The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1913-02-20
LEGISLATORS PUSH
PARTY MEASURES
MUNICIPAL PRIMARY LAW FOR
ST. LOUIS ENAcTED-APPRo-
PRlATioN BILLS PASSED.
HOUSE IS WORKING RAPIDLY
Working Mems Compensation and
Utilities Commission Bills Are
Advanced-other Leeis-
lative News Notes.

Jefferson City.-The Missouri legis.
lature has during the past week
passed three big appropriation bills
and enacted a municipal primary law
for St. Louis which can be used In
Che making Of nominations for mayor
and other municipal offices this
spring.
Final hearings were held on the bill
20 create a public service commission
and that measure was reported favor
ably Wednesday with certain amend.
ments II will reach vote in the two
bodies early this week.
Although the workngmen's compen-
sation bill is still in committee, one
lengthy hearing upon the bill has been
held. This measure will be reported
out by the committee and come before
the legislature for consideration prob
ably the latter part OF this week
The administration measures. in
GLIDING the two cited. have been ad.
Sanccd as fast as could be expected
One proposed amendment providing
Gor the simplification OF cou,t pro.
cedurc and OF murder indictments has
been passed by the house and is pend
ing before the senate for engrossment.
Work Done In House.
4 bill TO create department Of i'm
migration to exploit the undeyeloped
resources of Missouri has been re-
ported fayorably by Chairman Mo
roney of the committee on immigra.
ton
The house has passed the county
unit measure, one abolishing common
law marriages, a bill repeating the law
giving the Insurance superintendent
power to supervise the rates OF fire
insurance companies, bill to take the
elecmosynary institutions out of poll
ties and several other measures of
more or less importance.
A number of bills affecting local..
ties Of state have been passed.
The senate passed measure by
Senator Wilson prohibiting the killing
of quail for five years and a bill by
Senator Carter providing for the equal
distribution of the good roads moneys.
It defeated a bill giving women the
right to serve as school directors.
That body passed resolution for
he appointment of commission to
investigate fire rates and to recon.
mend nccdful legislation in that re-
gard.
The Democrats have caucused upon
home rule for St Louis, and that
proposition may be put through the
Legislature as a caucus measure. This
is an old legislative stumbling block
which is apparently nearer solution
than at any previous session.
The committee on appropriations. OF
which Representative SWearingon OF
jackson county and Senator Lysoght
If Buchanan are chairmen, after
lengthy hearings have drafted and IN
troduced into the house the measure
carrying the appropriations for the
clcemosynary and penal institutions
The educational budget for the uni
yorsity and the state normal schools
is about ready for Introduction.
The house and senate committees
on penitcntiary and reform schools
have made some progress In the ulu
mate solution Of the convict problem
which Is considered the graTest con
fronting this legislature. The appar
pnt plan is 20 extend the contracts fol
period OF two years Of more, while
the state makes some arrangement Il
take the convicts into It's own ON
ploymont.
The last legislature enacted law
abolshing the contract system anC
providing that when present contract
expire the state should supply employ
ment for the convicts This law ere
ated q serious crisis for the state be
cause Of the lack Of revenues and tht
threatened loss of the earnings of thu
Convicts