Butte semi-weekly miner., 1889-01-16
The Governors Message in Fun.
TERRITORY OF MONTANA,
Executive OFFICE,

TERRITORY OF MONTANA,
EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
HELENA, Jan. Ia, 1889.
To the Honorable members OF the Counci
and House OF the Legislature OF Montana
It becomes my official position to wei
come you to the responsible duties tn
electors Of Montana have placed in you
hands, and to assist you in the discharge o
those duties for the public good. Trusting
in your fidelity, they have called you tt
legislate for the good Of this great anC
prosperous Territory. At this crisis in oul
history, when we expect soon to assume
the dignities and responsibilities OF State
hood. your position becomes more respon
sible and more honored than any of your
predecessors; in no small degree your la.
bors may aid in laying broad and deep the
foundations OF the coming commonwealth
OF Montana. Spanning nearly five degrees
of latitude and twelve OF longitude, inter.
spersed by vast mountain chains, Montana
will serve as the connecting link between
the Pacific and Central States, with the
Atlantic States so closely allied, making one
indestructible union. Our mountains veined
with gold and silver and the more useful
metals, our placers filled with gold, and
wide prairies covered with grasses, are
fast giving us individual and public
wealth. To secure the greatest prosperity
in these vast industries will require your
best thought and ripest craftsmanship.
Industries 80 varied and so extensive, over
broad areas, require laws to be most care
fully adjusted and compromises skillfully
made for all these wants and necessities.
In discharging these grave responsibilities,
shall most cheeriully cooperate with you
to secure the best results OF our united
labors in behalf OF Montana.
FINANCE.
The financial condition OF this Terrific
rial government is eound and healthy. At
the close OF the last fiscal year-31st day
of December, 1sSS-the Territory was out
Of debt, aHd there was in the treasury one
hundred and fourteen thousand three hum
dred and forty dollars aud forty eight cents
($114, ,340.4s) balance Of the general fund
in cash; four thousand nine hundred and
thirty-nine dollars and six cents ($4,-
939.06) balance OF the stock inspection
and detective fund; nine thousand and
eighty.six dollars and sixty.four cents
($9, ,OS6. .64) balance OF livestock indemnity
fund; and one thousand eight hundred and
twenty-six dollars and fifty-eight cents
$1,S26.5S) balance Of sheep inspector
and indemnity fund. Every citizen OF
Montana must feel proud Of this healthy
condition OF the government. The audi
tors and treasurer's reports for the year
Just ended will be laid before you for your
examination and action thereon.
There ia hardly people anywhere who
pay more cheerfully and promptly their
taxes. Nevertheless, it is q solemn duty
upon you, and urge that YOU mlke such
enactments as will secure the assessment
for taxation all the taxable eproperty OF the
Territory. Not that the government npeis
more money, but in order that the burdens
OF government may rest more equally upon
the people. II you will make such laws as
to certainly secure the assessment Of all tie
property (which by law is taxable) the peo.
pies taxes may be reduced one-half, and
the same amount or more money collected.
Equality and uniformity in the taxation
imposed upon people are always desir.
able, and held to be q feature OF justice in
the government. Ifyou will take the pains
to study the assessed values fixed upon the
same class OF property in different parts Of
this Territory there will be seen such
glaring difference as to shock all sense OF
fairness and every principle OF justice. The
only remedy for this, in the legislation Of
Montana, is that there be enacted law
creating a board OF equalization, after the
fashion OF other and older governments,
and vest that tribunal with the power
10 revise, harmonic and equalize the
values Tor assessable purposes all over the
Territory.
THE LIQUOR LICENSE QUESTION.
In entering upon the duties OF legisla.
tion for your constituency you are con-
ironted with the laws OF Montana which
provide, as one OF the means Of raising rev.
enue to carry on the government, that per.
sons may buy for price from the govern
ment the privilege OF carrying ON the
business OF gambling, selling whisky and
other Intoxicating drinks. When these
privileges, or any OF them, are bought, and
a licensed issued, the purchaser eau pro-
coed anywhere and on every day, including
Sunday, OF the time for which he has pur-
chased the privilege, to openly and publicly
push his licensed business. It is well
known TACT that each OF these avocations
is prosecuted with great persistence all over
this prosperous country. Each business is
gathering every day from the ranks OF inno-
cent, unsuspecting youth, and from con-
tented households, recruits for the peni-
tentiary and the hangman's trap. The
fruits resulting from the conduct of these
avocations are saturated with the tears of
sorrow, crime and taxation. No 10Y. peace
or happiness to man or woman, no I'M
provement to the heart or intellect ever
comes from these engines so full OF con.
suming FIRE. ! submit to you whether
your constituencies are willing any
longer for this licenred unscrupn.