Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-01-05
HIGGINS MESSAGE
New York Governor Advo-
Gates Many Reforms.
GALA DISPLAY At STATE CAPITOL.
Recon rrends Repeal of State Tax on
BanA surplus, Safeguards For Bal
lot. Better Hospital Conditions
and Barge Canal system.

and Barge Canal system.
ALBANY. y. Y. Jan. Tile New
York state legislature Of 1905 in the
opening day Of its oue hundred and
twcnty-eighth session effected u pcr-
manent organization and made the Of
fetal acquaintance Of the newly in
%augurated governor, Frank W. Hi@-
gins, through his first annual message.
The new senate. beginning its two
year term. was presided Ove by the
new lieutenant governor. NJ. Linn
Bruce Of New York. and tho assem-
bly, for the seventh successive year
elected as speaker :. Fred Nixon Of
Chautauqua. who now passes all pre-
vious records in that respect.
Governor Higgins through his mes
sage acquainted the Legislature with
the conditions Of the state and recon-
particularly advocating the repeal Of
the state tax on the surplus ana un-
divided profits Of savings banks.
The scene at the capitol when the
legislature opened has perhaps never
been surpassed in brilliance. The gal
lerics We're filed. many handsomely
gownod women having bravel the
weather for the occasion. Flowers
We're profuse about the desks Of the
members. The biggest OF all the dis
plays was that made by the tributes
sent to Lieutenant Governor NJ. Linn
Bruce.
The governors message was listened
to with close attention AZ it was read
by the clerks in the respective cham
bers. In it the governor lays great
stress on the handling Of the state in
situations.
Il regard it Of the utmost impor-
lance he says. that the management
of the state hospitals for the insane
should retain the cooperation of philan-
thropic persons throughout the state
and suggest "A board of managers 10
order through the superintendent the
internal affairs Of each hospital
He also recommends additional safe
guards for more public competitive bid
ding in purchases made by hospitals
and state institutions. He speaks
strongly in favor Of protecting the bal
lot ana of exacting strict reports from
lodging houses in the big cities in
which colonization i0urishcs.
OF his plans for lettering the hos
pitfalls for the insane the governor says:
The management of the state hos
pitfalls for the insane. fourteen in num-
Der, with a total number of patients
on Oct !. 1904, of 25,019. was com
nletcly centralized by legislation o.
1902. a%bolishing the boards of mau-
ayers of the various hospitals and
leaving with the commission in lunacy
complete jurisdiction both as to finan-
cial control and internal administra-
ton. The advantages of centralized
control Of the financial operations of
the hospitals are evident.
1T would seem that some additional
safeguards should be provided looking
toward more public competitive bid
ding in the purchases made by the hos
pitfalls and state charitable and reform
l.tblN INSTITUTIONS tlliItI ~ dlllfllALltNlll
OF the law or by some set of rules and
regulations to be adopted pursuant to
statutory authority granted therefor"
The governor urges the %uprooting of
colonization and the protection Of the
ballot in the following words:
1t is the aim of the state so to guard
the ballot box that an honest expires
sion by the voters can be obtained.
In the larger cities colonization. intimi-
dation and false registration are the
principal crimes against the franchise.
Laws for the punishment of these Of
lenses have already been enacted"
ON the LOCO ton barge canal the
governor says:
The bids on six test contracts for
parts of the work on the 1909 ton
barge canal Secm 10 warrant the belief
that tho entire construction can he
completed Within the engineers est
mates Of the probable total cost of the
work.
'RcStrictive legislation guarding the
rights of the depositor and projecting
him from loss caused by unsafe bank
ing should be- Enacted and enforced.
"Iuvestment associations and con-
Germs should be brought more strictly
Cudcr state control, and such concerns
Whcneycr operating under unsafe and
vicious systems should lie suppressed.
Bank directors should Ice compelled
to make periodical examinations Of the