The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1884-01-17

GOVERNORS MESSAGE

ssntaiives' IL, n.v. s,aDsed since the
The two ~ the legislature have been char,
LIST NEE A., or domestic history by inc peaeeiui
acteriLesu ~ n well ordered government, ad9nin-
Ssred with fidelity IN a a tbs thrift Of the peo
aspiratl ons, hed free scope and have borne SOLID
people n 9here IS gratifying evidence ma. tns
frunt agencies OF genera euucassogi , a "a
teaching nA, reewarded by steadily widening
have DE- There Is perceptlple growsE s, n,,i
rosperity, marked oy new Sn.e. H. ,h
I Iissr sure Indications vi
future; 40 not escaped calamtties, which have
Nerrily retarded our yct We nav
enjoyed oV should inspire us with feelings
large tha nd gratitude toward the Glver OF all
good ...e,nbled agreeably to the provisions
. You MoiSsmentai law as the sovereign power
Of the commonwealth, to enact Slich laws ~ IN
10 tng ,dgment will promote intelIgenee, virtue i,
your luhsstry II should be borne in mind that
and S,aie which protects individual rights OF
Is Is the Dand property, and upon its laws and
Pers,4IIsstTatioh the prosperity and happiness OIL
the : 'optV an government. The government OF
depeInlutytad states touches the masses AT very
the nts and concerns them but little az a1ect.
Ing er s9siae al an must iook for protection in
iso W. and property. In its laws and their
lie, nvSTministration we are mainly Interested.
due snsa IL behOoves all on whom rests the
grave resg vi interests confdcd to them, and to
mina ~ AZ greatest care upon them. There Is
SsSSer Of too much legislation t ina Rs Is v nG.
ATsLl S,hnse concerned are familiar Is better for
WHICH. than frequent changes, In the hope OF
ANNOYING the law Inst Is priseM N,,i GonI
seei.omsthIng better by which TO substitute it
aG.staInty and stability In statutes are OF the
almost Importance to the welI-pelng Oh al aiecl c
euvyasfectiye and when amended 1t should he
hans carefuily and plainly, so as to leave no
SSOnbt As TO the legislative VIII. lt sometimes
ssspRRtfnl or wholly defeats the real legislative
e erDcse 4 well-conceived statute may fall TO
pSSact the good designed and may do positive
ssa,rrv nv not being properly framed and well
nluIrss.s ~ Everything connected with the i'm
eeaartsnt business OF legislation should be done
9SIberateiy and In order. Hasty and crude
,uoisiatjon Il the bane OF society. Hurried
egtnsnts near the close of the session are full
oS%ischief and hazard much evil Clerks with
cnt time to enroll correctly, and enrolling com
mitees without oPPoTstultyi 10 neTy may MAKE
"" The graye matters OF legislation should not be
. aesyed TO be rushed through In the expiring
days of the session. Time should h De AFFORDED "a
ioaisiatfon TO leisurely, and with care com
mensIrate with its solemn nature, perform his
duty The Constitution conte,mp;iates that the
n consider every bill passed by the two Houses.
This is to aft I'D time for examination, but In
practce the Governor Is caileu upon 10 acI III the
sst few days of the session on greater number
AZ hills than he can possibly read hastily in that
time. ,,
The reports of the Auditor of Public Accounts
s sgd Of the financial Transactions for the
mast two years 1t is desirable that, these re-
ports should be published in advance of The
meeting of the Legislature in order that the
Governor might have time 10 carefully examine
them and mature his recommendations. II is
especially important that they should be in your
hand at the beginning OF the session Tor reasons
not end until the first day OF January, it is I'M
possible for these officers to submit their reports
until you have been IN , session ion some a, weeks.
changed TO the lst day OF October. or such other
time as will obviate the difficulty mentioned,
The Auditors reports shows the valuation OF
the property in the state to be as follows
For las3, realty ;........ s79.Ii2,S5l
For 1882, personally ........ 81 -2l2,2l3
Total .................S 1l6,926,0GO
F FSI'i isS3 realty .....,,..... Ss7. 596,173
For 1883, personally. ....... S,l5s754
Total .Sl2G,7 1927
The assessment for 1882 shows an increase Of
sN556227 over the valuation in 1879 when the
land was last assessed. When it Is remembered
that factories. many new railroads and other
properties are exempt from taxation, this in
without parallel in the history of the State.
4 The following extract from the advance sheets
Of the Treasurer's report for the years 1852 ana
1888 will serve to show the general financial con
ditiOn of the State at the close of the present
fiscal year:
The receipts for 1882. I7O,959 -
The receipts for 1883. ............... 1864 10
Cash balance in the treasury, Jan. .
!, 1882. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS "i0,tUo -
Total ......... ...................S 2O62,9jO %
DISBURSEMENTS.
The disbursements for 1882 ......S 1,O51. ~ 05
The disbursements for 1888. ........ $50 499, so
cash balance in the treasury, Jan.
J. 1884. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, loo,9oJ OO
Total. 2,O62S90 IS
INDEBTEDNESS OF THE STATE,
Chekasaw school fund ..............S Sl5,709 II
Cbckasaw school fund interest . 1856 IS
Common school fund, old account. Sl7,646 rs
Common school fund distributive. 123,l39 10
Seminary fund, account University ,, -,
Warrants outstanding ............ 3J,i73 90
Certificates of Indebtedness out .
sat s'b bonds s,series"G, past due and
not presented .................... 1000 90
Mississippi four per cent. bonds due 1900. 49,
agricultural College Bonds due Jan. =.
Interest on per cent. state bonds,
past due and not presented. .... 800 90
Deposits by insurance companies,
currency not included Ill cash o, -
Railroad tax for distribution ...... 1898 81
Swamp land fund .....:.............. SS,S31 %
/ Tota' ...,..,.........S2 1854, 1872 O6
Dor proper understanding of the finances Of
aoOve such debts as are by their terms perma-
the State 1t Is necessary TO deduct from the
nent and never to be paid, but form the basis
for periodical interest payment. viz:
Chckasaw school fund 80, .. a5'7@ 09 81 81
seminary fund 5A,O6l 70 Sl,359,''0 VI
Balance .......... sl,6l5,O91 II
lis necessary also to deduct Com
mon School Fund, old account
for the reason that the constitu-
t0nal provision under which IL
arose hasbeen amended so as to
accomplish the purpose for which
| II was raised in a different and
more efectual way ...............S SlI,GB III
Balance. 7964l4 6i
| From the balance must be de-
Quoted the amount of the Agri
utural Land Scrip Fund, bonds
due in January, 1895, because the
fund by its terms Is to be perma- =.
hehtly FUNDED. .................,...S 2Z',loo W
Balance. 57O264 IS
Deouct in addition the currency in
the Treasury on account OF insur-
anee deposits, not included in the
| eash pdlance' ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 20 OV,VVo w
Balance OF payable debt. 5l0,264 &c
NOW deduct the cash balance In
the Treasury Jan. 1, 1884 49,. 16S,9s9 60
And II is found that the payable
debt OF the state above the
amount of cash In the Treas
qry Northumberland. 81, 275 O6
All will agree that taxation must not be in
creased. Mississippi must take no backward
Asp 10 the policy OF economy, retrenchment and
reform so happily inaugurated in 1876. 1t is
proper for the Legislature to understand, then,
.asl appropriations cannot be made on the mag
aincent scale of 1882. The most rigid economy
must prevail in all the departments of the Gov
e:nment. Public charities should be adequately
supported, but ornamental improvements, adj
gItlonS and extensions should be postponed On
anee Of S545, 100. 2S In the Treasury. On the list
gay Sy Of January, 1884, this balance is reduced to
tito969.60. 1t must also he remembered that