Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-01-09
GOV. ADAMS MESSAGE
SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
TO THE LEGISLATURE.

County EXpemdttureS-The Min
ing Interests-Fares and FreiEhts
Etc.
STATE OF NEVADA, EXECUTIVE DEPT,
CARSON, Jan. 5, 1888.
To the Legislature Of the State of Ne
vada-Gentlemen of the Senate and As
sembly: Elected Governor Of the State Of
Nevada by the suffrage of my fellow citi.
zens, I lave taken the required oath and
entered upon, not without some misgivings
of my own ability, the discharge Of tho
duties that pertain to that high and re-
sponsible position.
On assuming a charge so important and
grave, l cannot enter on these duties with
out great anxiety for the result.
Grateful to the people who 80 honored
me, my chief aim shall be to promote the
public good. The Governor is required,
by IN Act passed by the last Legislature,
to take the oath of office and enter on the
discharge Of his duties on the first Mon.
day in January after the election. This
law was passed in anticipation of the
adoption, by the people, Of the amend.
ment to the Constitution making the legis'
lative session begin on the first Monday in
February. This amendment was not sub
mitted to the people at the last general
OACNUAOAs ON1b6 IL q ldlihto ~ y Vh0 A"o
Legislature to provide the mode of sub.
mission, but my duty to take and sub.
scribe to the oath of office at the time desig.
mated by law is none the less imperative.
Owing to the existence of the law referred
to, no provision has been made for the
Governor appearing before the joint con
vention Of the Legislature, which has been
the custom Of my predecessors, ~embodying
his views on questions OF public interest
A proper regard for q time-honored GUS
tom makes it incumbent upon me to en-
brace the earliest opportunity to make
known my views upon measures affecting
the interest and welfare Of the people Of
this State.
Called to this high position at a time
when the evenues Of the State are con-
stantly diminishing and the population
gradually decreasing; when the industries
languish and prosperity is at q low ebb;
when even the most %sanguine cannot take
a hopeful view Of the immediate future Of
our State, l am admonished that the most
rigid economy should be prscticed in every
Department Of our State Government,
and to this end l will devote my best eff
forts.
The Legislature, at the last session, re-
duced all the salaries Of State officers. The
officers in charge of the State institutions
and heads of the departments, have exer-
cised all the economy that can be reasons
bly, expected from the present or future
administration. The chief expense of the
State government arises from the main
tenance of the State institutions, to wit:
the State Prison, Orphans Home and In
sane Asylum.
1t is then to the county and municipal
800 ~-.ak 1@oJr e., A. IL,
ton of expenses and relief from the bur-
troller shows for the year 1881 the State
tax on all property mot including the net
proceeds of minos) was in round numbers
$3.50, 600, while the county tax amounts
to S675, 900. For the year 1882 the same
authority shows that the States portion of
last years taxes was in the proportion OF
nine to thirty-one of the amount of taxes
received. / invite your earnest attention
to the great expense Of the several county
governments, and suggest that each dele
CATION scrutinize closely the expenditures
of its county and reduce them to the
lowest sum consistent with public interest.
MINING.
1t cannot be denied that the permanent
interest Of our State -mining-is in very
depressed condition, nor can it be contro-
verified that all other interests, except
stock-raising, now languish. Our mer-
chants, agriculturists, mechanics, miners,
and indeed the whole community, are more
or less dependent upon the success of the
mining interest. 1t will afford me pleasure
to join you in any legislation you may feel
necessary to relieve our mining interest
from its present depressed condition, and
place it upon . healthy, active and re-
munerative basis. The attitude of the
President OF the United States, as reflected
by his late message to Congress, as
well as the ~well-known sentiments of
many prominent men in the mon
etary circles in the East, in my
opiAion, should cause us to be vigilant in
protecting the vital interests OF the State,
and avert, if possible, the threatened dis
aster which would result from the de-
monetization of silver. 1t seems in
credible that the General Government
would willingly cripple one Of the great
industries of a State, which has con-
tributed such a vast amount OF wealth and
substantial relief to it's treasury in its
darkest hour and I feel If the true senti-
ment Of the people of the State finds ex-
preston through their representatives in
the present Legislature, in a memorial,
emphatic and unmistskable in terms, that
Congress and the Executive will halt and
consider we'll before striking a blow at one
Of the prominent industries Of the State
and Nation.
STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
Among the various subjects pertaining
to the raising Of sufficient revenue to sup
port State and county governments, there
is, in my Judgment, non more important
than the establishment OF q State Board Of
Equalization for the assessment Of prop
erty lying In two or more counties. 1t is
strikingly inconsistent that while in some
counties the Central Pacific is assessed at
so 1000 per mile, in other counties, where
the road is OF equal value, it is assessed at
&c., 600 per mile. In my judgment no
good reason can be advanced why the rate
Of assessments should not be uniform
throughout the State. If composed of
State officers, the cost OF the Board would
be small. Under the Constitution Of the
State the duties assigned them would be
performed without extra compensation.
An efficient clerk to the Board would be
needed, whose salary and a small amount
for travelling expenses would be the cost.
FARES AND FRE1aHTs.
In nearly every State Convention Of
either party the people in this State have
demanded Of the succeeding Legislature a
reduction and regulation of the rates OF
fares and frsights upon our railroads. In
my opinion there ia ample room for legis.
latiou on this subject in the interests OF
the people without doing any injustice to
the railroad companies, and any measures
you may deem espedient, looking to a re-
duction OF fares aud freiglts. with u visw
an spanuraoe and daysIon ths naEeral in
terests OF the State, will receive my hearty
approval,
BOUNDARY.
invite you to take some action looking
to the extension Of our western boundary,
so as to include all the territory east OF
the summit Of the Sierra Nevada Mount
aims. 1t ia believed that the people OF
Alpine, Mono and Inyo Counties, Califor-