The Southern herald., 1886-01-16
Gov. LOwry's Message.

We have read the message will
some care, and are well pleased
with the tone and drift of this Stat
paper, which we think reflects
credit to our State and to her Ex
ecative head. We see nothing tina
can be called demagogueism in this
!, lengthy document. The Governol
calls special attention to many inn
portant subjects, among which We
may mention the following: Ht
shows that his four years admins
tration has increased the indebted.
ness of the State, but he explains
Hwhy it has thus increased, and it is
apparent that no fault lies at his
door. The reduction of taxes and
the increase of the school fund ac-
counts for the growing indebted
ness of the State. He makes a
good suggestion in reference to
passing a law making the valuation
of property uniform all over the
State. This would make the bur-
den of taxation equal on all the
people Of the State. AS it now
stands it is not equal. This may
be corrected so far as lands are
concerned. The last assessment
of lands showed very wide diff
ference in the counties. For In
stance and as extremes take the
counties of Sharkey and Tate;
Sharkey 81 70, and Tate 81 20 per
acre. The question of the collec-
ton of the poll tax he thinks claims
the attention of the Legislature;
and without saying directly that
the payment of poll tax should
be a prerequisite to the exercise of
the elective franchise, he does as
sert it to be a high duty to pay
this pittance, and that it may be
secured by fixing penalty as for
a misdemeanor for non-payment,
The doubling of that tax amounts
to nothiag with most of the delin-
quents. The Governor makes a
good suggestion upon the subject
of court expenses, and points out
a means Of reducing the expenses
of criminal prosecution, by giving
justices of the peace more extensive
and general jurisdiction over al
offences below a felony. He elab
crates this subject, and shows the
enormous expenses Of circuit courts
and the ways and means of avoid
ing much of this burden upon the
tax payers. The sum due theState
| from the United States for sale O
public lands in this State of 5 pei
cent on the net proceeds of sales
and for which suit was brought by
the Governor and not recovered, il
again alluded to and collection
urged. TheChickasaw school fund
upon which the State is now pay.
ing interest, he desires to have the
rate of interest reduced, and as
usual with all the Governors in the
States, he favors the education Of
all the people, upon the ground
that religion, morality and knowl-
edge are necessary to good govern.
ment; and presents the condition
of all the State institutions of fearn.
ing to the Legislature, with sugges'
tions appropo to their wants and
necessities. He discusses the pen.
itentiary system, shows what car
and should be done in the interest
Of that institution; and of course
does not forget the asylums for the
unfortunate deaf and dumb, insane,
aud blind, all of which the Legis-
lature is called upon to look after.
The State board of health, the
State library, immigration and
agriculture he briefly mentions, ,yet
sufficiently significant for the mem.
bers of the Legislature to investi'
gate their condition, wants and ne,
cessities. The Exposition, railroad
commissioners and their status, he
only briefly alludes to, with the
exception of the railroad commits
sion, which come in for Ions
paragraph, and their report is re.
ferred to for full particulars. The
Mississippi levees, State militia
the appointment of aSupremeCo