Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1911-01-12
BIENNIAL MESSAGE GOES TO
BOTH BRANCHES OF MIS-.
SOURI, LEGISLATURE.
TALKS Of STATE AFFAIRS
Executive Presents His Views Upon
Matters Of Finance, Regulation Of
Liquor Traffic and Public Serv.
ice Corporations, Etc.

To the Forty.sixth General Assembly:
The constitution of Missouri in au.
thoriZing the governor to recommend
to the consideration of the general as
sembly such measures as he shall
deem necessary and expedient," i'm.
poses upon him the duty of advising
It as to the financial condition OF the
state and the money necessary to be
raised by taxation. 1t is important
that the sources from which our reve-
nue. come, as well as the manner in
which they should be expended,
should be carefully considered by you,
in order that the burdens of taxation
may be equally distributed and ade-
quate reven~s provided for the con-
duct of state affairs.
Finances.
During the biennial period begin.
ming on the first of January, 1907,
and ending on the first of January,
1909, the appropriations made by the
legislature, not including the one-third
of the revenues appropriated for the
public schools, amounted to $G,9Gl,-
$685. 8 and the available for
the payment of these appropriations
amounted to only $5,S73,3S0.26. The
excess of appropriations over reve-
nues resulted in a very considerable
portion of the amounts appropriated
during that biennial period being I'M.
available for expenditure. And it be-
came necessary for the forty-fifth gen.
eral assembly, converting in the month
of January, 1909, to Inappropriate ap-
proximately 5000, 900 of the amounts
appropriated in the previous biennial
period.
The appropriations made by the
forty-ffth general assembly for the
biennial period beginning on the first
of January, 1909, and ending on the
first of January, 1911, including the
re.appropriations heretofore referred
to, amount to $6,S21, 2S6.S1. AS 1t was
estimated at the beginning of this BIZ
ennial period that the would
not be sufficient for the payment OF
these appropriations, | urged upon the
last general assembly, not only such
changes in our present system of
taxation as would secure Just and
equal distribution of its burdens, but
a greater amount of revenue. / also
selecting other subjects of taxation OF
which the state had not heretofore
awaited itself for purposes.
These suggestions included a change
IN the system of inspecting the refined
products of petroleum for the pur-
pose of additional security and safety
to the people in the use Of those
products, and also for the purpose OF
deriving some evenu therefrOm; n
law imposing a tax for the inspection
OF s%pirituous liquors as there now ex.
lists a tax for the inspection of malt
liquors; a corporation franchise tax,
and u tax upon inherltances. with an
exemption of estates not exceeding
$4,000. Laws were enacted along the
lines of the first two suggestions. but
the corporation franchise tax law
failed to secure the approval of the
senate, and the inheritance tax law
failed to receive the approval OF
either body.
Need Of More Revenue.
In view of the increasing demands
OF the different departments of the
state government and the conditions
anticipated at the beginning of this
biennial period, the people Of the
| state are to be congratulated upon IT.
| present financial condition, the prompt
meeting of all It's obligations and the
payment OF the necessary 9%ppropria
tions made by the last general assem-
bly,. II is, however, becoming In
creasinely apparent that the revenue:
available under our present system o.
taxation are inadequate to meet thu
increasing expenses of government.
Corporation and inheritance Tax.
The two additional subjects of taxa
ton suggested to the last general as
sembly are still available for consid
Grafton by this, Since the meeting o
the last general assembly the ma
tional congress has, however, passed
a corporation franchise tax law, an,
from the returns received by the ma
tional government. it appears tina
there are in the state Of Missouri IA
500 corporations, with a total cap
talization Of l,024,670,347.50. Will
1t may be urged by some that tn
imposition of this tax by the nationa
government should relieve such col
porations from further taxation by tn
states. yet it is to be remembered tina
a number OF the states have alread
imposed a similar tax upon the frar
! chise OF existepee Of business Gogps