Evening journal., 1895-01-01

Delaware'5 Chief Executive Recommends
Legislation for Better Elsctions, Better
Teachers and Central High Schools,
More Room at Farnhurst, Payment Of
the $4,000 worlds Fair Debt and More
Power for the Courts In Dealing win
Youths.
stan Correspondence Evening journal.
DovEx, Jan. |, 1895. Both Houses Of
the General Assembly met at 10 o'clock
this morning. The Senate was called to
oider by sx.Clsrx w A. G Hardcsstle
and the House by sx.Clsrk John H
Layton. The names Of the members who
had taken their seats were called. After
temporary organization had besn made
the election returns were read.
Both Houses then elected their caucus
nominees and the officers were conducted
to their stations by special committees.
The speakers and members elect were
than qualified.
The rules which governed the last
session were adopted pending the
adoption OF new ones or amsndments
later In the session.
privileges of the hoor TO the governor.
members, representatives in Congress-
judges, attorney general, secretary OF
state, former members Of the Senate and
House and newspaper men.
Governor Reynolds Was informed by
the joint committee that the houses were
ready for the transaction of business.
and to receive any communication which
he might npa farnnnp RI n, lrn
Secretary OF State Hawkins being
admitted presented to each house a copy
OF the governors biennial message
accompanied by reports. It was as
follows:
The Governors Message.
Gentlemen of the Senate and Houne Of
Representatives.
In addressing the people Of this
state through y0u, their representatives,
| am aware that | am performing almost
the final duty Of my Office. The fight
Of time, which has brought you TO the
threshold Of your public duties, is fast
closing the door upon mine. The execu.
tion of your lAbors, your debates and
counsels, viii ell take place under a new
administration, and with new execu-
tive In my stead
1T is the consciousness Of these facts
that has induced me to deal especially
with those aubjscts which all men must
agree are Of the highest importance to
the people Of this commonwealth.
mean those subjects which lie at the
very foundation of our government, and
which most nearly concern the honor
and stability Of our institutions
Elections
1.-THE usual methods employed BY IN
scrupulous politicians to corrupt the bal
lot are intimidation and bribery, and oui
,exDerience at tho late eloetlon mptaslza,
the especial danger of the latter evil
have no desire to allude to this subject
In the spirit Of q partisan. simply wisl
10 call to your attention the rapid growtl
of this fatal vice. and to ask you to exeri
whatever power yeu may possess tS
prevent the repetition Of this deadly
crime against good government.
Whenever the polling booths come tC
the market place for the barter and sal,
Of the highest right Of citizenship, theI
the end Of free government is not fai
distant; and large wealth in the hands o.
one man, or Of several men, becomes q
standing menace to The safety OF ouE
state and the continuance OF her institu.
tiozs
II can, therefore, think of no NOR
imperative duty resting upon you thar
to carry out the design OF the Genera
Assembly OF 1891 by SO amending th'
law as to preclude even the possibility o.
such constructions or Of such practices Ii
the future. This can only be done b.
Rbolishing the office Of voters assistant,
and by providing simply for assistance t,
those who, unaided, are physically in
capable Of exercising the elective fran
chise.
"There is still another feature Of this
subject which should address itself Il
your earnest and thoughtful considera
tion.
Il recommend that small appropria
tion be made to defray the sactua
expenses Of such good people as MAJ
associate themselves together to ferre
out offenders against the purity Of th
bSllot, and bring them to the bar o
public justice Such action will, ! an
confident, stimulate into activity public
sentiment already shocked by tn
Wholesale bribery which was practices
at the recent elections.
Finances.
The report Of the state treasurer
herewith submitted, shows the finance
Of the state to be in a healthy an
satisfactory condition which an
economical and honest administration 0
ita affairs have established. The detaile
statement contained in the report show
an excess Of state assets over all stat
liabilities Of $347, 092, and is as follows
Assets, Investments, benefit Of gen
eral fund, S4S7, 100; investments, bsne6
OF school fund, 81 03l, s42 Total liAbil
tiles. $64s. 750; assets exceed liabilities
$347, COZ
1.-The credit of this state is thus KEEP
in the front rank, and the consequen
benefit Of paying the lowest rates Q
interest upon our outstanding bonds ha
accrued to our citizens "a condition tha
should be satisfactory to all tax payers.
Equalization OF Taxation.
81 am still as strongly persuaded q
the justice and necessity of such legis
lation as-will equalize tsxation. take
that arguments to sensible men upon
subject so manifestly clear and simpl
are useless indeed The fact that tn
great majority of the other states in ou
Union have found such enact lneni
valuable and practicable, is of itself tn
best argument IN its favor, and l ca