The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-03
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
The Governors Message.

The following are extracts from the gov
| erlor's message:
! In compliance with the duty imposed upon
| me by the constitution | shall endeavor to
| briefly communicate to you Information con
corning the condition of the state, and TO rec
| ommend such measures as deem expedient.
| For more than ten years past, and up to the
summer of last year the progress Of Florida,
| in everything appertaining to her material
| prosperity had b en- continuous and without
| interruption. Our population had largely IL
| creased by an immigration from other states OF
| the union OF thrifty euterprising people, who
| no sooner became domlciled than they
| We'd with the older residents IN their
! endeavor to build up and improve our state
| Capital in large sums found ready investment
| in the dev .lopment Of our many and varied re-
| sources Our pomoiogcal industries yielded a
| golden harvest, and seriously taxed the facili-
| ties of the numerous transportation lines to
| convey our crops to the markets of tn c1un-
! try. Horticulture and agriculture prospered
and assumed large proportions. and, with bet
ter transportation facilities, more profitable re-
| suits were realized in these industries.
Within the past decade our railroad system
has increased from 49, miles to 1886 miles, per
meating all sections OF the state, except the
most southern portion of the peninsula.
The prevalence of yellow fever, however in
some portions Of East and South Florida dur
ing the summer and fall of the past year, to
which referred more spec lcally in my mos
sage to you when IN extra session. temporarily
checked the tide of pro >perty Vhich had con
tinued to flow TO our state for many years past
embarrassed business; interrupted trav, and
occasioued large pecuniary losses, besides per
the cessation of the fever with the frosts of
winter caused IN immediate revival OF business,
and our people, crippled as they were in many
| places, haYe exhibited a wonderful energy
| in repairing the disasters OF the past year.
BONDED DEBT.
There has been continued reduction in the
| bonded debt of the state; more than one-half of
which is now held by our educational funds, and
| tba hagt md 90 -
| these funds. Tuere remains now but $3.50, 300
of our bonds in the hands of individuals as
shown by the following statement:
Seven per cent. bonds of 1S71......... $3.50 COO
Six per cent. bonds of lS73............ 925 OOC
S1,275 OOC
| ing funds. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 242 SOC
$1,O32, SOC
or which the school, seminary and agri-
cultural college funds hold .......... $50, zoe
| Leaving in the hands OF individuals . $3S2, 3OC
Outstanding bonds are held at high premium
and are difficult to be purchased at any price In
| the statement OF outstanding bonds, have not
| included Sl32, 900 OF bonds OF the state, remain
| lag of an issue of 1856, which are held by the
| general government in the Indian trust fund
| for the reason that the state has valid and ad
| will pay these bonds and leave a large balance
| due the state by the general government.
| FINANCE AND TAXATION.
| For many years the state has promptly met
| all liabilities they became due, paying il
| cash every warrant upon its treasury But tn,
| increased drafts upon the state treasury under
! the constitution Of 1885, and the statute laws OF
1881. to which may be added the expense to th,
state which will be necessarily incurred in pre-
serving the public health, under the health Law
passed at the recent extra session of the legis
lature, together with the shrinkage in the in
come heretofore derived from the license tax
by reason OF the prohibition of the sale Of in
! toxicating liquors in many of the counties, viii
| render it necessary to negotiate temporary
loan TO meet the expenses of the current year
The conditions which render this necessary are
80 explicitly and fully shown by the last annua
report of Hon. W. d. Barnes, comptroller. tina
] cannot do better than TO quote from his re-
port, as follows:
while there has been a steady and marked
advance in the amount of taxable property
adding correspondingly TO the revenue, the in
come has not kept pace with the increase in tn,
amount of obligations incurred. The cost o
the constitutional convention OF 1885, amount
ing to $55,5OO; the appropriations for the Eas
Florida seminary, the Ocala schools and tn
agricultural college, amounting respectively t
$4,000, 5000 and $500, making total o
$50, 400, had to be paid out OF the income ar SIM
from this low rate of taxation. Best tn
support Of the normal schools. at an annual cos
of $1,000, the Deaf, Dumb and lind Asylum
costing 5000, the teachers institute costing
$500, making annually Sl1,500 for school ,pur
poses, the salaries and expenses OF tho ra lroa
| commits ion, amounting TO $4,000, the pro
visions for pensions, $4,000. the cost Of crimt
nal prosecution reaching SG0,000 the outlay 70
| state troors amounting to $1,000, making
total of $122. 500, have been added to the snnua
expenses Of the state since the pres
ent rate of taxation was first established
The estimated appropriation for the yea
1889 amounts to S49S, 333 81. and for the yea
1890 to $i29,573, making for the two years $j27,
906 80. The income to meet this must be- raise
| from the ia yes on 500 000,0 900 of property, an
from the occupation license tax. The revenu
from licenses has fallen from 100000 in 1887 /,
so, 900 in 1883 This may b. due In some meas
ure TO the recent epidemic, but tn re is no hop
of its exceeding 100000 for each of the mex
two years, making 100000 from that source.
The income from the properly tax on 500
600 900, at 3 mills, amounts TO S270, goo; for tw
years It will be $4,000 without allowing any
thing for insovencies. Here we have an incom
of $4,000 TO meet estimated obligations o
S927, 1906 90. These are the facts that confron