New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-03
PRICE THREE CENTS.
GOV. MORTON'S MESSAGE.
IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE
NEW LEGISLATURE

| PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION TO BE CAR
RIED INTO EFFEcT-THE FINANCES OF THE
STATE AND THE TAX RATE-NEED OF
| EcoNoMY-A POWER OF REMOVAL
! BILL URGED-BLANKET BAL
LOT CoNDEMNED-NEED
OF DEEPENING
THE CANALS.
Albany, JAN 2.-Governor Mortons message %
| the Legislature Is follows:
State of New-York, Executive Chamber
Albany. JAN 1. 1895.
| To the Legislature:
In submitting to the Legislature of New-York my
! first annual message / am profoundly impressed
with a of the far-reaching responsibility that
devolves to-day upon both the legislative and execu-
| tive branches of our State Government. The COM
pete control of both of these divisions Of the public
! power and authority has been transferred from
one political party to another, and this ransferrence
Ct authority has been made in the hope and firm
reliance of the people who ordained and wrought
| the change that great benefit would inure 10 the
| whole Commonwealth from the new order of things
To realize this aspiration OF the sovereign people
| should. apart from all partisan motives, attract and
| crafty the highest ambition Of which we are capa-
bic. and stimulate to the furthest effort of hu-
man exertion.
| The duties and obligations with which are
charged this year than ordinarily import
ant and onerous. The new legislation which is re-
quIred to give effect to the abors of the Constltu-
tlonal Convention is Of essential importance. The
closest will be demanded that no hasty, ncom-
plete il-advised measures be enacted, otherwise
the work and purpose OF the convention may be
embarrassed and possibly nullihed for year. In
deed, the work OF framing and perfecting the laws
made necessary by the amendments to the constitu-
tion IL likely to prove exacting, laborous and
comprehensive that regard it as my duty to recon-
.k, h.,t and 81
your session the purposes of the people Will have
been fully accomplished and wrought out. through
your energetic and intelligent laSors
DUTIES OF THE GOVERNOR.
The chief duty OF the Governor of the State OF
NewYork is Ito take care that the laws are faith
fully executed" The trainers of American consti-
tutons, National and State, have always Kept In
view the principle of separation between the legs-
ative executive and judicial branches Of the gov
ernment. But there always have been certain points
where these coordinate branches have met and
crossed each other The State constitution imposes
upon the Chief Executive certain responsibilities
with reference to legislation. He is required to
take the initiative in legislative proceedings by that
provision which charges him with the duty Of COM
muncating by message to the Legislature at every
session the condition of the State, and recommend
ing to their attention such matters as he shall
deem expedient When the Legislature has enacted
a measure, the Governor must pass Judgment upon
1t by giving Withholding his official approval lie
thus finds himself in certain way, involved with
both the beginning and the ending of all important
legislation But 1t is my conviction that the Cow
ernor should never interfere with the work OF the
Legislature beyond the precise line which his consti
tutona duty and obligation warrant The veto
power as 1t is commonly called. Is one that should
be exercised with great and only when the In
terests OF the State in question. The Chief
Executive should never use It as ar instrument 10
aid In impresslng or imposing his will upon the Leg
slature nor should it be invoked TO serve personal
partisan ends
The first duty Of my official life is that Of COM
municat!ng to the Legislature the condition OF
the State. and recommending such legislation as
seems to be advisable. That duty is entered upon
by me with great dlffdence. because feel that
i'm your respective Houses are many legislators
who must have a wider knowledge, gathered from
their long experience than l can be assumed 10
possess regarding the affairs OF this great Com
monweath
congratulate you and the people whom you
represent that We commence the year under
favorlng auspices. The business outlook is much
improved. as compared with its condition year
ago The Of the hard times nave APP
parently passed away and We may reasonably
hope that during the ensuing year We VIII De
blessed with fair degree OF prosperity.
THE STATE FINANCES.
The finances OF this state in excellent condi.
ton There is no State indebtedness whatever.
while the permanent funds. including the United
States deposit fund aggregate S2loSsi 80 OF prlh-
cipaL The Controller informs me that the amount
realized from the transfer tax otherwise known
as the inheritance tax during the last fiscal year
was sl6ss s54 a. and from the corporation and or
ganization taxes 81 7s6.sio ST. making a total OF
81 is4 Js5 H. The amount OF the transfer tax was
much less than received last year. out II
should be borne in mind that last years receipts
were greatly augmented by taxes paid upon some
very large estates, and were very much greater
than in any other year since the tax went INTO
operation. The State realized however. during
the last year than 100000 in excess OF the
average of the eight preceding years. Ii Is quite
evident that this tax will not, for years TO come
Weld more than s2oOOOoO annually. The amount
realized from taxes corporations was also
somewhat less than 1t was during the fiscal year
ending In 1898 This falling off was doubtless at
tribuable the business depression. by wnlcn the
revenues and income OF corporations were unfavor-
ably affected but the shrnkage would have been
much greater had the Controller been less dgent
and efficient 1t has been the policy OF the State
for nearly decade to relieve the people so far
as possible from direct taxation for State pur-
noses There is but little prospect that the pres
ent indirect tax laws will bring into the Treasury
more than 100000 annually for long time 10
come leaving from &OOO,coo to so,eoeo to be
raised each year by direct taxation
! recommend the Legislature to devise ways and
means II practicable. for the enlargement OF the
field OF direct taxation but any effort IN that dlrec-
ton should be based upon equitable principles
and great care should be taken that the burdens
placed upon business enterprise are not 100 neaVy
rhe rate last year ls-lO0 mills on the doliar,
s against the year before. 1t is made up az
follows: For the general fund 5j-l0o; for extraor-
dlnary repairs on the canals. E-Oo; for malnte-
nance and ordinary repairs on the canals. 2l-lo~;
for the free school fund. @-lOo and for the MAIN
tenance OF State hospitals for the insane. 3S-co.
aavirg ont the last item which was not included
I'm the State tax levy until lSa3 the rate last year
was the lowest in the history OF the State with
the exception OF the rate In 1891, when. owing TO
peculiar circumstances to which refer elsewhere
In this document. nothing was raised for the gen.
eral fund.