The Lincoln County herald., 1871-12-14
The Governors Message.


summary Of the Governors message, from
tbe Missouri Republican, in lieu of our
owa comments. The message is too
lengthy for our limited space, and most
Of our readers have doubtless read il
before this time, as all, or noarly all, take
some city paper:
The governor alludes TO the lively
sympathy which the disaster to the New
England whaling feet in the arctic sea,
and the ire at Chicago, evoked from the
people Of the state, and usks the legisla.
ture to reflect 10 its legislation this liber-
alism Of its constituency. He discusses
civil service reform, and states that in
his appointments to office, his solicitude
than Republican, Democratic or Liberal
record" But he thinks that the effect
i've remedy for the corruption and inca
pacty in Office must be sought for in leg
islation which shall limit executive ap.
pointments to cases Of emergency, aud
refer other selections to the people. On
the subject of the finances, he thinks the
truo policy should be, first, to maintain
inviolate the public credit, and second, to
encourage such rapid increase Of popula.
ton and taxable wealth as will distribute
more lightly the needed taxes. On the
subjsct uf national tariff and taxes, the
governor spcnkA in plain language
"The greatest incubus now resting upon
the people of Missouri" he says, "is
found in the taxes and duties direct and
indirect levied by the United Stltes.
They amount to much more annually
than all our other taxes put together, yet
do not go into the national treasury, but
are spent largely in collections, or are
put into the pockets Of favored classes"
As q measure for strengthening our
credit, he recommends the registration of
our state bonds and the payment of inter-
est on them in gold, after January l,
1872. This, he argues, would not only
appreciate the value OF these bonds, but
have a similar effect upon county and city
bonds and facilitate the relnnding Of that
part Of the state debt first falling due at
a lower rate OF interest. The bonded
debt of t. state is SIT ,s66,O ,OOO; the
assessed value Of all taxable property in
the state is 1915, 100000
The total receipts into the state treas.
ury for tho past year, we're 50 ,572 ,94l-
of which 81 1886 258 was for state inter.
est, 81, l,479,764 for revenue, 1885 ,004 for
the sinking fund, and S4O2 ,92O for
schools. The disbursements were 50 1875,
759-of which SSl6,336 was on account
of interest, 81 252, 732 on account of state
government, s2S505i on account Of the
sinking fund, and s337, ASA for schools.
The balance in the treasury was SS47,.
1872 OF the state bonds $422, 900 ma.
ture in 1872, $500 600 in 1873, sS1l,
900 in 1874, sl4l2,OO0 in 1875 and
So, ,069, 900 in 1876. The surplus Of rev
enue will nearly pay those falling due
the first three years, and it is suggested
; that loan Of two and half or three
, mi lions for Eve years may be necessary
to bridge over the interval up TO n tune
when the surplus will again meet them
On the subject Of county, township
and municipal indobteness, the message
. contains some interesting facts. This
indebtedness amounts TO the pectedly
large sum Of S40,9l1 1865, the larger por.
tion being for railroad subscriptions. In
j. some cases, subscriptions have been voted
d without consulting the people, in others in
Il disregard to their wishes. The egovernorr re
;, commends stringent legislation on this sub
- ject to prevent county courts from making
such subscriptions without the clear war
rant of the peoples approval. The ne
10 cessi:y Of an amended revenue law is ad
,e verted to, and in demonstration Of sucl
Of necessity it is stated that the cost of col
I, lectiDg revenue in the state, outside Of S,
- Louis county, Is more than l3 per cent
I" while in some other states it is only q
y per cent, and that the annual delinquenc
Sc in Missouri is 25 per cent, and tn
" amount OF taxes never collected is pc
-. cent. The disorders in southeast Mis-
" souri,, now quictcd, are alluded to, a
o. having had 40 political complexion, br
>, originating rather in a protracted lawles
condition of society incident to the raw,
ne ges Of war. The governor Recommend
10 an amendment to the constitution incrsa
~. ing the number of supreme court judge
- to fve he advises also, the abolition {
the common pleas courts, that the multi
-. plication Of probate courts be arreste
,'' - and that the system of circuit attorney
IN be abolished, except as to st. Lou
to county. The costs Of criminal prosecu
at tions is subject that attracts the cove
nor's attention in some cases these cos
exceed the entire revenue Of the count,
,h and during the years 1869 and 1870, tb'
1t amounted in the state to S414,98 I
in. advises, as n means Of reducing the
costs, that they be paid by each count
in instead of by the state. lhe large di
m. erection Of action by county courts whi'
40 d. is cause Of so much complaint, the 20
liz ernor thinks should be restrained. /
' proposes that St. Louis be made a sep
rate municipality. free from county int
a. a. Ference, and with a permanent chart'
err The recommendation Of state industr
and reform school for abandoned children