The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-01-11
SOME REFORM MEASURES
Suggested by Governor GoIk in His
Message to the General Assembly
Of the State.

In his message to the Genera
Assembly Governor Folk makes
recommendations for number OF
reform laws, of which the follow
ing is a brief summary:
The Governor says that the
greatest need of the State aud
nation just now is not new lawe Sc
much as the proper enforcement Of
the laws we already have. "
A State excise law for the proper
control of the liquor traffic through
out the State. Governor Folk says
that in most counties the officials
at least endeavor to carry out the
law, but there are some counties
where the local officials 'wilfully
neglect their duties and where the
sovereignty of the lawless liquor
sellers is greater than the sover-
eighty of the State" He would
compel all dramshop keepers to
take out State licenses, which
could be revoked whenever the
keepers violated the State laws.
A reform in the tax law he says
is urgent, and suggests that the
first step should be separation of
the sources of State aud local
revenue by a constitutional amend.
ment. A plan will be laid before
the Legislature by commission
appointed by the Governor, which
will provide for disseminating the
levy of IA general property tax upon
the real and personal property of
the State for State purposes. He
believes the tirle will soon come
when the State can obtain enough
revenue for the needs of govern
ment by taxation on railroads, ex-
press, insurance, telegraph and
telephone companies, and by Ii
cense taxes on corporations, dram
shops and other privileges, thus
leaving the real and personal prop
erty in the counties free from State
tcXes.
A State primary law for the
nomination of all elective officers,
including United States Senators.
The election of Senators by the
people has been long demanded,
but it cannot be obtained until the
Federal Constitution is amended.
He advocates registration law
applicable to all towns of 10000
inhabitants or over, and O law
similar to that of Massachusetts
should be adopted, where all names
are placed on the same ballot, one
under the other, the voter to indi-
cate by o mark the person he de
sires to vote for.
He recommends the enactment
Of law making it a crime for any
one to lobby with the members of
the Legislature.
The railroads, he says, should be
required to carry passengers within
the State for , cents mile.
Amendment to the State Consti-
tuition providing for the initiative
and referendum.
He recommended law making
it a felony to register u bet upon
horse race, either on blackboard,
or any other substance, or to tele.
phone a bet on q horse race to any
other State, or to telegraph or use
any other device to accomplish the
registration of bets.
Compelling witnesses in bribery
to testify when exempt
from prosecution based upon their
own testimony, either in whole or
part.
Prohibiting professional lobby
ing.
Forbidding life insurance COM
panies from making campaign con-
and also prohibiting
hem from printing misleading
Law to suppress bucket shops,
BY making the offense a felony,
Ind holding telegraph companies,
employees and officials who know
ngly assist in operating the same
Is PRINCIPALS.