Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-04
FOLK SUGGESTS
MANY NEW LAWS
MlssoURps EXECUTIVE is FOR
REFORM
Sends Message to Legislature Rivallne
In Length and Variety Of Subjects
Treated a Presidential
Manifesto
BY Associated Press.


JEFFERSON CITY, Mo-, Jan. S.--The
fory-fourth biennial session of the
legislature was organized by the Demo-
cratic majority today. ]. NJ. Atkinson
of Ripley county was elected speaker
Of the house and Senator McDavid of
Greene county was elected president of
the senate.
Gov. Folk in his message to the legis-
lature recommended a number of
changes relating to life insurance COM
panies, among others n standard pol
icy for all life companies, prohibiting
discrimination and rebating, regulat-
ing the election of directors and requir-
ing nonresident companies to keep at
least 40 per cent of the premiums re-
ceived from Missouri policyholders in
vested within the state.
He also recommended the enactment
of law making II a crime for anyone
for compensation to lobby with the
members of the legislature.
The railroads, he said, should be re-
quired to carry passengers within the
state for cents mile. There should
be state primary law for the nomina-
ton of all elective offices, including
United States senator's. Elections by
the people, he said, has long been de-
manded but II 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 hav-
ing senatorial credits voted for at a
state primary.
He recommended law making it q
felony to register a bet upon a horse
race, either on a blackboard or any
other substance, or to telephone a bet
on a horse race to any other state or to
telegraph or use any device to accom-
plish the registration of bets.
Would Suppress Bucket Shops
He also recommended legislation to
suppress bucket shops, rigid child labor
laws, prohibiting concern or corpora
ton from selling higher in one part of
the state than another, adding prison
punishment for violation of antitrust
laws, and making the penalty for the
violation of the maximum freight law
apply to persons, corporations and part
nerships, also statute providing
proper penalties for railroad corpora
tions or the directors, employees or the
agents of any railroad giving rebates on
shipments within the state.
Every corporation, he said, should be
required to furnish each stockholder
with a balance sheet of its business
once a year. There should be an an
nual tax in the nature of a privilege
tax of / .15 of one per cent on the capl-
tai stock of all corporations, both do
mestic and foreign, doing business in
the state.
The state should regulate the charges
of public service corporations, both
domestic and foreign, doing business
in the state.
To determine the unreasonableness of
rates there should be power to inquire
into 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 fic-
titious values.
1t was the province of the general as
sembly, he said, to prevent one corpora
tion from owning stock in another, and
authorizing quo warranto proceedings
to be filed to dissolve any corporation;
a majority of the stock in which is ac-
quired by a holding company This was
necessary, he urged. to prevent the
creation of monopolies in trade and
business in the state.
He recommended the amendment of
the anti-bribery law so that witnesses
would be forced to testify, but reliev-
ing them from prosecution by reason
of their testimony.
The governor invited consideration of
the propriety and adviSability of the
adoption of a resolution making appli-
cation to congress to call a convention
for proposing amendments to the fed
eral constitution, particularly with ref
erence to election OF United States
senator's by direct vote of the peo-
pie, the establishment of the principles
of initiative and referendum and for a
just income tax.