Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1908-04-30

son some Of the large factories OF the
state, investigating conditions as to
the need for such law. found many
instances OF little children. nine or ten
years OF age. working at the looms or
In some other capacity. In q number
OF cases II was claimed that the child
was the sole support OF some INDECENT
parent Investigation developed in 4
majority OF cases that these claims
we're not bona fide. However that
may be, / believe II a man Is so poor
that he must rely for support upon the
labor OF little child he is poor enough
for the state to support him as pau
per. He has no right to injure the
child mentally. physically and morally
by putting II to work at a tender age
In some great factory. Child.labor Is
the enemy OF civilization. and am
glad Missouri Is doing her part to cor.
rect this cruel wrong. At this extra
session an act was also passed extend.
ing the Jurisdiction OF the factory In
spector so as TO rigidiy enforce this
child-labor law.
The Adult Damage Act.
Prior to 1905, strange to say, there
was no remedy In this state for the
negligent death OF an adult unmarried
person. II child were killed by negli'
yence the parents could recover II an
adult married person were killed by
negligence there was a remedy. But
for all persons over the age Of Fl years
and unmarried the law gave no RELIEF
whatever for death caused by negli-
gence. n. however, instead OF being
killed, such adult we're merely injured
there was the same remedy as In other
cases. The limb OF a bachelor was
considered valuable, but the life OF
bachelor worth nothing at all. rec
1mmended that this plain injustice be
corrected and a law was enacted Civ
ing such right OF action. Statistics
showed that a large per cent OF the
ieaths caused by negligence OF street
-allroad companies was OF adult I'M
married persons. Until this act was
nut on the statute books there was no
liability. no matter how many near rel
ltlves might have been dependent for
| 1 livelihood upon the labor OF the de-
ceased. and powerful corporate inhu'
,nces succeeded in preventing legssla'
ion to correct this injustice OF the law
Until the statute mentioned was en-
acted
Eight Hour Law.
Another law In keeping with the gen.
sral movement for shorter hours OF
labor, which is conducive TO healthier
workmen, and therefore better work
was the eight hour law for miners
Along the same line is the statute pre-
venting railroads from working train
crews more than sixteen continuous
hours. The purpose OF these laws is
to prevent accidents by having EN-
ployes with clear brains and steady
nerves instead OF being stupehed by
loss of sleep and overwork.
Freight Rates and the 2-cent Passen
ger Rate.
Speaking OF public service corpora
lions In my campaign speeches. said
II shall not permit public ser.
vice corporations to make the leg.
islature the tool of corporate in.
terests. | shall see that corpora
tions and all other interests, as
we'll as individuals are treated
fairly and justly. They. as well
as individuals. shall have all the
rights the law accnrds to them.
but no more. They shall have
equal and exact justice. but no spe-
cial privileges"
At the legislative session OF 1905 Z
maximum freight rate law was enact
ed, fixing freight rates in the state or
what was believed TO be a reasonable
basis. This was the first law regulat
ing freight rates that had been enacted
for thirty years. By reason OF an in
junction against the state officials Is
, sued by the federal court, the opera
4 ton OF this law has behn suspended
! A great deal Of testimony was takeI
J. to determine the fairness of these
r rates and as a result OF these inves
LEGATIONS into the cost OF freight an'
= passenger service. the conclusion wa
+ arrived at both by myself and the gen
4 eral assembly, that passenger rate;
e could be materially reduced without
doing any injustice TO the corpora
T tons. Believing that the passenge
$ business OF railroads justified It l rec
D commended a reduction of the passeu
ger rate from cents to cents
mile. This was not done hastily Of
without due deliberation. but after
e careful consideration OF the bushes
J. done. and the cost of doing II. In fol
E mer years probably One-thIrd OF III
Z people travelled free, while the re
e malnder paid three cents a mile.
: was a saying a few years ago tina
!. only the poor pay railroad fare.
, There was much truth In this. Peopl
S OF wealth or influence. social or poll
& Ical. could usually obtain free tram
S portation. This was discrimination G
3 an illegal character. Railroads ar