Mexico Missouri message., 1908-04-30


years 10 the COMMERCIAL disadvantage q
our metropolis. Under this act the people
81 The city OF St Louis have voted to
.nnuo bonds for the construction OF n free
brtdge, and the municipal assembly has
enacted an ordinance TO that end and II
y no longer doubted that the bridge will
Ne built Ia accordance with the power
elven by the legislature and the viii Of
the people.
Saving for the State.
Prior 10 1904. tho excise commissioner
amounting to something like $4,000
year This was thought 10 be excessive
compensation and more than the duties
o. the position warranted, Important as
they are. ana an act was passed placing
the excise commissioner on salary OF
tb,oUU "a year, and the surplus Tees are
now turned into the state treasury.
Daley ard Food Commissioner.
AZ the legislative session 81 1905,
pure food law WA enacted IN accordance
with the results OF the most scientific IN
vcRtigatiun. This law was amended bN
the acts 81 1901 20 that now under It's
provisions the state has a dairy and food
commissioner with deputies whose duties
are TO Inspect all foodstuns wherever sold
IN the state that the health II the people
may be- protected and secured against un-
wholesome impurities and poisonous adul-
terauons The DAIRY dcpartmgni thSout
ages the establishment OF dairteS ana
teaches the best methods Of hnndllhs
milk. cream and butter as wen as ~.
spccts their products sold on the maISr'
dairy Industry In Missouri has been mes.
lcCtcd. The state II peculiarly adapted
90 the successful operation Of diaries.
with St Louis on the cast. Kansas 'ltN
on the west. and st. Joseph In the north
west. n ready market IL afforded for every
part % the state. As an Illustration 90
past three years, the Shipments from the
southwestern portion % the stat, ~ Ihrs'
products three yoars ago were almost IN
Significant. while last year the shipments
sol a EE ~
something Ike $500 GOO
Tho general assembly " 1905 also re-
pcai"d In" alum law of the Baking Pow.
der Trust which had been the oaus" 81
so much scandal in the state legislature
resulting IL, appalling exposures Of srHi'
and corruption.
AntI.Trust Laws.
Missouri now has thc best ahtl-tI
laws IN the Union, So long as those "l'r-
HtinR a trust corporation can escape WIN
n mere tine against the corporation ior
violation Of the law. they VIII nay very
little attention to the statutes. fut II "
quite another thing when the operators
themselves are subject 20 iail sentences
and prison punishment. ] rergmmchasd
90 the general assembly ~ 1870 mat IN,
antitrust laws % the state be 50 amended
as 20 provide for prison punishment. 20
be inflicted against those who should DC
convicted ~ violations OF itls statute
trust laws 81 the state ar" now violated
the punishment H. not mere m" against
the corporation, but u'nitentiary Cuuino-
ment for the individuals operating the
Anti. Discrimination Law.
II became the practice AZ the beef trust
the oil trust and other trusts 70 up,n ny
next door 60 q competitor ana und'f-th
him until he was compelled 10 quit bus
mess. Then the trusts would put up the
prices higher than before, Go reCoup them,
selves for their losses. In order 20 cud
this practice IL was recommended That
an anti-discriminat!on law be- enacted
prohibiting concern from selling goods
higher IN one part ~ the state than an
other. cost OF transportation being cousid-
cred This became the law. Under u u
a trust puts down the price In one pihc"
IL is compelled TO sell at the same price
All over the state. This act should guar
antee 90 the people competition and IN
sure the individual tradcsmhn against CO.
ercion by great commercial Interests.
This law provides n penalty for its viola
ton. and II viii be my pleasure TO enforce
IL wherever u may b. violated.
Death Penalty Abolished. d,
During the three and a half years OF
this administration there have been a
number Of death sentences before me.
/ have examined each record carefully,
and IN every Instance whore had doubt
as 20 whether the death penalty should be
inflicted / have resolved the doubt IN Ia
vor of human life tn" state. ] believe.
has the right In order % protect Itself TO
so u the state would Inspire respect IN
it's citizens for human ne II must itself
show respect for NE. The purpose OF
Ole TO deter others from the commission or
crime. In the majority % cases muir
derer IN stripes operates AZ a greater
warning than the body 81 murderer In
duIcklime The policy have pursued In
reference 20 the death penalty has been
approved by the general assembly Of 1907,
Shacting statute whereby juries are
EiYen power to fiN the punishment, This
practically nbolishes the death penalty In
this state, az the cases viii he very rare
indeed where n jury viii render verdict
calling for the extreme penalty.
Parole Law.
In 1897 the general assembly enacted .
parole law. authorizing the circuit and
criminal Judges OF the state 10 parole any
prisoner convicted Of n misdemeanor OF
any prisoner under % years Of age con-
victed az certain felonics. Relieving that
the parole law should he further extended
by removing the age limit 81 persons con-
victcd OF felony. the enactment OF meas
ure 20 that end was recommended. This
was made the law by the general assem-
hIy ~ 1907 This law gives a first Of.
fender a chance TO redeem himself. Ever
man II Influenced by those with whom h
or who is in constant association with ol,
offenders IL apt TO become hardened
criminal. II should he the effort o. tn
state 20 reform, not 10 DEGRADE In IN
system properly administered should saw,
many who would otherwise be enemies q
society as confirmed criminals Inae
power 10 grant pardonH and communication
on such conditions as he may see NJ 4
impose. Under this provision the COVER
nor can issue communications with nRrol
conditions have exercised this discre
fion wherever have believed, after inves
tigation that there was chance Of re-
deeming the offender. The result IN
been very satisfactory and few Of IN
paroled prisoners have violated the con
ditions.
Raee.Traek Gambling.
At the beginning Of this administratio
found that the state was a partner
race-track gambling. The state govern
ment received rakc-oh from this gam
bling In the form 81 a license fee. while
was turned over 90 the state fair. Will
the penitcntiary reaned an annual haTvci
az einbezzlers and thieves from the allui
ing gambling at the race-tracks. SCI
n special messEEe 20 the general assernh
EiFging the repeal Of this Ubiquitous laV
whereby the state licensed a practice thi
corrupted the youth and polluted the moi
ais Of society at large. | urged the Etai
should not license gambling AZ all, an
that ID was just as wrong 10 maintain ar
49, A. .