Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-01-04

Iepedleu.
The last Legislature enacted law for the
suppression of the sale of intoxicating liquors,
with more stringent provisions and heavier
penalties than have heretofore entered into
our legislation upon this subject The ques-
ton as TO its expedency, and the good or evil
results flowing from this enactment, were
widely discussed before your constituents, and
have materially affected the constitution of
the present Legislative body. Coming from
all portions OF the Commonwealth, with per-
sonal knowledge Of the practical operation of
this Act, and the wishes of the people re-
garding it, and possessing the means of judg-
ing whether the pant years experience leads
to a reasonable expectation that it can accom-
pliSh the purposes for which it was destined,
your action i'll reference to it is awaited with
great solicitude. Intemperance is a gigantic
evil. Measures for its remedy demand the
the deepest feeling of the philanthropist the
profoundest thought of the patriot, and the
wisest counsel of the statesman. l trust that
your deliberations and conclusions will result
in substantial and abiding good to our entire
community, and to that end you shall. have
my warmest sympathies and heartiest coop
Grafton.
There is an evil of comparatively recent
growth, but of so grave nature as 10 merit
your consideration, which annually costs the
State large sums of money, both by prolong-
ing the session, and by causing iniudcious or
unnecessary grants, which the Legislature can
materially lessen, if not wholly remove, by a
course its own dignity and the welfare of the
Commonwealth alike demand. l refer to the
constant attendance on the sessions of the
Legislature, of individuals who sell their adj
ventitious personal or political influence to the
highest bidder, for the purpose of procuring
special charters, privileges or grants. lndif-
ferent to The real merits of the questions at
issue, anxious only to secure their own pay
usually contingent on their success, they Of
tieiously press their solicitations upon the hon
est and unsuspectng legislator, aud by par
tlal and often false representations, secure
the passage of measures by the use of means
which render impartial debate impossible.
and public deliberation a deluson. When
legislation is transferred from the Hall and
the Chamber to the Lobby,-when the legiti.
mate action of tie duly constituted Commit
tees is superseded by practices subversive of
fair investigation, when ordinary business
aud meritorious and unobtrusive claims are
overridden by the clamorous demands OF
schemes bolstered into undue Importance by
Fictitious public opinion. it is we'll to revert
to the primary objects and theory OF public
deiiberative assemblies.
The financial condition of our State is such
as to demand rigorous and minute economy
in every branch of public expenditure 1t
is my firm conviction that grants Of money
have been made, and expenditures authorized
by the Legislature, for several years past, that
the condition of our treasury, and the public
necessity did not warrant. The time has
fully come when all such grants should cease;
and consider it, after mature reflection, to be
my duty, in every instance hereafter, while
occupy l. present post, to deem such appro-
prIatlons proper objects of an executive Veto
and to withhold my approval from any ill
by which they may be authorized.
For number of years the annual deficit
has been growing larger, and the excess of
expenditure unprovided for increasing, until
now the sum of $4,000 is necessary, beyond
our probable receipts, to enable us to lqui-
date our floating Indebtedness at the close of
the present year, The question as TO what
course shall be adopted to accomplish this end
you are called upon to determine. The State
owns $750,000 of stock in the Western Rail
road, but in my judgment it would be highly
impolitic, if practicable, tc sell it at the pre-
sent time. We have just claim against the
general government amounting to 1927, 49,.
6raauS Ahfide,, % frsspsf invasion dnring the
war OF 1872. If this sum is reimbursed nj
the present session of Congress. as it eho,lld
be- and as every other claim of similar ma
tllre already has been. it would absorb one
quarter OF the floating debt An inaaRn;te
ana oy present law, unsaleable interest in the
Back Bay Islands, is the only other property
possessed by the State, the proceeds OF which
are not devoted to specific purposes. Under
these circumstances, it only remains to fund
this floating debt or portion of it, or to nav
1t by direct taxation.
The Auditor has furnished me with the fol.
lowing table ofapproximate expenditures and
receipts for 1866, which are contrasted with
those of 1851
Expenditures 1879 7es,
Legislative and Executive. SAB $50 40 s95I 9ac m
sci ntihc and Educstional.... 10 1859 90 "a 6sf IN
Iaterest on Public d bt..... I035l7 co 100 as "a
charitable Humlne Purposes. $50 CSC 90 236 252 Cd
correctional Preventative do. 1868 90 100 355 cd
Biuuafy.. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1889 90 CT 40 90
Public Buildings not provided
Ior Dy scrip. 1906 90
$1,87s,S82OO s949 ,8a2 90
Bank Tax............"...$ 57s 1888 90 s5!5 sss 90
Alien PASSENGERS. ,........... 984s 90 70 Ono m
lncome from Western Railroad .10l 1859 90 l19 6a8 m
Suhury accounts. ..,.....s..... 4IO 90 g3lS 40
vas" VI Ani''''''''''''''.... 1860 90 1341O 90
717O eco us 282Co
AN" S'A'0 AaA-''''''''''''.. 100000 90 1h0 900 90
sl.1e7O19 90 s86s ,285Oo
Excess Of Expenditures over
MI, receips ....'..'........ $2l1313 90 SSI $50 90
Inc AUDITOR estimates the ordinary expendi-
lures for the present year at about 81 121 eoo m
-'"N Wv "t ABOUT 7l7,6OJ 90
Showing probable deficiency for this wear
Ada h m. ,o s4o4O 90
~ to 1894 amounting to ABOUT. .... 12s 600 On
ths ueucit Tor 1851. ......,........... ~ go an
ANA the deficit for l:55................ 2IiSitSS