Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-10-11

IN1HS, WILL. All v.
A. Page having received q msjorty Of all the vote
cast, was declared duly elected Treasurer OF tn
State OF Vermont for two ears next ensuing.
On motion OF Senator Ormsbee OF Rutland county
II committee OF this Joint Assembly, ccnsisti" x G
one Senator and two members of the House. sas ~
pouted to wait upon the Governor elect and infJrl
him Of his lection, and that the Joint Assembly
, ready to receive any communication he may b
disposed to make. The committee consisted O
Senator Ormsbee of Rut snd county, MIR Scranton O
tergennes. and Mr. Eaton of Danvlle, Who pro
ceeded forthwith to the discharge of the duties as
signed them, and subsequently, appeared within
the bar of the House, accompa led by the Cover
nor elect who informed the Joint Assembly OF hi
acceptance OF the office TO which he had been elect
ed. and that he thea proposed to receive and sub
scr be 10 the oath of Office which oath duly ad
ministered BY the Hon. Timothy 2. Redfe d, ono o
the judges IF the Supreme Court OF Vermont ant
subscribed to by HIS Excellency. His Exceliency
Bedtied Proctor then, in person, submitted to tht
/ Joint Assembly his annual message.
Gov. Proctor's Message.
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Rep.
resentat,yes:
We are assembled in accordance with the
provisions OF the Constitution to assume the
duties of legislation as representatives OF the
people. Ii is their right and duty to de-
mand of us the utmost fidelity to their inter-
ests and Just appreciation of the great
trusts they have placed in our charge must
impress US with deep sense Of our respon'
sibilItg to them, and inspire us with the
highest resolve to quit ourselves like en-.
In this spirit let us approach the business
| of the session.
STATE FINANCES.
The State is virtually out of debt. The
amounts due the Agricultural College fund
and due towns on account OF the United
States Surplus Fund, are not properly
| chargeab.e to liabilities, in arriving al our
present financial standing. Omitting these,
therefore, there was, on the first day OF
August, balance of Ss7. .S3474 in the
treasury after providing for unexpended ap-
preparations and for the payment OF the last
of our war bonds, which mature on the first
! day of December next.
This is a proud record for our little State
| In the great war of the Rebellion our SOL
diers made the name of Vermont respected
and honored by friend and foe. And now
the State has shown hers,lf not unworthy
to be the mother of such sons by promptly
. and ungrudgingly meeting the last dollar of
, her war obligations, and has illustrated the
seli-evident truth that the greatest measure
Of public faith and honesty goes hand in
hand with the truest courage and patriot
ism.
Treasurer, showing the assets and liabilities
OF the State at the close of the last fiscal
year
LIABILITIES.
Due towrs U. S. Surplus Fund ...--..-.s 1879 81
Due Soldiers accounts. s.....--......-. ll,07i j
Due Suspense account outstanding
checks).-..---.-.....-..-.. l,e33 81
Bonds due Dec /, Is76........... $500 "
do do lS.s................. 33,5NU 20
n,,aA A IL al f'nl
sI9s,e2s II
ASSETS.
Due on Tax of ls77........-..s s,73l G2
Cash In Treasury and in
lgis42 SO
Excess of Liabilities. sos p
Deductipg frc m the liabilities the amount
due Agricultural College fund, and due
towns account Of L s. Surplus Fund.
not probably to be called for Tor several
years, the liabilities would be- 81 eO5 I5
Leaving balance Of assets ,e3i "a
from which TO pay unexpended appro-
priatons, estimated TO be paid within
ninety ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 5i.CQO 90
Leaving balance Of ot.................s ST, ,93i "A
towa.d the expenses OF the current ns
cal year, including expenses ofa Legs
lat:ye Session.
The Treasurer's biennial report gives a
detailed account of the transactions Of his
department. for the past TWO years.
STATE EXPENSES.
should regret to have you draw any ar
gument from these facts in favor OF an in
crease Of State expenses. However desirable
it may appear to make more liberal expendi-
lures for some of our public institutions, and
for many other purposes, the present Is not a
favorable time for such increase. Our
towns are, most of them, in debt, many of
them very heavily. and it is plain duty, so
far as is consistent with the necessary re-
quirements of the State, to relieve the peo-
pie of State taxation and enable them to
pay off their town debts. The amount OF this
Indebtedness on the third day OF March,
1868, exclusive Of the United States Surplus
Fund borrowed. was, in round numbers, one
and half millions, or nearly the same as
the total amount OF State debt at the close
of the war. On account of heavy debts
since contracted by towns in aid OF rail-
roads, the amount is probably quite as
large now. Individual Indebtedness also
is large The returns Of labor. capital and
comparatively small. There arc strong
signs that We are entering upon an era OF
low prices the world over. Tne great i'm
provements in machinery OF all kinds; the
opening of hitherto semi-barbarou coun-
tries to the influence of civilization. and
the consequent stimulus to production the
advance in means and methods o! transpor-
tatIon and exchange OF commodities be-
tween different countries; the rapid in
crease in the general facilities for doing
business, and many other signs all point in
this direction Such period Is one OF
hardship where taxation Is high; where
mn he
rule, where the laws arc not ample for the
protection of | ersOns and property, or
prompt and inexpensive in execution. But |
under favorable conditions, period of COM
paratively low prices may be one of great |
prosperity, stimulating industry and COM |
merce by opening new markets to the sue
cessiul competition of cheap production.
Heavy taxation Crives away capital, clogs |
the wheels OF business. and falls with |
severest weight on those least able to bear |
it. Ii not only takes from them directly |
their proportion under the law, but it in |
creases the cost OF articles of consumption |
so rs to levy an indirect tax upcn each in
dlvidual.
Recent statistics show that the prices of |
our farm products, of labor, and of most |
articles that go to make up the cost of liv
ing. do not vary materially from what they |
were IN 1850. Our population mas incress
ed less than ten per cent. and our grand
list less than five, since that time Is there
any good reason. then, why our State eX-
psnses should be more than doubled?
Let me call your attention to some .acts
from the report OF the Joint Special Com
mittee, relating to the increase Of State ex-
made at the last session and which
you will find in the appendix to the Jour
mails of both the House and Senate. | would
ask you to make careful examination Of that
report, and would suggest the appointment
of a committee at this session on the same
subject The figures give the State expenses
for the years 1860 aud 1875, but compsr-
son with 1878, would, | lear. be even more
uniayorable;
Court Expenses. $G5 go "A sl3J,5539 g!
Salaries and expenses OF State
Uihcers.. b,4lJ il l5,21S.l3 |
Printing 2,u53 .? 1,oo3.bs |
Care Of Deaf, Dumb. Blind,
lnsunt, nt,Ac-.-..---..------. l1IiH 2s,2l2G!
Agriculture. l.S52 10 2.b3S,sS |
Militia. 2,7s7 ~ 10 1912 |
Enu t.SsylJ II Vol " |
Fish tommi ssOnsrs.--...-. 7bl.t7 |
Library y---..-.---..--.---..-- l,i<u1u lr'is.Z< |
EXPENSES OF SESSION.
Debentures of General Assem-
Secretaries, Clerks and Re
pJrteTs ..-----...-..--.--- l,U7' ~ 2,7UO5O |
Legislative Printing. G.bls.5l 22.5y3.s6 |
The Auditors report for 1878 was receiv-
cd too late for careful examination. Atmy |
req uest, however. the Auditor has furnish |
ed me the items which show an increase OF |
court expenses in 1878 above 1876 of over |
S35 600.
am assured that often the entire sum of |
the veIdcts OF a term of court fall lar short |
OF the expenses Of the term to the State. No |
further comment on court expenses is needed. |
| have omitted in the foregoing tables. some |
items of extraordinary expenses. and Others
having no bearing on the general question |
but the grand total gives the State expen- |
ses for 1850, Sl42, 49, Is, and for 1876, with |
the expense of a session OF the eglslature |
added, 1926 726 y6 without the session ex-
penses, S2ii 95i 73
DIVIDING the expense Of n session, as they |
a rc nnM hinnniAI unh addInr nne-hnlt To |