The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-01-16
State Governments.

The West Virginia Legislature met at the
Capitol in Wheeling On the 9Th January. |
Col. D. J. johnson, of Tyler County, was
elected President of the Senate, and Hon.
George H. 'Mofat, of Poeabontas' Cotnty,
was elected speskef of the House of Dele. |
gates. Several important measures will
come up in the present session, among
others, an entire change. will probably be
made in the judiciary Department of the
stats.
Governor Porter's last regular message
was delivered to the Legislature of Ten
nessee on the Sth. 1t reports an active
balance in the State Treasury of 1921, ,103.95.
The current expenses of go 7ernment the
past two years was $1,044. Ala. The tax
levied for 1878 was $685., ,s0OI the Unpaid
tax list of former years, $493, ,UOO The total
value of property assessed for taxation for
1878 shows decrease from 1877 of S13 $685.
695. The ou standing bonded indebted
ness of the State is $40 221 300: unpaid
interest, $4,052,717. The Governor adds:
" The settlement of this debt is paramount
to all questions of legislation 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 liability voluntarily contracted, and,
wisely created or not, can not now be
question. | no d, and have always believed,
that in the light of moral and legal duty, as
question OF commercial honor and State
pride, the best settlement of the debt for
tennessee would be 10 pay the entire debt
| according to the terms OF the contract"
Gov. Hartranfts 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 wear
| will be $2,173,000. The revenues of the
general fund for '78 fell below the revenues
of III some $600,000 and the estimated rev.
enues for '79 are 100000 below the same
standard, which Will make altogether for
two years in which deficiencies will have
prlnclpally accumulated falling off in rev
enues of 81 100000. The Governor believes
however, that by rigid enforcement of the
tax laws, spreading the payment of most
appropriations over two years C79 and 'SO)
Keeping expenditures strictly within
1 the estimates, and diverting certain
surplus revenues from the sinking funG
to the general fund, this deficit can be
made up, and the expenses for the next two
years can be het without resort to addi
tional taxation. Taking the two years to
gether, the Governor believes the revenue,
will not only be sufficient to meet all ex
penses, but that about 81 900, 900 of the pub
lie debt can be redeemed by the end of 1880
and the State will be abb to commence 1888
without deficit. The State has paid for tn,
suppression of labor troubles an average O
over $104 900 annually for the past eighteen
years, while the direct loss to capita
and loss of wages to the working elasse
from enforced inaction has been enormous
amounting TO many millions of dollars
The Governor devotes considerable spac
to discussion of the labor question, and ac
companies his message with a report of tn
Commissioner who visited England re
Gently, commissioned under seal of thi
State, to investigate the prac tical working
and results of various systems of arbitratiol
, in force there. He suggests the wild
publication of this report, W hich he strongl
lndorses, especially among the lahorin
classes No reference is made to resump
tlon or its effects, and the message cor
, cludes with feeling tribute to the memar
OF three recently deceased Pennsylvania
| Henry Armitt Brown. Bayard TAYLOR. an
t Morton McMichael.
!. A large part of the message of the Go,
!. ernor Of New York is devoted to financ,
|. The general fund debt, bounty debt. an
: floating debt have all been extinguishet
0 The State tax has been reduced from SIS
e TIT ,482 in 1874, to 1894 ,297 in 1878. Th
9 total funded debton the 30th of Septembe
J, 1878, was $9,154 ,O54 ! actual reduction /,
e the debt the past fiscal year, 81, sos 600 III
8 Governor recommends the cooperation
8 New York with Canada in establishing a
J. international park around Niagara Fall
|, preventing well-known annoyances
Y i visitors. s.#t =
The message of Governor William
d smith, of Wisconsin, was delivered to Il
70 Legislature, at Madison, January 10, and
n confined chiefly to State matters. TT
e. finances are in a healthy and satisfacto
e. condition. The State indebtedness renal
ID the same as last year, about two and a b.
1t million dollars. This, added to the
III deDtedness OF the counties, cities, tow
Of villages, and school districts of the Sta
III makes the public Indebtedness OF the peol