Mexico Missouri message., 1907-04-18
MESSAGE
EXTRA SESSION or THE Missou-
ri ASSEMBLY coNvENEs.
GOVERNOR RECOMMENDS NEW LAWS
Directs the Attention Of the Assem-
! bly, to Six Specific
Subjects.

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 Wed.
nesday.
The Governor directed the attention
of the Assembly TO six subjects. name
ly:
1. The enactment of 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 nj 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.
,. 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 general appro.
priatiCn bill. to take the place OF the
one recently enacted which il held TO
be invalid because OF legal defects.
8. Home rule in the conduct OF the
police and election department OF st.
Louis. Kansas City. and ST. Joseph.
G. 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 FoTty.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 II special measures OF grave
importance to the people are ever
| 10 he 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 in
| special session. II is your province to
leglslate, and ! would not II could
interfere with your prerogative in that
respect. II Is my duty. however. TO
submit and urge upon you my views
on public questions. for you to adopt
or not, as in your conscience you may
deem best for the people. am an.
swerable to the people for my recon-
| mendatIons. You are answerable 10
the people for your legislation.
Local self-GoVernmeEt.
"The subject Of this session have To
do with government and with the en-
forcement OF the laws, which is the
main purpose OF government among q
free people. Under our form OF gov
eminent the State is sovereign as tC
all matters except those delegated e
the national Government The righ
OF the State to seifgovernment SHOULD
be zealously guarded from encroach
ments OF the Federal Government be
yond the powers expressly delegated
10 II by the states.
What state Could DO.
What Is self-Sovernment? Is
that law.breakers In localities VIII,
openly are permitted to defy the law
OF the State should not be interfere,
with by the State? This Is local nu
LITIGATION; 1t Is not self-government
The right of local self-government Il
the right of a locality to enforce tn
State laws through It's local officials
But when these officials cannot @
viii not enforce the laws there is n
longer local self-government. II higl
way robbers and marauders were pc
. mltted to operate az will In any coul
~ without interference II could nj
be said that the people of the count
have local self-government, for the
: In the case mentioned would have n
government at all. II the State al
thorities should step in and uphol
the majesty OF the law In that coul
~ It would not be interfering vii
J. local self.goyernment there, but rat
! or would be restoring local self-go