Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-01-10
TAXATION ON ALL FRANCHISES.
Governor Stephens Makes an Earnest
Plea in His Message to the
Legislature.

JEFFFERsoN CITY, Jan. 4.-Gover-
nor Stephens last message was de-
livered to the Legislature to-day.
The taxation of franchises is dealt
with exhaustiyely, and the Governor
holds that revenue should be derived
from them. In discussing this, after
citing the case Of a street railway, he
says:
"If, in the instance above supposed
six millions of dollars Of intangible
value belonging to the street car com
pany pays dividends, it certainly
should be taxed, for whatever pays
dividends should pay taxes, and what
ever property is worth for purposes of
income and sale, it should be worth
for the purpose of taxation"
He quotes from the Constitution Of
Missouri to show that such taxation is
provided for, and asks the assembly to
fix a method for assessing and collect
ing It. He takes up the different
classes Of franchises and handles the
subject to the point.
The Governors report is comprised
of ninety-six pages, printed. After
welcoming the Legislators and com
menting on the States healthy condi-
tion, he turns at once to finances and
shows that a cash balance of S5T7,-
1886 is in the treasury. The schools
have the largest funds, ,slS6, 1920. The
total receipts during the Governors
four years we're s24,6lS, SSL65 and the
expenditures s24, III, ,413.17. The bond
ed Indebtedness of the State is 81, $751;
600, a reduction of SO, ,13l, 600 in four
years. There are outstanding certif-
Gates of Indebtedness for the school
fund amounting TO SO, l5S, 600 and ST.
235, AZ for the seminary fund, max
ing a total debt of SO, 2sO, s39. AZ against
the State, as compared with 50, $780,
S39.42 four years ago.
PENITENTIARY sELF-sUPPoRTfNG
The penitentiary under Warden
Stark has not cost the taxpayers a
cent in two years, but has made net
gain Of $5,119. There were 2,0sl pris-
oners December "a, 2,0l2 males and 80
females. There were 1926 in Janu-
airy, 1897. The decrease is attributed
to parole law, small pox quarantine
and sending of young criminals to the
reform school.
The National Guard receives especial
praise and liberal appropriation is
asked. The report of the geological
department is given, and after prais-
ing its work, the Governor puts in
a plea for it.
The State Universities, Normalsand
schools are reviewed upon and com
pared with those of other states. All
are doing well, the State University at
Columbia especially. 1t now ranks
sixth in the United States, having
passed both Kansas and Iowa in point
of attendance. A fixed allowance is
asked for its support. Reform and
Industrial schools, insane asylums,
federal and confederate homes and
other eleemosynary institutions are,
touched upon.
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
In his recommendations Governor
Stephens points out defects in the
present State Constitution and that
perhaps a Constitutional Convention
might suit the people. Among these
defects the clause making it necessary
to try a case in the county where a
crime is committed; the difference in
salaries Of State judges; the cutting
of circuit judges districts so they are
under two courts of appeal, etc. The
initiative and referendum question is
submitted for consideration, A new
libel law, as has already been told in
these dispatches, is asked for. The
establishment of a banking bureau is
urged, as is board of pardons. Other
subjects taken up are improvement
of public roads, the st. Louis strike
and question of board of arbitration,
boards of embalming and examiners
of BARRIERS, railroad and warehouse
commissioners, game and fish legisla
tion, Pan-American Exposition, erec-
tion Of monuments and the st. Louis
Worlds Fair.