Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-01-21
D HONEST E
IONS, HOME RULE AND
REGULATION OF THE
Q TRAFFIC.
NO STEPPING BACKWARD
Law Enforcement to Be Main
Feature of Administration
Need of Better Educa-
tional System Is
Seen.

Jefferson City, Mo.-Following lie the
governors message in part:
In taking the oath of office as the chief
executive officer of this great state, l
wish to express to the people OF missouri
my sincere appreciation for the honor
they have conferred upon me, ana my
full realization of the responsibilities that
/ today assume. In the performance OF
the duties of the office of governor, my
sole ambition and desire will be to con-
tinue to deserve the confidence and ap-
proval Of the people of Missouri.
Pledges Home Rule.
1t has been truthfully said that the
problem of the cities is not only a ques-
ton that is, always with us, but 1t is one
of the most difficult problems with which
we, as a people, have to deal. 1t has
been charged, on the one hand, that mu-
nicipal government in this country is the
only conspicuous failure of our civilian
ton, and, on the other hand, there are
those who assert that there are no evils
4 incident to municipal affairs that democ-
racy or home rule will not cure.
But whatever may be the truth in ref
erence to these assertions, the party that
/ have the honor to represent stands
pledged to give home rule to the people
of the large cities of the state, and that
promise, in so far as l can accomplish,
will be faithfully kept.
There should be, as a part of any home
rule measure that may be enacted, a
provision for a carefully devised civil
service and merit system by which the
honest and efficient police officer may be
assured Of his position as against any
political influence.
This will remove the motive and the
tendency of the police departments to
participate in, or to permit themselves to
be used in political contests. There will
be presented to you, bills which will rep
resent my views and the views of my
party upon these questions, and to these
measures l invite your careful and I'M
prejudiced consideration.
The Saloon In Politics.
1t is automatic that to conduct a sa-
loon is a privilege which the law confers
and not a natural right that any indi-
vidual enjoys. And it ought to be ac-
cepted without q~Sestion that the saloons
and liquor interests must obey the laws
of the state, whatever those laws may
be. So long as the state undertakes to
deal with this traffic by regulation and
not by efforts at suppression it should
eliminate as far as possible the evils in
cident thereto. The active participation
Of the representatives of these interests
in political affairs for the purpose of
domination and control constitutes, In my
opinion, one of the evils incident to this
traffic with which 1t is necessary to deal.
1t is, / think, the unquestioned senti-
ment of the people of the state that the
representatives Of these interests must
not be permitted to nominate and elect
our public officials for their own benefit
and protection. And in order that this
result may be accomplished the brewer
and the distiller should by law be strictly
confined to the business the law permits
them to conduct.
When a brewer or distiller or whole.
Baler of Intoxicating liquors is permitted
directly or indirectly, to own or operate
or control dramshopS, then there exists
q necessary combination of power thai
results in the injury of the business it.
self and inevitably tends to perniciouS
and dangerous political activity and in.
fluence. The evils incident to this con.
dition are so many and so manifest tina
1t is unnecessary for me to mention then
today. Legislation striking at this evi
was attempted by the last general as,
sembly, but the law then enacted ha.
failed to accomplish the desired result.
L recommend, therefore, that you pas
q law which will secure the complete
separation of the brewery and the sa
loon the one from the other.
Legislation should be enacted to NEE
this situation, and, in my opinion, ever,
club, of any character, which dispense
intoxicating liquors to It's members
should be required to pay a license to tn
state.
No Backward Step.
There will be no backward step durinj
my administration in the enforcement O
the laws of this state with which I, O
those whom 1 appoint to office, ar
charged with the duty of enforcing. An
all that / can legally do 1 will do, in ex
OSuliOA VI IIy CUHSIlLullOndl powers, a
chief executive, to see that other execu
tive officers in the various counties an
cities OF the state do what they shoul
do to enforce the laws which come with
In the scope of their official duties.
There can be no question of create
Importance in our system and form {
government than that our election
should enable the people to express fail
ly. honestly and intelligently their choic
as to candidates for public office. TIL
Is true OF primary as of general alpCtt0nI
and this Is as true of all of the condition
affecting an election as 1t is of the mai
ter of casting ahd counting the ballot
themselves. That there have been grot
abuses in the conduct of the elections
the large cities in this state is a ia,
we'll known to all familiar with cond
tions, That there has been a marke
improvement In the conduct of our ele,
lions in the large cities in the last fe
years should only emphasize the nece.
sity and Importance of completing tn
important work of reform.
! favor the enactment of a law |
which the election machinery Of the sta
may be placed in the charge of bipartisa
boards, evenly divided between the tv
political parties, as are now the judg
and clerks of election. The necessity 4
such boards to conduct the elections
the counties of the state lis not so urge
as 1t Is in the large cities Of the state.
earnestly urge upon you the adoption
a law by which there may be created,
each of the large cities Of the state,
bipartisan election board, and l hope
see established during the next 70
years such a standard Of honest eff
cheney In the conduct of our electio
that their honesty and fairness will
no more open to question than will Il
Not Open to Everybody.
"A most peculiar effect was pl