Mexico Missouri message., 1907-01-24
SENATE.

At the meeting Of the senate rain
road committee Friday. public hear.
ing on the 2.cent-rate bills was set for
next Wednesday evening. A public
hearing on the maximum freight rate
bill was set for Monday evening, Jan.
uary rs. in the hall OF house OF rep.
resentatives. Attorney General Had.
ley will deliver an address on the
maximum freight-rate bill.
The committee took up Bradley's
anti.pass bill. The author Of It was pre-
sent and urged that II be reported
fayorably at once. Col. William II.
Phelps. OF the Missouri Pacific, asked
the committee to postpone reporting
the bill until after the public hearing
next Wednesday night. While he did
not have the figures, he ventured the
statement that the passes issued were
not one-halt OF per cent of the pas.
senger traffic.
Senator Anthony moved that con-
sideration OF the bill be postponed.
Senator Ruford, who seconded the mo.
ton, said that stock shippers down In
his country were unanimous In de-
mand on him to secure Legislation re-
qulring railroads to furnish round.
trip transportation with each car OF
stock. The measure was deferred un.
I'll the public meeting Januay 2S.
Senate Committee on Judiciary. BY
vote OF Z to 3. reported unfavorably
o.. Senator Cooper's bill empowering
the Attorney General to file quo war
| ranto proceedings against local officials
who are derellct in enforcing the law.
This is a measure commended by Gov.
ernor Folk in his message TO the Gen.
eral Assembly. The adverse report ~:
the committee practically means the
doom OF the bill in the Senate. The
Senators who voted in favor of It
were: Avery, of Lincoln; Cooper and
Gilmore. OF Kansas City. Those who
voted against Il were: Fields. OF Linn;
McAllister, of Monroe; McDavid, OF
Green; Mayer. of st. Joseph; Major,
OF Howard; Kammerer. of st. Louis,
and Hudson. OF Livingston.
Senator Wornall offered bill In the
Senate leaving It optional with the
jury in capital punishment trials as to
whether the convicted party Is sent
enced TO be hanged or imprisoned In
the Penitentiary for life.
This measure has been before the
Legislature several times In one shape
or another, and has always received
considerable support but never enough
to pass both houses.
The agument against such change
in the law is that juries would Inyari.
ably send the convicted person TO the
prison, and knowledge OF tMs fact
on the part of the people would lead
to mob violence in instances where ex-
asperating crimes had been committed.
The first move on the part of the
Legislature In favor OF good roads was
made by the Senate Committee on Con
stitutional Amendments in reporting
favorably an amendment to the Con.
!, stitution offered by Senator Fields OF
Linn. II provides for q levy Of 20
cents on the 800 valuation for the
} building OF roads and bridges. Cities
! and Counties may vote upon this tax
very much as local option on the
granting of dramshop license Is now
J voted upon.
Senator Dowell introduced a bill
making provision for working con
: vlcts in the penitentiary on the pub
lie roads OF the state. He applies fea
! lures Of the law now In force in the
2 state OF Arkansas. Under his bill tbs
? board OF inspectors OF the state prison
4 will be requested TO supply to eacl
!. county In the state making application
for the same. not 70 exceed nifty con
a yicts each year, who shall be EN-
r ployed on the roads and bridges o
!. the county under the direction AMI
!. discipline Of the sheriff OF the count,
and his deputies. The county mus
> be at the expense OF transporting IN
4 conyicts 20 and from the penltentlaF.
e and must make provision for carini
e for item suitably and che men are no
9 to be supplied until the inspectors az
a satisfied that this provision. has beal
made.