The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-01-10

THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

opens his annual message with some
VARY -nfnuar rAn,o-Ls-t,pUu me dangers
of tver-legislation. He thereupon pro
ceeGs to suggest enough subjects to keep
The Legislature busy for about Ten years.
Many of his suggestions are good, in
their objects if not in the reasons given.
but they might have been more tffs ctive
had they been confined Sithin some
defnediimits. The Governor has sur
waved mankind with comprehei sive
Yiew-if not from China to Peru at least
from Philadelphia to Alegheny-aud
wherever lie has observed anything
amiss he has made a note Of it. Ii there
are yet some subjects of legislation not
touched on in this message, they may
be included another year.
1t would be quite impossible, even
Were it desirable, to consider all the
Governors suggestion at one time. They
range all the way from taxation to temp
eranoe and from public printing 10
marriage and divorce, aud are presented
with srch discursiveness that seven or
eight columns are occupied with matter
that might better have been compressed
into one. The subject Of the revenues
ot the State properly holds first place
and here the Governor is entirely right
In his general dedication that tour
revenue laws are intricate, complex. diff
hepll of ascertNnment aud uucertain. a."
and that it would be better to select
some one class OF corporate property
and assess the State taxes solely upon
that, leaving the varicus local sources
revenue, whether from porsonal property
or from licenses and the like, to the
loci goyernm,nta. It was quite un-
necessary and illogical to wander of
into the old faliacies about the UNEQUAL
and onerous burdens borne by real
est"te.L The inequalities Of cur reyenu,
system are all tho result Of lr.itless
eff rts to extend taxation upon invisible
pro rIy and the dismal wall about the
grievances of the tillers of the soil is
mait4y,elap trap as is also the paragraph
about the ''ociuus" requirement that a
voter shall have paid tax Beneath all
this ronsense, however, there is much
sense in the general tenor Of the Cover
nor's practical suggesliorc, which are
In the line Of simplifcation Of the
revenue laws and the removal OF uu.
necessary taxation. Along with this
goe, the abolilioa OF number Of useles,
of s,prominsut Omoug Which is that
.ofMereautile APpmjs.r.
The Governor makes some sensible
and needed comments upon delay ci
jus ice IN capital cases aud not only
points outthe evil but suggests remedy
Tuls part Of his message deserves atten.
fion, as does also that upon tue lax
divorce laws of this State. His disgust.
tion upon railroads is too long and too
queTulous to command .oulire respect.
even were this Legislature likely to deal
fairly with the subject, and his self.
jusifcasory remarks en- the subject of
apporIionment will go for what they are
woih. All the way through the message
th're are good points scattered here and
Ahore, but, while aiming at something
more than mere perfunetory report, it
lacks anything like oompactuess of
thonght.or breadth of view. aud thus is
unlikely 10 make much IMPRESSION on
the UoDWonHealth ut large. while its
|qa,rulOns tone would alone prevent its
making impression on the Legis.
Nature