Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1888-05-19
Governor McEnery's Farewell
Message.

The message submitted 10 the Legislature
hy G"vern"r McFn-ry ON retiring from the
2nb-rnat"rial Office is thorough and exhaus
I'VE, clearly evidencing that lie has kept him
sell perfectly familiar " ith every detail per.
tanning 10 the affairs al the State over whose
destIni-s he has presided with such disrin.
gn,,hci ability. We wonld like to submit "a
The readers Of the Times the instructive docu.
ment III fnl, bat that its length iorbid.; hence
All occasional extract and brief and imper.
feet sympsis will only be given. He says
IN the OUTSET:
! You come directly from tire people and
fully understand and appreciate their wants,
the interests Of the State and of the communi.
ties which yon represent. There is ample
time in The period fixed Ior your deliberations
to enact all the necessary legislation for the
State aud for the localities which you repre>
sent There j, very little general Legislation
! required, and have noticed but few publ.
ration as required by the constitution for local
legislation. Your work will be more IN the
line OF curing defects in existing laws than
rnacting new ones"
/ The agricultural interests ofthe State and
the levees are represented to be in excellen,
condition. Its financial condition ia encouras>
ing. Assessments have been increased, are
more uniform, values moro evenly distributed,
delinquent Isis smaller, collections promp,
and close, the eredn OF the State improved
and the interest on the public debt promptly
paid. Parochial and local governments in
| the country have been we'll administered and
are generally out OF debt. The necessity for
an equalization of ass, ssments in accordanc e
with Arr. 203 Of the constitution is urged
however. He had hoped that under proper
legislation personal property, which 50 easily
escapes taxation, would be reached and the
assessed value Of property DO brought up to
$500 100000 in which case the six mill.
limitation would be more than sufficient for
all necessary purposes. As il Is, that rate
will not provide all the money actually re-.
qnired for carrying on the government. except
by reducing the school and levee sppor.ion.
Tent, which no one desires 10 be done. The
only remedy he can suggest is to raise the
taxation to seven mills.
The governor speaks in favorable terms Of
tho management Of the Shreveport Charity
Hospital. The new board received a legacy
OF indebtedness to the amount g. 50 500 and
he recommends that the Legislature make an
patients treated the past two years was SIS
346 whites and l69 eolored; ass were re,
stored 70 health and discharged. The NOR
'ali'y was TINS IL per cent. Especial
attention is called to the report Of the presi-
dent ofthe board and house surgeon, W. w.
Ashton, which among otheI things states that
i will require an appropriation OF at least
1000 per annam TO administer the hos.
pi,al in crodi,able manner, and he fully
concurs in all the recommendations for legis.
lsiion.
The Louisiana State university and Aeri.
cultural and Mechanical college is repre-.
sented to be in = Aourishing condition, with
Ninety students in attendance an increase OF
25 per cent over last session. Tho governor
says:
"The graduates Of the university are In
every portion Of the State, occupying bieh
positions in social and political life, and Civ.
ing evidence Of the thorough training ard
mental discipline which shey have received"
The recommendation in his message in
1886, that On industrial college for women be |
establi he'd, ID again urged. and the sugges- |
ton made that tho commodious and elegant
building, formerly occupied by tbs deaf
mu,es. 10 sdmiTabIy adapted for IN iussisu.
ton OF the kind.
Although in the last few years the sccom> |
modaiions for the insane have been increased
fihy per cent this BY no means meets the |
requirements OF tho institution. The gover>
nor recommends . fundamental change in |
snagement-,hat the members of the board |
MI I've appointed II large from the State, as
The present local influences ere not beslthful: |
that The governor sboaId be, ex-oSyicio, q |
member Of the board, and that he should an,
point the superintendent and physician of
The asylum.
in RELATE n 10 the outlets along Red river he |
quotes an extract from the report of the |
State lnar,l Of engineers in favor of their
gradual closure.
While the governor has not changed his
views favorntiy to railroad Legislation, he |
savs there IL a divided opinion on this subjec,
throughout tie State and suggests that il |
w""ld he productive OF more evil than good |
10 enact any law that does not mc.t with
public appreciation.
As IL would he embarrassing to any State
s'fnini 'iraiion to have Tho convicts now
thrust npon il for care, support and empley>
nent, he thinks the best solution of tho Guess
ION Of convict labor under present circum>
stances would be 10 10, it ien.sin o. now fixed
by law.
There are number Of other subjects dis
'nssed in the message which wan: Of space
prevents EVEN brief references to. The ioI.
owing 10 the conclusion:
Il hope You and your lsbors may men,
with the appreciation OF the people and tina,
'"ur legislation may result in the general
prosperity of the State.
"Wh~s retire from the Office of governor
N the o." Of May, ] will carry with me thr
irm conscientious conviction that I have
aboFed earnestly end faithfully to discharge
the duties Of the Office. While
he results Of the administration may no, have
net With the fall expectations Of the people,
am sure the people al the State fully an.
'rec.s'e the efforts | have made end tina,
n retirement will snjoy their re.pec, for
on~a inien ions. il have failed TO win their
dm.ras'on for snv great work OF public inn
rovemen' or any measure Of great sefclm.''-
hrevspor lines OF 18th.