St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-10-09
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
The Recommendation rlade by rlajor
Josiah circuit.
Work and Need of Different State Departments
Reviewed.

second ballot The senate was called to
order by Lieut.. Gov. Mansur and Max
L. Powell OF Burlington elected secretary.
The roll call showed all the senators in
their seats. Rev. William Warner of
Pawet was elected chaplain and DR.. A.
A. Dean, president pro TEN.
Gov. CIRCUITS inaugural was delivered
in his usual eloquent manner and isgiyen
below in full.
Gentlemen of the Senate and House Of
Representatives,:
Elected and sworn to be governor OF
the state, l humbly enter upon the duties
Of the Office, impressed with the import
ance of the trust In so doing 1 would
gratefully and appreciatingIy aeknowl-
edge the honor conferred, craving the
kind forbcarance Of all
Good government depends upon wise
laws faithfully executed.
We are assembled in regular biennial
session to assist each otLer in cncour-
aging such government IN Vermont and
under DIVINE guidance let US enter upon
p "
United states senator.
Among your duties viii be the electonof
a United States senator for the term OF
six years from the fourth day Of March
next to succeed the Hon. Justin S. Nor
rill.
Finances
This Is nroIabIv the most interesting
eubiect all it all Won will consider. and
from time immcmorial has been in
stinctively accorded first position among
the message topics of my honored pred
cessors.
Receipts. disbursements. resources and
liabilities are words suggesting the ms,
outs. reliability and emergency of the
exchequer.
They are the ways and means language
OF public dnancicrlng; four words in the
treasurers report to which your most
careful attention is directed, standing
for revenue, appropriation, dependence
and credit.
The money supply now occupying So
much thought invites an equally earnest
consideration Of its use, wherein lies the
value.
- 4'i''''t1 ''ii' 'I'l'Pi 'l'i t'tlIls7 Nh' pun
lie moneys De just and prudent; avoid
both extravaganza and parsimony; keep
the resources secure ana the credit ilrm.
Taxation.
Our revenue flows into the treasury
from various sources, and out in various
ways. Instead of presenting to you a
statement from the treasurer's report,
showing its different features, it seems
better that you should examine it for
yourselves. 1t is brief and able, rem
dering clearer the particular workings
Of the treasury than any abridgement
of it l can furnish you.
From resources and liabilities given,
you will be able to determine the state
tax, additional to other taxes, necessary
to defray the expenses of the state for
the ensuing biennial term.
This tax should not be larger than
was assessed in 1894, assuming list to be
nearly or quite the same, and if upon re-
adjustment, corporation taxes should
be increased, special appropriations kept
at the Minimum so that ordinary eX
penses can be the expectation, a smaller
tax will suffice. This calculation en-
counters lIe DlONGI Dldl IL. II utDtlluS
upon the work of the session, and before
we reach the state tax question you will
know by your own conduct how large it
Should be.
Corporation Taxes and the Tax Com
missioner's Report
Thirteen annual taxes have been col
lected under the corporation tax law,
the first in 1883, amounting to $l9667S.51,
and the last in 1898, amounting to 1916
723O4. The tax for the last biennial
period was $I34,572.Sl, being &235l.G2
more than for the preceding biennial
period. These taxes show uniform in
crease, are cheerfully paid and are i'm
portant to the state. They should be 50
assessed and collected as to deal justly
by the corporations paying them, and at
the same time so as to realize for the
state in proportion to the protection
afforded, An inquiry into the equality
OF assessment is suggested as a proper
investigation.
The assessment and collection of the
corporation taxes, constituting toward
n per cent Of the states revenue is
very important official duty. The faith
fitness with which the work Is done sig
nlHeS lnuCH 10 the treasury. Your al
tentlon Is directed to the commissioners
report for the Information it affords con-
corning this source of income.
The Five Per Cent State Taxes
These taxes are eoualizers Of the
school and highway burdens In tha diff.
ferent towns of the state They arc
drafts unon the stronper in favor of tho
weaker stems in tbe direction of t,,o