The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-01-03
HE WOULD CUT SALARIES
Enormous Remuneration Received by
Public Officers.
SOME GET MORE THAN THE PRESIDENT
Corporations Should Pay Tax to the State
Based Upon Their Earning Power. Sug-
gestions For Making The Police
Department More Efficient.
(By the Associated Press.)


Albany, N. Y, Jan. Both branches
of the State Legislature convened at II
a IN. today. The feature in each branch
was the reading of the message of Cover
nor O'Dell. Senator Timothy E. ELS
worth, of Niagara county, was elected
president pro tenn of the Senate, and S.
Fred Nixon, Speaker of the Assembly
The Governors message is a general
recommendation for the reduction of the
expenses of the State, and plea for
more rigid economy in the different de-
partments and commissions. He recon-
mends the consolidation of the Board of
Mediation and Factory Inspection Depart
ment into one commission. to be known
as the Department of Labor. He asks
that the State Board of Charities and
the Prisons Commission be abolished, and
the work of these departments be done
by single commissioner. He also OBJ
jects to the present system of employing
special legal advice and recommends that
the compensation of attorneys he fixed
by statute on a percentage basis.
The Governor is of the opinion that the
corporations are treated more literally
York. The burdens placed upon domestic
corporation. he says, are forcing capital
to go to other States where more favor
able laws exist. and as a consequence,
New York is losing revenues which other
States are enjoying at its expense. The
Legislature is asked to enact amend
ments which will liberalize and make
more popular the States corporation laws.
I'VE should exercise the same supervs-
ion over foreign corporations who seek to
do business within our State, says Mr..
O'Dell, "as ovr our town, and they should
be subject to the same limitations. Many
complaints now made against large COM
binations of capital are just. but owing
to our lack of jurisdiction we are unable
to control, and therefore no law can be
framed which will reach foreign corpora
tions effectively. Even though we deny
their right to file certificates, the great
est penalty is the Withholding of the right
to use our courts, and this in effect is but
a slight embarrassment, as the United
tates court can be used for the same
lrpose Liberal laws, therefore, which
i'll accord the same rights as those
ven to individuals, restrictive as to their
,wers and the safeguarding of the peo-
e's interest, will accomplish much more
an defamation against corporations, and
Ill at the same time aid us by relieving
burdens of taxation upon the homes of
ose who can i'll afford to bear them
The Governor says that he has looked
forward with pleasurable anticipation to
the day when the State of New York
would no longer find it necessary to levy
a direct tax for State purposes. In re-
ferring to the taxation of corporations,
Mr.. O'DelI says:
All corporations receive from the State
certain rights. 1t seems to me, there
fore that capital of this character in
our State should pay tribute to the
creating power for that which they have
received. This justifes the present laws
taxing corporations for State purposes
and all future corporation tax laws should
be based upon this principle. That the
present law works hardships to some and
is not fully enforced in other cases is APP
parent. This no makeshift remedy will
correct, but an entirely new system should
be framed to meet existing conditions
and a fair and equitable recompenSe from
all corporations enjoying State protection.
and favors should be exacted. Exemptions
should be given by the localities rather
than by the State, because it is the for
mer which receives the greatest benefit,
and all corporate should therefore pay
a tax based upon their earning power.
But few of the many corporations in the
State are taxed in this manner, and
therefore an unfair discrimination exists. "
AS to the correction of evils in the
city Of New York and the need of hus-
banding the resources Of the city, the Gov
ernor says:
Every department of New York needs
corrective legislation Especially is this