The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-02
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

EXECUTIVE DEPAR1MEsr.
6fhS"' New OrteHps. January y, 1916, }
.,.,., of the General Assembly of tho state OF
., an,o,,iapce with tho requirement. Ot tho
:. .,,,n,ion OF the state. which provides that
,,,.srpor shall give 70 the General ssembly
u" ,,ro,atlon and recommend 10 thor CON
sn. '..,,ou such measures M may be deemed OK
7 transmit you this. my fourth annual
message. ,,,, A.. ,o,,,., nj,
:. ~ three Parishes. which have been recently
.I...,.sd nv local causes. peace and good order
u.av,,, within our limits Providence mas re-
p.raed tho industry Of the laborer with sbup-
s ~, o,ops. The Imports Of our chief city have
Vs. vs.. ,,.,erisIIy decreased. aud our exports thus
a ~. .sov a considerable increase. Our agricui
w. -, ,ssources have been enlarged md devcl-
W." va wa have suffered from the financial
'.v',..eocy and depression Of trade, from which
49,. IN the Union has been exempt; but
=. ~. I. continuance Of tranquility and public
-, sucb NJ I trnst will hereafter prevail, We
~" W" thankfully anticipate an early reviva, o.
% ""ss.nerity In all branches Of trade. commerce
~ AGRICULTURAL industry.
az tho more encouraged 10 look forward with
.-..,nc expectation to the Immediate future.
"..s.se 10 arc now on the threshold Of the full
1870 AZ thoss financial reforms which. at the
~. s,ect,on, by tho unquestioned vote OF ma
~, NJ the people, werc cngrsfted ON the c0n-
...,r,,on OF the state. Tho bonefts already de-
go frem these reforms In their hitherto par
A., o,sratIon have boon 40 manifest that We are
,".,,aed In expecting creator beneficial results
-, ,hst their full influence u about 10 be made
's..,e.,. I am constrained 10 think that tho
-...oi,udo and Importance OF these amendments
-. svep yet imperfcctly Understood by many OF
49,, ouyeus, and that they are still more imper.
s..,,, spprec,ated abroad, whore exaggerated
...,sments Of the financial cinbarrassments OF
~. s,.,e arc yet circulated and believed. ny
.ss ooerstIon Of these amendments the debt of
.ss a,.,e ia reduced, with the active concur
' =. n mot with tho voluntary consent, Of our
...s,ors. 10 q point admittedly within tho
.'.,se, Of the state TO meet principal ana inter.
", :, maturity. During the whole torn Of forty
-. over which the new bonds run the debt
=. M, he increased beyond the point to which
!, n.. thus been limited. The appalling load OF
cor,ipscut debit over s2i .ooo00 In amount. never
.,,uslly incurred, but standing on tho statute
,,oot, constant source of danger and uncer-
,slnty, has been buried beyond resurrection.
Thu interest appropriation on our new debt IL
!. ado perpe t,ial ustl the extinGuishment Of the
ASH, itself shall have been accomplished. Both
c,luc,pal and interest are guaranteed by che
constitution. No power can hereafter tamper
With mo credit Of tho state. Tho rate Of taxa.
,,op ia limited. The Legislature IL restricted In
IA expenal,ures 10 tho revenues which that
rate Of taxation will yield. and the revenues Of
zach ', mr. are 10 he devoted exclu lively to tho
expenses Of that year.
All lamentations in excess OF revenue are
,,netted absolutely null and void. Hcnceforth
there rpn neve rmorc be floating debt In Louis.
lana. The issue Of treasury warrants In exccss
Of reycuue has been the financial baue Of the
state IN tho four years Of my predecessor'~
administration warrants were Issued In excess
81 revenue 70 the amount OF over d. 900. The
legislature Of isGG-e7 appropriated ei3,O00.O0l
over receipts. No email proportion VI tho exist
ipx debt has been made up from those SOURCES.
Ia future under the full operation Ut the fund.-
ipg Law aud tho constitutional smendmeuts the
appropriations must DO kept strictly within the
limits 81 the revenue all OthcrwiSe rnadc VIII
state viii be hereafter fixed quantity. which
csn nt any moment be Ruthent lcnlly stated and
proven. In addition to these State reforms, the
tiiy Council of New Orleans have been prohib-
lied, aso by constitutional amendment. from
Issuing further bonds or sny evidence Of lndebt-
edncss except against cash actually In the
Thsse srs some Of tho features OF tho financial
policy Of my administration which with the now
ysar 10 INTO full force. From this time onward
90 Legislature can lncresse tho debt OF the State
:. suspend the payment Of the interest. NoiY;
one dollar 70 the debt which the property hold
era o. the city are now compellcd 10 bear These
Of themselves. Am oonadent, Will
posluep II ought 70 hold. Whom they are re-,
aarded In connection with the reduotion Of tax.
alton already effected. the further reduction
which, with your aid. hope TO see made. the
nom these measures and from the equalization
VI tsxts and In connection with the great social
evolution through winch since the war We have
lAen PASSING, and ont OF which | believe the
recently adopted adjustments OK past political
II properly appreciated, viii enable
"a hafnl0neusly aud Amccesafully 70 emerge.
lhey hold out 70 us. venture to think. the pros
pect Of a future moro prosperous. more peaceful.
hlcte thoroughly IN accord with the great prin-
rlples Of Christianity. civilization and human
prosrcss than the State has ever yet enjoyed.
frescst Cssdlsiss Or che State Dest.
I regaidas chief among tho toplcs Of impor-
lance which II In my duty 10 lay before you an
luthoritative statement OF the debt OF the state
% presenting to you the exact figures Of cur In
oebteduess ~ derived from the official records of
lhc State. shall be Obliged. 10 sOme extent. a.
repeat Information conveyed IN previous mes-
naFes. Hut the actual financial condition OF the
state has been 20 grossly misrepresentcd, and
esistipg facts have been 40 distorted for prI-
vhic or partisan purposes. that deem IL due
shse TO the tax payers and creditors OF the
s'ate 70 mako full and complete exhibit Of our
liabilities ana resources.
:, Al tho commencemcnt ~ the year 1879. when
!he present ADMINISTRATION came into power, the
bonded ana floating debt Of tho Stase wa
vA,o@,iW 70. In addition to thlssamount, Their
we're existing upon the statute book Of th
stale certain contingent liabilities, as follows:
balance Of subscription Of state, In 1855, 70
isususus ~ NH,N
"u"s - Mexican Gun Canal Company, act
j.. Nc III IL IsWQ. fMD
htuds to NV Ofleaps. Mobile and thaslA.
necsa Railroad Company, act No. 20 OF
1ebds TO New orleans, Mobile ana Chntia
isesa Railroad Company. act No. ~ Of
n 100000
"'nue 70 New Orleans BATON Rouge aud
,v.,ckshurr Railroad Company. act No.
~ oi isv2. 6,250.oOU
bocds 20 establish Charity Hospital at
n sheyepor, act No ise ~ 1850. ....-... 100000
V"e thousand shares Mississippi Valley
.NAvFeuon Company. act No. 81 of 1870. 100000
s 100 Of is7o. .................... ss,No
''" ~ ns y Railroad Company. act no.
SHHMssippt River Navigation Company. act
.. No pot 1871. 10000
uM'la state House, act No. ~ Of 1871 tj00OQl
"~xahdfis and Fulton Railioad Company,