Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-01-12
state 10 tne other at comparatively ltt,.
Reformatory For First Offenders.

state 10 the other al comparatively Attls
cost
Reformatory For First Offenders.
Another reform that will do much in
uplifting mankind is the establishment OF
a reformatory where first offenders
against the crimin law may be confined.
instead of being put in the penitentiary
to be associated with those hardened In
the ways of crime. Every man fmbibes
something from those with whom ne Is
thrown in contact, and the first oftender,
who is in constant association with OLD
offenders, is apt to become y eonnrmed
criminal. The object OF punishment Ior
and it should be the effort OF the state
TO reform, not to degrade. With trst
offenders removed from confirmed GRIM
inals, in many instances they may be ed
ucated back to moral ways and made
Useful citizens of the state.
General Legislation.
The compensation of the excise commits
sioner is out of proportion to what is
paid other public officials. He should be
put on a reasonable salary and all fees
paid into the state treasury.
There is urgent necessity for the re-
vision of the statute laws of our state.
Revisions heretofore made have been
lone hastily, with the result that the
statutes are full of contradictions, caus-
ing uncertainty as to what the law is.
| A commission of men learned In the law
| ought to be provided for to revise the
Il STATUES bt obooiStC
let Inconsistent statutes be. ~reconciled;
make the laws certain and just and let
| them be enforced.
A remedy should be provided for the
| negligent deaths of adult unmarried per-
sons by giving the father or mother the
| right to sue, Under the present law
there is no remedy in such instances.
Strange to say, II a railroad, tor IN.
stance, injuries one over q years of age
and unmarried the damages are unlim-
tied, but if, instead of injuring, the ran,
at ali. The law makes it economical.
from a financial standpoint, to
xii instead OF merely to MAIN.
The limb of a bachelor is val
worth anything under the law. This Is
one of the humors of the law, but 1t Is
not justice. 1t often happens that an
adult, while having no VIE or nu fathsr
n they, at least, should AYE a right OF
action in such instances, This should be
| done as a matter of justice, and, farther,
to prevent loss of life, for when a cor
poration must pay in damages for the
lives it takes by negligence it will natur-
ally be more careful.
state Finances.
The financial condition of the state Is
gratifying; the splendid management or
the fiscal affairs for the past thirty years
has paid off a large debt and reduced
taxation for state purposes to 10 cents
on the 800. The time is not far distant
when, by good government, the state tax
on real estate can be further materially
appropriations will be exercised as here
tofore. The danger of a surplus to a
state is that it leads to e~xtravagance.
Guard AGAINST that. At the same nesi nfme
as one of the leading American states
and be abreast of her sisters in the
fields of endeavor and progress. A glo-
rious future awaits Missouri. Let it not
| ha rot flaI nv pXt~raV1ganCe or DarS1-
mony, but by wise n conservative ex-
penditures and measures let her advance
to her manifest destiny.
Let the Welfare of the People BE
Supreme Law.
On the great seal of the state hanging
above this platform are the words: "Sa-
lus populi suprema lex esto"-'Let the
welfare Of the people be the tn +h supreme irene r
selected in the long ago, and these words
come to us now as a message from the
past, with new meaning, and should pc
Let partisanship be subordinated to the
common good and every effort be made
for promoting the public veal. The self
ish people who would make money at
the expense of the common good are
morally blind, and can not appreciate
how the individual serves his interest by
promoting the public good. Those who
understand the. relation Of the commot
cate among the people the supreme value
Of this doctrine. l should like to AVE
every school teacher in the state have
the pupils arise in their PLACES each
morning and put the question, How can
man serve his best INTEREST,"" and have
the answer, Man serves his best interest
by promoting the common good" This
idea is the foundation of character
building and is the most important sub
ject of education. / hope you will keep
it in your hearts, and may it guide you
in all OF your deliberations. Whatever
question you may have before you, re-
member YOU will serve the best interests
of yourselves. your party and your state
by promoting the public good. l invite
you, believing you have the interests or
this great commonwealth at heart, to the
most cordial cooperation, and may, God,
in His providence, help all OF US to DO
orr best,