The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-01-15

equitable basis than under their special
charter provisions was given in my said
message and need not be repeated here.
Railroad n canal companies are now
taxed under the avs Of 1884 Chapter 1911,
entitled San act for the taxation OF rail
road and canal property, . as amended by
chapter 208, laws of 1888.
The legislature expressed no opinion Of
disapproyal or otherwise Of my proposed
action in the premises. l therefore per-
mitted the surrender to be made, and the
proper instrument to that effect, approved
by the attorney general and assented to by
the executive ID the 25th day Of June,
1895, was duly filed in the Office of the sec
rotary of state on the last mentioned date.
Tho Central Railroad company has thus
surrendered its claim to special taxation
under it's charter provision, and the state
has surrendered its right to purchase, take
or acquire the property of that corporation.
Proposed Amendments to the State Con.
stitution.
Certain amendments to the state consti
tuition proposed and agreed to by the legis-
lature Of 1895 are awaiting your action.
The amendments would effect quite radi-
cal changes in our present constitution
and deserve your serious consideration.
They are on file in the office of the secre,
tary of state.
The proposed amendments have been
published or advertised, as required by the
constitution. Should any of them be
agreed to by your honorable bodies, it will
then devolye upon you to pass a law sub.
hitting the same to the people for adop.
ton or rejection at a special election.
In view Of the frequent complaints that
the law requiring all state reports to be
made up as Of Oct. 81 works prejudicially
in many instances, I suggest that legisla-
ton be enacted providing a remedy in the
respects complained of and ~reconciling the
time for the presentation of such reports
with the necessities and convenience OF
the several departments.
! also call your attention to the absence
Of appropriations for the compensation OF
the state board Of canvassers, the members
of the electoral college and for pay of the
national guard In case it be called into
service to preserve the peace or suppress
violence or riot.
In the case of the state board of can
vassers which canvassed the returns of the
late ~gubernatorial election the members
thereof received nc compensation, because
Of lack of appropriation therefor. Each
member, however, was furnished by the
comptroller with a certificate of the
amount of his compensation Oh the basis
heretofore allowed, which amount should
be added to the appropriations for the cur
rent fiscal year. The electors to cast the
vote Of this state for president and viee
president will have performed that duty
before the assembling of the legislature OF
1897. Their compensation, If oompensa
ton is allowed them, should therefore be
provided for during your present session.
Existing laws and the constitutional
requirement that the executive 'sshall take
care that the laws be faithfully executed
furnish sufficient authority for calling the
militia into service when required, but nc
provision exists under which the treasurer
and comptroller would feel justified IL
paying for such active service. A funG
contingent should therefore be provided,
whereunto ecourse can be had to meet
this and other necessities liable to arise.
In my preceding messages l have dealt
with the question of public parks and res.
eryations, railroad crossings of highways
at grade and a public water supply. / dc
not propose herein to advert to those sub
jects further than to ask your attention tt
the recommendations and suggestion.
thereon contained in those prior communi
cations.
Although no tax for state purposes IL
imposed upon the citizen, local taxation ii
everywhere too high and in many locali
ties oppressive. The inequalities between
corporate and personal taxation and the
large exemptions from all taxation increase
these burdens. A total or even partia.
abolition of such inequalities and exemp-
tions would greatly ameliorate the condi-
tions of now oyertaxed communities.
I cannot forbear in closing this my las
annual message to acknowledge the kind
consideration which throughout my term
has been extended the executive by the
legislative and other state departments.
This is the more gratifying inasmuch as
in many instances we have not been in pc
litical accord and a period of exceptiona.
difficulty has existed for the discharge Of
executive functions.
Invoke the continued favor of Divine
Providence upon our state and people and
retire from official station with the fer.
vent hope that peace, happiness and pros
perity may attend us in the years to come
in even greater measure than in the years
gone by. GEORGE Il. WERTS.
Executive Department, Trenton, Jan. IA,
1895.