Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-10-30
GOV. Jones, MESSAGE.

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GOV. JONES' MESSAGE.
The Message Of Gov. Jones, Of Ten
nessee, to the Legislature of that State,
has met with the highest commentator
from almost every quarter. 1t is pro.
ducton well worthy its author, whose no.
BILE bearing throughout his administration
has been the admiration Of the country.
Although the Message of the Governor
of Tennessee is production Of considera.
BILE length, yet he has throughout avoided
the slightest reference to Federal politics;
which, by the way, is a rare occurrence
in these days.
The Louisville Journal takes the fol-
lowing notice OF the annual message of
Gov. Jones
ANNUAL MESSAGE OF THE GOVERNOR
OF TENNESSEE. Governor Jones' mes
sage to the Legislature of Tennessee is a
very interesting document. It occupies
seven columns in the Nashville Banner,
and is an able, tgnifed and patriotic
State paper. 1t differs very mach from
many other messages on such occasions,
as the Governor confines his attention to
State concerns, leaving the affairs of the
nation at large to those whose business it
is to attend to them. We annex an alb
stract we have made Of what struck US as
the most interesting portions Of the mes.
sage.
After some general Introductory re-
marks, Gov. Jones calls the attention Of
the Legislature to the important subject
Of education. On this subject his views
are sound, and we ardeDtIy hope they
may be carried out. Something has been
done in the State towards the establish.
ment of system of common school edu.
cation but what has been done is bv no
means commensurate with the importance
of the object desired. The common
schools already established have done
much good, but their extension is neces-
sary in order to secure the blessings of
education to the children in the States as
those blessings are enjoyed in some other
States. There are more than two hun
dred and fifty thousand children IN the
State between the age OF six and twenty.
priated to the common schools is one hum
dred thousand dollars. This gum is alto.
gether inadequate 10 confer the benefits
ofthe system on all tho children embraced
within the provisions Of the law. The
Governor boldly recommends resort to
taxation for the means to make the COM
mon school system what it ought TO be,
unless some other way to raise tho money
can be devised. As less Objectionable
than taxation, he advises that the means
and resources of the Bank of Tennessee,
an institution which belongs to The State,
shall be made subservient to the cause OF
popular education. He then proceeds 10
an examination of The condition of that
bank.
The Bank OF Tennessee was chartered
in 1887, and had for its object the estab
lishment Of system Of education and in.
ternal improvements. This bank went
into operation about the LIST of July, 1889,
little more than seven years ago; its
aggregate profits and expenditures, du.
ring this series of years, are as follows
Entire profit OF Bank of Tennessee for
seven years, $l,9l2,645 IS; expenses
during same length of time, ST. ,939,701-
OF; showing an excess of expenditure
over the profits of $26,S55 SO. This,
though by no means favorable exhibit
of its operations, is the best that Can be
given.
From this statement, il is obvious that
| the bank must become insolvent in a few
wears, unless its profits can be increased,
of which there is no probability, or Its ex-
penses diminished, which it is difficult to
I do. The bad debts of the bank, together
with the excess of its expenditures over
its profits, show a loss of over three hum
dred and seventy thousand dollars. The
Governor then recommends, as the best
and safes; plan that can be adopted, that
the bank shall be put in course of grad
ual liquidation, giving to its debtors sufii-
cent time to meet its claims on them
He says that if this policy is adopted, and
the means and capital of The bank are
applied to the redemption of the State
bonds, in few years the State will be out
of debt and, If the bonds thus cancelled
be added, IN whole or in part, to the school
fund, system OF universal education will
be permanently established. The entire
amount of the State bonds is 50, 370,4l6-
60, to pay which, the State has the assets
Of the Bank of Tennessee,
Which amount to S2,s2l, 100 90
Stock in Union Bank worth 362, 64S 90
Stock in Planters Bank
worth $4,000 90
S3,323,65 90
| Iftb,a eup, mara yaeta1 IN tho hondp Of