Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/492

MICHIGAN. their property and franchises. Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed in either House, the approval of two-thirds of the members elected to each being necessary to adoption, followed by the approval of a majority of the qualified electors of the State. Every sixteenth year, and oftener if provided by law, the question of the general revision of the Constitution is submitted to the electors, and if approved by a majority vote a convention must be called by the Legislature for that purpose. Suffrage is granted to male citizens above twenty-one years of age, who have resided in the State six months, and in the township or ward twenty days.

The Lieutenant-Governor and the president pro tempore of the Senate are in the line of succession to the Governorship in case of vacancy. The Governor may convene special sessions of the Legislature and exercise the usual pardoning power, subject to certain regulations. Other State officers are the Secretary of State, superintendent of public instruction, treasurer, commissioner of the land office, auditor, and attorney-general. All these officers are elected at the general biennial election, and serve for two years.

There are 32 Senators elected for two years from single districts, in the composition of which counties cannot be divided unless they are entitled to two or more Senators. The minimum and maximum constitutional limits to the number of members in the House are 64 and 100 respectively. They are also elected for two years, from districts composed of contiguous territory, in the formation of which no township or city can be divided. Members are paid for mileage and stationery, and $3 per day of actual attendance and when absent on account of sickness; but extra compensation may be granted to members from the Upper Peninsula. Bills may originate in either House, and a two-thirds vote of the members elected to each overcomes the Governor's veto. No new bill can be introduced after the first fifty days of a session. Election of members is on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November of even years. The Assembly opens on the first Wednesday of January of odd years.

The Supreme Court consists of one Chief Justice and three associates, chosen by the people for eight years. The State is divided into judicial circuits, in each of which one circuit judge is elected for six years. In each county organized for judicial purposes there is a court of probate, the judge being elected by the county for four years. Justices of the peace, not exceeding four to each township, are elected for four years.

The Legislature may confer upon townships, cities, and villages, and upon the board of supervisors of the several counties, such powers of a local, legislative, and administrative character as it may deem proper; and may organize any city of 20,000 inhabitants into a county when the majority of the electors of the county in which the city is located consent. Each county biennially elects a sheriff, clerk, treasurer, register of deeds, and a prosecuting attorney, the sheriff not being eligible to office more than four years in any period of six years. The board of supervisors, composed of one representative from each organized township, has charge of bridges, etc., and may raise by tax

$1000 per year, or a greater amount, if the electors consent. There are annually elected in each township a supervisor, clerk (ex-officio school inspector), commissioner of highways, treasurer, school inspector, not exceeding four constables, and an overseer of highways for each highway district.

The legal rate of interest is 6 per cent.; 10 per cent. is allowed by contract. The penalty for usury is forfeiture of debt if over 12 per cent. A local-option liquor law was passed in 1887, under which both manufacture and sale may be prohibited within the county. A married woman may carry on business in her own name, and her property is not liable for the debts of her husband.

Michigan has twelve members in the National House of Representatives. The capital of the State is Lansing.

The first Legislature of the State authorized in 1837 a loan of $5,000,000, to be devoted to public improvements. Only a small part of the bonds were sold direct and paid in full. About two-thirds of them were deposited with the United States Bank of Pennsylvania, which failed in 1841 after selling some of the bonds. The State became liable for interests on these bonds, for which it never received any payment. It could not meet the interest payment in 1842. An adjustment was soon reached, which amounted to a partial repudiation of the State debt. The State debt amounted in 1861 to $2,316,328, increased during the war to $3,880,399, but fell to $904,000 in 1880, and was almost altogether extinguished in 1890. The present Constitution contains very strict provisions against formation of a State debt, any debts over $50,000 being absolutely prohibited except in case of war or insurrection. The indebtedness dates from the Civil War, and amounted in 1902 only to $416,300. The State must not subscribe to the stock of any company, shall not lend its credit to any one, and must not undertake any internal improvement unless it possesses a specific grant of land or other property for that purpose. The income of the State grows steadily, and was $1,510,000 in 1870, $2,607,000 in 1880, and $3,181,000 in 1890. In 1902 the total receipts were $7,079,429, and expenditures $6,253,141, leaving a surplus of $826,288, and a total balance in June, 1902, of $3,453,811. The revenue of the State is derived partly from direct taxation (about 65 per cent.), and partly from specific taxes on railroads (about 23 per cent.), and on mining companies, banks, insurance and express companies. Altogether, about one-third of the income comes from these specific taxes.

The militia is composed of all able-bodied male citizens between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, except such as are exempted by law. In 1901 the organized militia numbered 3106 enlisted men and commissioned officers.

The population of Michigan increased from 4762 in 1810 to 31,639 in 1830; 212,267 in 1840; 397,654 in 1850; 1,184,059 in 1870; 2,093,889 in 1890; and 2,420,982 in 1900. The rate of gain for the last decade was 15.6 per cent., as against 20.7 per cent. for the United States. From twenty-seventh in rank in 1830, the State rose to ninth in 1880, where it has remained. The density of the population is 42 persons to the square mile. The prairie region in the south was naturally the