and the Michigan traveling library. Respectfully, H. S. Pingree, Governor. The message was ordered spread on the Journal. EXECUTIVE OFFICE, To the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Sir-I have this day approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State, House bill No. 24 (file No. 7), being An act to amend Sec. 8, Chap. 112, of Howell's annotated statutes, entitled "Water power companies," being compiler's Sec. 3881 of Howell's annotated statutes. Respectfully, H. S. Pingree, Governor. The message was ordered spread on the Journal. EXECUTIVE OFFICE, To the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Sir-I have this day approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State, |