The Brinkley argus. (Brinkley, Ark.) 1883-current, 1906-08-24
plAnxs FaoA scy. FOLKS PLATFORM

Up in Mis- ;olri Gov. Folk. who L
rerafrAe4 al over America a. one q
the 4 <rges' and best Governors il
the entire United States. has Sc
forth few planks in his platform thu
are attracting attention all over tn
country.
Some Of the p.anks from his plat.
form are as follows:
II Is my view that the highway de-
partment OF the state should be or
ganized after the same manner as the
public school system to the end that
there be good roads in every portion
OF the commonwealth.
The fund created by the state H.
cense from each dramshop should 60
into a fund for the building Of public
highways in the state. ! hope to see
a law enacted providing for state
highway commissioner. skilled in road
building.
There Is another subject that re-
gard as Of much importance, and that
is the regulation Of rates charged BY
all public-sevice corporations, rail-
roads, street railroads. electric, gas.
telephone and telegraph companies.
The commission to beprovided should
regulate the rates according to the
actual amount invested. allowing a
reasonable return for capital, labor.
skill and genius. The charges on
steam railroads are regulated to some
extent now. Cities regulate the rate
charged by hack drivers upon the
basis of reasonable compensation
for investment and labor. But when
II comes to street railroads, electric.
gas. telephone and telegraph compa-
MES. there is no regulation at all,
other than limit In some instances
fixed by charter. and further than this
there is no provision whereby the peo-
pie can be protected against extortion.
In addition to this. the municipali-
ties OF the state should be given the
power to purchase. own and operate
any public utility whenever they see
fit to do so.
/ also expect to recommend
that IL may be made . felony
for any person 70 sell intoxi-
cants without . license.
This state belongs to the people Of
the state. and should be run byth
people OF the state. and not by lawless
gamblers or dramshop keepers, who
get themselves up as greater than the
state. The liquor interests have no
right to demand the special privilege
OF law breaking.
In the cities OF ST. Louis, Kansas
City and ST. Joseph, where the gov
ernor has power through his appointees.
the law is enforced to the letter.
Wherever dramshops are allowed to
run on Sunday in defiance OF the law.
or open gambling is permitted. the
prosecuting attorney or sheriff. or both,
are either incompetent or are corrupt
ed by money or influence Of some
kind.
III had the power would remove
every prosecuting attorney or sheriff
who neglects his duty in this respect.
| shall ask the next General Assem-
bly, to give 10 the executive the power
to suspend prosecuting attorneys and
she-iffs who wilfully or corrupty fail
to enforce these laws. If you are in
accord with this. see that your candi-
dates for the legislature favor this
proposition. This Is the law now in
several states, so 1t Is not an untitled
experiment.
The suggestion will not be popular
With lavbreakers, ! know. Cornup
men often support man for office anc
demand in return the privilege Of law
Iessness. II an official betrays the
power repossd in him by the people
there should he some remedy.
Either recall ty the people CT sus-
pension by the executive would be ef-
fectiye. If. after the legislature. rep
resenting the entire state. enacts laws
the officials Of any count are permit
ted to nullify these laws with impu-
nifty. then state government tecome.
As rope Of sand.
ONE Of tn. most notable laws en-