Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-01-10
THE GoYgRNoRs MEssA GE

PANE. lhls curt allhslon 10 inc Gu
topic OF the Presidential sue
cession is all he has to say about II.
Like the other nnrlceessf.. van(Hdat
lsy!F'Tv::se.sa 1sus,ubIIcai, if'SFsfnaAase sisSs
pe.aags ih. sSsseptlon Of Senator Nor
ton, he sustains the defeat OF his iofTh' 7
nate rival with the utmost cquanimily
Indeed, his candid admission that the
delay 10 announcing the result is an
exaspera ing circumstance, in com
mcrcial point Of view, may be consid-
cred us rbuke TO the Republican
marplots who are insisting upon count.
ing in the defeated candidate.
The financial recommendations of
the message arc Of an extremely cau-
tious and non-eommttal kind Last
year IN order TO mebt extraordinary
demands upon the Treasury for expen-
diturcs to which the State had been
committed by previous action of the
Legislature heavy draft was made
upon the sinking fund revenue. Two.
thirds OF the corporation tax was swept
into the general fund to be paid out for
current expenses. At the same time
it was provided that for tho year 1877
only one.third OF this tax should be SO
appropriated. The withdrawal of this
source Of increased revenue is likely to
create a famine in the Treasury for the
current year. Tho Governor, however,,
while warning the Legislature that he
will veto appropriations in excess OF
probable revenue, does not venture to
advise either new taxation or q further
raid upon the sinking fund. Herein
he shows q tmidity that is not likely
TO be shared by the majority in the
present Legislature unless there has
been marked change in tho chape-
ter oi Radical representatives. His
hesitancy may cost the State dear in
the end. The failure TO mark out u
clear path toward desired financial
policy generally results in costly lcgis
lativc experiments.
The Pennsylvania system Of collect
ing revenue is 10 abstain from direct
dealing with taxpayers and employ an
agency TO gather in the taxes. The
State taxes its agents, which are the
corporations, and the corporations tax
the people. By the operation Of the
Constitution the corporations are in
some particulars protected from un-
equal taxation, but the tax upon divi-
dends. with . resort to an appraise.
ment of stock where no dividends are
declared or earned, is found TO work n
practical exemption from taxation in
some cases. The Governor proposes
to remedy this by q partial reinstaic-
mept Of the old system Of taking gross
receipts. If he had recommended n
complete return to this standard Of
taxation for corporations he would
have exhibited wisdom. II is the
equitable method. Tho only reason
that it Is not enforced is that tho cor.
poiations have a remedy for inequalit,
They make the people with whom
they deal repay them 10 tho ultermost
penny. A tax upon gross receipts
would, in the first instance, be much
more fairly distributed.
That part Of the message relating to
banks and saving funds as well az
the more ordinary and usual topics
Of communication TO the Legislature
will in the main commend itself TO at.
tention and approval.
Perhaps the most Objectionable lea.
ture Of tho message is, not the abso.
lutte recommendations in regard to the
appropriations for and management Of
the public schools, but the insidions ap.
proval of the proposition that it is the
business of the State to assume the
function Of public education TO the OK.
clusion Of private undertakings. The
Governor apparently would have the
State make edpcation compulsory and
in the furtherance of this idea step bc.
tween the parent and child, demand
ing that whether or no the latter be
trained according to prescribed sys
ten. This is fat beresy. Education
as u free offering on the part Of the
State is n bcncfcencc. But State in
telligencc, or State religion, or State
politics are not things comprohpnded
within the scope ol Republican govern.
mcnt. Education needs nothing more
to commend il than the advantage il
bestows upon its posscssor. Tho sue
cess OF our common school system is
one of the best proofs Of this axiom.
Whenever tbs State ventures beyond
the line Of voluntary system II trcads
upon dangerous ground. The result
Of such policy would be in the end II
cumbrous and costly experiment which
could not endure under our present
political system.
The supcrlative style in which the
message treats of some Of the general
topics considered is n new feature in
the messages OF tho present executive
and Of doubtful taste. But the end of
the first century of national existence
and the triumphs Of its international
celebration afford somc scope for meta.
phor which will not offend the pa.
triotic reader.
REyoLurIoS OR COMMON SEssE.--
The New York Sun says There is
only one way to delarc Rutherford B.
Hayes elected President OF the United
States, and that is the way of fraud,
usurpation and violence, the way of
revolution. lfthc question is controlled