State. The million and a half dollars needed to carry on the business of the State and improve our highways must be raised.

The question that confronts you and me, representing the people as we do, is whether or not we shall impose this burden upon a class of property already carrying its full share of the cost of government, or resort to those who enjoy special privileges and exceptional franchises, for which they have never paid anything, and, following the admitted practice in other States, call upon them to contribute to the support of the State a just and fair compensation for the privileges so enjoyed.

In conclusion, I want to remind you that this and other measures proposed by the executive in the interest of efficiency, economy and reform in the State's business are not matters for party politics. It is a ques

tion of service to the State which we all love and which we are sworn to serve, for Democrats and Republicans alike. After all, the man who serves the people best serves his party best.

For the same reason that both great parties have sprung from the people and from them drawn their inspiration, their strength and their sinews, I urge you all to enlist for the important duties to be performed before the General Assembly closes, not only in passing the bill which is the special subject of this message, but all the other measures which are clearly in the interests of the State.

It is the duty of the Governor, not to enact laws, but to advise, suggest, or approve or disapprove. I am not afraid of the result. I believe that you will co-operate with me, and that we can all return home with clean hands and pure hearts. For, after all, these gentlemen of the big lobbies will not be with us always. When the General Assembly adjourns they will fold their tents and silently steal away. Then we will all go home to face our neighbors and friends with whom we expect to remain always. My hope and my belief is that we shall so act that the public back home may grasp every one of us by the hand and say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

I desire only to co-operate with you, to keep the pledges that were made and approved in the last campaign. If you do this, I shall be glad to give credit where credit is due, but if the persuasive agents of the special interests flocking around this Legislature succeed in blocking the reforms which we have promised. I shall not hesitate to lay the blame where the blame should rightly fall, nor shall I hesitate to go before the people next year and give them the facts. I know where they stand as far as this proposed legislation is concerned, and so do you.

I am not in the least afraid of what their verdict will be if we have to put the matter up to them in 1918. The people back home are slow to anger, but they are not plenteous in mercy, and in their hands, and their hands alone, remains the final decision in this and every other great question.

I shall be ready to meet them face to face next year, and I know that if the General Assembly, regardless of party lines, rising to the clear demand of the people for the enactment of these reforms, discharges its whole duty, as I believe it will, that each one of us will be ready to meet them at any time and place and render unto them an account of our stewardship.

JAMES P. GOODRICH, Governor.

Corporation Department.-One of the chief duties of the Secretary of State is the issuing of charters to private corporations. During the fiscal year ending September 30, 1917, there were filed in this office 2,780 documents providing for new companies and amending the articles of companies previously incorporated. There were received in fees from this source from domestic corporations $315,665.20, and from foreign corporations $26,081.23. In addition to the above documents there were filed 7,304 annual reports for domestic corporations, for which a fee of 50 cents each was received. There were also filed 602 annual reports for foreign corporations, for which a fee of $1.00 each was received. During this period of time an effort was made to separate the records of dissolved corporations from the active ones in order that the files might be more available.

Notary Public Commissions.-Notary public commissions are issued by the Secretary of State upon the authority of the Governor. Application must be on the regulation blank, which blank can be secured from the Secretary of State or from the clerk of the circuit court in the county where the applicant resides. The certificate of the Circuit Judge as to the qualifications and moral character of the applicant forms a part of the

* Ed Jackson was commissioned Captain in the National Army on November 27, 1917, and William A. Roach was appointed as his successor December 21, 1917.

application and is required by statute. This applies to renewals as well as to the original applications. Applications should be mailed direct to the Secretary of State together with the required fee of ONE DOLLAR.

During the last fiscal year, from October 1, 1916, to September 30, 1917, the Secretary of State issued 3,790 notary public commissions. Fees, $3,790.00.

Court Reports.-The Supreme and Appellate Court Reports are distributed through the office of the Secretary of State. Up to June 1, 1917, the price of these reports per volume was $1.50 to residents of the State. Owing to the increased cost of paper the State was losing money on the reports at that price, therefore, on June 1, 1917, the price was raised to $2.00 to residents of Indiana, and $2.50 to nonresidents. This change of price was made possible by an act of the 1917 Legislature. Orders for court reports should be sent direct to the Clerk of the Printing Board, Room 12, State House. During the fiscal year ending September 30, 1917, there were sold 1,996 copies of the Supreme Court Reports and 2,545 copies of the Appellate Court Reports. For these $7,071.00 was collected and turned into the state treasury.

Acts of the Legislature.-The Acts of the Legislature are distributed by the Secretary of State. After the distribution to the ninety-two counties and to public officers, as provided by statute, the remaining copies are held by the Secretary of State for sale at fifty cents per copy. Prior to 1915, no Acts of the Legislature were sold, but early in that year the Attorney-General at that time gave an opinion to the Secretary of State. holding that there was no authority in law for giving away the Acts of the Legislature, therefore, a price of fifty cents per copy was fixed. Copies of the 1911, 1913, 1915 and 1917 legislatures can be supplied at this time. During the last fiscal year ending September 30, there have been sold 631 copies of the Acts, for which $315.50 has been collected and turned into the state treasury.

Lobbyists.-The Legislature of 1915 enacted a statute providing that any person serving as a lobbyist during any session of the General Assembly should secure a license from the State. During the session of 1917, 103 licenses of this kind were issued, and a fee of $2.00 each received.

Trade Marks.-Trade marks, advertising phrases and slogans are protected by registration in the office of the Secretary of State. This law was amended by the 1917 session of the General Assembly, so that nonresident persons and corporations, as well as citizens of the State, could secure the protection of this registration. During this period 59 registrations were filed, at a fee of $2.50 each.

Requisitions.-Requisitions for the extradition of criminals to other States are filed in the office of Secretary of State, and, upon authority of the Governor, warrants are issued. During this fiscal year, 94 requisitions were honored, for which a fee of $3.00 each was received.

Fertilizer Licenses.-In order to regulate the disposition of the bodies of dead animals, the 1913 Legislature provided for a license to be issued to persons or firms engaged in this business. When the State Veterinarian has inspected and approved the plant, the Secretary of State issues a license

for a period of one year, for which a fee of $1.00 is received. During the year eighty-four licenses were issued.

Detective Licenses.-Any person or corporation engaged in the business of operating a detective agency in the State of Indiana must receive from the Secretary of State a license. These licenses are issued for a period of five years. When issued to an individual, the fee is $100.00, and when issued to a corporation, $150.00. During the year one license was issued to an individual.

Appropriations and Expenditures.-The following table will indicate the several amounts of money appropriated by the Legislature for the expenses of the office of Secretary of State, also the amounts expended against the several appropriations, and the balance reverting to the general fund:

Total Receipts.-The total fees received in the office of Secretary of State, exclusive of the automobile department, were $368,609.51. These fees were deposited daily with the Treasurer of State.

AUTOMOBILE DEPARTMENT

With each recurring year of the automobile department of the office of Secretary of State, it has become evident that it is one of the most important divisions of our civic affairs. The purpose of the department comes so close to the general public that all the people are more or less interested and have some business with the department. The automobile department has grown to such dimensions that, while it is under the direct supervision of the Secretary of State, it is practically a department within itself, it being chargeable for all of its receipts and expenditures. The increase in the business has made it necessary to make some radical changes in the conduct of the oflice, particularly in the issuing of licenses and the expediting of the business. A new license application form has been introduced that will save a great deal of clerical labor and expedite the issuing of license plates. The file system has been introduced and a card record will be kept of every application, making it convenient for making county distributions and the assisting of the public in the search for the owners of automobiles where the license number is not known. In anticipation of a very large increase for 1918, preparations have been made for the prompt conduct of the office.

It has not been so very many years since the automobile made its first appearance on our public highways, and the new industry was of such a character and of such rapid growth that legislation was forced to take

cognizance of it. The rights of an automobile on the public highways began to be questioned and the public mind was very much prejudiced against them. Damages resulted by horses becoming frightened and many lawsuits were filed in courts and a bitterness between the automobile owner and the public led almost to riot and a conflict between rights and privileges. It was not until the meeting of the Legislature in 1905 that official cognizance was taken of the rights of the automobile. It was estimated that there were two or three thousand automobiles in the State at that time, and it became necessary that there be some legislation on the subject.

During the session of the General Assembly in 1905, the first law was enacted in Indiana bringing the automobile under the control and supervision of the State. The law as enacted first defined an automobile, distinguishing it from other vehicles, and then several sections were devoted to speed regulations, signals. signal stops, highway rules, registration and display numbers. Each owner of an automobile was required to possess a metal seal, circular in form and two inches in diameter. In addition to the metal seal the owner was required to display a metal plate on the rear of his car, on which were stamped numerals, beginning with the figure 1, for which he was to pay a fee of one dollar, the license to continue in force so long as he owned the car. During the first year of the existence of the law, 4,253 automobile licenses were issued, Samuel T. Murdock, of Lafayette, being the first man to register under the new law. The Secretary of State was allowed $200 a year for conducting the automobile business for the State. The money derived from the licensing of automobiles was paid into the state treasury.

The session of the Legislature in 1907 made few changes in the original law, further than to have license numbers displayed on the rear of a car only. The new plate was to be numbered A1, A2, A3, up to A100 and then begin with B1, B2, B3, up to B100, and thus through the alphabet, when they again began with A01, A02, A03, up to A0100, and then begin with B01, B02, B03, up to B0100 until the alphabet was exhausted. These plates were continued in use until 1912, when it became evident that the automobile business had come to stay and that the phenomenal increase of the past was but an index of what might be expected in the future. There was very little legislation in 1909 and 1911, though there was a constant increase in the number of machines in use in the State.

In 1912, there were about 50,000 machines in Indiana and the use they made of the public highways became a menace to good roads, which caused their upkeep of deep concern to taxpayers. Automobiles had the free use of the public roads without contributing anything toward their repair, and sentiment began to crystallize for a license tax on all machines, the funds thus derived to be apportioned over the State for the benefit of the public highways. From 1905 to 1913 a fee of only one dollar was charged for a perpetual license on a car, not a dollar of which was spent on the highways. To give relief to the taxpayers, the Legislature in 1913 enacted a law by which all of the funds received for the licensing of automobiles, above the actual expenses of administering the business of the department, was to revert back to the ninety-two counties in the State to be applied on the expenditures for the repair of improved roads. That there might