New-York tribune., 1884-01-02
THE GOTERNORS MESSAGE.

cOiOrleSS presentation OF aDStTactSOl lhe eGcphV-
mcnt reports and related documents. lhs Mes
sage gives an equally clear account OF The con-
dition of the public affairs of the state and also
contains many valuable suggestions III regard
TO the leading questions now before our people
1t is positive and vigorous at most points Dut
is marrcd here and there by what looks Ike an
attempt to turn a State paper into Democratic
campaign document.
A stranger to our politics, unfamiliar with the
history of the Legislature of 1883, might con
clude upon reading this Message that that Dody
had been, upon the whole, model OF WlSdohl
and efficiency. And yet it was by no means
that sort of body. TOilustrGte: The Governor
writes that "the causes which contributed
"slightv to increase the rate OF taxation Tor the
"present year were the adoption OF the policy OF
Preserving 81 ,O0O, ,O00of the surplus then III the
"Trcasury to meet current expenses, and the ad-
"iustment of the canal finances to the system
"under which these works are supported by
"direct tax" 1t will be seen that Governor
Cleveland leaves the Inference to be drawn that
except for the reserve and free canal poIlcleS
there would have been no increase OF the tax
rate. This, to say the least, Is dlslnSehuouS'
For it has been repeatedly shown that there
WAS another cause for such an increase-one Dy
no means so creditable Is tie Governors 1ah-
urc to mention it to be referred to desire 10
shield his party associates in the last LegiSla
turc And how does it happen, II his sole ann
was to inform the people concerning the state
of public affairs, that he points with pnde to
suudrv achievements of the last Legislature, but,
while admitting that "thcre is no object 50
worthy of the care and attention of the Legisla-
ture as this [taXationl" suppresses the TACT
that the last Legislature entirely neglected the
subject of taxation! And so, too the desire to
harvest capital for the Democracy Is shown Ill
the paragraph of the Message relating to the
public buildings at Albany. The Governor
writes of "the act passed by the Legislature
(of 1889 to remedy the evident neglect III the
care Of the public buildings" But we venture
to assert that nine out of every ten men who
know ANYTHING about the matter Will unite IN
saving that the act was framed with the primary
object of giving the Democratic party little
more plundcr. A state paper having theimport-
ancc of a message would hardly seem to be the
place to "vindicate" Legislature that needs
vindcatiOn.
A more grateful task is to point out the good
features of the Message. The paragraph III
relation to the finances contains concise but
forcible argument for such an amendment OF
the tax laws as will equalize the distribution OF
the public burdens. The canal problemls care
fully presented. 1t is worthy of note that the
Governor regards the free canal policy as having
been "fully justified by the exhibit of the
seasons business. In regard to the prison
problem he speaks moro guardedly. He does
not express the opinion, entertained by so many
newspapers of his party, that the vote OF the
people last fall on the contract labor system
commits the Legislature to abOlishinS the sys-
fem. His language on this point is substantl-
ally in accord with the position taken by The
TRIBUNE. "The present Legislature" he says,
"wil be expected to consider the subject. 1t
"shOuld be approached with the utmost care and
"deliberation. The opportunity of the working
"man should not be injuriOusly affected by the
"labOr of convcts; nor, unless to avoid such
danger or OtherscriOus abuses, should the self
"suppOrtng feature OF the prisons be lost Ihs
is sensible; everybody will say amen to it ex-
cept the demagOgues. Perhaps the portion OF
the Message devoted to charitable institutions
will excite the most general interest and pro-
woke the most discussion. Believing that much
is defective and expensive in the management
of these institutions, he suggests that, taking
hint from What has been done with the prisons,
they be placed in charge of single superin-
tendent. He argues that such concentration OF
responsibility would be attended by the best
results. All that the Governor has to say on
this subject is worthy Of the careful attention
of the Legislature.
The excellent recommendation contained in
last years Message looking to regular and fre
quent examinations of savings banks srcnewed.
A good deal of space is devoted to the AdirOn
dack and State surveys, the Governor giving it
as his Judgment that all such surveys for the
public benefit should be prosecuted under the
direction of the State Engineer. This may in
deed be the true view, if the office Of State
Engineer is to be continued for all time. But
many students of State affairs hold that since
the office of Superintendent of Public Works
was instituted, the State Engineers Office has
Jagged superluOus. Still another important
division Of the Message relates to the preserva-
ton of the Adirondacks. The Governor realizes
the importance of providing against any danger
which threatens the water supply, but is opposed
TO schemes having for their object the purchase
by the State of immense tracts of the AdirOn-
daclls "upon the representation that this is the
only means of protecting the interests in
vOlved."
There is much else in the Message that Is in
tercsting and worthy of attention, but these
are the more salient points Every citizen who
cares to know precisely how the State starts off
in 1884 will read the whole of it. 1t demon
strates that our great Commonwealth begins
the new year enjoying high degree of pros
perity. "
CHLNESE OTERTERES or PEACE.