The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-01-16

The Governors Message.

The Governors Message.
The message of Gov. Carroll, which was
transmitted to the Legislature on the 9Th in
slant, is a dispassionate review of his admin
istration, which is shown by the facts set fortl
to have been judicious, progressive and at the
same time, increasingly economical. Will
pardonable pride, the Governor refers to the
fact that during his term of office certain re
suits have been accomplished which
cannot fail to be of permanent value to the
| state" Important questions in controversy
between the State on the one hand and indi
viduals and corporations on the other,as to the
exercise of the States powers of taxation have
been satisfactorily settled through "the untir.
ing labor and great ability and zeal" of Attor.
ney General Gwinn. The laws have been en-.
forced in the midst of great popular excite
ment, the various public institutions have been
conducted with judgment and economy; and
the credit of the State has been maintained al
home and abroad. In retiring from the Chief
Executive office Gov. Carroll will have the
satisfaction of knowing that the affairs of the
State were never in more orderly and pros
porous condition. The record of his admin
istration for the past year is especially favor
| able. The total disbursements from the Treas
ury for 1879 were 81 ,774 ,283.26, as against
$2,4S9, 070.1 IA for 1875 showing decrease OF
| S714, 1858, a result which,. as the Governor
| says reflects high credit upon the economical
| and judicious management of the Treasury
| Department. The net debt of the State upon
which interest has to be provided is ST, G64,
2S0.1S and the Governor estimates that if the
unproductive assets of the State, amounting
| in the aggregate to $25 000, 000 were sold the
entire debt could be extinguished In this
connection the Governor recommends that
| the per cent. Defence Loan, which falls due
in 1885, shall be provided for by refunding
| loan at per cent, payable in fifteen years.
The valuation of taxable property in the State
aggregates $509,213,S91 and the report of the
Tax Commissioner shows that there has been
an increase in the value of corporate assets Of
$12,331 ,4G4. The Governor urges the neccssi-
| ty of more careful revision of assessments
in this city for the purpose of securing equaIi-
cation of taxes and larger taxable basis
| and recommends that the present system of
collecting State taxes, which is now the cause
| of serious embarrassment to the State in the
| discharge of its obligations, owing to the
| failure of city and county collectors to make
their returns promptly, be amended so that "a
sum equal to the usual levy of the State or
gross sum based upon the valuation of the
property be made charge upon each NUM-
cipality and county and that the city officers
| and County Commissioners who receive the
taxes be compelled by law to pay over to the
State Treasury the amount levied for each
city and county within specified and reason
able time" This plan has been tried and has
been found to work satisfactorily in Massa-
chusetts and other States.
With regard to the present system of to-
bacco inspection, the Governor declares that
the tobacco warehouses, as conducted at pres
ent, are not only an unnecessary burden upon
the state put iall TO accomplish the purpose
Tor which they were established, lie strongly
recommends that they be leased to private in
diViduals and expresses the belief that the
change would result in securing more
| thorough Inspection OF tobacco and in large
annual saving TO the state. Should the Legis-
| lature, however, decide to adhere to the pres
ent system the Governor recommends that the
| inspectors and officers be compelled to look
to the receipts alone for the payment of their
| salaries. lie also advises that the offices of
welgher general and weighers OF grain be
abolished on the ground That they are OF no
value whatever TO The public, and that the
| Legislature snail take lnto consideration the
! question OF repeating the compulsory features
OF the present law IN reference to weighing
| cattle sent to this market Tor sale. On this
point the Governor torcibly says that every
encouragement should be given to build up
the cattle trade OF Baltimore and that this
cannot be effected as long as the laws of Mary
land require TAX TO be PAID Tor weighing
cattle brought into this State for sale. With
regard to the workings of our public school
| system the Governor suggests that power
| should be lodged with the State Board OF Edu-
cation and the County Commissioners to
supervise the accounts and place check upon
the expenditures of the County School Boards
| and that the State Board OF Education SlOul0