The Mena weekly star., 1907-01-10
TRE NESS[G(FG()V FOLk|
Missouri Exrcutive Recommends Various Reforms to Legislature
 For Consideration.
FAvORs TWO CENT RAILROAD FARES
A State Primary Law Is Suggested Which Is 10 Include Nomination of United States Senators--Wouid Make Lobbying crir.s-other Recommendations.

Make EODuyiH9 0iisfS@7 ~e'S'
 Recommendations.
 Jefferson City, Mo, Jan. 1.-The legislature met Wednesday at 10 q. m. and after the usual routine of opening the session the message of Gov. Folk was received and read, the members paying close attention throughout. Following is a synopsis of the more important recommenda- tions:
 Gov. Folk in his message recom mended a number of acts relating to life insurance companies. among others a standard policy for all life companies, prohibiting discriminating and rebating, regulating the cleo tiop of directors and requiring non resident companies to keep at least 70 per cent of the premiums receiv- ed from Missouri policyholders in vested within the state.
 He also recommended the enact ment of law making it crime for any one for compensation to lobby, with the members of the legislature,
 The railroads he said, should be required to carry passengers within tn s4ate for two cents mile.
 7 erc should be state primary law for the nomination of all cleo tive officers. including United States senators. The election of senators by the people. he said has long been demanded but it cannot be obtained until the federal constitution is amended.
 Public opinion will ultimately force this reform. but in the meantime the next best thing can be secured by having senatorial candidates voted fer at state primary
 He advocated a registration law applicable to all towns of 10000 in- habitants or over-and law simi- lar to that of Massachusetts should be adopted, he said, where all names are placed on the same ballot.
 As to horse racing and bookmak- ing. he recommended a law making it felony to register bet upon a horse race, either on blackboard or any other substance, or to tele- phone a bet on horse race to any other state. or to telegraph or use any device to accomplish the regis tration of bets.
 He also recommended Legislation to suppress bucket shops"
 
 Rigid child labor laws. prohibiting I concern or corporation from sell ing higher in one part of the state than in another, adding prison punishment for violation of the anti rust laws. and making the penalty for the violation of the maximum freight law apply to persons. corpora. lions and partnerships; also stat lte providing proper penalties for railroad corporations or the directors arnnloyes. or agents of any railroad giving rebates on shipments within tho state
 Every corporation, he said, should Se required to furnish each stock holder with balance sheet of it's business once a year. There should be an annual tax in the nature of privilege tax of 115 of 1 percent on ire capital stock of all corporations. hoth domestic and foreign. doing business in the state
 The state should regulate the charges If public service corporations in or der to prevent cxtortion To deter mine the reasonableness of rates there should be power to inquire in to and determine the actual amount invested in such corporations and to fix rates on reasonable basis. The result of this should be to eliminate fictitious values.
 He recommended that tho people of each city or town be authorized to purchase or own and operate any utility of a public nature whenever they shall vote to do so and 10 issue bonds for that purpose
 It was the province of the general assembly. he said. to put an end to wrongs by preventing one corpora tion from owning stock in another and authorizing quo warranto pro ceedings to be filed to dissolve any corporation majority of the stock in which is acquired by holding com pany. This was necessary, he urged. Co prevent the creation of monopolies In trade and business in the state.
 The liquor traffic, he eontendsd, does not exist in the state as mat ter of right but of sufferance Yet it has an exemption from authority denied other interests. The traffic should be made to obs wye the law just like anyone else
 In concluding his message the governor invited consideration of the propriety and adyisability of the adoption of a resolution making ap plieation to congress to call con