The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-04
REFORM CRY OF
GOVERNOR FOLK
Missouri Executive Suggests a
Number of Things to the
State Legislature.
DRASTIC LAWS NECESSARY
TWO-cENT FARE STRONGLY
URGED.

Jefferson City. NO.. Jan. 3.--The for
ry-fourth biennial session of the legis-
Iature was organized by the Democrat
&c majority today. ]. NJ. Atkinson Of
Ripley county was elected speaker OF
the house, and Senator f. NJ. McDavid
OF Greene county was elected president
pro tenn. of the senate. The message
of Governor Folk was read, which, in
part. follows:
Governor Folk recommended a num-
Der of changes relating to the life in
surance companies. among others
standard policy for all life companies,
prohibiting discriminating and rebat-
ing. regulating the election of directors
and requiring nonresident companies
10 keep at least 40 per cent of the
premiums received from Missouri pol
icY-holders invested within the state.
He also recommended the enactment
Of Il law making IT crime for any one
for compensation to lobby with the
members of the legislature.
Two-cent Fares.
The railroads, ne said. should be re-
QuTed TO carry passengers within the
state for . cents mile. There should
he a state primary law for the NOM
inatiOn OF all elective offices, including
OF senators by The people, he said, has
long been demanded. but IL cannot be
obtained until the federal constitution
is amended. Public opinion viii ulti-
mately force this reform. but in the
meantime the next best thing can be
secm ed by having senatorial candidates
voted for at state primary. He adj
Vocated a registration law applicable
10 all towns of 10000 inhabitants or
over. He recommended a law making
81 a felony to register a bet upon
horse race. either on a blackboard or
any other substance. or TO telephone
bet on horse race TO any other state
or TO telegraph or use any device to
accomplish the registration of bets.
Stripes for the Trust Magnates.
lie also recommended legislation to
suppress "bucketshops," rigid child la
Dor laws. prohibiting concern or cor
pcTation from selling higher in one part
VI the state than i'm another. adding
rison punishment for violation OF the
antitrust laws. and making the neGal-
~ for the violation of the maximum
freight law apply to persons. corpora
fiohs and partnerships: also a statute
providing proper penalties for railroad
corporations or the directors, employees
or agents of any railroad giving re-
bates on shipments within the state.
Every corporation. he said. should be
required 60 furnish each stockholder
with a balance sheet of it's business
once a year. There should be an annual
tax I'm the nature of a privilege tax of
1.15 Of / per cent on the capital stock
OF all corporations. both domestic and
foreign, doing business i'm the state.
State Regulation.
The state should regulate the charges
Of pubic service corporations. both
domestic and foreign. doing bust
ness in the state. The state should reg
ulate the charges Of public service cor
porations i'm order TO prevent extortion
TO determine the unreasonableness of
rates there should be n power TO in
cure into and determine the actual
amount invested I'm such corporations
and to fix rates on a reasonable basis.
The result of this should be to elm
mate fictitious values. He recommends
ed 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 i'm payment thereof.
The necessary laws should be enacted
zivir municipalities of the state full
powei regulate tolls and rates for
gas. lights and other public utilities.
Prevention Of MonopoIies.
1t was the province of the general as
sembly. he said, TO prevent one cor
poration from owning stock IN another
and authorizing quo warranto proceed
iugs 10 be filed TO dissolve any cor
roration a majority OF the stock i'm
which is acquired by a holding COM
Pany. This was necessary, he urged
! - prevent the creation of monopolies
Ill trade and business i'm the state.
The LIQUOR traffic should be made TO
observe the law just like any one else
He recommended the amendment of
the anti-bribery law so that witnesses
could he forced TO testify. but relieving
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 70 congress to call a convention
for proposing amendments TO the fed
eral coils titution, particularly with ref
erence to election Of United States SEN
ators by the direct vote Of the people,
the establishment of the principles Of
initiative and referendum and for a
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