New-York tribune., 1896-01-02
oov MORTON'S MESSAGE.
ruE INTERESTS OF THE STATE
,,1rpATION URGED IN THE VENEZ-
TEI.AN DISPUTE.

PUBLIC PRINTING
Governor M0rton's annual message was pre-
n,ed N the Legislature yesterday. 1t notes
.,o changes in the constitution or the Legs
,.,rre. refers TO the vital interests or New-York
~ settlement of the Venezuelan question, and
,-,ss arbitration: gives the figures relating to
.,o states finances; the facts relating to the
..rs NJ the insane. prison labor, capital punish
ant. discusses the canals. public education,
.be changes needed in the ballot law; the ques-
A., Of excise extravaganza in public printing
and the proposed reforms in legislative pro-
aadura besides several other matters relating to
the States interests
TEXT OF THE MESSAGE.
STATE OF NETWORK:
Executive Chamber. Albany, Jan. l. 1898.
Tbs ,e Constitution Of the State provides that the
Governor shall communicate by message message 70 &c, me me
State and recommend such matters to them as he
ssai fudge expedent." Under this mandate !;
ssnSscts requiring special attention your hands
and to suggest such legislation as my experience
regard as expedient and necessary.
# may re well TO note. at the outset that the
g,sie composed Of two hundred members. BY the
Srst Constitution of In an Assembly was created
ste AZ 70 consist of twenty-four members and pro-
vision was made for an increase in both branches
sars; ps ana the Assembly was limited to three hun
dred and the Senate TO one hundred members
CHANGES IN THE LEGISLATURE.
This scheme Of legislative organization continued
.eyera years, but 1, not satisfactory In 1901
. convention was called for the special purpose of
,svsng tina; part of the Constitution relating TO the
legislature At that time the Assembly had in
creased 10 los and the Senate to 43 members.
The convention Of 1901 provided for an AS
sembly Of 100. with possible increase 10 l5O.
bu, the Senate was fixed permanently at 80
members. When the Constitutional Convention
OF 1891 met the Assembly had increased TO
lss members The Constitution tnen adopted fixed
the number Of Members of Assembly at l2S and
continued the Senate with 90 members. No change
was aferward made in the membership of the
LEGISLATURE until the Constitution OF 1894. The
veniion which revised the Constitution in that year
were of the opinion that more equitable dstri,
button Of legislative representation could be secured
by slightly increasing the number of members in
a, l5o and the Senate at % members. making an In.
crease in the Assembly of % and in the Senate Of
cent but it is believed that neither branch Will be
Snwedy ana inat tnf @ IN e Is no now too
q great and diversified population and such I'm
Of Assembly have always been elected annually,
but prior TO lsi7 Senators were elected for four
All Of the three coordinate branches OF the Gov
eminent. namely the legislative. the executive and
TIE Legislature was enlarged the term Of Office Of
the wss 90 TWO
Various local courts were abolished and merged
provided 50 tha, now this court consists Of sew
enty-six Justices, twenty-five of whom compose
exception OF the section relating prison labor
the new Constitution goes into full operation to-
day and We begin new era OF constitutional gov /
eminent
peral position in the family OF States gives pecul-
lar ard conspicuous interest to our legislation and
our constitutional changes. Government by the |
America
ony OF Nev-York. ard our position Of primacy has
been the pioneer in many important reforms in the
e, 0y 81 o aw IL IN ana
relations. and in commercial and business methods |
mn @ have nd in and @ the
yelopment and improvement OF our Commonwealth
spondns respo1siby and it shoud be the aim
S al ar n hr reaa the of aws to
and and social condition Of our people and at the same
which make for the greatest happiness OF the State
THE VENEZUELAN QUESTION
The doctrine formulated by President Monroe, and
which has since borne his name. has become so well
established In American national policy that there
is room for doubt to the opinion OF our peo-
pie concerning It. New-York has a population
nearly equa. to that of the entire Union when Mr.
Monroe became President, and our peculiar geo.
graphical position. the location within our bor-
ders OF the American metropolis. and the and
complicated commercial interests of our State
Justify us in feeling especial concern in the
present unhappy agitation. Any disturbance OF
the existing friendly relations between the United
States and Great Britain cannot fail to have a
serious effect. Because of the possible balefuI con-
sequences of such disturbance, deem myself justi
fed in making this reference to the larger affairs
OF the Nation in which feel such a peculiar
and vital interest.
I cannot believe that the relations between our
country ard Great Britain will be ruptured or
seriously impaired by the misunderstanding now |
existing between that country and Venezuela con-
cernng the proper location OF the boundary line !
affords a simple humane. and honorable method method
OF determining national disputes and 1t Is scarcely
that any great nation is willing to take the respon-
sibity Of the needless sacrifice OF human ilfe and
the wanton destruction OF property which would /
be the inevitable result OF an armed conflict.
THE STATE FINANCES.
From the figures furnished by the Controller I
srathed 70 be able TO announce that the finances
Of the State are In satisfactory condition. The
State for the current fiscal year is 81 A-l0o mills
for the following purposes:
For schools per Chapter sos Laws Of iso5.. slioo
For canals per Cnapter sos Laws Of 1896 icloo
For general purposes per Chapter sos, Laws of .uo
ror STATE care Of Insane per Chapter o's Laws
The above tax Of 24-loo mills the present val;
uation A2s2o G7, viii yield slS,sSSa6 g. distributed
as follows:
Senefal tax ~ W. o1l -
or Insane. s<h<oo< ~
iotal ."
The amount received from the corporation and or
fanzation tax for the fiscal year ending September
~, 1885, was 81 10 W s. The amount received for /
the fiscal year ending September 80, lSs', 81, 1886.
40 81 increase. 1919, 1866 9S.
When the present Controller assumed oftice 2.l32
corporations paying taxes. Since that time |
2'sS corporations that had hitherto for various
causes escaped taxation have been added TO the list
OF taxpayers. But during the same period In con- |
sequence Of the depression Of business. s69 old cor
poratons. or 40 per cent of the entire number