The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-07


aging Report and Sons Inportant
Recommendations. W
The Message of Governor Dix, which We
spread before our readers this morning. gives
q cheerful report of the operations of our
State government for the year 1878 and an en-
couraging outlook for 1874 A firm believer
in experimenting Providence over the
affairs Of men and Of nations, he thus intro
duces himself in his address to the Senate and
the Assembly SAT the close Of another year Of
uninterrupted health. prosperity, abundance
and peace, the fervid expression Of our thank
fitness is due to Almighty God for these sig-
nal manifestations of His favor. While in
portions Of our sister States destructive pes
thence has desolated hundreds of households,
our own has been mercifully spared" This
is grateful recognition of the Sovereign
Source of all our blessings, and here we have,
too, grateful expression Of sympathy touch
ing the suferings of our sister States.
The Governor next boldly ventures upon ON
endorsement of the settlement of the Virginius
affair, in the following terms: Though the
friendly relations of the United States with
European Power we're for time endangered
byan infringement of our international rights
the peril has been happily averted by COM
bination of frmness and forbearance which
always becomes q powerful government" A
handsome compliment this to Mr.. Fish; but
what q mockery is made of it by the official
correspondence on this virginius imbroglio!
But the Governor is quite as enthusiastic in
his hopes for Spain as In his admiration of the
6asco of Mr.. Fish He says:-''There is ground
for hope that the ancient nation, which, with
less prudent hearing on our part, might now
have been at war with us, may occupy on the
other side of the Atlantic, sustained by our
sympathy and kind Offices, the same posi-
ton which we hold in the Western Hemisphere
as representative of free institutions" This
was written, perhaps, before the overthrow of
Castelar, and the expulsion of the Spanish
Cortes by the bayonet and the nomination of
Marshal Serrano as the house warmer tor the
restoration of the monarchy. So much for
''our sympathy and kind Offices" in behalf of
the Republic in Spain. So much for our
venerable Governors delusive hopes concern
ing it ''as representative Of free institu-
tons"
But from this superduous journey to Spain,
returning with the Governor to our State
affairs, he says that, although we have fallen
short as people in the discharge of our social
duties, ''the condition of the State is, never
theless, under most of its aspects, exceedingly
gratifying;" that sour debt is comparatively
SMALL" that sit may, with proper economy,
within few years, be entirely paid"
and that if SO 1--WE shall stand in
marked and oommendable contrast with
other States and municipalities which
are heavily burdened with pecuniary liabiI-
ties" Furthermore, he says:-''Our colleges,
academies and schools are dourishing; our
charitable institutions in general are well
managed; our laws enforced with renewed
vigor and great criminals brought to speedy
and exemplary punishment" Next, upon the
State finances, he reports that on the 30th of
September last there was balance in the
Treasury Of 50, 431, $50 81; that the balance of
the State debt after applying the sinking
funds, is s21, 1911 1873 "a, and that for the last
fiscal year there has been a reduction of the
debt to the amount of "a, 1876, 346 so, which,
however, is only an apparent reduction, as
the redemptons of stock which fell due in
1873 were provided for by new loans The
State tax levy was 95-10O mills; the tax
collected will be 1890, 900 SO, or some FIVE
millions less than that levied in the preceding
year. But without further recapitulation of
the Governors statistics, we Will touch upon
some of his reforms and recommendations.
Upon the militia he says that when he
came into Office there was no proper accounta-
bility for arms, ammunition and munitions of
war that this defect has been remedied; that
complete inventories of the contents of all the
arsenals have been prepared /; that the Com
missary General of Ordnance has been made
responsible for them that the same accounta-
bihty has been applied to commanders of regi-
ments, and that some considerable savings
have thus been made. Some legislation is rec
commended for the regulation of those cor
porations known as trust, loan and indemnity,
guarantee and safe deposit companies and a
general law is urged defining the powers of
savings banks and repeating all special privi-
leges in existing charters inconsistent with
such general law. Our quarantine system is
reported as working well "after many years Of
unseemly contention" An extension of the
authority of our Board of Health in removing
nuisances is suggested, and an increase Of
head money to the Commissioners Of Emigra-
ton.
The Governor reports an important dis
covery in the payment of the State taxes He
says that in violation of the laws, in a number
of counties, the treasurers during the last
year retained over $780, each for months
beyond the time for its payment over to the
State Treasury, having loaned the money to
the banks at interest in the meantime for the
depositors' personal benefit; and the Governor