Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-01-08
Synopsis Of the Message.

Governor jackson, in his message to the
Legislature, deals at considerable length
with all the principal questions of State in
terest. A statement OF the financial condl-
ton Of the Commonwealth occupies large
part OF the message, which gives in the
usuul form the receipts and expenditures fer
the last fiscal year. "The figures giyen,"
says the Governor, SHOULD be interesting
to taxpayers. They show very plainly that
while the ordinary annual receipts of the
treasury have maintained Their standard Of
about two millions of dollars, the ordinary
yearly expenditures for the support of the
State government are little over three
hundred thousand dollars less than former
ly." This saving has been largely effected
by the redemption of some of the States OBJ
legations and the refunding of Others for
loans bearing lower rates OF interest. Re-
ferrlng to the present tax rate OF 174 cents
on each hundred dollars worth of property,
the Governor felicitates the people of the
State on the fact that there are only three
or four States In the Union whose rate Of
taxation is as low as that of our own. He
adds, however, that Glow as is the present
tax rate, if all of the revenue which it pro-
duces is not required the tax should be re.
duced. A full treasury encourages extrava-
gance, and oftentimes leads to prodigalty
and waste !" and he quotes with approval
the well-known sentence of the great demo-
cratic leader, that unnecessary taxation is
unjust taxation" The debt of the State
amounts to $10,721 ,642,52, as an Offset to
which it holds securities amounting to &c.
S45676 85, leaving as the net debt the sum
of S75,96567 There is a large portion
OF the debt, says the message, for the ulti
mate payment of which no special taxes are
levied, but the Governor thinks there need
be no difficulty in providing sum sufficient
to pay all of these debts off within very
short period. "Were the State to-day to
sell all of its investments" he continues,
land apply the proceeds to the payment of
its outstanding debts there would not be |
more than $2500,000 remaining unpaid" |
The message refers to the good effects Of the |
legislation passed by the last General AS |
sembly imposing tax upon the gross re.
ceipts OF railroad and other corporations,
and calls attention TO the increased revenue |
from this source brought into the treasury |
by its operation. He notes in this connec.
ton the amount which would have been
paid by the b. & o. Company under this |
legislation but for the special exemption
which it enjoys under its charter, and natur-
ally passes next to a review Of the general |
relations OF that corporation to the State,
and more particularly the recent action of
the company in increasing its capital stock. |
When this action was taken the Governor |
believed that it was illegal, and that even if |
1t was lawful TO increase the stock, the |
original exemption from taxation could not |
be applied to the new ISSUE His correspond |
ence with the attorney general on this sub. |
ject is given, and while the result of 1t was |
the conclusion that nothing could be done
by the State 10 prevent the issue OF the pro-
posed increase, he suggests that bill ought |
to be passed directing the assessment and
taxation OF this new stock, in order that a |
case might be made for a judicial settlement
OF the question In the meantime he urges |
that effect should be given to the consti |
tutional amendment adopted last Novem
Der, by which the Legislature is directed
not to alter or amend the charter of any cor
poration or pass any legislation for its bene
fit except upon the condition that such cor
poration shall surrender all claim to exemp.
ton from taxation. That something prac-
teal may be done in this direction he recon.
mends that bill be passed amending the
charter of the Baltimore Belt Railroad Com
pany so as to prohibit the use of its road by
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
and the Northern Central Railroad Com
pany unless these companies will expressly
surrender their chartered exemption from
taxation. The results of the litigation over
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal during the
last two years and the present condition and
prospects of that waterway are commented
upon at considerable length, and regret is
expressed that the proposed lease of the
canal to the Washington and Cumberland
Railroad, sanctioned at the last session of
the Legislature, should have been thwarted
by the Intervention of the trustees Of the
bOndholders of 1874 and the decisions of the
courts in their favor. The practical results,
he thinks, have been that the canal has
passed into the control of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company, that an additional
debt of 100000 has been created, and that
railroad competing in the interests of the
people with the b. & 0. has been lost to the
State The Governor transmits the report
of the joint special committee of the Senate
and House of Delegates appointed TO invss-
tigate the accounts of Stevenson Archer,
late State Treasurer, and recites the legal
action taken to recover the stolen money.
He claims that the committee in their report
"advert with undue severity upon his failure
to discover Mr.. Archer's defacation." He
defends himself by saying that he "did not
omit any official act which his predecessors
had performed" "Mr. Archer enjoyed my
full confidence | believed him to be in
capable of wrong. Possibly if had acted
under the impression that Mr.. Archer was
dishonest his frauds might have been de-
tected few months earlier than they were
but trusted him implicitly, relied on him
thoroughly, and it is my great misfortune
that | was deceived, precisely as many OF
our most experienced bank officers and busl
ness men were"
Attention is called 10 the improvement in
the management of tobacco inspection and
a., ro,t hot 1n 81 bn Loaf .
has cost the State nothing, and 1t is suggest
ed that with the return of large crops, such
as were formerly grown in Maryland, the
charges for inspection can be reduced with
out affecting the efficiency of the system
In regard TO the oyster question, the mes.
sage recommends that the culling law passed
at the last session be amended so as TO ex.
tend its provisions to all persons having
small oysters in possession, thereby destroy.
ing all marketable value in Thorn. lie also
recommends the limiting Of the time for
taking oysters with scoops or dredges to
November /, and that all licenses TO take
oysters either with tongs, scoops or dredges
should expire with the close OF the season.
While perceiving that in consequence OF the
defeat Of the proposed third amendment to
the constitution new assessment will be
simply revaluation of the tangible prop
erty in the State, the Governor renews bis
recommendation for such legislation, so as
to correct impartialy existing Irregularities
Among other recommendations Of the mes
sage are the extension Of the Australiap
ballot law to all the counties Of the State
and the appropriation Of liberal sum for
the proper representation Of Marylan at
the Columbian Exposition 1t discusses
also the condition Of the public schools, the
policy of the State in appropriations for
charitable institutions, the recommends.
tons of the adjutant general in regard TO
the militia and other matters of minor i'm