Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1902-01-11
GOVERNORS MESSAGE

GOVERNORS MESSAGE
Gentlemen Of the Sendte ant House Of
Representatives.:
As required by section 122 of the
State Constitution, | have the honor to
present a condensed summary of the
status of affairs of the State govern
ment and of the operations Of its va
rlous departments, and to recommend
for your consideration such general
measures as | deem necessary and ex-
pedient to the progress and welfare of
the government the business interests
of the State and the needs of the peo-
pie, so far as such come within legis-
latiVe jurisdiction.
FINANCE.
The legislature of two years ago
seems tqve marked the parting of
the way% between an old and a new
sentiment of governmental liberalit".
Your honorable body at that session
was liberal above all your predeces-
|
appropriation Of funds for the assist
ance and maintenance of tae State in
stitutions and the proper objects for
State aid
1t has been gratifying to note also
that the spirit of progress and lits
eralty manifested by you has been
heartily approved by the people, who
have come to know Of a certainty that
tax money, when judiclously expended
for the comfort, education and general
benefit of the masses. is not extrava-
gance but safe and becoming invest.
ment by the State.
1t is pleasing to report, however,
that Notwithstanding the liberality of
your said appropriations, and the re-
duction by you of one-half mill of the
State tax levy, sufficient funds came
| into the treasury from the various
sources Of the State to meet all cur
rent expenditures required, and with
which to pay off also S400000.00 of
five per cent interest bearing bonds,
and to defray all the expenses to date
incurred in the building of the new
State-house, without the sale of bonds
|
| the erection of new capitol
| direct your attention to the reports
of the Auditor and State Treasurer for
detailed statements of the moneys re-
ceived and disbursed by the State dur
ing the two preceding years.
In the hope Of furnishing some sug-
gestions for your guidance in making
appropriations Of money at the pres
ent session, | take the liberty of sub
mitting for your consideration the fol-
lowing careful estimates of the funds
likely to come into the treasury during
the years 1902 and 1903, to wit:
State tax for 1902 and 1908
at 6 mills ...............S2,42 ,42j, 600 o.
| State tax. privileges, 1902 and
1908, under present law. e.. S25,00O o.
| Land sales, including Chick
asaw school lands ....-... 100000 90
| Fees collected by Secretary of
State and Auditor ....'.., $4,000 90
| Penltentiary ........t.,.... $1,000 o.
Colleges, 1902 and 1903 80. 10000 90
and 1908 ..;,..'....s.,,... 100000 90
Poll tax collections, 1902 and
1903 ....,.............. $4,000 90
Cash on hand Jan. l, 1902 . 100000 %
Making a grand total for
the two years ..............S4. 900 90
1t will be borne in mind that these
amounts are estimated, but are be-
lieved to be approximately correct
and | beg to admonish that should the
appropriations made at this session ex-
ceed the above amount, serious embals
rassment might result to the State.
rpANNtEN.,, o,, ,,nN-no
The legislature at its session in 1896
(Chapter 34), for the purpose of rails,
ing revenue to carry on the State gov.
ernment for the fiscal years 1896 and
1897 authorized the issuance of $780,
10000 of per cent bonds, payable in
ten years, with the option given T.
State to redeem o.. Rasaaa'gs sssy1ss G
+ Jcars Groln their issuance anne ann ii per.
suance thereof and IN accordance v-;t,,
the provision of said Act. there were
issued and sold on the first day of
July, 1896, said $400,O00OO of bonds.
| BY section of the Act, the credit of
the State of Mississippi was pledged
to the punctual payment both of
principal and interest, of said bonds,
and at the expiration of five years the
State was given the option to pay off
and retire any or all of them
On July list, 1901, when the said op-
| ton matured, as the agent and repre-
sentative of the State in the premises.
| published a proclamation giving no
tice to all holders of said Mississippi
State Bonds, series "B." numbered
from ] to 800, to present same on July
1st, A. D. 1901, to the treasurer of the
State of Mississippi at his Office in the
Capitol, In the City of Jackson, Missis-
sippi, for payment in full, with ac-
crued interest.
Under this call, have the honor to
report that up to the 1st of October,
1901, $39S,0000O of said bonds were
presented to and cashed by the treas.
urer, and that S3,5OO.O0 thereof have
been paid off and cancelled since Octo.
Der 1st, aforesaid, including all ac-
crued interest on the bonds thus taken
up.
The law governing the whole subject
matter relative to said bonds is con-
tanned in the said Act of 1896, and be-
ing of opinion that there was no con-
stitutional or statutory inhibition to |
prevent the States exercise of the op-
ti0n through its agents or fiscal CT
flGers, deemed it wise and to the best |
Interest of the State to pay them off |
and stop the interest of s20,000.00 per
annum. Especially did this course
Seem proper In view of the fact that
6ere was ample idle money in the
Aasury to cover said bonds, not 9th
Use appropriated by the legislature
Aeeded for present use.
STATE HOUSE PONDS.
pter 81 of the Acts of the legis-
of A. d. 1900 authorized the Gov
~ to have prepared a series of
year, four per cent interest
hnaas\of the State of Mississippi to the
kopourlN of s1,000,0O00 to be sold by
% 20 he highest bidder for cash, at
niN tins and in such amounts as he
uScnt .ect. The further additional
K,m ok,500,0O was appropriated by
20 SN,t for engraving the said bonds
d advertising the same for sale. BY
Ktion of the said act $40,000.00 was
Appropriated with which to pay inter.
pm the State-house bonds aforesaid
1900.
pnfess to much pleasure in being
70 report that no part of said
mas be@nkepared or sold, and
Rent has been no occa-
ey appropriated for
$raphing, and that
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