New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-05
NE GOTERYORS MESNlGE.


Governor COrners Message is compact
clear and buSlncss-like document. There is a
great deal OF fact in it and very little theory.
IL gives the Legislature the usual annual
amount of Information about the affairs of the
State-lts finances. taxation. canals, schools
benevolent institutions, prisons, quarantine,
etc; adds few practical and explicit recon-
mendatiOns as to needed legislation, and
then stops. The reader will lock in
vain through the Message for any political
bias, or any attempt to aim stump speech at
the people over the heads of the members Of
the Legislature. The Governor writes as
though lie were the president of Il bank pre-
senting a report to the board of directors.
| The financial condition of the State, he says,
! is emncntly satisfactory. the revenues hay ny
been sufficient to meet all c1rrent liabilities,
| besides contributing 5000, 900 to tie sinking
fund and leaving on hand a surplus Of
| S25O,OOO more than remained Mt the
close of the previous fiscal year. The total
apparent debt is $9,114,O54 81, Of which
S.. 988, 800 is canal debt, but the sinking
| fund balances unapphcd make the actual
debt only $Z059,574 70. Taxes were
! higher last year than the year before,
ury, the new Capitol. The canals make a
good SLOWING, having earned n gain Of net
revenue amounting to $141, $40. A project
for deepening the water IN the canals by rails
ing their banks one foot is submitted
The public schools have cost $10,296,977,
Of which $7,G3S,921 went for teachers
wages. The prisons came within $1S,0SG OF
being self-sustaininG. Banking and insurance
affairs, which the State surervises. are
in sound condition. The new Capt.
toll consumed $1,25l ,9SG. For chan-
ties about $S,OO0,OOO was expended
on public aud private institutions,
The number of the insane is 9,513, and Is
increasing at the startling rate of about 400
a year. The Governor recommends an inspcc-
ton of county jals and pOOrlIOuseS, and the
establishment of a refOImatOry for women.
| He discusses the remarkable increase in emf
grafton from Europe, and suggests that Con-
gress ought to take from the State a portion
of the burden Of caring for the emigrants
landing at the port Of New-York.
An entire revision Of the Excise laws is
strongly urged. In relation to municipal af-
fairs the Governor has sensible and peril
nent paragraph. He says there should
pense of city governments and gives it
AS his deliberate opinion that if One-third Of
the officials OF New-YOrk and Brooklyn were
mustered out, and the duties properly distrib-
uted among those remaining, the public
would be better served than At present. The
overburdened taxpayers of these two cities
will thank him for this frank expression.
Among the concluding para graphs of the
Message is one that ought to produce speedy
legislative action. The Governor says that the
popular impression that Imprisonment for debt
was abolished many years ago in this State is
mistake. Laws were passed to that
end, but they have so far failed
to accomplish their purpose that it
ia not uncommon to find from fifty to seventy
five debtors confined at one time in the county
iail of this city, some of whom have been
kept there for years. imprisonment for
claims as small as twenty dollars is not
infrequent and cruel hardship is constantly
inflicted in this manner. This is not
the first time this matter has been dis
cussed, but one Legislature after another adj
iourns without remedying the evil, solely be-
cause the members cannot be brought to In
terest themselves in a thorough oVerhauling
of the statutes which make possible this re-
proach to the civilization of the Empire State.
The general effect of Governor COrnens
Message will be TO confirm the favorable i'm
preston bis administration has already made.