Mexico Missouri message., 1917-03-29
SUMMARY OF WORK OF FORTY.
NINTH MISSOURI GENERAL
ASSEMBLY.
SIG, SIT, TAG APPROPRIATIONS
Death Penalty lonal
Training Provided For-HoteI In.
spection Laws RevIsed-1ank.
ing Laws Changed.


general assembly, which wound up
its work and formally adjourned
March 10, appropriated S19,517745
from the revenues for the mainten-
ance OF the state government and its
institutions during the years 1917 and
1918.
This is S3,767,746 in excess of the
revenues for the biennial period, In
GLIDING moneys derived from the tax
bills, as recently estimated by Gov.
Gardner.
The conditions under which the
state obtained a S2,3O0,O00 loan from
the members of the st. Louis Clear
ing House, to pay off the debts of the
state, we're that there should be no
overappropriations which might pre-.
vent the state from paying the claims
taken up by st. Louis bank the lat
ter part of the year 1918.
The appropriations, not including
one-third Of all receipts for public
schools, total $13,O11,S31, which is
over $1,900,000 in excess of the rev.
enues from present sources.
sentative Whitaler's bill abolishing
the death penalty vote in Missouri
was passed by the senate. The late
John Whitaker, his father, when a
member of the house, secured the pas
sage Of the present law, making 1t OPP
tional with the jury whether life i'm.
prisonment or the death penalty is
inflicted in capital cases.
Important Laws Enacted.
The more important laws enacted
are: State tax commission. state
prison board, with provision of funds
10 employ convicts at state work in
stead OF leasing them TO private con-
tractors; state highway board in
charge of the construction of state
roads, with establishment of means
by which the state can receive federal
aid for roads; tax of 70 cents on the
$1,000 of capital and surplus OF cor
porations; tax on incomes; tax on all
inheritances; tax of Is cents on the
500 valuation of bonds owned in the
state; on whisky; increased saloon
license; mine inspection tax; tax on
soft drinks a prohibition of the in.
Fiction of the death penalty; higher
standard of dentistry examinations;
any county to vote to maintain a pub
lie hospital; vocational educational
bills, under which Missouri can re-
ceive federal aid for vocational train
ing in the public schools; stronger ho-
tel inspection law; 100000 appropri-
ated for furnishing the new capitol;
permission of the board of education
of st. Louis to pay transportation of
poor children to and from school;
Halves /. V. l.. bill, prohibiting the cir
culation of anonymous literature dur
ing a political campaign; employment
Of cOnvicts on the public roads author
lied; regulation of the shipment and
handling of milk, cream and ice
cream; permission for officers in St.
Louis police stations to accept cash
bonds in misdemeanor cases; prohi-
bition of the eXtortion of confessions
by the police; establishment of high
schools for colored students in st.
Louis county authorized; September
2S established as Francis Willard day
in the public schools; regulation of
purchase and sale of firearms; pros
ecuting attorney of st. Louis county
prohibited from engaging in the pri-
Vate practice of law; automobile H.
censes doubled; permission for chal-
lengers and watchers at the polls in
constitutional amendment elections;
permission for the contesting of con-
stitutional amendment elections;
women made eligible to membership
on school boards; department of food
and drug inspection put under state
board of agriculture; the reorganiza-
tion of the Missouri naval reserve to
meet the requirements the nation
al defense act; removal of munich
pally.owned public utilities from the
jurisdiction of the public service COM
mission; repeal of allowance OF con-
tingent fund for the prosecuting at
torney of st. Louis county; providing
that court records and papers may be
made by Photographic process; estab-
lishment by the state of home for
neglected and homeless children;
authorization to counties to grant
pensions to neglected mothers or who
may have been deserted; repeal of
law prohibiting foreign corporations
from owning more than 10 per cent
of the stock of any Missouri corpora
SN-N~JN~~NeeIN~~~~
Best He Could Offer.
Then you think | can't learn to
sing?"
II fear not"
But. professor, / do so yearn to
be musical"
TAKE up yodeling is my advice" -
Kansas City Journal.
Worth Doing.
Huh: The doctor SAYS that II