Sitter
BUTLER. MFSSiUTRT. WEDNESDAY JANUARY 9, 1889.
NO. 7
VOL. XI.
AFFAIRS OF STATE.
gynopsia of ;Govornor Morohouso's
Message to the Missouri
Legislature.
A General Review of State Affair, with
jtecommcndatlon and Valuable
Bosslons In Regard to
Legislation.
jgyreRSO City, Mo., Jan. 3. Governor
Morehouse's message, which was pre
Mnied to the General Assembly to-day, 13
in iub3tance as follows :
GENTLEMEN OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF
Representatives In obedience to the re
Mlrementt of the Constitution ot our State, I
Sire the honor to submit herewith for your
mlderation such Information of the condi
tion of the State and such other measures as I
deem expedient.
Since the adjournment of the Thirty-fourth
Aemblwthe people ot Missouri have
Utun"" ' - - - . -
teen called upon to mourn the loss of one ot
tneir most uiuauiuua
citizens, purest men
and best Governors.
Governor Marmaduke's
administration of the
affairs of the State was
marked with rigid ccon-
stfict integrity
4
omy.
and a high order of
ability that was the ad
miration of his friends
and a surprise to his
enemies. He had no
motive but to do right.
Hut tr nor Mornoiut. and no ammtion dui to
Bake a good executive. He was fearless to ex
ecuie and Just in his mercies, so that when, on
the 28th day of December, ls7, aeatn ciaiineu
himforitsown.no citizen was more honored
nd no Governor had been more respected.
Upon the death or Governor Marmaduke the
"cowers, duties aud emoluments" of Governor
devolved upon me as Lieutenant-Governor. In
the discharge of the onerous and intricate du
ties pertaining to this office I have endeavored
to continue the administration of my illustrious
predecessor. How well I have succeeded let
us Intelligent public judge.
IMMIGRATION INCREASE.
m, eat at larire has enloved unusual pros
perity in the past four years. Immigration has
,itraiii ha nur even and ten) nerat e ell-
FCU M ft v wwa " -
ma nnr chean and fertile soil, our rich and
limitless mines of iron, coal, zinc and lead; our
valuable and extensive forests of timber, and
by the hearty welcome extended all good peo
u fmm evnrv St.itn and country who desire to
Some amongst us to assist in our development
ad enjoy our prosperity, i ne grow m 01 uiuuy
of nnr citifis and towns has been marvelous.
Vast tracts of unimproved land have been put
in cultivation and over 80.000 more votes were
polled at the last election man iour years ago
This would reasonably Indicate that our popu
lation has Increased In the past four years some
400,000, and I do not think I overestimate to say
that the census or lsw-i win snow iushuimuuh
hat a population of 3.000,000 people
GROWTH OF WEALTH.
Notwithstanding the tribute paid to corporate
nnnonoliea and no less exacting modern com
binations known as trusts and syndicates, our
people have added to their taxable wealth in
th. nii.t fnnr icnra Ittt.407.7fl8. The assessors
nf the several counties reported the increased
mlth nf the State at vastly more than this.
but the State Board of Equalization reduced
the assessment over $50,000,000 during the past
year.
One thousand one hundred and eighty-one
miles of railroad have been constructed and
nut in operation in the State during the pa-t
four years, which is more than was constructed
in either the periods from 18T6 to 1880, or from
ltl to 18&I. But twelve counties in the State
' are without railroads and most of them within
the next four years will be joined to the outer
world by the Iron belt of the nineteenth cent
ury. During the present administration more
, money has been appropriated by the Legisla
ture for the erection ot institutions for the care
ot the unfortunate and depraved humanity
than ever before in the same length ot time in
the history of the State, and the facilities for
this purpose are well perfected, except perhaps
In the penitentiary.
Our system of public schools and our higher
educational institutions lire the pride of our
people and afford facilities and opportunities
for the education ot our youth equaled by few
and surpassed by none of our sister States.
Our laws have been faithfully executed and
the commission of crime is no more frequent
than in other States in proportion to our popu
lation. Our public debt is being rapidly extinguished
and taxation is not burdensome.
In fact, in no period of the State's history has
prosperity taken a wider range or been more
lavish In her gifts.
" THK ASSEMBLY'S DUTIES.
It will be the duty of the Thirty-fifth General
Assembly to revise our statute laws, and for
this purpose the Constitution has given you 120
days. This will be the most important work of
too session and should be well done. There
are, perhaps, more conflicting and laws of I
doubtful meaning needing judicial construction
la our present statutes than any former stat
utes of the State. It is very doubtful if the
work, in addition to the labor of an ordinary
session, can be successfully accomplished di
rectly by the Legislature in the time and man
ner contemplated by the Constitution.
' In my judgment it would be in the interest of
economy and a good revision for the Legisla
ture to pass the appropriation bills and such
ether legislation as is of immediate necessity,
authorize by law the appointment ot a commis
sion on revision and adjourn sine die. After the
committee has concluded its work the Gov
ernor could convene the Legislature, which
eould then legally revise the statutes by cor
recting and adopting the work of a good com
mittee in one-fourth the time they could do the
same work themselves.
THK STATE 'FINANCES.
No subject can be of more interest to the
people of a commonwealth than a statement as
to bow their public servants have managed
their finances. I trust the following statement
ot this branch of the public service will meet
the approbation of the people of Missouri.
By wise laws enacted by the Legislature and
a faithful execution of them by the State of
ficials during the past four years, the fees re
ceived and lU'cniintiMl fiir in the several State
departments, and the interest paid on the sur
plus monev in the State trensnrv bv the Bank
of Commerce, amounts to nearly This
has paid all the salaries, and also for deputies
and assistants for the officers of Governor. Sec
retary of State, Auditor. Treasurer, Attorney
general. Superintendent of Public Schools,
Register of Lands, Railroad Commissioners,
Adjutant-General and Superintendent of the
Permanent Seat of Government, aud left a bal
ance from this fund in the treasury of tftUfc). In
other words, these officials have not cost the
tax-payers ot the State oue dollar for the past
lour years, but have earned for thein $8t.tM.
These lees and revenues have been received
by the following officers:
Secretary of State !S6-3M
: Auditor
Register of Lands
Adjutant-General
, Treasurer, iutereston surplus.
cent. Tne balance, as stat l, nas t-en paw. :
The rr.iMV'" in bonus sulu for a premium ot
toU.S-'l.iU. The interest on our public debt
proper is now 4:i!r,:00 per ;nuu:n, or nearly ,
one-half less thun it was, four years ugo.
THK EDUCATIONAL DEBT.
The school fund indebtedae eonsUt of one 6 ,
per cent, cert flerif f..r -.'.Ovi'lT) anil threes
percent, cert flcates aggregating .'J,uW. The ;
seminary fund consists of one 0 per cent, cer- i
tiflcate 'for J1J3,000 and one 5 per cent, certifl- I
cate for ?t')7,0 . . , ,
During the past year the he-rs of the late ';
Hon. James S. Rollins, in accordance with his ;
expressed wishes, deposited with the State ;
Treasurer the sum of for the rmrpoe of i
establ sli ng the James S. Rollins University .
scholarship, the interest on saM amount at 5
per cent, to be paid to six university students !
as a reward of merit for prolle.ency in six dif- ;
fercnt departments. For the purpose of c:ir- :
rying out this bequest, as provided by law, the
fund commissioners issued to the university
faculty a certificate of indebtedness payable io
twenty years at 5 per cent, interest.
INTEREST-BEARING DEBT.
The obligations on which the State is payng
Interest are as follows: State debt proper, 3'i
per cent., !8,;i).0(X), interest Ki'jO.5,0; schoo:
fund certiflctaes. n per cent., V2.919.0X). Interest
I174,5M); school fund certificates. 5 per cent.,
ts!2r,O0O, interest ll,i!50: seminary fund certifi
cates. 5 oer cent.. 4i7.00 . interest .H),;tX); sem
inary fund certificates, 6 percent., ilriuoo, in
terest 7,:i-' i; Kollins bequest.5 per cent., M.0iV;
interest, MU0; total, 1:1.191,W; interest 5010,-
Missouri needs no financial policy in the fut
ure. If the present rate of taxation is main
tained, of 5! cents on the UK) valuation, for the
purpose of paying the public debt and the in
terest thereon, the State debt proper will be
paid in eight or nine years. Every obligation
will be paid at or before maturity.
MONEY IN THE TREASURY.
There was in the treasury to the credit of the
interest fund on the first day of the present
year, after paying all interest ant due obliga-
. . . i'l'Ul I . U I FPlia nut M&,1-.,a I".
lions, me sum oi i w i, . t L -
this fund the present year will be at least fl,
450.000, which, with the amount in the treasury.
will make fl,4.),tw appiicauic iu iuc lujuicut
of interest and pr ncipal of the public debt for
the year Our public deDt may be reduced
the present year i,K,0u0.
The next general assessment oi uiauic ymy
erty in the State will probably aggregate I9X),
OtoiooO, when, by provisions or the Constitution,
the tax levy for the purpose of paying the pub
lic debt anu tne interest inereon iu uc re
duced to 15 cents on the J100, which will be
ample to meet a l obligations or tne iaie ior
this purpose. In ract. within tne next iour
years the State interest tax can be reduced to
10 cents Oil tne I IUU an i meet every uunganvu
now outstanding at maturity.
EXTRAORDINARY APPROPRIATIONS.
Extraordinary appropriations chargeable to
the State rwvenue fund have been made in the
past four years, as follows:
For improvement State University.!
For improvement tscnooi oi mines
and Metallurgy 10,0 0 00
For improvement oi tne three nor
mal schools
For improvement Agricultural Col
lege For improvement Lincoln Institute
For improvement ueai anu uumu
Institute 21, 00
For improvement Lunatic Asylum,
No. 1 104,700 00
For improvement Lunatic Asylum,
No. 2
For building Lunatic Asylum,. No. S
For building uerorm scnooi ior
Boys 7 32,000 00
For building Industrial Home for
Girls M.000 00
For improvements to Penitentiary.
For Improvements State Capitol...
uoube al cli-V-
The IjOiird of control, appointed by the Gov
ern' r for the purp se of execut ng the provi
sions of this act. after vis ting several similar
institutions ia dlS -rent Slates, have adopted
the cott.ige or family plan, and have erected
aud completed beautiful anffsnbsfantial build-
ms west of and aojoimng the city or Ctntli
r.iihe at a cost of t-Wto). healed with steam,
Timv ded with gas, w;ter, etc. The buildings
will accommodate 11 fly inmates.
You will be usUed to make adJitional appro
pn.;ti;ns f-jr buru iniveiaents, fencing, stock,
grading the grounds, aud prubably for the erec
tion of another. The board of control has per
formed its work and discharged its duties faith
fully to the State and may be safeiy trusted to
continue the work, which is only fairly com
mented. REFORM CHOOL F IR 1SOYS.
By the provis o:: s of the act establishing the
reform svbooi for toys the Governor, Attorney
Central and Kegi-ter of Lands were consti
tute I a curuti.:u-r t select a location, pur
chase the ia its and erect the necessary build
ings. The city of HooKv-Jle offered the best ;u
elu ments for its loi'at n ant was se
lected by the committee. The Legisla
ture appropriated for the purchase of
ground. .,ik); for the erertion of build
ings, 4i.o-M; for furnishing the buildings,
r.'.O for maintenance and mcideutal expenses,
1. 1.000. The lands of the institution com
prise 13" acres adjoining and east of Boonville.
on which is a beautiful grove overlooking the
Mi-soun r ver at Uoonvil.e A building 1TSX
58 feet and Jour stores high, including base
ment, and attached boiler-house, kitchen, dining-room
and laundry two stones high, have
been erected at a total cost of il.525. These
buildings are heated with steam, lighted with
gas and should be connected w.th the water
works, the committee not having sufficient
funds for that purpose. When completed and
furnished these buildings will accommodate
from ISO to iiXi boys. Tne committee has fur
nished them for the oecupancy ot 75 boys, with
in the appropr ations subject to its uses, and
hits drawn irom the State Treasury and turned
over to the board or managers for the purpose
or current expenses, buying necessary stock,
farming implements ana incidental expenses,
the sum of ?4.4i).
You will be asked for additional appropria
tions for the erection of barns, sewerage sup
nort. etc. The Slate can not engage in a more
laudable undertaking than caring for and re
form ng its youth whom circumstances over
which they had no control have started on the
wrong road. . I commend this unfortunate
RED
59,160 00
39,118 60
24.750 00
10,500 00
155,000 00
319,000 00
230,000 00
250,000 00
LETT
BALE.
THE BALANCE OF OUR
iiMIafTiiiiiis
season 111-
Ali
2.3l4
.SM
81.060
Total.
.?K5NI
TFIE BONDED DERT.
On the first of January, lis-Cv the bended Slati
debt, not including the common scbool and
Seminary indebtedness twhich we owe toour
, selves and can not properly be considered a
debt! was $ll.SW3.0i. On tne 1st of January.
ISsa, it was fa,55.0t); amount paid in four
years. 2.478,Ouu. The Ucbt in iSis. was drawing
interest at 6 per cent, per annum, amounting to
KO8.1S0. Since January 1. 1SS5. UUTSwOUO ot
this debt matured, ot which t7.000.0iw has been
'""ded in 5-9) bonds, bearina interest at X oer
Total l,a .5,529 50
All of these appropriations have been ex
pended except 81,741. 54 of the fund for im
provements to the penitentiary, and from per
sonal examinations of all tbe improvements,
us well us the new buildings. I am satisfied
that the money has been prudently and eco
nomically expended.
PUBIJC EDUCATION.
There is no question of public policy in which
the people are more interested, nor to which
your careful consideration should be directed
with more earnest solicitude and intelligence.
than our system of public education.
During the past four years more than 100,000
children have been added to our public schools
aud -the number Is now 865.750.
SCHOOL. FINANCES.
Our permanent interest-bearing school fund
on the 1st day of July, 1S8 was S10.538,129.os.
and the sum actually paid out by our people in
the support of our schools for the year ending
June 3, 1S88, was 4.94i,:3.t5. The Thirty
fourth General Assembly appropriated to the
common schools one-third instead of one-fourth
of the general revenue, as had been done by
rormer Legislatures. This cost the State over
tSO.OOO and only benefited the school children
IVi cents each.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
The Normal schools are doing good work,
and while not all the pupils who receive the
benefits of these institutions become teachers,
a large proportion of them do, and are now sup
plying the district schools with capable and
efficient teachers. 1 would suggest the pro
priety of establishing two more Normal school
districts, one in Northwest and one in South
west Missouri.
Lincoln Institute is now attended ty pupils
from thirty-three different counties in the State,
and should receive liberal encouragement at
your hands.
STATE TJNIVERSITY AND AGRICULTURAL COL
LEGE.
The State University should be the pride of
Missouri and the hope ot our youth. The peo
ple have been so much impressed with the
benents to oe aenvea irora au muciiuvuu in
stitution of this character that they have, in
the Constitution recommenaea it to tne iosier
inr mm nf the Lemslature. Bv act of the
General Assembly, approved February 20, 1870,
the Agricultural ana Mecnanicai c-oiiege was
established in connection with the University.
In my opinion this was a mistake that will
never be mended until the Agricultural College
is divorced from the University. As now mixed
up the University cripples the Agricultural
College and viee versa. Separate faculties
should be maintained, even if the Agricultural
College is continued at Columbia. Both insti
tutions would be of vastly more benefit if they
were miles apart.
SCHOOL FOR THK DEAF AND DUMB.
The School for the Deaf and Dumb is one of
the most deserving charities that enjoys Mis
souri's bounty, and is one of the best managed
ot our eleemosynary institutions, very un
fortunately for the State and for the school,
most of the buildings belonging to the school
were burned last February, entailing a loss to
the State of more than 100,000. The school
room, work-shop and boiler-house were saved,
and by the erection of a temporary dining-room
the school has continued, although under many
disadvantages. Fortunately the board of man
agers had 165.000 insurance on the ouuaings,
which they have received from the insurance
companies, and with it rebuilt the build ngs as
lar as it would go. You will be asked for and
should appropriate sufficient money to put the
school in as good or better condition than it was
before the tire.
SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND.
The State School for the Blind, located at St.
Louis, continues to be wel' mauasred, and no
class of unfortunates is more worthy of the
fostering care of our State than the blind.
The liberal provisions made by former Leg s-
i latures for this school, I am sure, will be re
i peated by you.
, REFORM SCHOOL.
By acts of the Thirty-fourth General Assem
' bly a much needed and lomr-delayed legislation
i wa began looking toward the restraining, re
! form and educatm,? ot juvenile offenders
; ag-ainst tee law. and the young who are incor-
rfaibte to aa extent beyond parental control.
; By the provisions of those acts an 'industrial
' home for girls" has been estaM'shed at
1 Chillicothe aud a '-reform school for boys"
at Boonville. For the chillicothe institu
tion the Legislature appropriated OJ0 for the
i purchase of ground, sWaKM for the erection of
su table buildings, 5.tv. for rura.shing such
: biii Idinsrs and incidental expenses and-JlAOOO
for current expense. Besides the appropna
tion by the State, the citizens of Chillicothe
contribute R.0tW to place the location of the
rln.snf our nennle to Tour liberal considera
tion. It is estimated that ninety per cent, of
the youth sent to similar institutions in many
or the States make good and honorable citizens.
The l:i ara nm-prninvhnth of these institutions
need amending. Boys should be coramitiea
until twentv-one years ot age or until dis
charged by the superintendent when he is satis-
tied rerormation has been enecteu.
LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
The State is now in better condition to care
for the unfortunate insane than at Rny former
time. I have visited all three of the asylums
within the past year and found them well man
aged by competent superintendents. The im
provements made at the Fulton asylum during
the past year have added much to the comfort
a the. eanncitv of the institu
tion. This asylum should be made tire-proof
and at an early day.
The asylums at St. Joseph and Nevada are
model buildings. The Nevada asylum is one ot
the cheapest and best buildings in the State,
,n,i h iMiii.iincr commit tee is entitled to great
credit for the manner in which they have dis
charged their duty. . ,
You will be asked for a small appropriation
to finish and furnish this asylum.
The St. Joseph asylum should be connected
with the city sewerage.
THE STATE PEStTENTIARY.
The cost of the penitentiary for the past two
years to the people of this State has been 1167,
000. but if the warden is given credit for the In
creased value of the property by way of new
buildings, etc., the cost will not exceed 150,000,
or f2",0.i0 per year. Tbe actual cash earnings
for ihe mist two vears have been nearly 8150,000.
The average number of prisoners worked by
contractors during the past two years has been
about 950. This labor, as compared with free
labor, is equal to about 150 men, but as it is un
skilled, unwilling and destructive to tools and
material. 200 free men would accomplish the
same work for their employers at the same cost
that the t'50 convicts will cost them.
This comparison is made tor the reason that
MihiD will iw asked to chance the labor
system because of this competition with honest
labor. If a prisoner labors at all he comes in
competition with free labor, and if the place9
of 450 skilled workmen outside ot the peniten
tiary are taken by convicts, the tax-payers
of the State are saved at least fLo.OJO per an
nnm
Our present system of employing prison labor
is, in my opinion, the best that has been de
vised. It is almost self-sustaining, thereby re-
Hetrinc theneonle of a heavv burden oi taxa
tion. ana the competition wna tree uwi
but little.
THE COMMITTEE INQUIRY.
The committee appointed by the Thirty
fourth General Assembly to investigate con
vict contract labor, unanimously made the fol
lowing report to the Legislature:
"While the committee are convinced that the
contract system, taking it all in all, is best for
the State, and to all classes of people, so far as
financial results are concerned, it is th ought
best to limit the number of convicts engaged in
one line of manufacture. Hence the commit
tee favor the enactment of the substitute for all
House bills in regard to the subject of the con
vict contract system. Differences of opinion
may exist as to the extent of that limitation,
but a careful examination ot the subject by the
committee, taking into consideration the nat
ural increase, from year to year, induces the
committee to favor the proposition in the sub
stitute of permitting only one-seventn oi tne
prisoners to work at any one branch of In
dustry.' The management of the penitentiary under
the administration ot Warden Marmaduke has
been all that the people of Missouri could ex
pect. It is the opinion of all who have taken
the trouble to investigate that it could not have
been better.
There are more convicts in the penitentiary
at the present time than ever before, and the
number is constantly increasing. There are
more prisoners in our penitentiary than any
other nrison in the United States. The ques
tion presents itself as to whether it would not
be in the interest of economy and good peni
tentiary government to establish a branch pen
itentiarv. I am clearly of opinion that this
should be done.
t also call Your especial attention to the im-
nortance of making proper provisions for the
care of the insane persons now confined in the
penitentiary.
BOARD OF HKAiffH.
By an act of the Legislature approved March
29l 18S6. there was established "The State Board
of Health of Missouri. ' The act appropriated
th sum of f6.0Utfor the purpose of paying the
salary of the secretary and board. No appro
nristinns have been made since that time by
the Lectslature for its support. Notwithstand-
l inir this fact, the board has kept up its organi
i zation and performed all the dut-es required by
must eo. We cannot afford to carry them over and will
therefore, from this time until the end of the
ano-nrate a RED LJEllL S
goods are now marked m plain hgures m ulack ink
price for this sale will be in RED INK thus show
both our former and present price on same ticket.
Drop in and Compare these two Prices.
You will find the Red Letter Price the lowest ever made
on irood reliable Clothing. Here are some of the prices.
Xote them carefully.
our
the
in ir
$25 Suits&Overcoatsnow $19 Suits&Overcoatsnow $7 50
oo a u u 13 50 8 50
K SO " 12 50 5 50
1:3 so " " 0 00 4 OO
it
it
it
6
3
3
50
50
OO
If you want -rood Clothing for little money now is your
Doirt;fail to see our goods and prices ueiore uuymg 01 yuu
lose money.
time.
will
American
OIoiMn
louse.
! several hundred dollars besides to pay other
! necessary expenses. The board should be re
I imbursed for the money they have paid out and
I the law repealed, or it should receive liberal
i assistance from the State.
BANKS A'1 BANKIXO.
; I desire to call vour attention to the fact that
. the people are not sufficiently protected by our
1 laws governing the control of banking institu
I Hons. Or that if there is sufficient law on the
' subiect the means of enforcing a compliance
with it are not adequate. I wouia suggest as a
' partial remeiv and better protection to the
' people the advisability of authorizing bylaw
the appointment of a bank examiner, whose
dutv it would be to make actual examina
' tion of all ban ;s and similar associations
doin? business under the laws of this State,
aud who shou-d be required to see that every
banking institution in the State complies with
the law and make a report of such examination
to tbe Legislature or Governor as may be
thought best
I would also surest taat i the banim? in
stitutions of the State were made to pay State
and county taxes, in proportion to their wealth,
as other citixensof th State are required by
law to do. as might readily be done through
uch an examining efiWr. We benefit to tbe
puDlic funds would mucn more than balance
the additional cost of such officer.
INSURANCE DEPAHTMEST.
I desire to call your attention to the fact that
the Insurance Department is an important
State office and should be governed and con
troled the same as other State offices. The
opinion has nd to some extent does still pre
vail that the office does not cost the tax-payers
of the State any thing, and for that reason
more licenseought to be given it than any oth
er State offlee. This is not correct, for while
the fees paid to the Insurance tjonim-ssioners
support the office, yet this money comes from
the people of the State. As well might it be
said that tne secretary 01 ohk, uu rereircj
from 50,000to 80.0tx per year in fees should,
in a great measure, dispense these fees as he
deems proper. The Secretary of State is com
peted to account ior m ices nenvw o mm
and pay them into the State treasury as rigidly
as a county collector, anu amcu ui hid
penitentiary can not get a dollar out of the
treasury for the support of that institution un
til bis account ana voucners are exauiiucu ww
approved by the Board of Inspectors.
X HQ (jommissioncr ui 111sur.UK buuuim w
required to do the same. This department has
cost the people of the State nearly 140,000 in
the past two years. It may have been neces
sary to expend this amount of money in ad
ministering me nnairs oi iuo uuito uu.
should be done under the same restrictions as
required of the other State offices.
SAIl.RO AD MATTERS.
m ,,,o.tinn nf amicablv adiustine the dif
ferences of opinion between the railroads and
the people as to the rights and duties of both
has been a mixed one and difficult to solve.
The bill for the government oi rauroaus pad sou
at the last extra session, together with the inter-State
law ot the General Government, is
as near a solution oi tne question as can oc uu
at this time. It is impossible to so legis
late but that some communities and individuals
will enjoy greater advantages ana oencnu io
others. Railroads can not be brought to the
door of every one. and competitive points will
always enjoy privileges anu auvauv
other places. But, under the present law. ma
terial differences may be and are being adjusted
as satisfactorily as the circumstances of the
eases will admit. .
In addition to the statutes fixing, as near as
possible, a fair and equitable rate for freight
charges, our present law also authorizes the
Railroad Commissioners to fix a lower rate
when in their opinion it is just and proper,
which shall be pnma-facie evidence of its just
ness There has been some question as to the
validity of this law, but it is recognized by the
railroads and in most cases cheerfully complied
W By'the act of the Legislature referred to tlO.
000 was appropriated for the purpose of carry
ing out and entorcmg its praviswu.. ! ,
has. in most instances, been promptly complied
with by the raiiroaas, anu uuij i,iw.u
appropriation has been used for its enforce-
mught hundred and forty-five miles have been
constructed and put in operation in the past
two years, and Missouri has to-day 5.924.56 miles
of railroad.
STATE M1SE INSPECTOR.
cording to the provisions of the law ap
proved March . 1SS7. a State mine inspector
a jiKjinicu. ana entereu upon nis aur.es
June lot the same year. This law repealed the
old law requiring the appointment of county
coal-mine inspectors and is a great improve
ment over the old system. The present law
placing coal mines and lead and zinc mines up
on the same footing, is to some extent imprac
ticable and should be amended as suggested in
the report ot the Comniias-.oper ot Labor Sta
tistics and Inspection.
Jr too carefully protect tbe lives
,n,i hoaith of the laborers in our mines by ire- t
ouent and exacting lnspeefens, nor can we te
too dniseot and enterprising ia the coilrcuoa
oftrathfuldaia concerning our immense min
eral resources aad their publication to th-j
CONDITION OW TltlS MILITIA.
With the means at hand and the little en
couragement given the military organization of
tbe State, the service is all that could be ex
pected. There should be no necessity for mili
tary organizations in this or any other State,
but we must confront the fact that such neces
sity does exist in this State, and there should
be no hesitancy on the part of the Legislature
to recognize this fact and by suitable laws pro
vide for their proper government and support.
The General Government contributes to the
support ot our militia by furnishing arms and
equipments to the amount of I H. 7 15.5-1 annual
ly on condition that the State has an
organized force of one hundred men
tnr earn Congressman and Senator, which
makes It necessary for the State to have
1,600 organized militiamen. The present force
consists of one company of infantry at Trenton,
one at Carthage, one at Cape Girardeau, one at
Jackson, one at Butler, one at Macon; also one
ot cadets at Macon, two companies of cadet at
Columbia, oue regiment of seven companies at
Kansas Citv, one regiment of four companies at
St. LOUIS, one troop OI cavairj muw iij,
one troop of cavalry at St. Louis, one battery
of artillery at Kansas City and one battery of
artillery at St. Louis, aggregating twenty-four
companies or l.SM) men ot all arms. There ts
now to the credit of the State from the United
States the sum ot t37.TO.35, but it is only paid
in ordnance stores, quartermasters' stores and
equipments.
THB LIQUOR QrESTIOS.
The question of how to prohibit the sale and
limit the use of intoxicating liquors to the
smallest possible compass has reo-ived the
careful consideration of former Legislatures,
and will, doubtless, be urged for your consider
ation during the present session. No question
that has agitated the public mind in the past
Hlty years has received more attention than
th. nd the results have been various and, for
the most part, unsatisfactory. As much as it
may be desired, no State has yet solved the
question ot how absolute prohibition can be
I firmly believe the influence ot the dram
shop is "demoralizing to the community in
which it is located and should be reduced to
the lowest possible limit. Some communities
are opposed to prohibition or high license, and
only collect the minimum State, county and
municipal tax or licenses, in suca piac-cx
loons are more numerous and not as respecta
ble as where high license prevails. Yet it ia a
question if the present law can be changed to
secure better results, for the reason that if such
communities could enforce higher license they
can make it higher undei the present law.
ELECTORAL CORRUPTION.
A more important subject than the purifica
tion of elections can not be considered by the
Legislature of a democratic commonwealth,
and when complaints of electoral corruption
are so general and earnest t rtmghout the
country as at the present time It is an impera
tive duty to inquire whether the alleged abuse
exist in our own Stat and if they do to sup
press them. Should confidence in the integ
rity of the ballot be lost republican institutions
would give piace to despot sm or anarchy. A
danger so vital to our system of government is
, tw (niarriwl mraint with utmost vig lance.
The remedy is preventive legislation, rather
than penal, and consists ia reformation ot the
mode of conducting elections. By enforcing
absolute secresv of the ballot intimidation ana
,t,t- tv nreventea. VTOen crnsens are
required to vote ia such a manner as ti be as
sured that the wav in which they vote ran not
be known to any but themselves, the timid no
looser fear and the venal will rot be trusted.
This is demonstrated as well by experience as
bT?S-TVat bribery the Brit sh Parhament
adopted what is known as the -Australian sys
tem ' of vouae. Un-ier th s system,
owing to the penecaou
oriberr at tbe polls has d appared. and for
same reason iniinwdatsna b o f r ceased I
tobeT&ctoria Ir-sh election that the repre
sentatives of the landlord claMwno formerly
sat ia Parliament from Ireland have given -mace
to ParaeU and hU followsri
ii aoes not iohow mat contnnutlons for party
purposes would not be made, but the contribu
tions would lie voluntary and eould be applied
wholly to the legitimate purposes of political
parties that of arousing and educating publlo
sentiment. The subject la recommended to
your careful consideration.
GRAIN INSPECTION.
The progress and growth of our common
wealth depend largely on the prosperity of the
Industrial and wealth-producing element of
our population. Kvery citizen of the State baa ,
a right to equal protection before the law.
Former Legislature have wisely enacted laws
for the protection of the interest of tbe wage
earning portion ot our population, but singularly
enough that portion of our wealth-producer
engaged la agricultural pursuits, and who
produce nine-tenths of the wealth and pros
perity enjoyed by our people, have received lit
tle or no consideration at tbe hand of our Leg
islature. The product of the farm are the ..
prey ot the most grasping and domineering
trnta.cvndicate and combination in tbe coon-
try and the cereal product are often bough i.
and sold many time by the non-produoer nod
manipulator of price before they are car- ,
nered by the farmer. '
Several or our great agricultural State. Illi
nois. Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota sad the Ter
ritory of Dakota, have enacted Just and whole
some law for regulating the handling, storing
and inspection of their grain product.
The Suite of nilnoi empower the Railroad
Commissioners to regulate their warehouse
system. The Governor appoint one inspector
of grain, who work under the ad1eo
and direction of tbe Board of Commis
sioners of Railroad and Warehouse.
This system must be adopted wlthowt
increasing the number of offices, except
Inspector, or expense to the tax-payer. The In
spector appo.nted by tfce Governor aa now
would rece.ve fee for mapectiun from the
seller, which In St. Loui at present U ld to
"amount to over ttMWO per annum.
The tobacco-raisers of the Slate have this or
imllar protection, and the grain-grower, whose
interest are much greater, are entitled to your
earnest and careful consideration.
OPTION DEALING. .
,. ,tr ih rAaceetlon to wnicn I
desire to call your attention U the fact that the
surplus cereals or Missouri '
have been graded by partie over whose action
they have no control, is again ub)eet to a ficti
tious valuation or price not entirely governea
by the law of supply and demand
Tbe Thirty-fourth General AwmWf,B
act approved March IS. prohibited option
dealing in every place in the State except m
duly incorporated merchant1 exchange. .II It
i to the Interest of the agneoltorali of till
State to nave fluctuating price on the prndect
of the farm merchant exchange bould BO
have a monopolv in th bosine. It J no ar
gument toaythe same bwsine wM he ear
ned on by other State if prohibited here, we
should do onr doty to our own people.
It is not poible in the newssarly brief char
acter of a message dealing with the variou top
ic to which I have tooucnl proper to eali your
attention to give more than a paing revvew
of the reasons and argument which emco to
me in favor ot legislative actJon on ttl object,
or to recommend In detail a mewure which will
core all of the existing evil. The agncuitara.
trm. iimwufd. Tber awe at ywor
hands surh relief as wOl give tbem ejuai p-ro-tect.on
with other labor Industrie of toe elate.
CONCLUSION.
In submitting for yonr coctde-tton the fore
going commonicatSoo I have bat briefly re
ferred to taov! matter and subject wnicn the
law ana my b judgment me4 to indicate
An my duty. Your good j jrmeut and
1 ge&ce most determine yonr awtwB ia reeri
to such rcon. citations a I have deemed
proper to make. .
Bi CTingtha-. a servants of lis- people row
wiil dfehife rwir duties fvtfcfUy and n-e'-atiOA-siv.'
1 te-ve the matt ta oo-
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