The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-01-07
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

The Governors message, which was
read before both Houses Of the LegiSla-
ture on Thursday. is an incisive indict
nent of the Democratic treasury policy.
by which the sinking funds have been
killed and the taxes levied for the re
.l,mption of the outstanding State loans
onverted-iliegally. as the Governor
holds-to general and protligate expendi
tures under the sanction of Legislative
| authority.
The total receipts Of the treasury for
the fiscal year ended Sept. 80. 1891, and
the balance carried over from the preced-
| ing year footed up - 503. &c. and the dr.
bursements 1.151, 400 leaving on the
| above date 4 cash balance of $I52, 1873.
! But the Governor insists that this appar-
entity excellent showing has been pro-
I cured at the expense of direct violation
| Of the laws. and that under the laws con-
trolling the creation of sinking funds for
the redemption of the loans by special
ttxes devoted to that purpose which are
| declared By the Constitution to be invio-
liable, the State owes to the principal of
the Defense loan $942 400. to the princi-
pal of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum loan
| $lS1. $40. to the principal OF the Many
land Hospital loan $lS36l2. and to tie
| principal of the Treasury Relief loan
S151 5:,4 or total of 81 4GJ. 1884,. The
offsets are the S952 1913 in the treasury,
~ = l,,
| of the Treasury Relief loan. and sfi3.
1914 i'll the sinking fund t" the general
account There is thus 81 49, 9l9 due these
, loans and the Governor sets down this
large sum az the cost to the State of a
mistaken financial policy and the misap-
preparation of the proceeds of the loan
| taxes, that have been mainly fribbled
away for the benefit Of the taX-eaters.
The Defense loan of So 326 80 is due on
july I. 1888 aud the General Assembly
of 1880 provided for refunding it at not
over 4 per cent. but Governor I1amil
tons argument is that il the sinking
! fund had not been burgiarized and de-
stroyed. the obligations could have been
paid at maturity. Or the Deaf and Dumb
ASYLUM ioa!. of 1925. 600 800 900 is due
in 1885 ami She remainder in 1889. aud
had the taxes received upon the principal
Of it been invested aS required by law. 1t
would have been paid beinfs MATURITY.
OF tie Mar. land Hospital loan ct $te,.-
600 1886. 900 is due in 1887 and the bal,
ance ia 1891. and We are equal unprc-
pared to meet 1t.
The position of .i.a Treasury Relief
loan Of $500 600. due Is 1923, is Yer!
slightly better. as some SJS. 800 hi,Va been
invested 10 state securities and carried u
the credit Of His loan i'll the remnant ol
the sinking fund. it is quite well known
that it is the idea "f abe maladminiStra
tors u our finances 70 rEjuu;t when they
eau,iDt pay. and in the condition. 4" ~ llicl
they have brought the state there is ,Ih
Other cGurse of action p 'sSble: but the
Governor n,akes an excellent point hS
showing that II economy is i,ractlced. the
treasury balance apple! IN the Defence
loan, where it properly bei"..g2, and the
loan and back taxes similarly used. tie
principal ct that loan to be refunded
eighteen moLt,s hence may be reduced
to 50. 800 coo. lie recommends the nego,
tiatlun Of 4: new loan at low interest tt
take up the Maryland stats loan of 81
G5G, 304. which was authorized 4. & pei
cent. il. 1872.
Retorm and economy are the topics
upon which Gov Hamilton dwels elah-
orately and At ira 9Th. He scores the
General Assembly fea its lavishness
with tie public moaey, Ani tells the
| members that unless the expenditures
for this year and next are reduced AZ
Least $3.50. 0Go, ''there will be a deficit iii
Tia treasury that ;uust he made up by
| taxation of some kind. at 4 strong hand
must lay upon the already appropriated
! taxes There is in this brief utt.tati ion
an alternative that mtt properly D. con,-
mended to the attention %! the Dem
ocratic majority al Aunap, oils on the the
Dry that their promises ~ lrugalty are
| better than the idle talk of ll;tl moment
The Governor proposes the reliGGAiUa OF
the siuInber of tax collectors to 9ne ia
each ceanty and the city. and lie opineS
that under such a system there would be
collected a large proportion of the hall
million dollars of back taxes due from
officials of the past aht i,tcsent.
He suggests the appointments Of an I'm,
paid commission to revise the wiiuis Il: y
and collection system. and report to the
General Assembly of 1884: the abolition
| of the office of cue of the two Fish Com
missioners; the repeal OF the law which
makes the Secretary "t the Senate the
receiver of the returns Of deaths. births
and marriages at a salary of $1,000: the
abolition of the offices of Superintendent.
of the House OF Correction telegraph
line. Tax Commissioner. Insurance Com
missioner, Land Commissioner. and the
weighers of grain and hay. lie raps the
| legislature over the fingers for its EN-
ployineut of useless officers and iT3rdi
nate outlay for the public printing and
publication OF the laws, and he calculates
that in these three items alone there car
be retrenchment Of sfG.000 without i'm.
pair,nent of the services properly rem
dered to the people. Gov Hamilton de
votes considerable portion Of his ines
sage to election frauds and the impera
tive demand for the enactment of new
registration and eisetion laws that shall
be entirely nonpartissh. The message
deserves the earnest confederation OF
every legislator at Annapolis.