The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1889-01-12
TIE GOVERNORS MESSAGE

80 vernon GIetn liSl ftliiiiili Mess
was submitted to the Legislature on I'd
day afternoon, Immediately after The l6rs
ganization Il is unusally lengthy, 5lore
SO than The situation would seem to war
rant, and we therefore publish only d
synopsis of the more important salient
features.
he slstai's The restoration OF the State
Capitol aud the addition to the Trenton
Asylum. the two having made impera-
tive demands npon The treasury" also the
new Soldiers Home, the Gettysburg monu-
merits, Reform and Industrial School,
Home for he feeble minded women and
State Prison improvements, all extraord~
mary expenditures that have not only ex-
hauSted the annual revenues for the past
two years, but some of the anticipated re-
ceipts for the next, the responsibility for
all of which rests with the Legislature.
The annual revenue Of the State he fixes at
81 100000, and thinks it sufficient to meet
all the ordinary and extraordinary ex.
penses of the State
RAILROAD TAXATION.
The Governor deems it source of con-
graduation that the system of railroad taxa
ton adopted in "a is now working success
fully. The Attorney General reports that
the formidable combination embracing oyer
thirty>five corporations, which has contes-
ted every point from the constitutionality
of the law to the minutest feature which
constitutes valuation, has almost entirely
disappeared during the past year, and that
the representatives of the several companies
now manifest desire to assist in the labor
of settling up the arrears of taxation, as
we'll as aiding the Board OF Assessors in
arriving at proper results in its valuation.
The Governor strongly commends the At
torney General for his earnest work in this
matter and the gratifying results.
THE APPOINTING POWER
The Governor says on this ticklish
point The political maxim, that the
Legislative, Executive and Judiciary De>
partments ought TO be separate and dis
tinct. was formally recognized by resolu-
ton In the convention which framed the
Constitution of the United States, and
although not in terms incorporated, its
spirit, 10 a great extent, shaped the frame
work of our system as declared by that in
strument."
He then goes on with further data in
support of his views on the subject, and
finds fault generally with the Legislature
taking from him the power of appoint-
ment, as in few cases last winter. He
characterizes the Legislature creating new
Offices to be filled by joint meeting as in dds
regard of the spirit and design of the Con-
stitution," and advances the argument q,
that Il long list of appointments in the
hands of the Governor are less liable to be
in the line of rewartling party services of
Jealous friends than when made by joint
meeting Of the Legislature. He winds up
his extended growl upon that point as fol
lows:
II:
he secnred by an ABSORPTION Of n9wer hy
the Legislature depriving other departs
ments of the powers properly belonging
thereto. and there may be no immediate
redress the remedy through the courts,
if it exists at all, would be slow and de-
fective there is no tribunal before which
the Legislature can be called to account,
no power to reverse its enactments save
the people in their sovereignty through
the ballot box But the party which, for
the sake of securing few offices. sacri>
fees every sentiment of State pride and
every element of stesmanship by belitt
ing the position of the Chief Magistrate of
the State, stripping it of powers which
properly belong thereto. will meet with
sure, speedy aud emphatic condemnation
at their hands The people of New Her.
sey have at the last election passed upon
the question of legislative encroachment
upon the Executive. and | recommend
in obedience 10 that determination. res
peal of those laws and return TO the de-
sirn and shirt of the Constitution as ex,
messed in it's declaration and provisions =
ELECTION LAWS
On This subject we nuofe tba Governor.
e..,,
III luii
The theory OF our government is that
it is founded on the will of the people /;
being a represent alive government, that
will is to be expressed by the people
through the ballot box in the selection of
its lawmakers and the elective officers.
This ballot is supposed TO be the expression
of the free. untrammelled judgment of the
voter. unlnfiuenced by any unworthy, i'm
proper or corrupt motives. Our statute
books are full of laws for the protection
of the elector and the punishment of those
who seek to i'm properly influence the ex-
ercise of the elective franchise. They
seem, so far, to have utterly failed of their
purpos. he corruption and the corrupt
seem willing TO take the risk OF detection,
Indictment and conviction Corruption
stalks UNPUBLISHED around the election
polls. and men dignlfed by law with the
privilege and power oil electors, barter
away their manhood and citizenship, as
IN the market, to the highest
bidder. II open corruption OF The voter is
not carried on, the fiImslest pretexts OF ems
ployment at exorDltant and extravagant
amounts are resorted 70. until il is MOTOR
lous that immense sums OF money are
spent TO erect political results. One OF the
most astounding incidents OF THIS under