The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-03
The Goycrnor,s NIcssage.

The first message OF our newGovernor, Clark,
Is before our readers. 1t is . rather long,
prosy document, but full of substantial facts
and statistics to al classes Of the people Of this
great Commonwealth. Our readers will peruse
it carefully, and study it for themselves, and
shape out their expectations of our new State
administration accordingly.
The financial exhibit of Governor Clark will
be found to be intensely interesting, suggest
ing, ct it does, the very possible necessity Of
resort to increased taxation to meet the re-
quirements of the treasury. There is falling
off in the canal revenues of over one hundred and
ninety -four thousand dollars, the result of bad
management, the drought, short crops, railroads,
and other causes too tedious tomention. The
Governor hopes for better state Of things for
the future. So do we, although we are not en-
lightened as to the exact manner in which it is
to be brought about. In one thing we have
been particularly blessed. We have had an
abundance of money-paper money-vulgarly
called bank rags, to the extent Of circulation
of forty -four millions, and an increase
Of banking capital to the amount of Sc
ven millions. Still hard times have come
upon us, as they always do come
with flood of shin-plasters. The Governor
appears to be aware Of this, and suggests lit
tie indefinite pruning, with an especial regu-
lation to prevent the deposits Of savings banks
from being employed as banking capital. We
join in this recommendation, and hope that
something further will be done to guard against
the evil, as far as possible, of these ruinous
bank-rag inflations-the great and primary
cause Of excessive speculations, commercial
expansions, wholesale swindling operations,
periodical explosions and general distress.
The Governor is somewhat phlanthropic in
regard to the discipline Of our State prisons,
and his suggestions under this head may be
turned to good practical account by judicious
legislation. Upon the public schools, also, he
betrays his benevolent disposition, and his
great sy mpathies for the rising generation. 1t
is certainly melancholy fact that one fourth
of the children in the State, of the proper age,
do not attend the district schools. The re-
medy, however, suggested by the Governor, is
in efficient. Legislation, we fear, cannot reach
the real difficulties to be overcome In this mat
ter. It is evident that the Governor has not
consulted Archbishop Hughes upon the subject.
The Archbishop is losing ground with the Sew
ard party.
The absorbing question Of the Maine
liquor lew next demands the attention of our
new Governor. Here our expectations are not
realized. Here there is wonderful falling Off
from that formidable bill vetoed by Governor
Seymour. Governor Clark disowns his own
bantling. He does not recommend 1t, nor any
thing like it but as nearly as we can make
him out, he has fallen back upon the platform of
Judge Bronson. He still believes that the evils
of rum selling and rum drinking cry aloud for
the interpostion of some sort Of liquor law. Il
is due TO the Temperance Alliance-due TO the
womens rights sssociations-due to the pie
bald Syracuse and Auburn conventions-due
TO the Carson League and due to Greeley. But
il is delicate business. The Governor has Just
found IL out. He suggests that while liquor
selling and liquor drinking ,hould be stopped
by some sumptuary law, personal rights should
not be wholly diregarded. 1t strikes US that
this is offered as q compromise 30 the liquor
men in the Assembly in behalf OF W. ii.
Seward and it be.rays greater solicitude for
bis reelection to the Senate than for the bless
ings Of universal temperance upon compuleion.
Upon the usury laws Governor Clark is a
8e' footed cla fogy. On the subject Of rail