The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-01-07
Nearly Every Legislator Has
Some Kind of a Bill to
Introduce.
SCHOOL QUESTION PROMINENT.
Freight Rates. Taxation of Rail
roads. Issuance of Passes, Poll
Tax and Eaking Powder CUES
tons Absorb Attention.
By A STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

fer organization and the inauguration OF
the session tomorrow, but an undertcne OF
their general conversation gives indication
of what will he the real business OF theaI
sittings. Inquiry develops that several inn
portant changes Of significance Throughout,
the State are warmly advocated and may
become law.
This discussion of business pure and SIM
pie is becoming only secondary to the sana-
torial issue. since the races for the positions
obtairabIe are almost run. The finish is in
sight, with the probable winners looming
up well in front.
FOR LEGISLATION.
The outlook for legislation includes many
general heads. which may be summed up ut
this time as follows: The schools. with the
free textbook and compulsory education
matters most prominent; school certificates
of Indebtedness: railroads. taxation of and
the use OF passes. reduction of freight rates;
roads. plans for lettering them and a more
thorough method of collecting the poll tax:
a "jim-crow' law providing for compart-
ments in the railroad cars for negroes: re-
vision OF the revenue system: the use of
alum in baking powder; duration of con-
tracts and book accounts, especially a
movement inaugurated by merchants 10
have book accounts collectable like con-
tracts for a period of ten instead of five
years; adjustment of factory inspection
fees, and revision of insurance laws.
G. 8. Young of johnson County. father
of Miss Helen Young. one of the candidates
Tor folder, has two bills of State importance
which already are drawn up and will be
presented. One is aimed at the railroad
lobby and the purpose is to do away with
the accusation that members are unduly
influenced by the issuance of passes.
Il think we should be freed of this in
cubuS in our future campaigns" said Mr..
Young. Il advocate that the Legislature
compel the railroads to issue passes to all
members during the active session and to
all officers and employees of the Assembly.
This is the practice in other States. My
plan is that a certificate of election made
out properly shall be the equivalent of a
pass and that the successful candidates for
House and Senate positions be given GER
t~ificates of election and that these also be
good"
SCHOOL CERTIFICATES.
Mr.. Young also will father a kill to abolish
edness. This is included in the first sec
ton of his bill, which reads: 1T shall be
unlawful fer the School Fund Commissioners
of the State of Missouri to issue school GER
tificates of Indebtedness in any sum or
sums or for any purpose or purposes what
ever
The bill goes on TO provide that all moneys
paid into the State Treasury from what
ever source for the benefit of the school be
invested in county, municipal or school dis
trict bonds. the interest. as now is the case,
to be derived for the benefit of the public
| schools, seminaries and colleges of the
State.
f. r. Baker of Galloway County, who was
a late arrival. thinks that under the pres
1-. .,-,tnv, thn npnnr.nnitp IN psNlp "a the
poll tax and road tax is too great. lie
thinks these should be made payable when
ever che il: authority demands the work or
the money. At present the receipts for fall
taxes do not reach the Collectors office I'M
til March. thus rendering steps to enforce
| .ieIinuu.nts to pay or work difficult. Often
those persons liable to the tax have moved
| from the locality, and the roads do not re-
ceiye the benefit which they should under
the law. Mr.. Baker thinks it would be ad-
| yisable to require a voter to snow pol-taX
receipts before allowing him to vote. but
has not decided to introduce this as Il bill,
since he anticipates much opposition on the
| point.
Newland Conklin of Carroll County, a
Iawyer-politician. who is an exception to
the rule in that he takes interest in gen.
| uire jurisprudence, wishes some changes in
the criminal and civil laws on minor points.
| The Sheriff Of his county. iii making an alb
| stract of an execution, described the prop
| crty incorrectly. including only ten when
forty acres should have been the figure.
Mr.. Conkiin undertook to file a corrected
deed. but found that the law made no ref
erence to such Il procedure in relation to
| suits in partition. Mr.. Corklin will propose
a remedy.
OIL TAN
r. l.. Mckee of Clinton County joined
| his Neutrality-suspicious. to-day. He is inter-
n-eol To- tho r,p11- TOW .rh1nCa and cpUUcSfS
! that it be paid in money always instead of
in work. He proposes an Improvement in
| school laws referring to teachers examina-
tons. One of the sections provides that
graduates of the normal department of the
State University ne allowed to teach with
on. further examination. He considers this
| unfair, and will demand that the graduates
of all Normal schools be put on an equal
footing.
Senator Clark tRep) of Kansas City,
| thinks that it is well for Republicans to re-
strict themselves to Their district business
instead of meddling with genera! measures.
He advocates, however, q consolidation of
the purchasing boards for eieemosynary in
situations. CT that some more concentrated
SUPERVISION over them be maintained. At
present as many as 100 of these boards are
distributed in various parts OF the State,
and it is his opinion that confusion and
needless expense result.
s.. w. CreSOn of ISanG0ipn county Is q
general merchant in his home town and is
the advocate of the running period for book
accounts. The present five-year expiration
law referring to such accounts works unfair
less to the merchant, according to his argu-
ment..
/ r. \. Graham of Joplin. Jasper County,
has ia hand several measures bearing di-
rectly ON the Southwest and the mining
districts. He would have the special road
lax. as applicable in cities OF the third
class. extended to include cities of the Sec
ond-class. There are at present no cities of
the second-class. but Joplin will soon have
the necessary population. Mr.. Graham also
warts the establishment OF branch county
Offices in Joplin. and will work to secure
the. division of the mining district into two
parts. with on, commissioner For each, The
sections to be known as the Eastern and
Western.
JIM CROW" LAW.
REPRESENTATIVES Crisp. Haines aid several
Others have talked of a Jim Crow law.
or a modification of it. One suggestion Is
the application OF suc,, a law TO excursions.
on which the races of different color fire.
oaently come in contact with each other
to such an extent that bioodshed results.
Crisp is ort-and-out for complete separa-
ton of the races while travelling. He will
meet no little opposition.
The taxation of corporation property,
-ZE