The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-01-16
state Lesi.la,ure.-Me..ase.

Inc w est tirSlnla Legislature met at bne
Capitol in Wheeling on the 9Th January.
Col. D. ]. johnson, of Tyler County, was
elected President Of the Senate, and Hon.
George Il Moffat, of Pocahontas County,
was elected speaker of the House of Dele
gates. Several important measures will
up in the present session, among
others, an entire change will probably be
made in the judiciary Department Of the
State.
Governor Porter's last regular message
was delivered to the Legislature of Ten.
nessee on the Sth. 1t reports an active bal
ance in the State Treasury of 1921, 103 95.
The current expenses of government the
past two years was S1,044, Ala. The tax
levied fol- 1878 was S22S, 200; unpaid tax list
of former years, $493, 900. The total value
of property assessed for taxation for 1873
shows a decrease from 1877 of $13, 500, sos.
The outstanding bonded indebtedness of
the State is $20,221 800; unpaid inter.
est, $4,052 III. The Governor adds:
The settlement of this debt is paramount
to all questions Of legisla ion that. can
engage the attention of the General Assem-.
bly,. 1t involves the honor and good name
of the State, and the honor of every citizen /;
is a liability voluntarily contracted, and,
wisely created or not, can not now be a
question. 1 hold, and have always believed,
that in the light of moral and legal duty, as
a question of commercial honor and State
pride, the best settlement of the debt for
Tennessee would be to pay the entire debt
according to the terms of the contract"
Gov. Hartranft's message delivered to the
Pennsylvania Legislature on the 9Th, shows
that the estimated deficiency in the general
fund at the close of the present fiscal year
will be $2,173,060. The revenues of the
general fund for rs fell below the revenue
of II some 100000 {, and the estimated rev
enues for 70 are 5000, 900 below the same
standard, which will make altogether fol
two years in which deficiencies will have
principally accumulated a falling off in rev
enues of 81, 500, GOO. The Governor believes
however, that by rIgid enforcement of thu
tax laws, spreading the payment of mos
appropriations over two years ('79 and 1907
keeping expenditures strictly within
the estimates, and diverting certain
surplus revenues from the sinking funt
to the general fund, this deficit can b,
made up, and the expenses for the next two
years can be met without resort to ad'
ditional tax alton. Taking the two years to
gether, the Governor believes the revenue
will not only be sufficient to meet all ex
penses, but that about 81, 000, 900 of tn,
public debt can be redeemed by the end o
1880, and the State will be able to com
mence 1881 without deficit. The State ha
paid for the suppression of labor roublesa al
average of over 100000 annually for the pas
eighteen years, while the directlcss to capita
and loss of wages to the working classes
from enforced inaction has been enormous
amounting to many millions of dollars
The Governor deyotes considerable spac
10 discussion of the labor question, and &C
companies his message with a report of tn
Commissioner who visited England re
Gently, commissioned under seal of thi
State, to investigate the practical work
ings and results of various systems of arb
tration in force there. He suggests the wild
publication Of this report, which he strongl
Endorses, especially among the laborin
classes. No reference is made to resumr
ton or its effects, and the message cor
cludes with a feeling tribute to the memor
of three recently deceased Pennsylvania
Henry Armitt Brown, Bayard Taylor
and Morton McMichael.
A large part of the message of the Go
ernor of New York is devoted to finance
The general fund debt, bounty debt, an
floating debt have all been e%xtinguisheG
The State tax has been reduced from SIS
27,4S3 in 1874, to 81, 941, 297 in 1878. TIL
total funded debt on the Both of Septembel
1878, was So, 1910 8 actual reduction of tn
debt the past fiscal year, 1893, 900. TIL
Governor recommends the cooperation
New York with Canada in establishing a
international park around Niagara Fall
thus preventing well.known ~annoyances
visitors.
The message of Governor William ]
Smith, of Wisconsin, was delivered to tn
Legislature, at Madison, January 10, and
confined chiefly to State matters. Til
finances are in a healthy and satisfaction
, condition The State Indebtedness remaii
, the same as last year, about two and a ha
8 million dollars. This, added to the il
s debtedness of the counties, cities, towns, vi
lagos, and school districts of the State, max
D the public Indebtedness of the people
Wisconsin about twelve million dollars. Tt
r Governor devotes considerable space to Il
, tramp nuisance, and says that the asses