Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-01-11
synepsIs efthe GeEernef.s Message

The Message Of Gov. Carroll, IN nm
perfect epitome Of which We give be,
low, is Of unusual, if not unnecessary.
length and Of about the average dull
ness Of our State Executive papers. Its
references and recommendation. how
ever. embrace matters Of grave public
concern and entitIe the paper 10 care
fui reading By all MaryIsnders.
"The mseting," The Governor says,
'.of she General Assembly naturally
ssrreesm = resfsm oFxhe e0ndsti8u offhe
State, and Il win BE- my pleasure to lay
befnre you such information as i pos
Bess, and 70 present for your eonsidera-
ti0n whatever views | may entertain Of
the requirements Of the people. Twill
do this rs briefly a. I can. but che sub
iects are numerous, and many Of the
suggestions which ! propose 20 make,
would seem to require full statement
Of The reasons Why you should be asked
20 adopt them, as exhibited in the Comp
troller's report. The finances isihe first
subject taken up.
The total receipts into the State Treas
ury frem al sources during the fiscal
year ending September 30th, 1877, we're
two million one hundred and nine thou
sand one hundred and ninety-three dol
lars and seventy-five cents. winch adj
ded 10 the balance in the Treasury on
September 30th, 1876, of four hundred
and one thousand four hundred and
thirty tour dollars and twenty-ninec cents,
made a total Of two million FIVE hum
dred and ten thousand six hundred and
twcnty-eight dollars and two cents. III
The expenditures during the same
time, including the amounts disbursed
from the Funds" so-called, amounted
10 two million one hundred and seven
ty-nine thousand eight hundred and
thirteen dollars and seventy-six cents,
leaving a balance IN the Treasury on
September 30th, 1877, of three hum
dred and thirty thousand, eight hun
dred and fourteen dollars and twenty
six cents.
The receipts and disbursements ofthe
"iund" comprise the sinking fund and
free school funds, and the revenues
from certain stocks heln by the State.
The actual cost, therefore, of carry
ing on the State Government, ($296,-
s2l.96,) cannot be held to be extrava-
CANT.
The loss to the Treasury may be
stated as follows:
Dividends on State Stock Of Washing
kn Branch, two years, $4,000
Loss from reduction Of Insurance Ii
ce9se, two years, $4,000
Loss from Susqaehanna and Tide Wa
ter Canal, one year, 6o,000
Total. $3.50 200
A substantial saving can be effected
in the publication Of TIE general laws
by allowing acts to take effect on June
1st, instead of from date of passage.
The cost Of publication ought 70 be re-
duced one-half. 80
The new assessmentis is then alluded to as
pfesenting favorable showing. Hesays:
The exemption Of mortgages from
taxation is supposed by many to have
had a bad effect, and TO have thrown
great burdens upon real estate.
I cannot, however, entertain this
view, but believe that the exemption
was made BY the Legislature on the
broad grounds:
lst. That ID was q double tax. which
always Tell heavily on him who was
least able TO pay.
2nd. That by retaining the tax on
mortgages We We're keeping up poll
ey that would drive capital from US and
render real estate worthless as bor-
rowing security, when it ought to be
the best that can be given for the return
Of money loaned.
In large cities like Baltimore the
values are more liable 10 change than in
the counties, and the appointment of a
permanent board of assessors in that
city, clothed with the power TO make
an annual revision OF the assessment Of
real and personal property, would give
TO the community asetofoficers trained
to the task, and give assurance 10 the
properiy-bolders that any inequalities
admitted in one year would propably be
remedied in the next.
A law embodying in part these views
will be submitted to the Legislature ear
ly i'm the session.
The railroads and proceedings in the
courts to which the State Is party Is
thea discussed at length. and the whole
matter as II now stands thoroughly yen-
tilafed. He says
AS the case stands, the money paya-
ble to the State under the contract re-
lating 20 the Washington Branch rail-
road, Is the only direct equivalent which
the State receives for the immunity
from taxation which the company claims
10 enjoy.
In my Judgment the rights secured
10 the Stale by that contract ought not
to be modified or abandoned until by
mutual consent the original contract
granting TO the company immunity from
taxation shall be so reformed as 70 re-
move all doubts as to its real meaning,
and 70 impose on the company the OBJ
legation TO contribute its proportion of
public taxes for the support oi the gov
ernment Of this State.
III such arrangements can be reached
by mutual consent, il would seem to me
thai other questions now i'm dispute be-
tween the State and the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company. might be easi-
IL adjusted.
The history ofthe greatrailroad strike
i detailed and attention called 10 the