Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-12-02
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

The outlines of some of the most i'm
portant recommendations to be con-
tanned in Governor Tyier's message
have been given. Barring the trusts
and the corporate interests, which are
to receive his careful attention, posi-
bly, the most interesting subject Of
which the forthcoming paper will treat
will be that OF election methods. The
notifications the Governor has made
in the draft of the message as it was
first prepared will deprive that docu-
ment of the most vigorous utteraDces
on this line,
The corporations are to be more
leniently dealt with in the message
than was supposed. There was
strong inclination on Governor Tyler's
part to recommend that all nonresi-
dent companies should get out chart
err under the laws of this State. The
constiLutionalty of such legislation was
carefully looked into. A decision in
Grattan was probably relied on for the
validity of such an act, The fact that
this class of legislation would hamper
the prosperous business conditions
seems to have Influenced Gov. Tyler il
the consideration of this important sub.
isct. There are those who still insist
that this recommendation should have
found place in the message.
The "land grabbers" law will re-
ceive deal OF attention at this session.
There is no reason to suppose Gov. Ty-
Ter will make any direct suggestion on
this subject. He will, however, recon-
mend that a law be enacted requiring
clerks of the courts to note on all deed
books the fact of the existence of any
delinquent taxes due the Common
wealth upon the property in question.
The object OF this is to protect not only
the careless property owner, but the in.
nocent purchaser of such realty. This
legislation, it is claimed, will go far to-
ward curing the present land-grabbers
law of some of its most Objectionable
features.
The recommendation FOR either max
ing the expenses of the office of the
railroad commissioner a direct charge
upon the State treasury, or abolishing
that department, will be one of the
most interesting suggestions contained
in the message. This Office was ere.
ated about 20 years ago. The law was
modelled largely after that which then
existed in Massachusetts. Under the
law all of the expenses of the Office of
railroad commissioner are paid by the
railroads. These are assessed by the
Auditor of Public Accounts and the
amounts so fixed by him are paid d.
rectly into the treasury, upon which
warrants are drawn by the commission
er, The salary and the duties of this
officer are, of course, fixed by the act
under which the Office was brought into
existence.
Governor Tyler has given special at
tention to the operations of the new
Fishery Board law. he is quite well
pleased with the revenues derived I'm.
der the new law. In accordance with
the suggestions of the board, the gov.
ernor will make several recommends
tions looking to the improvement of
the law and offering remedies for some
defects which seem to exist. A sug
pestion will be made for the appoint
ment of general supervisor, under
whose directions, in connection with
the president and the members of the
board, the oyster law will be more
efficiently enforced.
Among Governor Tyler's other recon-
mendations will be one for an appropria=
ton to make the old Capital 6reproof
and placing an iron roof on the came;
chaplain for penitentiary; increased
cellroom for that institution, in accord.
aroe with the frequent and urgent sug.
gestion OF the board; increased basis of
assessment upon railroads. Now the
assessments on these are about SIS, 900
per mile. This, Governor Tyler thinks,
is not sufficient. The roads, he con-
tends, are generally bonded for more
than double this amount. The bonded
debt, the Executive does not consider
an equitable basis for making these az
sessments on railroad property. There
should be, though, he will insist, an in
creased tax burden borne by these cor
porations.