The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-04
A SIGNIFICANT CLAUSE IN THE MES
SAGE OF GOVERNOR ODELI.
THEIR CAPACITY OF EARNINGa
To be Basis for Assessing Taxes-Under
Present System Many Corporations
Escape Bearing Their Share OF State
Expenses-He Asks that State Cor.
porauions be Placed on Same Footing
as Foreign-He Calls for Reduction
OF State Expenses and Reform In New
York City.

Albany, N. Y, January Both
branches of the state legislature con-
vened at II o'c:ock a. m. today The
feature in each branch was the read
ing of the message Of Governor Odell.
Senator Timothy E. Ellsworth, of Nj
agara county, was elec.ed president
pro tenn of the senate and S. Fred
Nixon speaker Of the assembly.
The governors message is & general
expenses Of the state and a plea for
more rigid economy in the different de-
PAL trnents and commissions. He recon-
mends the consolidation of the board Of
mediation and arbitration, the bureau
of labor statistics and the state fac
tory inspection department into one
commission, ito be known as the depart
ment CT labor. He asks that the state
board of charities and the prisons COM
n,iss;cn be abolished and their work
be dore by a single commissioner
The governor says the burdens place )
upcT q. ii.eStfc corporate IS is forcing
caDItai L. go to other states, where
more favorable laws exist, and, as
consequence New York is losing reve-
nues which other states are enjoying
at it's expense. The legislature is ask
ed to enact amendments which will
liberaliZe and make more popular the
states corporation laws.
I'VE should exercise the same super
vision over foreign corporations Who
seek to do business within our state,
says Mr.. Odell, "as over our own, and
they should be subject to the same linn
itations. Many complaints now made
against large combinations of capital
are just, but, owing to our lack of ju-
riSdtctiOn, we are unable to control.
and, therefore, no law can be framed
which will reach foreign corporations
effectively
The governor says he looks forward
to the day when the state of New
York would no longer find it necessary
to levy direct tax for state purposes.
He adds: "All corporations receive
from the state certain rights, and this
class of capital should pay a tribute to
the creating power for that which
they have received. This justifies the
present laws taxing corporations for
state purposes. and all future corpora
ton tax laws should be based upon this
principle. A fair and equitable recon-
pense from all corporations enjoying
state protection and favors should be
tax based upon their earning power.
But few of the many corporations in
the state are now taxed in this manner,
and, therefore, an unfair discrimina-
tiOn exists"
The governor adds: Every depart
ment of New York needs corrective
legislation Especially is this true OF
those departments whose administra-
| tion is confined to county lines. Many
of the public officers in that city are
receiving a larger remuneration fol
| their services than that which is given
| to the president of the United States
The message recommends creation o1
| a bipartisan election board, exemp-
| tion of mortgages from taxation anG
| enactment of an employers liability
| law or the establishment of a system
| OF forced insurance of the employees by
the employer, to place employees on tn,
same legal footing as individuals no
| employed.