The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-02
HIS MESSAGE TO THE LEGIsLATUnE
CARRIES MANY DEFINITE
RECOMMENDATION
CITY OFFICERS PAID TOO MUCH
Strong Views Expressed Against
Allowing Saloons Any Greater
Liberty Than They Have
FaVOrs Local Option.
EXISTING ABUSES CONDEMNED

ALBANY, n. Y, Jan. 1.-The general
assembly convened in annual session to-
day. S. Fred Nixon was elected speaker
OIL the house, and the other Republican
caucus nominees of the house and SEN
ate were elected. The annual message
OF GOV. Benjamin 3. OdelI Jr was de-
livered to the legislature.
In his message the governor observes
that the almost total abolition of stata
taxes VIII bring home to the taxpayer
the fact that his expenditures are to be
peculiarly light, and if they are excess
sive the remedy rests with him to rebuke
those who are charged with the admins
tratlon of his local affairs
1he legislature is recommended to
frame law which will give the state
board OF tax commissioners greater power
10 enforce the rule against excessive. as
wen as low, assessments, and to make
the state board reviewing court to in
Vestlgate and correct inequalities in the
matter of assessments, and thus become
not only mediator as between counties
Oh the state, but also serve TO protect the
rights OF individuals in each locality.
Salaries Must Be Reduced.
The governor also suggests that there
Should be safe margin to enable each
local legislative body to absolutely fix
and determine the percentage of total in
come to be expended for salaries.
IN looking over the salary list of the
city OF New York, he says, sit will be
found that there are several officials who
receive larger salary than the governor
OF the state, or the cabinet officers of
the United States, and it cannot be claim
ed with any degree of truth that the
services rendered are always commensu-
rate with the compensation given"
Discussing the correlated subjects OF
sumptuary legislation and local option,
the governor says in part:
Local option, as it relates to the lfd-
uor traffic is understood as meaning that
in all communities other than cities the
Inhabitants thereof shall have the right
10 determine whether liquor shall be
sold IN such communities six days Of the
week, and upon the determination of that
question the excise department predicates
its administration. This right was given
because before the enactment Of the
present excise law it was within the
power of the voters or Of the appointing
authorities in the municipalities and VII
lages to absolutely prohibit the sale of
liquor by electing or appointing board
opposed TO the granting of such licenses.
FavOrs Vote on Local Option.
There can be no objection to submit
ting this same question to the voters OF
the cities if it is so desired, as it will
be treating all parts Of the state alike.
But If by local option is meant the
right to determine whether the doors of
the saloons may legally remain open on
Sundays, then a different proposition is
presented, and departure is proposed
from the fixed rules which have governed
the administration of our excise laws and
1t then becomes a question which con-
Germs not only particular city, but every
section of our state. Each locality owes
to all others a due regard for their
rights and convictions, and their moral
and physical comfort No such departure
should therefore be sanctioned nor power
granted to localities to change, as this
would, the fundamental principles which
have had their growth since the begin
ming of cur history, unless it was the
desire of the majority of the people Of
the state.
Opposes Concessions to Saloons.
Before granting referendum to the
cities the whole question should be
passed upon by the people at large IN
the same manner as were the provisions
that gave the mayors the right of veto
and other features of home rule now
guaranteed them by the constitution en-
acted in 1894.
IF open saloons should be authorized
in cosmopolitan cities, demands would
soon follow for licenses from otner
branches of business and might reach
an extent that would arouse the con-
sciences of every man and every woman
in our commonwealth who believe not
only in a day of rest, but in render
ing to God, Who has blessed us as q
nation, the homage that is due to Him.
The excessive cost of receivershlps OF
public or senli-public Institutions is CIV
en- attention in the message the evils
of the present system being illustrated
t1xr Fa4E fl,aN IL
volved in liquidation of the affairs Of
seventy corporations during the past ten
years have been 81, ,666. .223S
State Must Control Liquidation.
The governor therefore recommends
"the amendment Of the banking and In
surance laws so as to provide that ali
proceedings affecting insurance and
banking corporations under the contreI
of the state banking and insurance de-
partments shall not only be Institutes
by such departments respectively, but
that they shall be placed absolutely un-
der their control during the liquidation"
The governor expresses his approval or
the proposition to make the tax upon
mortgages of realty mills. which would
produce an annual revenue Of $3,0O000O,
and increase the revenues from indirect
taxation to an amount almost equal TO
the annual requirements of the state.
In order to remedy the evasion Of tax
laws by corporations the governor sug-
gests that local assessors be given au-
thority to compel corporations to furnish
lists of stockholders.
Reforms OF Laws Demanded.
In view of the fact that. had President
Mckinley survived the assault of CZol-
gosz, the latter could only have been SEN
fenced to ten years Imprisonment, Gov.
Odell recommends that on charge OF
assault with intent to kill a sentence
of twenty-five years be imposed.
The governor recommends that the di-
voree laws be amended so that a decree
shall not be absolute until six months
after 1t is granted.
In directing attention to the excessive
and increasing cost of maintaining public
Institutions, Gov. Odell seeks to impress
upon the legislature that the time has
come to call a halt. and to demonstrate
that many of our charitable asylums
are not run so much for the benett or
the inmates as for the exposition. OF
peculiar and sentimental ideas that
should have no part in the manags lnent