of the several political parties of their choice for the nomination by their party for the President of the United States, and making an appropriation to carry out the provisions of the same. The question being "Shall the main question be now put?" The same was ordered. The question being on the passage of the bill, The bill was then passed, a majority of the Senators-elect voting therefor, by yeas and nays, as follows: Mr. Taylor sent to the Secretary's desk and had read the following explanation of the vote of the Senators, whose names are signed thereto, on the above entitled bill: In explanation of our votes against the substitute passed by the House on March 7 for a Presidential Primary Bill, commonly known as the Ball Bill, we desire to say that we cannot consistently with our view of the Constitution of the State, vote to give the bill immediate effect, and as it will not be available for 1912 without immediate effect, it will be useless to pass such a bill at this special session. We are, and have been, prepared to vote for a presidential primary law which can constitutionally be enacted, and as no law to take effect in accordance with the ninety day limitation of the constitution can be available for 1912 unless the legislature passes it and finally adjourns this week, there was sent to the House of Representatives before it adjourned this forenoon to Monday next, a communication by certain of the Senators, in order that the House might not inadvertently forestall all possibility of a presidential primary law. Said communication is as follows: To the House of Representatives: Lansing, March 8, 1912. The undersigned members of the State Senate are favorable to the passage of a presidential preference primary election bill which will not violate the letter or spirit of the State Constitution, as will be possible if prompt action is taken on a bill for a June primary followed by adjournment on March ninth. We will not, however, vote to give im We respectfully submit this communication because of a reported intent on the part of the House to adjourn until next week before agreement by the House and Senate on a presidential primary bill. CHARLES E. WHITE. GUY A. MILLER. M. H. MORIARTY. JAMES A. MURTHA. JAMES H. LEE. We, therefore, affirm that our votes against this bill, or against giving it immediate effect, are not in opposition to the principle of the proposed law, but because we are not willing to do lawlessly what might have been done lawfully. A. C. KINGMAN. LEONARD FREEMAN. GUY A. MILLER. CHARLES E. WHITE. LAWRENCE W. SNELL. M. H. MORIARTY. JAMES A. MURTHA. GEORGE G. SCOTT. F. B. KLINE. Mr. Mapes moved that the bill be ordered to take immediate effect, Upon which motion he demanded the yeas and nays. The President Pro Tem took the chair. After extended debate, Mr. Cartier moved the previous question, Which motion was seconded. The question then being "Shall the main question be now put?" The same was ordered. The question being on the motion made by Mr. Mapes that the bill be ordered to take immediate effect, The motion did not prevail, two thirds of the Senators-elect not voting therefor by yeas and nays as follows: Mr. Mapes moved to reconsider the vote by which the Senate failed to order the bill to take immediate effect. The motion prevailed. The question then being on the motion made by Mr. Mapes that the bill be ordered to take immediate effect, Mr. Mapes moved that the motion be laid on the table. The motion prevailed. Mr. Bradley moved that the Senate adjourn. The motion prevailed. The President declared the Senate adjourned until Monday, March 11, at 9 o'clock p. m. ELBERT V. CHILSON, TENTH DAY. Lansing, Monday, March 11, 1912. The Senate met pursuant to adjournment and was called to order by the President. The roll of the Senate was called by the Secretary. Messrs. Barnaby, Bradley, Cartier, Conley, Freeman, James, Kingman, Kline, Lee, Mapes, Miller, Moriarty, Murtha, Newton, Rosenkrans, G. G. Scott, Taylor, Walter, Watkins, Weter-20. The following Senators were absent with leave: Messrs. Collins, Foster, Fowle, Leidlein, Putney, F. D. Scott, Snell and Vaughan—8. The following Senators were absent without leave: Messrs. Vanderwerp, Ward, White and Wiggins-4. Mr. Newton asked and obtained leave of absence for the absentees from today's session. MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR. The following message from the Governor was received and read: State of Michigan, Executive Office, Lansing, March 11, 1912. To the Forty-sixth Legislature of the State of Michigan : Gentlemen:-You are hereby authorized and requested to give your consideration to a bill or bills to amend section two of Act 313 of the Public Acts of 1887, entitled "An act to provide for the taxation, licensing, and regulation of the business of manufacturing, selling, keeping for sale, furnishing, giving or delivering spirituous and intoxicating, malt, brewed, fermented and vinous liquors in this state, and to repeal all acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act," as amended by Act 291, Public Acts of 1909, and by Act 170, Public Acts of 1911, said amended section being section 5380, Compiled Laws of 1897. The purpose of this requested legislation is to make it unlawful for brewers, or those engaged in the brewing business, or in the wholesale liquor business, to own, control or to be interested directly or indirectly in any saloon or place where intoxicating or alcoholic liquors of any kind are sold, purveyed or delivered in a retail manner. tion is particularly aimed at the brewery-owned saloon. This legisla In Michigan and throughout the United States and all over the world where excessive use of alcohol is a curse, and one of the gravest dangers that confront mankind, attention is being given to the necessity for bettering conditions. An official British Parliamentary Commission has reported that alcoholic poisoning is the great cause of their national degeneracy. The French government has placarded that country with appeals to the people attributing the decline in the birth rate and the increase in the death rate to the widespread excessive use of alcoholic beverages. The German Emperor has stated that leadership in war and in peace will be held by that nation whose people use the least alcohol and has pointed with serious emphasis to the dangers arising from the excessive use of beer in Germany. All of the countries of Continental Europe are alert in combating the fearful manace. Out of the degeneracy produced by excessive alcoholism, or from the deathsome alcoholism produced by degeneracy, and it matters not which because the cause and effect are so intimately associated as to be indeterminable, flow crime, misery, direct and indirect private and public burdens, political abuse, moral breakdown, and all the influences that make for depreciation and destruction of society. The world admits the danger. How can it be avoided? There may be some questions of human rights and personal liberty involved, and there may be a plane where regulation and prohibition become super-sumptuary. With 11,500 inmates of Michigan State charitable, penal and correctional institutions and thousands more in county houses and private sanitariums, with crime on the increase in our fair state, with the owners of big breweries, through their strings of saloons and otherwise, mischievously and boldly active in endeavors to control elections, legislation and public officials, there is an aroused interest on the part of all classes of citizens. While there may be some argument as to whether saloons shall be permitted to exist in this state, there is no argument against a declaration that saloons which are notoriously vicious and lawless shall not exist. There are those who argue and sincerely believe that the saloon is the poor man's club. But they have no defense for the vile saloon which is a combination grog shop, den of prostitution, resort of robbers and a gambling hell. In the State of Michigan there are in wet counties 4,366 saloons. In the city of Detroit there are 1,570 saloons, or one for every three hundred persons. In Wayne County there are 1,752 saloons. It is estimated that two-thirds of the saloons in Detroit and more than one-half of those in the state are brewery-owned. This number of saloons, so disproportionate to any need that can be shown by any person, has been made possible because the big brewers of Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee and elsewhere are in the business of starting, encouraging, capitalizing, owning and controlling saloons. Examination will show that eighty-five per cent of dives are brewery-owned saloons. The evil participation of these big brewers in the saloon business not only constitutes a source of greatest danger to the health, safety and morals of society, but it is unfair to the independent saloonkeeper and to the small brewer who cannot afford to start, own or con 1 |