Lansing, May 30, 1901. 2 o'clock p. m. The Senate met pursuant to adjournment and was called to order by the President. The roll of the Senate was called by the Secretary. The following Senators were present: Messrs. Farr, Robson, Gad Smith-3. MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR. The following message from the Governor was received and read: To the President of the Senate: EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Sir-I have this day approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State Senate bill No. 532 (file No. 197), being An Act to amend sections 4, 5, 11 and 12 of Act 211, Public Acts of 1893, entitled "An Act to provide for the appointment of a Dairy and Food Commissioner, and to define his powers and duties and fix his compensation," as amended by Act 245 of the Public Acts of 1895, approved June 1, 1895, as further amended by Act 154 of the Public Acts of 1897, approved May 24, 1897, and as further amended by Act 268 of the Public Acts of 1899, approved June 23, 1899, being sections 4976, 4977, 4983, and 4984 of the Compiled Laws of 1897; Also: Senate bill No. 390, being An Act to amend section 2 of an Act entitled "An Act to authorize the Common Council of the City of Alpena to construct or purchase, own and maintain a system of electric light works, and to provide means for constructing or purchasing, maintaining and managing the same,' approved May 25, 1899; Also: Senate bill No. 272, being An Act to reincorporate the City of Clare, in the County of Clare, under the provisions of chapter 88 of the Compiled Laws of Michigan of 1897, being an Act, entitled "An Act to provide for the incorporation of cities of the fourth class," and to repeal Act 210 of the Local Acts of 1891, entitled "An Act to incorporate the City of Clare, in the County of Clare, and to repeal Act No. 404 of the Local Acts of 1879, entitled 'An Act to incorporate the Village of Clare, in the County of Clare,' and all other Acts relating to said Village of Clare," and all amendments thereto; Also: Senate bill No. 151 (file No. 99), being An Act to divide the State of Michigan into thirty-two senatorial dis tricts; Also: Senate bill No. 146 (file No. 158), being An Act to amend Act No. 68 of the Public Acts of 1853, entitled “An Act relating to telegraph operators and others," being section 11386 of the Compiled Laws of 1897; Also: Senate bill No. 217 (file No. 160), being An Act to provide for the registration of Grange libraries with the Michigan State Library; Also: Senate bill No. 37 (file No. 29), being An Act to amend the title and sections 1, 3 and 4 of Act No. 237 of the Public Acts of 1881, entitled "An Act to authorize and regulate, within this State, the business of plate glass, accident, live stock, steam boiler and fidelity insurance, and to repeal Acts Nos. 42 and 72 of the Session Laws of 1877," being sections 5110, 5112 and 5113 of the Compiled Laws of 1897; Also: Senate bill No. 97 (file No. 16), being An Act to provide for the licensing and regulation of sales of goods, wares and merchandise by itinerant venders, and to repeal Act No. 259, Public Acts of the State of Michigan of 1899. Very respectfully, A. T. BLISS, The following message from the Governor was also received and read: To the President of the Senate: Sir—I return without my approval EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Substitute for Senate bill No. 3, House bill No. 116 (Senate enrolled No. 112) entitled An Act to provide for the locating, establishing and maintaining of a State Normal School in the State, and to make appropriations for the same. I do not think the time has come for the creation of a new normal school, believing it preferable to complete the institutions already existing before taking on additional burdens. In support of this conclusion. I wish to cite the fact of the appropriation by the Legislature of $453,192 in support of the three normal schools established by previous Legislatures, by items as follows: In addition to this there will be collected from the taxpayers under appropriations previously authorized for the support of normal schools the sum of $22,825, making a grand total of $476,017. This is an increase of $162,692 over the total provided under the appropriations of the Legislature of 1899, which were $313,325. The State can get along for at least two years without a fourth normal school and such an interval will justify itself to those who must pay the taxes. The present Legislature has made provision for almost double the number of students now attending the three normal schools, thus equaling the needs of the State for several years, at least. It is further true that the university and the several denominational colleges of Michigan are each provided with pedagogical departments, through which specially educated and trained students are being graduated for the purpose of becoming teachers, the increase of such students being fairly proportionate to the demands for their services. The recent creation of a new system, under which these normal schools are managed, seems to make a new institution at this time undesirable. The office of President of the system has recently been created, and members of the State Board of Education are all new to their duties, all having been recently elected or appointed to their offices; good judgment, therefore, seeming to suggest that familiarity with their present work should be permitted before such duties are added to through the creation of an additional institution. It is possibly true that zeal for the educational advancement of the State formed a part of the movement through which this institution is sought to be created, but it will hardly be denied that local influences and local desire for the possession of a State institution had also much to do with it. Such local enthusiasm is praiseworthy, perhaps, but it should not be permitted to go to the extent of creating institutions in advance of their need. It is probably true that figures can be given showing a relatively small proportion of the teachers of the State to be normal graduates, or the graduates of the normal departments of any of our colleges, and yet it is true that eager applicants can be found for practically every position in the State for which there exists a willingness to pay a fair compensation for the services desired and the education and ability required. The citizens of the State are very properly proud of its educational institutions, but it has been the policy of concentration, rather than dissipation, of funds that has placed the educational institutions in advance of the similar institutions of other states. With our normal schools yet in process of building, with the system under which they are controlled almost untried, with provision fully made for such additional students as may desire normal training, and with the teachers' departments of our colleges anxious to add to their lists of students, it does not seem wise or best to create an additional institution and to permit the additional expense which such an institution will necessarily involve. No state in the Union provides more liberally for its normal schools than does Michigan. To prove this statement, I submit the following figures for the years 1898 and 1899, later figures not being obtainable: I have given these reasons at length in order that I may not be charged with captious objection to the Act, and for the purpose of showing that it is not done because of lack of appreciation of the value of such institutions. Very respectfully, Governor. MESSAGES FROM THE HOuse. The following message from the House was received and read: To the President of the Senate: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Sir-I am instructed by the House to return to the Senate the following bills and joint resolutions: Senate bill No. 12 (file No. 1), entitled A bill to provide for the registration of land titles and transfer of the same, making the title as registered incontestable after two years from date of final registration decree, providing an indemnity fund from which persons may be reimbursed from the mistakes and misfeasance of officials acting hereunder, and also providing for the submission of this Act to the voters of the respective counties before it shall become operative therein; Also: Senate bill No. 17 (file No. 147), entitled A bill to promote the public health by providing for an annual public meeting in each township, city and village; to create local funds for public health purposes, and to supply official information to taxpayers relative to the sources of danger to the public health, and relative to the costs and results of public health work; Also: Senate bill No. 24 (file No. 194), entitled A bill to amend section 1 of Act No. 101 of the Public Acts of 1893, entitled "An Act making it unlawful for foreign insurance companies. legally admitted to do business in the State of Michigan to place or cause to be placed, except through a duly licensed agent in this State, insurance on property in the State of Michigan in offices outside the State of Michigan," and to add one new section to said Act to be known as section 7; Also: Senate bill No. 32 (file No. 60), entitled A bill to amend sections 2, 7 and 9 of Act No. 115 of the Public Acts of 1893, entitled "An Act to provide for the government, management and control of the State Public School at Coldwater, and to repeal all Acts or parts of Acts inconsistent with this Act," as amended by Act No. 94 of the Public Acts of 1895, and Act No. 98 of the Public Acts of 1897, being sections 2022, 2027 and 2029 of Miller's Compiled Laws; Also: Senate bill No. 38, entitled A bill to amend an Act entitled "An Act to provide for the formation of corporations for the purpose of owning, maintaining and improving lands and other property kept for the purposes of summer resorts or for ornament, recreation or amusement, and to repeal all laws or parts of laws in conflict herewith," approved June 4, 1897, being sections 7618 to 7638, inclusive, of the Compiled Laws of 1897, by adding a new section thereto, to be known as section 23; Also: Senate joint resolution No. 43 (file No. 137), entitled A joint resolution to amend section 10 of article 10 of the Constitution of the State of Michigan, so as to provide for a board of county auditors for the County of Kent; Also: Senate bill No. 53 (file No. 159), entitled A bill to amend section 9 of Act No. 140 of the Public Acts of 1889, entitled "An Act to authorize the formation of corporations for acquir ing, holding, leasing and selling real estate, and for the erection of buildings thereon," approved June 8, 1889, as amended by Act No. 60 of the Public Acts of 1891, approved May 6, 1891, as amended by Act No. 182 of the Public Acts of 1895, approved May 22, 1895; Also: Senate bill No. 61 (file No. 10), entitled A bill to amend sections 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, and add two new sections to be known as 11a and 11b of Act No. 134 of the Public Acts of 1885, entitled |