The evening times., 1899-01-04
INITIAL MESSAGE OF
GOVERNOR ROOSEVELT
Says America Must Hold the
Islands She Has Taken.
Pertinent Comments on the National
Guard Organization.
Recon- nendation for Uniform
Practice Concerning the Civil
Service of the State.

Albany. N Y, Jan. 4.-The 122d session
of the State legislature convened at noon
today Both the senate and the assembly
chambers were crowded to the doors with
sightseers anxious to witness the legisla-
tive wheel begin its turning.
Promptly at noon Lieut.. Gov. Woodruff
in the senate and Clerk Baxter, of the as
sembly, called the respective houses 10
order Immediately upon the conclusion
of the lieuteEant governors address. Sena-
tor Ellsworth, of Niagara, was reelected
president pro TEN of the senate, James y
Whipple. of Cattaraugus, clerk; Harry
Jacquiare of Brooklyn, sergeant-at-arms,
and the remaining candidates OF last
nights Republican senatorial caucus Sc
Iected as the officers of the senate.
In the assembly, Clerk Baxter cailed
the body to order and S. r. Nixon o.
Chautauqua, who today enters upon hs
eighth consecutive term as member, was
elected speaker of the assembly. Mr..
Nixon al once assumed the chair and de-
liyered a warmly received address.
AS soon as the organization OF the TWO
bodies was completed the governor was
notified through committees that the leg
islature was organized and ready for fhe
transaction Of business His message
was presented and read to the resp Give
bodies. and ordered printed.
The vigorous style of the goTernor
is apparent all through the message. His
reference TO the war and recommendations
regarding the canals, labor and the Ma
tional Guard are Of general interest.
Gov. Roosevelt opens with congratula-
lions TO the Nation and State on the bril-
liant triumph of the war. The country
was one. he says, when the war broke ou;.
and the blue and the gray, the men OF
means and the laboring men, stood shoul-
der to shoulder in the fighting and shared
The same ultimate triumph.
Speaking OF New Yorks part in the oar
he says
We are not merely New Workers We are
Americans and the interests OF all Americans.
whether from the North the South. the last
or the great West. equally dear 10 the men
of the Empire state. IS grow into mighty
nation. which, whether il viii or not, must lney-
itBbly play great part for good OF Tor eVll IN
the affairs OF the world al large, the people ~
New York wish II understood that ile5 looh Al
all questions Of American foreign policy lron
The most thoroughly national standpoint Tic
tTopiC islands we have taken must neither hc al
lowed to lapse into anarchy nor 10 return under
the sway OF tyranny.
OF domestic affairs the governor says the
State is 10 be congratulated on the gradual
return OF prosperity. The present system
Of taxation he finds TO be in utter confu-
sion, full of injustices and queer anomalies,
and commends the legislature TO seek
remedy. On the decline in the canal sys-
TEN the governor says:
Under my predecessor commission was ap-
p0inied 10 examine into the causes ui this de.
cline. ! recommended that this commission he
allowed ample additional time 10 close its wo-H,
the subject being of such yast Importance.
and that II be given all ncedful aid. The canals
at present are in such condition that the money
already expended Viii avail nothing il The work
i discontinued
The governor devotes much space to
consideration CT the demands of labor and
fl11 he sl,,,ra Of
York On the latter subject he says:
Laws have been enacted by the Legislature 10
suppress this vile phase OF industrial life IN ON
large cItic, by prohibiting the Use OF dwellings
for the purpose of manufacture. Although the
law l. quite explicit, and the intention Of the
legislature obvious, great difficulty has been ca
prTienccd in its effective enforcement II J. ever1-
where agreed that this tenement house or sweat
shop system Is degrading To the unfortunate III
dlvljuals engaged IN IL, and TO the social and
moral life OF the community in which il exists.
How to enforce the law on this subject has pr.
picked the statesmen of either countries and
States. as well a. our own.
The most effective and uuinquisi;ive means vet
devised for accomplishing this end j. that re
Gently adopted by Massachusetts, VIZ: PToyid
ing that buildings used for manufacturing pur
poses must have permit or license, such IT.
"cnse permit 10 he granted only on condition
that the appointments OF the building fulfill the
requirements 0f the law for manufacturing pur-
poses. These permits or licenses ought TO be
granted by the Board of Factory Inspectors WHO
fiol4u Toe t.id ItfDllNiblt loI lit proper liNtHH
tion OF the buildings and the enforcement Of the
law.
The governors comments on the State
militia are especially interesting. After
reviewing and praising part of the militia
volunteers in the war with Spain the gov
ernor says:
MANY of the troops who volunteered gladly for
The emergency, now that the war Is over, are
most anxious to return. That they not all
able TO return is due to the utterly inadequate
size OF our regular army. If regular army l..
as il should be. increased TO 100000 men, the
hard necessity OF retaining in the service the
volunteer organizations which ought not be
tanned. viii disappear.
A very wise act OF the last Legislature las, Tor