Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-04-18
MESSAGE
EXTRA SESSION OF THE MIssou-
RI ASSEMBLY coNvENEs.
GOVERNOR RECOMMENDS NEW LAWS
Directs the Attention Of the Assem-
bly, to Six Specific
Subjects.


q Jefferson City-The Forty-fourth
General Assembly convened in extra
ordinary session at noon Tuesday.
Following the reading of Gov. Folks
messags setting forth the object of the
call, both houses adjourned until We'd
nesday.
The Governor directed the attention
of the Assembly to six subjects, name
ly:
1. The enactment of a law giving
st. Louis, among other municipalities,
the right to regulate the rates charged
by public service corporations.
2. An amendment to the racetrack
gambling law to prohibit the telephon-
ing or ~telegraphing Of bets on horse
races, with an emergency clause. A
bill without the emergency clause was
passed at the late session, but the
announced intention of the st. Louis
race track men to carry on their ope-
rations until that law shall become
effective prompts the executive to
urge immediate action at this time.
3. The passage of a law empower
ing the Governor to direct the Attor-
ney General to institute before the Su-
preme Court proceedings again negli-
gent county officials.
4. The passage of a general appro-
priation bill, to take the place of the
one recently enacted which is held to
be invalid because Of legal defects.
5. Home rule in the conduct of the
police and election department of st.
Louis, Kansas City, and st. Joseph.
6. An act creating the office OF
State Excise Commissioner, with pow
er of review vested in the Circuit
Courts. Existing law relates only to
st. Louis.
The Governors Message.
The following is a partial text OF
Gov. Folks message:
"The F%orty-fourth General Assembly
of Missouri, in regular session, accom-
plished much for the people Of the
State. The members Of this assembly
are entitled to praise for what they
have enacted, but the work is not yet
finished. There is more to be done
Believing If special measures Of grave
Importance to the people are ever
to be made laws, they will be by this
assembly when they are considered
apart from the multitude of duties and
distractions incident to a general ses
sion. | have called you together II
special session. 1t Is your province tx
legislate, and | would not if I coult
interfere with your ~prerogative in tina
respect. 1t is my duty, however, tt
submit and urge upon you my view'
on public questions, for you to adop
or not, as in your conscience you ma.
deem best for the people. I am an
swerable to the people for my recon
mendations. You are answerable t
the people for your legislation.
Local SeIf-Government.
1.-THE subject of this session have I
do with government and with the er
forcement of the laws, which is tn
main purpose Of government among
free people. Under our form Of go'
eminent the State is sovereign as t
all matters except those delegated
the national Government. The RICH
Of the State to self-government shout
be z~ealously guarded from encroacl
ments Of the Federal Government b.
yond the powers expressly delegate
to it by the states.
What State Could Do.
What is self-government? Is
that l~aw-breakers in localities WI
openly ar. permitted to defy the Law
of the State should not be interfere
with by the State? This is local Ill
LITIGATION; it is not ~self-governmer
The right of local self-government
the right of a locality to enforce Il
State laws through its local official
. But when these officials cannot
will not enforce the laws there is
longer local self-government. If hig
way robbers and marauders were pt
l mitted to operate at will in any col
y ty without interference it could n
q be said that the people of the coun
have local self-government, for tn
in the case mentioned would have
government at all. II the State
thorities should step in and uphc
the majesty of the law in that col
\ ty it would not be interfering W
local self-government there, but ra
err would be restoring local self-g'