The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-29
THE EXECUTIVE MESSAGE.

WORM II CAciui itthibb " tFcAl o''HcA'
The message this year has first
class foundation to begin on. The finan-
cial statement which for five years past
has shown the State to be practically
ont of debt, this year presents us
with balance in sinking fund
of over 200 with all the
old war debt finally cleared NJ. The
surplus left in the sinking fund will be
turned over to the new sinking fund for
the million and half State House loan,
to which also will be assigned, AS has
$4,000 year to meet the State House
bonds when they shall mature. Aside
from the bonded indebtedness for the
State House Rhode Island has no obliga-
tions. During 1894 the receipts exceeded
the expenditures by nearly $4,000 and
there is balance in the
treasury in round numbers of $40, 900.
This is mighty comfortable sort of
condition to be in. From the condition
of the finances the Governor naturally
turns to the problem of taxation and the
message calls the attention of the AS
sembly once again to the recommended
tions made in 1892 by the Board of
Valuation for reconstructing our tax
laws.
The statement of funds in savings
banks seems at first glance to be
not "A wholesome one to contem-
Ilate. The deposits have decrea cd,
from 1898, over million and half of
dollars, though the number of depositors
has increased over one thousand. And
while the trust companies are shown to
have increased their deposits their figures
fail by $74o, 900 of making up for the
loss to the saving banks. But as the
Governor points out sit is doubtful
if the bank statements at this time can
be tius ed to afford any reliable indica-
tion OF the material condition Of the peo-
ple." And while the hard times doubtless
male many Withdrawals necessary, it is
not unlikely that the building loan and
investment societies have reaped large
share of the Withdrawals. This is
hopeful view to take of the situation,
and the Governor is probably correct in
it. Unfortunately, however, as he also
points out, the Stale has no way OF
supervising or finding out what these
building and loan associations are doing,
aud there is no way of securing an
official statement from them. In this
connection Governor BROWN repeats
his previous recommendation and that
of his predecessors, that this class OF
business be coupled with insurance and
the whole placed in charge of COM
missioner with suitable laws at his
command. The experience of the State
Auditor for years past has pointed to
this same end. The insurance and in
vestment department ought to be de-
partment by itself. The cost Of con-
Quoting it and a suitable salary for the
commissioner would be more than COM
pensated for in actual money saved to
the people or the state.
The Governor fluids his view of edu-
cational conditions if anything
more satisfactory than that of any
function of State Government, although
increased school accommodations are
demanded in many sections. During
the year the State has spent $277 ,069. 72
for educational purposes, including
buildings and equipments, and the
towns and districts $l,352, ,093.S5.
There were 55,67i children enrolled in
the public schools, an increase of
1876 over the preceding year, and in
addition to this the 81 private institu-
iions, including Kindergarten and par
ochial schools, enlisted 1876 pupils.
The Governor urges, again, the town
control of schools where districts exist,
and the examination of country teachers
by competent State board.
OF course the Governor finds the mill
tary department of the State in con-
dtion of general efficiency. Despite the
ltScutig uCNciol'tu idpSeo III bhc ~ lecs-
iment, the Rhode Island militia, as
whole, is peer of any similar organic
alton in the country. The message
makes number of recommendations
looking to still further increase in
efficiency. incidentally the introduction
of military drill in the public schools
is mentioned with approval.
Governor BROWN. in previous mes
sage, took up the problem of harbor i'm
provement, to which, in his recent ad-
dress, His Honor Mayor OINEy also
called the attention Of the City Council.
The Governor this year reviews his
recommendation for the desirability of
State and municipal ownership of
docks as factor in harbor inn
provement State and city thus
working together ought to achieve some
thing at no distant day. Highway inn
u ,,1en ,,,,,oI