The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-15
LEADING POINTS DISCUSSED IN THIS
STATE DOCUMENT
LIBERAL POLICY RECOMMENDED
Toward the States Charitable and Ed
ucarionai institutions and the state
Guard-Recommends a Resormatory.
State Revenue Necessary.
Increase OF Judicial Districts De-
sirable-Governor'sS Salary Too Small.
One Solitary Hit at Democrats.
me Solitary Hit at Democrats.
Especial 70 The Messenger.)

1f@N ~
Raleigh. y. c., January 10.-GoV-
ernor Russelrs message commends the
geological survey, saying la during
the past two years over s5.0oo.o00 had
been invested In the DEVELOPMENT OF the
timber and mineral Of the
state as a result Of the surveys work.
He urges liberal treatment of the
university. He recommends b en-
largement of the state normal and in
dustrial college. He commends highly
both the agricultural colleges. and says
none is doing finer work.
He says il is a stain upon the state
that the asylums for the insane are
not enlarged so as to accommodate
those now In jails.
He warmly commends a reformatory
and urges that it will be a great econ
omy for the state to establish il.
He urges larger appropriations for
improvements at the soldiers home.
and says 1t is entitled to more consid-
Grafton.
He recommends abolition of the de-
partment Of h criminal insane in the
penitentiary, saying 1t is a menace to
the penitentiary and al injustice TO the
criminal insane
He says it appears from the reports
that h penitentiary is self-supporting
He does not say that it is SO.
He declares the time has come when
there should be a spirit Of just liberali-
ty toward state guard and better pro-
vision for it.
He calls attention to the great work
of the state board Of health and urges
its continuance and enlargement.
One-fourth of the message is devoted
to a discussion of the litigation by the
IN -
railways and other corporations. He
defends his action in employing coun-
sci, and says in every case he regard
ed the remuneration as reasonable. He
repeats this a a dozen times. He
says: There is merit in the conten-
ton of the railroads that they shall not
be singled out for taxation at their
true value, while the bulk of other
property of the state, real and per-
sonal, is assessed largely below it's ac-
tual value. TIE testimony in the tax
assessment cases.. while 1t does not
show that h railroads are assessed
beyond their value, and while it does
moi prove any general common design
among the assessors the
state to assess individual property al
less than its real value. does seem to
indicate that the vast amount of tax
able property is assessed much below
even the selling price"
Regarding the revenue of the state.
he says that while deficit for last year
was $l17 600, the apparent deficit was
only $19 900, but there were $40. 900 of
bonds sold. Additional sources of in
come must be found. He hopes the
railway litigation will result in increas-
ed ~evenue He recommends increase
In the tax rate or an increase in vaIu-
alton. He says the holders Of 200
mortgage bonds of the North Carolina
railway claim that the Arrangement BY
which the new bonds were issued. ma
turing nineteen years hence at 6 per-
cent, was illegal because they did not
consent to the arrangement. They ask
leave of the state to bring suit to adj
just their claim.
He says if a reasonable price for the
Atlantic n North Carolina railway
could be obtained it would be available
for increased expenditures.
He urges an Increase Of the govern
ors salary, saying the present one is
inadequate. He urges immediate in
crease so as to make it available for
Aycock.
He urges the creation of a ode com
mission, an increase Of the superior
court judges n restoration Of author
ity to judges to regulate the time con-
sumed in nissi prius trials.
His last paragraph contains the only
hit at the democrats. 1t says:
Equal if not superior to all subjects
election law by which every constitu-
tional elector shall be able to have his
vote counted as cast"