Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1913-01-16

turned into the general revenue fund, |
and In addition to this a general ln-
heritance tax should be imposed with,
as | have stated, an exemption Of at
least ten thousand dollars, and, IL
constitutional, the same should DO
made graduated rather than fixed.
again recommend that there should
be an equalization of saloon licenses
throughout the state Ivy fixing the
maximum now provided by statute, In
order that the amount of this tax
should not be left to the within or ca
price of the excise commissioners and
county courts throughout the state.
! There is no work which is more i'm
portant for the people OF this state to
actively encourage than the work of
! building good permanent roads. only
about 3 per cent of the 10000 miles
of public roads of the state have been
made dependable for use 365 days in
the year. While more progress has
been made during the last two or
three years than in long number of
years in the building of roads in this
state, much more should be done than
is done by the state to aid In the car
rying ON of this work.
The state has n further important
public duty to perform towards tho
agricultural interests of the state in
eularging and increasing education
and instruction in the proper use OF
our soil. While Missouri deseredly
ranks high In the production of agri-
cultural wealth and live stock. much
more could be done than has been
done along these lines.
Another subject matter of legisla-
ton deserving of the consideration Of
this general assembly is the enact
ment OF law providing for the or.
limitation of corporations Cor the pur-
pose of extending credit to those en-
gagged in agricultural pursuits.
The support of the state waterway
commission should be continued, and
the forestry commission, which has
existed without sanction Of law,
should be provided for to look AFTER
the proper conservation of the seven
teen millions of acres Of woodland in
this state.
1t should be a source of congratula-
during the last four years they have
enjoyed a conduct of election affairs
which has given to every citizen the
right to cast one ballot and have that
ballot honestly counted as cast,
/ feel that there should be a change
in what is known as the senatorial
primary election law, That law was
designed TO prevent independence IN
voting. 1t also results, in effect, in
the election of a candidate who may
receive a comparatively small portion
of the votes cast. l recommend
to this general assembly the adoption
of what is known as the Oregon plan
, in case it seems probable that the
, amendment to the constitution, pro
/ viding for the direct election of United
States senators, will not secure the
approval of the necessary number o
|. states by 1914.
{ prepared and secured the intro
7 duction in both the forty-fifth ant
!. forty-sixth general assemblies of bill
}. simplifying court procedure by pro
+ hibiting the reversal of cases upoI
technicalities not controlling the mer
| its of the litigation. Strange as i
r may seem, this measure was defeated
T in both of those general assemblies
Now | am pleased to note that all thu
!. leading political parties are agreed al
d to the correctness of this measure
I and ! hope that some legislation o.
, this character can be passed by this
, general assembly
1 Among the various departments o.
4 government that are entitled to spe
. cial mention on account of the eff
9 cheney with which they have beel
conducted is the banking department
: which for eight years has been undel
o the able supervision of Hon. John e
p Swanger. During the last four year,
f not a single cent deposited in any o
o the state banks or trust companies
A has been lost by the failure of sucl
f bank or trust companies.
o An amendment to the constitution
I providing for the initiative and refer
q endum has now been part OF GU
q organic law for four years. In tn
r elections of 1910 and 1912 amend
II ments to the constitution submitte'
e by initiative petitions were vote
q upon. While neither was adopted
g. and while no occasion has arisen I
@ use the referendum, l believe, on tn
IS whole, the effect OF this amendment t
@ our constitution has been beneficial
One of the most important matters
Z. from a public standpoint, that wi
!. come before this general assembl
t VIII be the division Of the state int
a senatorial and congressional districts
S This question is not only Of politlca
q, but of public importance.
d In conclusion, | wish to express I
o the people Of Missouri, through you a
D. their chosen representatives, my siI
d. cere appreciation Of the honor an
" distinction | have enjoyed in the OF
L nnrtnnitY for nnbllc service that the