Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-01-09

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make deposits more secure. be enacted
into law.
In addition To the suggestions which
are made by the Bankers association.
] recommend that the law be changed
50 that the federal and state eXamin-
atoms he made uniform in point OF
time. As II i. the federal examina-
ton on any given day shows the CON
dition of the bank at the close of bust
ness: while the state examination
shows the condition Of the bank at
the beginning OF business. The exam
nations should he uniform in this
particular. to prevent the shifting of
securities.
Primary Election Law.
The operation of the primary cleo
ton law enacted ut the special session
OF the last general assembly has. in
tn" main. been satisfactory. II is Il
decided step in advance in primary re-
form. Under the operation there We're
no snap primaries or snap conventions.
no unscating of delegates III conven-
ti1n. no double conventions. The cleo
tors voted quietly ad secretly ut con
Venient places. during convenient
hours, and their votes We're counted as
east The law went into effect on
July 1. 1906. and petitions for the
nomination of candidates were re-
quired 10 he filed by July >. 1906. This
was too brief time for the filling Of
petitions. to make the first trial of the
law fair test of its merits. 1t is
the duty of the general assembly. how
ever. TO remedy ut the present session
such defects as the practical appiica-
ton Of the law has thus far revealed.
The provisions of the primary election
law should he extended to all cities. I
recommend that I law be enacted with
an emergency provision extending the
primary law to cities in time TO have
il become effective at the approaching
spring election.
Railroad and Warehouse Commission.
Illinois Is one of the pioneer states
in the control Of railroads and ware
E0useS, and excellent work has been
lone by the railroad and warehouse
commission under the present law
the statutes Of the state. however. are
pracrically the same as when the com
mission was created in 1871.
Among other changes in the law
which may he of advantage, l may
mention the following: An amend
ment authorizing the railroad and
warehouse commission to prescribe
uniform system of accounting. Amend
ments enlarging the powers of the
commission as to railroad crossings.
The present law imposes the entire
cost OF the construction and main
tcrance OF such crossings upon the new
iutcrSeCtinS road. The law is also de-
f@ctive in comforting jurisdiction upOE
tie railroad and warehouse commission
only in those cases where the COM
panicE operating; the intcrsecting rail-
roads cannot settle between them
selves the questions arising as to pro-
posed crossings.
/ recommend that a comprehensive
law nc enacted with view to abolish
ing the use of railroad passes. modelled
after that enacted b. congress mt its
last session. In my Judgment. Tie
people OF Illinois viii not be satisfied
with any legislation less compre-
henSive.
Should Pass Bills Early
call the attention Of the general
assembly to Il custom which imposes
upon the executive an unnecessary
burden-I refer to the custom of pass
ing large number of bills late in the
legislative session. As far as possible,
bills should be passed in time to af-
ford ample opportunity to examine
them. so that if any defects are foun1
in matters Of form, they will not be
found too late TO be remedied. The
earlier passage of Appropriation bills,
moreover, is of special Importance. 1t
is the custom to pass this class OF
bills and the rate law requiring the
governor, auditor and treasurer TO fix
the rate of taxation which will produce
the amount appropriated. during the
last two or three days of the session.
AZ there is doubtful authority for max
ing the rate lower than as provided
by statute. the result of this delay is
that, in the event appropriations are
vetoed. an amount is collected beyond
the requirements of the state.
Two hundred and thirty-six bills
were passed by the Forty Fourth Gen
eral Assembly. OF these, twenty-five
were presented to me during the ses-
sion and oil after its adjournment.
Many of the bills did not actually como
TO me until four days after adjourn
ment. The consideration of so many
bills I'm so short time is too severe