The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1907-01-11
He Sends a Message to the Legisla.
ture Filled with Pertinent
Suggestions.
PRIMARY AND TWO CENT FARE
Favors Stringent Regulation of In
surance Companies And Corpo-
rations and Adding Prison Pun
ishment to Antitrust Laws.

FOTCy-IOuTlu genera dooOihpiJ SoH
vened here at noon Wednesday
Lieut.. Gov. John c. Mckinley pre-
sided in the senate and the house OF
representative was called to order by
Secretary of State John e. Swanger,
who then surrendered the gavel to
the temporary speaker, wallace
Crossley, of Johnson county.
Temporary organization was effected
and both houses adjourned until III
o'clock Tuesday morning when the
governors message was read.
Gov. Folk in his message recon-
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 elec-
ton 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 a law making it a 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
the state for two cents a mile.
There should be a state primary
law for tho 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
for at a state primary.
He advocated a registration law
applicable to all towns of 10000 in.
habitants or overland law SINH
lar to shat of Massachusetts should
be ado~e he said, where all names
are placed on the same ballot.
AS to horse racing and bookmak-
ing. ne recommended a law making
it felony to register bet upon
horse race, either on blackboard
or any other substance, or to tele-
phone a bet on a horse race 20 any
other state, or to telegraph or use
anv device to accomplish the regis
tration of bets.
He also recommended legislation
to suppress bucket shops"
Rigid child labor laws, prohibiting
a concern or corporation from sell
ing higher in one part of the state
than in another. adding prison
punishment for violation of the anti
trust laws, and making the penalty
for the violation of the maximum
freight law apply to persons, corpora
lions and partnerships; also stat
ute providing proper penalties for
railroad corporations or the directors
employees, or agents of any railroad
giving rebates on shipments within
the state.
Every corporation, he said, should
be required to furnish each stock
holder with a balance sheet of its
business once a year. There should
be en- annual tax in the nature of a
privilege tax of 1.15 of 1 percent on
tire capital stock of all corporations,
both domestic and foreign, doing
business in the state.
The state should regulate the charges
of public service corporations in or
der to prevent extortion. 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 a reasonable basis. The
result of this should be to eliminate
fictitious values.
He recommended that the 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 to issue
bonds for tnat purpose.
It was the province of the general
assembly, he said, to put an end to
wrongs by preventing one corpora
ton from owning stock in another
and authorizing quo warranto pro-
ceedings to be filed to dissolve any
corporation a majority of the stock in
which is acquired by holding com
pany. This was necessary, he urged
to prevent the creation of monopoliei
in trade and business in the state
The liquor traffic, he contended
does not exist in the state as mat
ter of right but of sufferance. YET
4, has an exemption from authority
denied other interests. The traffic
should be made to obs7"ve the Law
lust like anyone else
In concluding his message the
governor invited consideration o.
the propriety and advisability of the
adoption of a resolution making ap
plication to COZ gress to call con