Transportation and The first means of transportation used, common wagon roads, have been the last to be thoroughly im proved. The State now has about 70,000 miles of dirt roads, partly improved. The automobile has been most effective in strengthening the ((good movement. In 1905 was created the State highway department, which has ex pended about $1,000,000 in money awards to encourage townships in their common road building. Among the most important improve ments is a State road along the entire shore line of the lower peninsula, which is partly com pleted. At the spring election, 1919, Michigan voted to bond the State for $50,000,000 for good roads. Railroad building began in Michigan shortly after Stevenson experimented with the The first road built, the Erie and Kalamazoo, from Toledo (then in Michigan) to Adrian, was the first west of the Appalachian Mountains. The first State constitution, adopted in 1835, provided for a system of in ternal improvements, in which three trans peninsular railroads were included; of these, the Michigan Central was partly built by the State, but was completed to Chicago by private capital in 1852. The census of 1910 shows 10,584 miles of steam roads, and 1,400 miles of electric roads, with a total investment of $141,875,000, employing about 80,000 men. Nine trunk lines cross the State from east to west and three from north to south. The chief rail road centres are Detroit, Jackson, Grand Rap ids, Saginaw, Kalamazoo and Lansing. Tie topography of the lower peninsula has favored a general distribution of roads, through a sys tem of intersecting morainal valleys. In the western end of the upper peninsula is the only portion of the railway system of the State with steep grades. The leading lines are the Michigan Central. the Chicago and Grand Trunk, the Grand Rapids and Indiana, the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, the Pere Mar quette and the Duluth, South Shore and Atlan tic. Connecting with these railroads are the several large steamship lines of the Great Lakes. In general, the lake traffic is confined to a few of the heaviest and bulkiest com modities — iron ore, copper, lumber, grain and coal. The tonnage of this traffic is one-third the total tonnage of ships owned in the United States. The tonnage of the Detroit River is five times the foreign tonnage of New York Harbor and exceeds the combined tonnage of Hamburg, Liverpool and London. About four fifths of the through freight on the Lakes passes through the "Soo° Canal. Vast sums have been spent by the State and by the Na tional government, in improving the Great Lakes harbors, especially at Cheboygan, Alpena, Saginaw, Saint Joseph and Grand and the channels through the Saint Mary's River, the Detroit River and the Saint Clair Flats; 45 life-saving stations and 120 lighthouses and flag-signal stations are maintained.
Michigan has had three con stitutions, adopted in 1835, 1850 and 1908. Con stitutional development in Michigan has been in the direction of restricting and defining the powers conferred upon the State government. The last constitution, which went into effect 1 Jan. 1909, contains a declaration of rights in 21 sections. Amendments to it may be pro posed in either house of the legislature and by a two-thirds vote may be referred to the people, who may adopt by matority vote; amendments may also be initiated by signature of at least 10 per cent of the electorate. At the general
election in 1926 and in each 16th year there after the question of a general revision of the constitution is to be submitted to the elec torate. The elective franchise is conferred upon every male citizen of the United States 21 years of age or over who has resided six months in the State and in the township or ward in which he offers to vote 20 days next preceding an election. Women who have the qualifica tions of male electors and who have property assessed for taxes in any part of the district or territory to be affected by the result of an election, may vote at such election on any question involving the direct expenditure of public money or the issue of bonds.
The seat of government is at Lansing. The legislative department consists of a senate of 32 members and a house of representatives of 100 members; the lower house may not consist of more than 100 nor less than 64 members. A newly elected legislature meets in every odd numbered year, on the first Wednesday in January. Membership in both houses is reap portioned every 10 years—next in 1923 — upon the basis of the preceding national census. All legislation is by bill, and every bill to be come a law must receive the assent of a major ity of the members elected to each house; a two-thirds vote is requisite for bills appro priating the public funds; by a two-thirds vote the legislature may pass a bill over the gover nor's veto; all other bills, to become law, re quire the governor's signature. At special ses sions the legislature can consider only such subjects as are named either in the governor's proclamation or in his message. The consti tution of 1909 reserves to the people the power of the initiative and the referendum.
The officers of the executive department are a governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor-general and attorney general. All are elected for two years. The governor, in whom is vested the chief executive power, must he at least 30 years of age, five years a citizen of the United States and a resident of the State two years next preceding his election. His salary is fixed by the consti tution at $5,000 a year. In case of vacancy, the office is filled by the lieutenant-governor, who is ex officio president of the senate. The governor may veto any bill within 10 days (Sundays excepted) of its presentation by the legislature. The appointive power of the gov ernor is limited to minor officials.
Thejudicial power is vested in a Supreme Court, Circuit Courts, probate courts, justices of the peace and inferior courts established by the legislature. The Supreme Court consists at present of one chief justice and seven associate justices, two members being elected every two years for a term of eight years, at a salary of $7,000 a year. The court holds four terms a year in Lansing. Each of the 39 Circuit Courts holds four terms a year, respectively, in each county within its circuit; each Circuit Court has one judge, elected for a term of six years at a salary of $3,500. In each county ,a ,probate judge is elected for a term of four years; probate courts have, in addition to usual duties, original jurisdiction in all cases of juvenile de linquents and dependents. Justices courts are established in the townships, presided over by justices of the peace, four in each township, elected for a term of four years.