The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1901-01-12
MESSAGE OF GOV. Bliss.
Inaugural Address of the Incom-
Ing Executive of
Michigan.
EE MAKES MANY RECOMMENDATIONS.
Accommodated of Economy In
Conducting Public Anairs-Legis-
Iation ON Various Natter. RECON-
mended.

mended.
To the Honorable, the Senate aLd
House of Representatives.:
Michigan enters upon the long high.
way OF the twentieth century In the
van Of tho procession of the states Of
this great republic. Yours, gentlemen
OF the Forty first legislature, is the dis
tinction Of being the first legislative
assembly Of this century. l trust your
record will commend you each and all
to the good graces Of the people whom
you serve and In whose behalf you leg
islate. 1t Is my privilege, as governor,
to address you on this occasion, and
as we read the glorious history Of this
peninsular state we know there has
been put upon us burden Of RESPONSE
bility by reason Of the position to
which we have been elected. believe
we shall acquit ourselves as men; that
we shall bear In mind at all times that
every officer and employee of the state
is public servant.
The problems Of state management
presenting themselves to the Forty
first legislature being chiefly non-po-
litlcal, require In their solution the
same kind Of common sense used in
the ordinary dispatch of business.
Michigan Is prosperous, its people well
employed, and the great strides taken
in development point to future of d.
verslfed Industries. In the way Of leg
islation nothing should be done tend
Ing in the least to Impede the progress
or to hinder the welfare of the state.
Reason and not prejudice should be
the guide.
Standing upon It's record of progress
and prosperity, Michigan, ut the be-
ginning of the twentieth century, faces
the most splendid decade in its history.
The state expects at your hands an
honest and decisive settlement OF the
taxation question, so that the people,
assured justice has trlumphed. may
devote themselves in security to the
pursuits of business and the earring
of a livelihood.
Reform In Tax Laws.
ask the legislature to give its care
full attention to the tax laws, so that |
every dollars worth Of property shall |
bear It's fair and equal proportion Of
the public burdens. If there ale
wrongs in taxation, they should be cor
rccted. AS Republican governor. l
urge that the party pledges be carried
out, to the end that all property may |
be taxed equally, believing that under
perfected state supervision OF taxa
ton there will come an end to the in
eQualities that have prevailed. There
is no better way to secure the inter- |
ests of the people than by legislation
which does equal and exact justice to
Al,
~ helieving that the people desire that
sban c9perty now paying specific taxes
other aHHesssed in like manner with
Iecis,oturasrty. rccomend that the
cbino,.,, ,or trvide the necessary ma
chihery Tor the ass~.., 49,,
ton of taxes on this ny. eii' ana coiiec-
ad valorem basis. Thert upon IN
nasty consideration of thts Wv We no
question, however, for the int ers...i ht
hundreds of millions Of property is ~
slight one. 1t Is not necessary to re- !
hearse the steps that have been taken
In legislation of this kind, for the duty
devolving upon us Is plain, and we
should discharge 1t and properly ac-
quit ourselves of our Obligations.
At the hands Of the Fortieth legis-
lature certain railroad charters were
repealed, and i recommend that this
legislature satisfy itself before ad-
journment that no further legislation
is needed to make absolutely sure that
these special charters have disap-
peared from Michigan.
One of the most important problems
in the ADMINISTRATION of the state gov
eminent is the increasing cost of the
state institutions and the growing de-
mand for the multiplying of these
great public works. There are two
horns to the dilemma, either greater
appropriations VI TIE phlernIl ana
phiianthropic work of the state must
come to partial halt. Under the sys-
TEN Of taxation In vogue, only real es-
tate and personal property are az
sessed to meet the expenses Of the
state. The proceeds of taxation from
what are now known as Specific tax
properties" are distributed through the
primary school fund and applied for
school purposes. The use Of primary
school interest money is prohibited for
other purposes than the payment of
teachers wages. Information collect
ed by the retiring auditor general
shows that in many districts the one
mill tax added to the primary school
disbursed was in excess of the
amount paid for teachers wages all
The way from % to 80 per cent Should
b.,.x, In iucroo cod foxotion nf otl tha |