Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-04
RECOMMENDATIONS By FOLK
Governor of Missouri Offers SUGGESTIONS for
Laws to the Legislature.
PRIMARY AND REGIS TRATloE DESIRED
Municipal Ownership of All Public
Utilities IL Favored ana LeGis-
Iature Asked to Make
IL Possible,
.aARY AND REGISTRATION DESIRED


ernor Folk in his message to the legis-
lature today recommended number OF
acts relating to life insurance companies,
among others standard policy for all
life companies. prohibiting discriminating
and rebating, regulating the election Of d.
rectors and requiring nonresident companies
to keep at least 10 per cent of the premi-
ums received from Missouri policyholdSrs
invested within the state.
He also recommended the enactment of
law making 1t crime for anyone for COM
pensation to lobby with the members of
the legislature.
The railroads. he said, should be required
to carry passengers within the state for
cents a mile.
Primary Law Desired.
There should be a state primary law for
the nomination Of all elective ofncers, In
Guiding United States senators. The cleo
tion 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 registration law applicable
to all towns of 10000 inhabitants. He rec
commended a law making 1t a felony to
register 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 de-
vice to accomplish the registration OF bets.
He also recommended legislation to sup
press bucket shops. e. tHiq
Rigid child labor laws prohibiting q
concern or corporation from selling higher
! in one part of the state than in another.
adding : prison punishment fo- violation
of the antitrust laws. and making the PEN
atty for the maximum freight law to apply
to persons. corporations and partnerships;
also az statute providing proper penalties
for railroad corporations of the directors,
employees or agents of any railroad giving
rebates on shipments within the state.
Publicity for Corporations.
Every corporation, he said. should be re-
quired to furnish each stakeholder with a
balance sheet OF lite business once a year.
There should be an annual tax In the ma
ture OF a privilege tax of Ills of per cent
on the capital stock OF all corporations,
both domestic and foreign. doing business
In the state. The state should regulate
the charges of public service corporations
the reasonableness OF rates there should
be power to inquire into and determine
the actual amount invested in such cor
porations and to furnish rates on a reason
able basis. The reason OF this should be
TO eliminate fictitious values.
He recommended that the people of each
city OF town be authorized to purchase or
own and operate any utility OF public
nature whenever they shall vote to do so
and TO issue bonds In payment thereof.
FavOrs Municipal Ownership.
I The necessary laws should be enacted
giving the municipalities of the state full
power TO regulate tolls. charges and rates
for gas, electric lights, telephone and other
J public utilities within such cities and COM
polling the Interchange OF telephone service
and fixing and regulating the charges
! thereof. II was the province OF the gen.
! erai assembly. he said, to put an end to
wrongs by preventing one corporation from
owning stock In another. and authorizing
quo warranto proceedings TO be filed to
! dissolve any corporation a ma iority OF the
/ stock in which is acquired by a holding
company. This was necessary, he urged.
to prevent the creation OF nonOpOlies in
! trade and business In the state.
saloons Only on sunrnnce.
The liquor traffic, he contended, does not
exist In the state rs a matter OF right,
but OF suffTanee Yet 1t has an exemption
! from authority denied other interests. The
trafic should be made TO observe the law
/ Just like any one else.
| He recommended the amendment Of Z
nti-bribery law so that witnesses could
forced TO testify. but relieving them fro
prosecution by reason OF their testimony.
! The governor invited consideration OF H.
proprlety and advisabllity of the adoptio
( OF a resolution making application to col
! gress to call convention for propose
amendments TO the federal constitution
particularly with reference TO election
/ senators by the direct vote OF the peopl
I and for a just income tax.