Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-01-10
&c Sends a Message to the Legisla-
ture Filled with Pertinent
Suggestions.
pRIMARyAND FARE
Favors Stringent Regulation Of In
suranee Companies And corpo-
ratlons and Adding Prison Pun
lshment to Antitrust Laws.

sided In the senate and the house OF
representative was called to order by
Secretary Of State John q. Swanger,
who then surrendered the gavel to
the temporary speaker, Wallace
Crossley, Of Johnson county.
Temporary organization was effected
and both houses adjourned until 10
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 cleo
tion of directors and requiring nom
resident companies to keep at least
10 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 1t crime for
any one for compensation to lobby
with the members Of the legislature
The railroads re said, should be
required to carry passengers within
the state for two cents a mile.
There should be a state primary
law for the nomination Of all cleo
tive officers. including United States
senator's The election Of senators
by the people, he said has long been
demanded but 1t 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 a law SINH
lar to that Of Massachusetts, should
be adopted, he said, where all names
are placed on the same ballot.
As to horse racing and bookmak'
ing, he recommended law making
1t a felony to register a bet upon a
horse race, either on a blackboard
or any other substance, or to tele-
phone a bet on horse race to any
other state, or to telegraph or use
any device to accomplish the regis
tration of bets
He also recommended legislation
to suppress bucket shops"
Rigid child labor laws, prohibiting
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 balance sheet Of its
business once year. There should
be an annual tax in the nature of
privilege tax of lis of 1 percent on
tire capital stock Of ali 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 wakes.
He recomrlcn led that the people Of
each city or town be authorized to
purchase or cwn and operate any
utility Of a public nature whenever
they shall vote to do so and to issue
bonds for that 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
ceedlngs to be filed to dissolve any
corporation a majority Of the stock I'd
which is acquired BY q holding COM
pany. This was necessary, he urged,
to prevent the creation of monopolies
In trade and business In the state.
The liquor traffic. he contended.
does not exist In the state as q mat
ter Of right but Of sufterance. Yet
II has an exemption from authority
denied other interests. The traffic
should be made to obs7-ve the law
Just like anyone else
In concluding his message the
governor Invited consideration Of
the propriety and sdvisabllity Of The
adoption Of a resolution making np-
plieation 70 coagress 10 cali q con
veation for proposing amendments 70
TIE federal constitution. particularly
with reference TO election Of senR
torn By tie direct vots a tie Pc
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