The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-12
GOVERNOR RUSSBLLS MESSAGE.
North Cardinals Executive Makes
Various Recommendations.


North Cardinals Executive Makes
Various Recommendations.
RALEIGH. y. C. Jan. 12.-The message
of Governor Russell to the Legislature
cou1rnends the State Geological Survey.
saying that during the past two years
over s.. geo, coo has been invested in the
development Of timber and mineral re-
courcee in North Carolina as result OF
the work of the survey He recommends
the enlargement Of the State Normal and
Industrial College for Women He com
mends highly the TWO agricultural and
mechanical colleges for whites and ne
groes, and says there are none doing finer
work lie urges further enlargement Of
the three hospitals for the insane, as
many insane are nov in jails, though
there are over 1900 in the hospitals. He
warmly commends a refOTmatOry, and
says it would be economy in the State TO
establish it: declares that larger apprO-
priaJions for the Soldiers Home should
be made; recommends that the criminal
insane department at the pen tertiary
be abolished, saying il is a menace to the
penitentiary and an injustice TO the Grim
inaI insane; says the reports make 1t ap-
pear that the penitentiary IS self-sustaiR-
ing The does not say IL is so); asks for
larger appropriation fer the STATE Guard.
He deyotes a fourth Of his message 10
discussion of the litigation by the State n
the numerous suits against railways and
other corporations and defends his much
criticised action in employing counsel and
exPeRdiBg large sums as fees
The Governor makes the following very
interesting statement regarding the $40
Geo. geo tax assessment case against the
railways. which is now in progress
There is merit in the contention Of the
railways that they shall not be singled
out Cor taxation 1T their true value while
the bulk Of the other property Of the
State real and personal. is assessed
largely below its actual value The testi-
mony in the tax assessment cases, while
it does not show that the railways are
assessed beyond their value. and while II
does not prove any general and common
design among the assessors throughout
the State to assess individual property at
less than its value, does seem TO indi
cate that vast amount CT taxable prop
erty is assessed much below even the
selling price,
Regarding the states revenues, he says
the deficit for last year Sas $177, zee. The
apparent deficit was only Slg Geo but IL
must be remembered that $4,000 of
bonds were sold. Additional sources Of
income must be found. He hopes the rail
way tax litigation viii result in largely
increased revenue. He recommends ei her
an increase in the .tSZF4te or an increase
IN valuation Holders of the second mort
gage bonds Of the North Carolina Railway
claim that the arrangement by which he
new bonds were issued, maturing nineteen
years hence. at per cent interest, was
Illegal, because they did not consent 10
the arrangement
These bondhOIders ask leave Of the
State to bring suit to adjust their claim
He says that II & reasonable price could
be obtained for tie States controlling in
terest III the Atlantic and North Carolina
Railway it would be available for the in
creased expenditures OF the State. This is
construed as hiLt for sale.
The Governor urges an increase Of the
salary of the Governor which is nov So
coo a year. saying II IS inadequate. Re
urges that the Legislature increase the
salary so as to make II available before
Governor AyCOck is inaugurated- He urges
the creation Of a code commission and an
increase in the number Of Superior Court
judges. His last paragraph contains the
only thrust at the Democrats which is 20
be found in the message. It says: Equal,
if not superior, to all subjects OF legisIa-
ton is the enactment Of an election law
by which every constitutional elector shall
be able 10 have his ballot counted as