Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-01-16
GOV. HADLEY's
LAST MESSAGE
RETIRING GOVERNOR REVIEWS
WORK OF HIS TERM OF
OFFICE.
DISCUSSES STATE FINANCES
Urges Fair Industrial Condit!ons-Im-
portance Of Good Roads-Agri-
culture and Farm Credits
Initiative and Referendum,

Jefferson City, Mo.@Gov, Hadley's
message to the 47th General Assembly
was received at the opening session
Wednesday. The governor, in part,
said:
l feel that l can with entire fairness
congratulate the people of Missouri
upon the condition of their public SER
vice, and also upon the absence of any
substantial differences of opinion be-
tween the various political parties
upon public questions which have
heretofore been the subject of active
political controversy and division.
The various state educational, elee-
mosynary, penal and reformatory in
situations have been well conducted;
substantial additions and new build
ings have, in many cases, been con-
structed; a marked improvement in
the physical condition of all has been
effected; modern and more scientific
methods of management have, in
many instances, been established; and
the money appropriated by the state
for the maintenance of these institu-
tons has been honestly and wisely
expended.
A matter of first concern in the con-
duct of public affairs is the condition
of the states finances. When l took
the oath of Office as governor On the
18th of January, 1909, a serious, if not
an alarming, financial situation con
fronted the people of this state. Dur
ing the biennial period that closed on
the first Of January, 1909, the appro-
priations amounted to $10,441, 625.88,
while the available for that
period amounted to only $8,191,254.07.
This left appropriations to the amount
of $2,230,371.81 that were outstanding
and unpaid. After a careful investiga-
ton of all of these excuses of appro-
priation the ~forty-fifth general ssem
bly, found it necessary to reappropri-
ate approximately 100000 of the ap-
preparations made and unpaid during
the preceding biennial period, making
the appropriations for the biennial
period ending January l, 1911, $10,
231, 930.15.
AS it was estimated that the reVe-
nues available for the payment of
these appropriations would not amount
to exceed $8,7O0,O00, it became neces-
sary for additional funds to be pro-
vided, or else the state would be con-
fronted with a condition of insolvency.
l urged upon the forty-ffth general
assembly the enactment of a number
of revenue measures, only n OF
which re ceived its approval, namely,
a bill changing the system of inspec-
ton of petroleum by abolishing the
various coal oil inspectors throughout
the state, creating the office of state
coal oil inspector and increasing the
fees for the inspection Of the refined
products of petroleum. This resulted
in the addition of approximately $780,
900 each biennial period of the states
finances.
In addition to these new sources OF
of revenue, the condition OF the state
treasury was relieved by a number
of unexpected incorporation fees OF
large corporate interests and by the
$15O,OOO fine imposed in the Standard
Oil litigation. With this addition OF
approximately $1,000 900 of revenue
each biennial period and the annual
increase in the assessed value of the
real and personal property subject to
the general property tax, together
with the practice of economy in all
the departments of state and the state
institutions, all appropriations made
during the last four years that were
necessary for the conduct OF public
affairs have been met, and a surplus
of $500, 900 is now to be found in the
state treasury.
Much can be done towards bring
ing about fairer industrial con
Gitions, which, of necessity, AFFECT
the condition of society as 9
whole. Scientific Investigations, as
well as humanitarian impulses, de
mand that the states power should
be exercised to the fullest extent tc
prevent child labor and labor of WON
en- under such conditions as will ~
pair health and individual efficiency
and result in weakened bodies and
mind.
Another law tending TO the estab
lishment OF a larger measure Oh SO
cial and industrial justice, concerning
which all political parties are now
happily agreed, is a workmen's com
pensation law.
We now impose a tax upon collat
eral inheritances, which goes not tt
the general revenue fund, but the
state university. In my opinion, the
nrooeada from this fund should bC