Morning journal and courier., 1883-01-04
Thursday, Dan. z, 1888.
THE GoVRRNo1's MESSAGE.

THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE. The message delivered to the General As.
 sembly yesterday by Governor Waller is re. l markedly interesting. It will receive more
 attention than such papers usually do and
 will win respect for the new Governors abil- ity and boldness.
 One of the important topics discussed in
 the message is the protection of the ballot.
 The Governor recommends that the law be
 so changed that citizens who cannot well
 leave their work in the daytime may have an
 opportunity, at least in the cities and larger
 boroughs, to appear before the registrars of
 voters and the boards of registration in the
 evening; that law be passed providing that
 no contributions of money shall be made,
 directly or indirectly, by 8 candidate for
 oHce, for election purposes, except those the Legislature may think best to specify and that the person elected, @pefore entering his
 office shall take and subscribe an oath that
 he has not violated any of the provisions of the statute. The Governor would also have the caucus protected from the evil influences that nov surround it and too often control it.
 Gov nor Waller is a hearty Civil Service reformer, at least in his message. He also favors the extension of the rights of women, and recommends that they be allowed to vote for and become officers in school districts.
 The reduction of State expenditures is rec commended, though the expenditure for char itable, humane and reformatory purposes is praised. The Governor thinks that more efficient supervision of our charitable, re- formatory and penal institutions would be secured by the employment of superintend- ent whose whole attention should be given, under the direction of a competent board, to the discharge of the same duties as the law imposes upon the Board of Charities. This plan is in operation in other States and works we'll
 The judicial expenditures for the year were some $31, 900 more than those of the preceding year. It is pointed out that large part of these expenses arises from class of criminal cases appealed from justices of the peace and city courts, which ought never to have been brought, and which, in the exercise of sound discretion, are noS1ed before trial The Governor Is doubtless right in thinking that if the law were so
 
 the costs accrued before appeal, to be reim- bursed in case the State received the same, the number of such cases would be greatly reduced and expense saved. Another lmpor- tant recommendation concerning judicial matters is that law be passed providing that 1 the Superior court, like Courts of Admiralty, shall be always open, that complaints shall l be returnable on certain day in each month and that the judges shall annually fix the times of the sessions of court in each county l for the trial of cases This change is much | needed
 The inequality of taxation has long needed attention and remedy. Governor Waller | the passage of Q law requiring l that the taxpayer, under adequate penalty, l either in person or by list, shall report to the 1 assessors all the properly aWned by him, | wherever it may be and of whatever it may | consist. and that tha assessos% shall decide all questions of exemption subject to review by the board of relief, and of 6 law providing ] that upon the discovery that property sub feet to taxation has not been assessed, the | tewrf fn which such property was taxable | nay recover, in action at law, of such owner | ,r his estate, an amount equal to the tax | which would have been assessed upon such l had the owner thereof reported the ] 'ame to the assessors. These laws, the Gov l ,rnor thinks, and has good reason for his | opinion, would largely increase the amount | ,f property assessed, and justly reduce the l axes of the great majority of taxpayers | whose only property is continually exposed 0 the view of the assessors.
 Those who believe in the Sunday laws now ,n the statute book will not be pleased with he part of the message in which they are ouched upon. The Governor would actual y allow the people to attend a pleasing and improving entertainment on Sunday even ng! Nor does he believe in prohibition. What he says concerning the license law and he amendments which might be made to it will give rise to much discussion. It should oe carefully read by all interested in the i