The Savannah morning news., 1902-11-09
THE GovERNoR.s MESSAGE.


The leading features Of the Govern
or's message have been discounted by
| the publicity given them through the
newspapers since the Governor was in
| augurated. Nevertheless the message
will be read with a great deal of in
| terest.
The recommendation that the limit
Of the tax rate be placed at mills
will prove to be a popular one. There
is disposition in some quarters TO
fix the limit at a lower rate, but it
would be a mistake to do so, for the
reason that the occasion might arise
when a lower rate would not enable the
state to accomplish some object abso-
lutely necessary to promote its well
fare. Besides, as long as the pension
burden is as great as it is at present
the 5-mill rate will not be any too
great to meet the states needs. 1t
is a rather remarkable condition of af-
fairs that those who are the most per-
sistent in insisting upon a lower rate
are the ones, mainly, who block eff
forts to confne pensions to the Con-
federate veterans and those widows
of Confederate veterans who are abso-
lutely dependent upon assistance from
the state.
The Governor of course, favors ex-
empting the property of churches,
schools, colleges and orphans homes
from taxation. There is a measure
for that purpose now pending in the
Legislature, and 1t seems to be a pop
ular one The public school system
and public school teachers always had
warm place in the heart of the Gov
ernor, and hence he gives considerable
space in his message to them. He
formulates plan for paying the teach
ers promptly. and it appears to be a
good one, in theory. The question is,
can 1t be made to work in practice?
There can be no harm in trying it.
The teachers are a most deserving
class of public servants. 1t has never
been made entirely clear why members
of the Legislature and the State House
officers get their money promptly while
the teachers, the poorest paid of the
lot, have to wait for what is due them.
The leading feature of the message
Is, OF course, the recommendation that
an agricultural college be esta bIished
in each congressional district. The
reasons for this recommendation are
sound ones, and If it were carried into
effect 1t would result in great good. From
our point of view the agricultural re-
G0nrHRG 20 cfaf hnx
to be developed. Intelligent farming
would increase it's agricultural output
hve fold. 1t is only about ten years
since peaches have been grown profit
ably on large scale, and now there
are scores of farmers getting rich
growing that fruit. There are millions
OF acres adapted to the growing of APP
pies, and yet very few of the fine va
rieties are to be found in the state,
and these few are produced in very
limited quantities. We mention only
these two things. There are many
others to which the various climates
and soils of the state are adapted.
But we do not understand that the
proposed colleges can be established
and maintained without cost to the
people. The Governor says that the
net returns from the fees on fertilizers
will maintain them. Admitting that
such is the case. will not the tax rate
have to be increased to make up the
amount which the diversion of these
fees will take from the general fund?
The Governor is firm in the convic-
ton that franchises should be taxed.
There has been growing sentiment
in that direction for several years. At
the last session of the Legislature the
matter was discussed pretty thor
oughly.