Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-01-21

OF business and the laws OF men. II
is the common law, az well as the statute
law Of this state, and Of practically all OF
the states Of the Union, that any comoi-
nation or agreement which limits or
tends to limit free and unrestricted COM
petition Is not only Illegal in the sense
that 1t is unenforcible, but II is also I'M
lawful. in that II will subject the parties
making it to both civil and criminal pun
ishment.
The business world regards free and
unrestricted competition as a misfortune
and an evil, while the law 6enounces any
agreements that tend to prevent II as a
crime. Therefore. when men enter into
a combination or q trust IN restraint OF
competition and trade, and the law In
terposes to prevent or TO punish those
guilty of such an offense. the necessary
judgment Of the court oftentimes seems
harsh in its severity and unfortunate In
its effect on general business conditions.
While the question has not been Tor
mally passed upon by the courts l am
satisfied that 1t is the right OF the state
to regulate the charges and the conuuct
of any business which is impressed with
a public use by virtue of being a monop-
oily. And do not think it is of deter
mining Importance whether the monopoly
is a natural one, exists by pubic iran
chise, or is the result Of a combination
or trust.
Assuming this power Of regulation to
exist, / believe that it would be adVls-
able to give to the representatives OF the
state the discretionary power to institute
proceedings for the purpose OF reguiat-
ing the. charges and the conduct OF d
business which is in effect a monopoly or
impressed with a public use, or to pro-
coed in the courts to punish and suppress
it.
For Scientific Education.
The practical value of education, par
ticularly along scientific and unitarian
/, lines, is being more generally recognized
every day. And in nc department OF this
=, work has greater progress been made
a than in the study and investigation OF
: agriculture, horticulture and the raising
and care of live stock. The Importance
= of this work in increasing the wealth
and happiness of the people of the state
can not be overestimated, nor is the ad-
vantage one that accrues alone to the
; farmer and the stock raiser. For all
- wealth is, in its last analysis, derived
from the field and the mine. There
should be no lack of funds to carry on
q this work In the most thorough manner
- possible, in order that there may be
given to the people of the state the most
q advanced and scientific information that
q is available.
a More Money Needed.
: To accomplish all or even a substantial
@ part of what the state should do in this
- and other lines of governmental activity,
l think it is apparent to all that we must
have more revenue. During the last BIZ
ennial period the appropriations exceed
ed the revenues of the state in the sum
of 81, 4S7, 254.24. While there were some
III unusual expenses during the last biennial
#I period which will not arise during the
next biennial period, and while there will
III probably be an increase of approximately
#I $500, 900 in the revenues of the state, yet
#l l feel that there can be no question upor
#I the proposition that we need more money
#j to carry on the work of government.
#I According to the estimate made by the
@l state auditor, the revenues for the neNt
.l biennial period will amount to SIS, 131, 900
nj and the amount which is asked for the
@l different departments of state is $1l, 744,'
222. And the fact that more revenue /!
MI needed does not arise from the fact tina
ri the officials of the present day are more
#I eXtravagant in the expenditure of tn,
nj public funds or enjoy larger salaries THAI
their predecessors of a third of a cen
MI fury ago. The need for more revenu,
.l arises from the fact that the duties o
#i government have increased.
Mj Favors Inheritance Tax.
There is now imposed a tax for tn
benefit of the state university upon col
%l lateral inheritances, and | see no reasol
why q tax should not also be imposes
#l upon inheritances generally, Tn ob1ec
ton has been offered that a tax upon tn
%l capital stock of corporations would re
@i suit in a double assessment. This is no
=@ true. A tax upon the capital stock o
W corporations would be a tax, not upoj
Il it's property, but upon the privilege O
- being a corporation, which is a franchis
which the state confers and is of beneti
Irt and value to those who enjoy it.
he l recommend that you give to thi
he question of taxation and the increase G
ut the revenues of the state a careful, con
lit servative and exhaustive examination
mt and adopt such policy as may distribute
as equally as possible, the burdens c
lily taxation between all classes of propert
,e- and all classes of our citizenship, an
he at the same time produce sufficient reve
as nues for the carrying on of the prope
nd and the necessary affairs of our govern
he ment.
on In case you should decide to impos
lat the tax herein suggested upon inheri
mt tances, the capital stock of corporation
and for the inspection and sale of spirit
uous liquors, it would probably be ur
il necessary for you to make any change
lie in the method of assessing real and pei
Ia sonal property. Independent of the queS
3S7 ton of the need for more revenue,
for seems to me entirely right and fair tbs
there should be a tax imposed upon IL
ase additional sources or subjects of taXatio
1re herein suggested.
'b- Reduction of Expenses.
nst It is proper in connection with the co,
" sideration of the question as to how
lue secure more revenue. that we should all
ING consider the question as to how unnece
sary expenses Of government can |
avoided or reduced. Wherever it is pc
IN a. sible to decrease the expense of carryir
III on any department of government, witt
out impairing it's efficiency, such actit
vas should be taken. On the other hand,
yin WIllIll ttllC " Gllg NCiyhl ~
government the means necessary to a
pms complish it's full measure of usefulnes
geo is a mistaken and a misguided one.
XII III Should Change Criminal System.
hat .ho,ia .inn,e piooe
,Ga the essential rights necessary for L
protection of the innocent should be pr
tha served, such changes should be made
will result in the prompt and certain co
a. viction of the guilty. 1t would probat
require an amendment tn thn ponstit
ton to secure a complete revision of O
present system of criminal procedure.
aod This question naturally connects it's
with the question of relieving the pre-
e. ent congested condition of the docket
=, the supreme court. 1t now requires a
,sts proXimately three years to secure a c
o cision of the supreme court in a case a
pealed from any Of the circuits courts
S the state. This condition is in dire
violation of the constitution of the ste
of Missouri and of that ancient char
gu. of the liberties of the English-speaki
of people, the Magma Charta, both of viii
IRA provide that justice shall neither be {
ses- layed nor denied.
ton System of State Roads.
me Any discussion of the question as
tne how the burdens to which the people
IRA now subject can be relieved by the st;
Ialr government would be incomplete witht
oeos reference to the subject Of the build
steu of roads. There is no tax or burden Il
pass falls more directly or more heavily w
the people OF the state than that VIII
In is caused by poor roads, or the lack
8 a roads. The whole problem Of transpor
ts a tion-in fact, the important problem
its commerce and of civilization itself
por- the carrying of that which is produ'
$ to by human labor from the place where
Iifft- Is of sufficient value to compensate
this the labor of its production.
you Temperance Movements.