Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-01-25

tive Ot tne SAFE. tbIlOW nm q ~ anu
respected custom in briefly stating
some of the principles thut will guide
me in the administration of the office.
| would first call attention to the
bountiful manner IN which kind
Providence has blessed our State aud
and endowed its people with benefits.
We should never cease to make great
ful acknowledgment of His over,had.
owing care. At periods like this there
is peculiar fitness in public rccog
nition of the goodness o. that Supreme
Being who has been orr safeguard
from calamity, aud whose heneiactionr
have attended us with uuccasing con.
stancY.
La the execution of the trust conf.
ded to me by the people, it shall hc
my constant eudcnvor to ascertain
their will with accuracy, and carry it
out with fidelity. For this purpose
solicit the freest commuuica ion be.
tween the people and the executive,
and will diligently avail myself of
every facility which will tend to in.
form me of their wishes. II will be
my solicitude to strengthen and con.
form the public faith in Democratic in.
stitutions by demonstrating, in the
sphere to which have been appoin-
ted, their aptitude for recording aud
effecting the wishes of the people Our
government was constituted TO give di.
rect and prompt recognition to expires.
sions of the popular will.
adopt, as of direct application to
the present time,a sentence from Pre.i-
dent Jackson's first inaugural, in which
he says: The recent d monstration
of public sentiment iuscrbes on the
list of executive duties, in characters
too logible to he overlooked the task
of reform"
This task, clearly set before him, the
present executive will 7eaIou-ly strive
to fulfil. Happily Tor him. there can
be no donbt of the particular subjects
rs to which the public anxiety tor i'm
prOvement has manifested itself
These are well defined. The method
of accomplishment i question Tor the
legislative wisdom ultimately To deter.
mine. - lar a- the limits of an al.
dress like this will permit. let ~,
briefly state few of the subjects ot
needed reform.
The people demand the abolition "f
ne-lcss Offices the fi>ing OF uliiriul
compensation at sums commensurate
with the service rendered hy ~anric.
definitely ascerraiucd rigid accuuuln
blllty IN the cxprnirures nl
public moneys; a public pcrfur.
nance of uiEirml trusts; and the
raising of the efficiency oi the civil ser.
vice by making fitness and integrity
alone the tests for appointment.
The people demand strict economy
IN the expenditure of moneys, simple
and business like conduct tf the affair.
OF government: and repeal of NIL
laws creating avenues for the needles.
spending of public funds at the ,l,crc.
tion of officials.
The people demand that the bur
dcns, as we'll as the benefits, of govern.
ment shall he distributed with fairne.-,
justness and imrartiality They de.
mand uniformity aud simplicity in
taxation, aud i s distribution in such
a manner as that, while nll bear their
just share of the common burdens.
those shall contribute most who r..
celve most. aud those suffer least who
can bear least. There is no more diff
iicuIt problem in government than that
relating to taxation. Revenue must
be raised by the State for the efficient
conduct of its affairs. Care should be
taken, however, in the imposition of
taxes, that we do not lose sight ofthose
upon whom the imposition finally
rests. The hand that pays the tax
into the treasury is not always the
hand that earned the contribution.
That system is most equitable which.
recognizing this truth, so distributes
the taxing weight that none shall e..
cape, and none bear more than their
just proportion. Our present system.
In its State, county and township
ramifications, is intricate, unequal and
ill.digested. 1t is to be hoped the pres.
ent Legislature will devise some meth.
cd for simpler aud iuster allotment
of these burdens
| shall urge the general assembly
the passage of legislation necessary for
carrying into effect the provisions of
the constitution of the State. The
benefits OF some of the most salutary
sections Of that instrument have not
been secrreh by the people, because of
the failure OF the Legislature TO pass
the laws needed for its complete en-.
forcement. The care bestowed by
the convention in framing the consii.
tuition, and the large maiorily of votes
cast for it when before the people fnr
its adoption, sh uld have inspired
their Representatives Ia the assembly
to prompt action in passing the mea.
tfres need fo uive IL fall pH,set pnr