Connecticut western news., 1900-01-04
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
mR. RoosEveLT's COMMENTS AND
 RECOMMENDATIONS.

State Finances, Etc.
 Governor Roosevelt has submitted his annual message to the New York state legislature.
 The first question taken up in the mes sage Is that of the canals. The governor refers to the commission appointed by his predecessor and continued under his own The subject which 1t is he says, is of such vast importance that 1t has not yet been able to complete its labors, and it was evident that 1t would not have time to consider the canal problem in the way that was desirable. Accordingly a special commit tee to examine the whole canal question was appointed. The report of this com mittee will be ready in about a fortnight and will be submitted with a special mes- sage.
 The Canal Charges.
 The governor reviews the charges of wholesale personal corruption in connec- ton with the canals, which. he says, were resolved by Governor Blacks investigat- ing commission into two categories, mal- feasance by the outgoing state engineer and surveyor and by the former superin- tendent of canals and gross mismanage- ment and inefficiency.
 In view of the seriousness of the charges of malfeasance Austen c. Fox and Wallace MaeFarlane, Democrats, were appointed to assist the attorney general in prosecuting any criminal who could be discovered by rigorous inyesti- gation. After working for several months counsel reported that, in their opinion, on the evidence obtainable by them, criminal prosecutions were inadvisable and im- practicable. In the absence of evidence of fraudulent collusion between the state officers and the contractors counsel con cluded that the numerous instances of apparently unjustifable favoritism to contractors and of improvident agree ments reported by the commission could not be said to be of a criminal character, though they did subject the state to a large pecuniary loss and apparently showed grave delinquency on the part of those charged with the execution of the work. The delinquency shown justified public indignation, but 1t did not afford ground for criminal prosecution.
 As to the mismanagement of the ca- nals the governor says the only thing to do was to make a thorough change in methods. This has been done. The new superintendent has managed the canals with the care and skill which would be expected in a private business enterprise. The highest standard of integrity has been demanded. There has been no toler- ation whatever of inefficiency and no re- tention of any man who filled a needless position or who filled unworthily a neces- sary position. The season of 1899 was one of unusual activity on the canals, but the good effect of the new superin- tendent's administration was made strik- ingly evident when, at the close of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, the accounts were made up. For the last eight months of the fiscal year ending Oct. l, 1899, al- though more business was done, the ca nals were run at cost of about S450, 900 as against about S590,000 for the same eight months of the preceding year, a net saving of nearly S140,000, or about 25 per cent.
 Taxation
 The question of taxation Is reviewed at length. The present method is de- clared inadequate and unjust, the real es- tate owner paying too large a proportion of the tax. The last legislature appoint ed a committee on taxation, whose re- port will be ready soon and which will, it is hoped, present a scheme which will receive the support of all classes of tax payers. The franchise tax, the governor says, marks a great stride in advance. There will doubtless have to be additional legislation from time to time to perfect the system as its shortcomings are made evident in actual practice. But the cor porations owning valuable public fran chises must pay their full and proper share of the public burdens. During the year 1899 not a single corporation has re- ceived at the hands of the state of New York one privilege of any kind, sort or description, by law or otherwise, to which it was not entitled and which was not in the public interest, nor has corporate in- fiuence availed against any measure which was in the public interest.
 On the question of government or mu- nicipaI ownership of public utilities the governor says it Is undesirable that the government should do anything that private individuals could do with better results to the community. Everything that tends to deaden individual initiative is to be avoided, and unless in a given case there is some very evident gain which will flow from state or municipal ownership 1t should not be adopted. On the other hand, when private ownership entails grave abuses and where the work II efficiency by the state or municipality acting in its collective capacity no theory or tradition should interfere with our making the change.
 On one point there must be no step backward. There is consensus of opin- ion that New York must own its own water supply. Any legislation permitting private ownership should be annulled.
 Trusts.
 Governor Roosevelt has a great deal to say about trusts, giving illustrations of their good and evil points. Abuses ex- ist, he declares, but they must be reme- died by intelligent legislation. Much of the legislation not only proposed but en. acted against trusts Is not one whit more intelligent than the medieval bull against the comet and has not been one particle more effective. The first essen tial is knowledge of the facts, publicity, Much can be done at once by amend ment of the corporation laws so as to pro- vide for such publicity as will not work injustice us between business rivals. The chief abuses alleged to arise from trusts are probably the following: Mis-. representation or concealment regarding material facts connected with the organi- zation of an enterprise, the evils connect. ed with interruptions promotion, overcap- italization, unfair competition, resulting in the crushing out of competitors who themselves do not act improperly; raising of prices above fair competitive rates, the yielding of increased power over the wage earners. Publicity will do much to prevent such abuses.
 The national guard and naval militia are commended for their work in the past year. Particular mention Is made oi the many men who have gone as officers and priyates to the Philippines. More ample facilities for rife practice nrs urged. More complete military education of officers is deemed necessary.
 The progress made by the Ash and game commission is favorably comment ed upon.
 Modification of the statutes concerning loan and building associations is advisa ble. This subject is treated exhaustively aN.a .N.aN.1 1AW.A sks