New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-07
LIE GnYERNORS MESSAGE

The most important parts of the Governors
message are those relating to the finances OF
the State and Nation, and kindred topics.
We can hardly venture to praise them, be-
cause in doing so we might seem to praise
ourselves In every essential point the views
of the Governor on these subjects agree with
those which have so often been presented IN
these columns We can. however, commend
the message of the Governor to care
full perusal for the clearness and vigor with
which the truth is presented and abuses at
Washington and Albany are laid bare to the
light. We feel confident that his recon-
mendations and suggestions, armed az they
are with all the might of plain common sense
expression, will have great effect with all
classes of readers.
1t appears that after all the talk about
Democratic deficiencies the Sinking Funds,
created in obedience to the Constitution for
the payment at maturity OF the State debt,
are still "saCredly applied to the payment
of current expenses that the taxes, although
levied and collected from the people, are still
withheld in as great proportion as ever
from the State Treasury; that ex-
istlng laws afford no remedy for
this disgraceful condition of things. and that
MANY of the County Treasurers are engaged
in species of mOney-making quite as repre-
hensible as downright stealing. The words of
Gov. Dix on this subject are plain enough,
we should imagine, to penetrate the intelli-
gence of an average Assemblyman. The Gov
ernor says: ain a number of counties the
"Treasurers during the last year retained over
100000 each for several months after the
"last day appointed for paying it into the
Estate Treasury, having loaned 1T to the
blanks in their neighbOrhoOd, at interest.
" thus using the public money, in fragrant vio-
"lation of law, for their own pecuniary benefit
Indeed, it is a common practice on the part
"of County Treasurers to loan at inter
"est, after the time fixed for paying it
" TO the State, moneys collected from the tax
"payers, thus making profit out of a breach
:" of their trust" To which we may add
that bill, designed to put stop to this dis
honest practice, was last year smOthered in
the Assembly through the efforts of a lobby
working in the interest of number of these
Treasurers.
Deserved censure is given to the practice of
railroading the appropriation and tax bills
through the Legislature on the last night of
the SESSION.. l. uC kiduu CVihpiOhOhoNO 6i"U
of all. known as the Supply BILL" is rightly
denounced as an evil which ought to be abOl-
ished. But remembering that no Legislature
within the memory of men under the age OF
fifty wears has been capable of such an effort,
the Governor "mOst earnestly and respectfully
requests as the next best thing, to have
the bill placed before him not later than the
LIST of March. If this should be done it would
be an indication of an astounding change
about to be wrought in the character OF
Albany legislation.
In treating of the National finances, the
| Governor confines himself most appropriately
to what may be called the mathematical prin-
cples of political economy. He is compelled
TO condemn, both in direct terms and
by plain implication, the management
to which the National Treasury has
been subjected since March, 1869. OF
late we have reached, in his opinion, "a
lower depth of discredit" than ever before
that of a debtor. who, when called on to pay,
can only give his creditor certificate that
he owes him the money! This observation
the Governor applies TO the action of the
banks during the panics, but we think he
would not deny its fitness to the present con-
dition of the United States Treasury.
We trust that the entire message may re-
ceiye that attention which IT deserses- and