The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1904-01-16
LONGINO'S MESSAGE
TO THE LEGISLATURE
General Resume of State Affairs During
His Administration.
Recommended Looking the Exclusion Of the Boil Weev
Erection of New Governors Mansion Also Receives Ap
pova--Adves Against the Issuance of Bonds and
Wants Old Capitol and Mansion Sites Sold

The farewell message OF Gov. Longi.
no to the State legislature was read
to the two houses on the second day
of the session. The message makes
eighteen columns of soidly printed
matter. and Is entirely too lengthy to
permit of its publication entire. We
therefore present the salient features
of the document, which may be found
In the resume bolw:
The keynote OF the message Is economy
In appropriations. The governor goes at
length Into the financial condition of the
State and points cut that no Issue of bonds
will be necessary II the proper economy Is
observed Ia the matter of appropriations.
The governor thinks that the educational
institutions Will not require as much as last
session, having been well provided for IN
the way of improvements and buildings.
In this matter OF "A bond issue the governor
is at variance with the report of Auditor
Cole, whose figures show that deficit of
nearly Sl,o00a0o Is Inevitable In the next
two years with economical expenditures.
The governor recommends n commission
to take up the matter of preventing the In
PRODUCTION Of the boil weevll into this
State. lie recommends investigation into
the whitecap outraRes In the counties of
Lincoln. Franklin and Amite
The governor devotes considerable space
to the penltentiary and the work of the
board of control in connection with the
opening Of the new State farm and equip
ping It for the prisoners. lie says that the
fact that the penitentiary has not only been
seuf-sustaining but has been annually pay
Ing into the treasury a handsome sum in
I
the enormous cost OF developing the new
farm ought to be proof sufficient to all
fair. minded persons of the economy and
wise management exercised In the conduct
of Its Affairs
The message reviews the general condl-
tlon Of the state and the workings OF all
the various state Institutions. and is full
Of statistical matter showing the progress
Of the state during the past four years.
The document Is a voluminous one aud
covers over eighteen columns of matter In
which is exhaustiyely considered every sub
| ject Of interest to the people OF this State
After referring to the honesty and nteg-
| rity of the various State officials and the
harmony existing between them, the gov
ernor speaks feellngly of the death of Su-
preme Court CLERK Brown aud In compll-
mentary terms of George C. Myers, his sue
cessor. lie then plunged into n statement
| of the various State Institutions ali OF
which he finds TO be In good condition, with
| affairs ably handled
The penitentiary comes In for a more ex-
| tended reference than the other Institutions.
and the governors opinion as to the manner
In which the affairs have been managed un-
der his administration may be gathered
from the following extract:
"The fact that the penltentlary has not
ol..tu
nnally paying into the State treasury q
handsome sum In cash over and above all
Its expenses, including the enormous cost
OF developing this new farm, ought to all
fairmnded people. be proof sufficient Of the
economy and wise management exercised In
the conduct OF its affairs"
Bond Sale Unnecessary.
Passing to the question of finances, be
says
Il am aware that much random gossip
has been engaged In recently TO advise the
legislature and public that a large bond
sale will be necessary this year While Il
is an updenlable prerogatiye OF the legls
lature to order the Issuance OF interest
bearing bonds. yet ! apprehend 1t is unnee
essary to remind this body Of intelligent
representatives of the people that before
saddling a large bonded debt upon the State
Inhl lut1 HUDuiu ufsl hthhs Aht
necessities of the subject for themselves,
rather than accept the ysgrant theories Of
the unadvsed or selfish bond advocates.
In addition to being ex-oflclo chairman Of
all the state boards lntrusted with the
disbursement OF State funds. the law makes
the governor also something Of a fiscal
agent for the State by requiring his ap-
proval Of all such claims before payment.
Thus. with the experience Of four years,
emphasized by the personal. painstaking
and direct connection which the law i'm
poses upon me as to the affairs of the va
.ious State institutions and interests / am
constrained to venture the opinion that the
revenues which will come into the treasury
from the ordinary channels will be sufh-
cient for the economical and proper con
duct Of the State government and for the
different objects which draw support from
the treasury Curing the next two years
without curtailment OF Confederate pen
slons or lessening appropriations for public
schools In support OF this conclusion ]
beg to submit the following careful esti-
mate Of funds reasonably sure to become
available during the years 1904 and 1908,
viz
Estimate Of Expenses.
state tax. I904-5 at O mills. $3.50. 900
state privilege and insurance tax, $780,
600
Land sales. including chIekasaw school
lands, s15O,0O0.
Fees collected, $4,000
Back tax collections, 100000.
Net receipts from penitentiary. $500
United States appropriation to A. NJ
Colleges. $4,000.
Miscellaneous sources. $4,000.
Poll tax collections, 100000.
Total. $4,s30.000.
ha ~ he
cent constitutional amendment poll taxes
are retained fDr school purposes, yet mas
much as the money therefrom will doubt
iess be taken into account when you come
to make appropriation for public schools, /
have included said polls In the estimate Of
available funds
After referring TO the great IIberaIIty OF
former legislatures. the governor recon-
mends that the old capitol grounds be sold
and the proceeds turned into the treasury.
Having In mind the necessity of a new
mansion, he suggests how IL can be done
in this language
The Way Out.
Il deem II proper here to direct your
attention 10 the fact thae the State owns
in the city of Jackson some very valuable
real estate which In my judgment should be
sold and the money turned into the treas
ury. ] refer to the old capitol grounds.
except that portion thereof which las been
set aside as a Confederate monumental
park, and that large tract lying east Of II