The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-01-05

equately, and should not expect that the honor of holding their respective offices should be the only desideratum connected herewith. As you know, no increase in these salaries will affect the present administration.
 TAXATION. ..
 The law authorizing the state to tax her corporations has worked we'll in practice, and while it continues to do So it would seem that no change in this method would be advisable.
 The law taxing inheritances should be amended so that the same estate should not be taxed twice within a prescribed period of time.
 The policy of previous general assem- plies in exempting quasi public corpo- rations from taxation is fundamentally wrong in principle, and should be dis continued. Every dollars worth of property in the state. except that used for religious. college or school purposes, should bear it's just proportion of the expense of carrying on the government
 Should you find, when an estimate can be obtained of the sums to be ap. propriated for various purposes at this session, and the demands on the treas ury are met, a sufficient balance re mains in the treasurerss hands, it will be well to consider reduction in taxa tion at some point; and think it will be generally agreed that the matter of a reduction of the tax rate on deposits in savings banks, and other interests of the poor and thrifty. should receive your first consideration.
 JUDICIARY.
 The manner of selecting the judges for the police, city, town and borough courts is matter that should receive the careful consideration of the legisla- ture. The harmful effects of the pres ent method are only too apparent, and call for change. The danger of harm begins with te selection of candidates for the legislature, such selection often depending upon the respective attitudes of the several prospective candidates toward some local contest for judge ship, Such considerations can only tend toward lowering the standard of the candidates nominated for the legis. lature. Nor does the harmful infiu. ence cease with the nomination of can didates, but is often carried to the polls, causing division upon lines other than those of public policy, and in disregard of the public veal Upon the meeting of the legislature, the activity of aspi- rants for judicial offile, and their friends, often berorles a positive ob- struction to the business of the session, such activity sometimes being of a ria- ture not altogether in keeping with the highet ideals of the judiciary Any thing that in any way detracts from the Independence of. or respect for. our judges should be obviated if possible. recomfend such legislation as will place upon the executive the responsi- bility of nominating all judges of the police, city, town art borough courts, as Is now done iilthe case of the judges Of thesuperior court, courts of common pleas and district courts.
 CONTAMINATION OF JUDGES OF
 THE SUPREME AND, SUPERIOR
 COURTS.
 It is generally admitted that the sala- ries paid to the judges of our higher courts are too small In an effort to remedy this injustice the legislature of 1903 passed an act which increased the salaries of the judges whose terms be gan thereafter. but not Of judges there tofore appointed. As result of this legislation, the youngest judge on the bench receives the largest amount, while the judge who has served the state for twenty years gets no increase at all. It has been supposed that this inequality was made necessary by the twenty fourth amendment of our Con- stitution. which prohibits the general assembly from increasing the compen- sation of public officers, employees, agents and servants during the term for which they were appointed. This supposition may, however. be errone- ous. In Pennsylvania a constitutional provision declared that mo law shall extend the term of any public officer, or increase or diminish his. salary, or emoluments, after his election or ap- lpointment." Notwithstanding this, the legislature passed an act in 1903 which increased the salaries of the judges of the supreme court of that state, and this act, I believe, has thus far been sustained as valid exercise of legisla- tive power. Tn view, therefore. of this precedent, and of what is conceded to be an injustice to the present judges of our higher courts, I have ventured to call your attention to this subject, to the end that it may be investigated, and the injustice corrected, if, upon such investigation, you are satisfied l it can be accomplished without viola ting the Constitution.
 WELFARE OF LABOR.
 There will be presented for your con- sideration many bills, none of which you should consider more carefully l than those relating to the welfare of the wage-earners of this state. Con- necticut is a manufacturing state, hay l inc almost one hundred and ninety thousand working men and wone em- ployed in it's various manufactures and industrial, establishments, and legisla- tion which concerns these men and wo men should have your most serious att tentiin. The present efficiency of the bureau of labor and the office of the in spector of factories should be main tained. and whatever laws are necessa- " to increase the value of their ser vices to the state should be passed. Legislation necessary to further protect