The Helena independent., 1893-01-06
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
II Is Read to the Senate and the
House in joint Ses-
sion.
GOV. Rickards Occupies One Hour
and Ton Minutes in It's
Delivery.
ths Capital and State Institutlons,
Elsctions and Other Questions.

Gov. John II. Richards read his msssaGs
10 the legislature yestsrday. II was done
in the presence Of both this house ana tns
senate. The latter body had bssn invited
into the hall Of tho house, and Lieut.. .-Gov.
Botkin presided over tbs joint session.
About ten minutes after their arrival Gov.
Richards reached The hall and was escortsd
to the platform whore the lisutenant-Rov-
ernor and Speaker Matthews sAt. He read
the message himself, in . elsar, distinct
tone. and Vas listened 10 attsntivsly. The
reading occupied an hons and ten minutes.
Tho governor said:
Before proceeding 10 call your attention
to affairs of state, l am sure you will In
dulge mo in few words personal. livery
much appreciate the high honor which has
come to me in being called to the exalted
position OF chief executive OF this great
thanks and deepeat gratitude to all who in
any manner contributed to this result.
am not unmindful that TO this honor grave
responsibilities are attached. but relying
upon the Ruler OF nations. He who controls
the destiniss of all peoples, confidently
enter upon the discharge of my duties.
Your fellow citizens have conferred a
great honor upon you in esteeminR you
worthy and com petent to lsRislate for them.
Every citizen ia under obligation to serve
his state faithfully, but more especially ia
this true of those who have been elected by
the people to positions of trust and respon-
sibility. Our state 10 now in the formative
no. iod, and the character Of your legislation
must tell for good or evil upon its future.
Our constituency have entrusted to you the
entire responsibility of the Legislative do
partment. and shall leave il there. II,
however, l have occasion to differ with you
ON any measure. shall hope to 80 present
my objections al to command your respect.
congratulate you, and through you. our
people upon the prosperous condition oi
our state. have no words at my con-
mand with which to express my confidence
in the future Of Montana. My imagina-
tion also falters in any attempt to picture
her most generous mood whom she TO Jned
our mountains and valleys. With our gold,
our silver, our copper, our lead, our coal,
onr fertile soil. our forests our matchlesl
climate--in word. with our boundless re-
sources. which no man can enumerAte. we
shall here build great self-sustaininG
commonwealth which will be the pride OF
our nation.
STATE FINANCES.
The report Of the state treasurer for 1885,
shows that the financial affairs Of the state
have been oreditably handled. The tota
revenue proper for the year was $433, 351. 21
the warrants drawn against the same We {
This makes very gratifying showing. and
reveals mote clearly than any other state
ment following the exact volume Of bust
ness transacted during the year. and the
net balance to our credit after oil bills shall
have been paid. The total receipts to the
general fund were $508, 106 46. which. added
to the balance on hand at the beginning OF
the year, $63.356 3S. give us total of $57l..
1924. The total of warrants paid and
bonds bought was $418,576.12. leaving Il
balance of cash on hand of $152, 70.
The balance from the stock inspector, stock
indemnity and sheep inspector and indem-
nifty funds bring this total on hand to
3l62. 2.5l061. The revenues from every
county in the state have materially in
creased over the previous wear, aggreRatinp
net increase of $176, 804.83. For the first
time. all the several stock funds have q
balance to their credit after paying all war
ranta for the yea. The sheep inspector
and indemnity fundis credited with bal
ance on hand of Sc. 165.77. 1t will not be
necessary to lay this tax for some years to
come, unless serious epidemic should at
tack that class of stock, Only about $2l-
uUO OF the ecnOol fund nave Deen invested,
while nearly $40 900 lie idle in the treasu y.
An act of congress prevents the proceeds Of
the sale of lands granted for educational
purposes from being used. the interest only
being available. I he necessity of invest
ing the balance of the school fund in de-
sirable securities is appa ent.
STATE LEVY.
1t will be necessary Tor you to re-enact
the law pnssed at the last session OF the
leRislatu g, levying uniform rate of as
seSsment md taxation. l there can not be a
doubt but we shall need as large levy as is
allowable under the constitution.
ESTIMATE OF EXPENSES
Art. Z. Sec. 10. of the constitution makes
1t my duty to present to the legislative a..
sembly estimates of the amounts Of money
r,quired to be raised by taxation for all
purposes In pursuance of this duty re-
spectfully submit the following estimate of
expenses of the state government for each
of the fiscal years ending Nov. 30, 1888 and
Nov. 10, 1894, respectively:
For executive department. nt...............$4 Al, 100
For Legislative department. t............... 41,52O
] or Judiciary department .............. $500
For state officers (appoinlive) ............ 2OGOO
For state state boards and institutions. 2!23SO
For miscellaneous Observation-Disclosures. Al 12O)
lotal ......................S4 S45l. $50
UNITED STATES SENATOR.
Among your most important duties will
be the election OF one of your fellow citi-
Zens to rep essnt Montana in the United
States senate. ! indulge the hope that in
yonr wisdom You may elect one who will re-