, 1905-01-18
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
Governor Stokes First Message TO
New Jersey Legislature.
STATE REVENUES AND TAXES
Chief Recommendations Bear on In
corporation of Great Companies and
Assessment and Taxation of Railroad
Property-PIea For State forests.

Trenton, y. j., Jan. 1.-THE inau-
gural address and first message to the
legislature of Edward G. Stokes, the
new governor of New Jersey, was de-
fivered in the Taylor Opera House. The
full text of the address and message
follows:
Members of the Senate and General AS
sembly and Fellow Citizens of New Jer-
sey:
This is not a rare occasion. Ninety
times since independence was proclaimed
has this oath been taken before assem-
bled electors of New Jersey. Blessing
has followed blessing in the years gone
by. A bountiful prosperity is ours today,
md the future is rich with promise. From
q feeble colony we nave become a power
full commonwealth and a potent influence
in the destiny of the nation. Serious, then,
the task and solemn the duties he as
zumes who accepts this office at the hands
Of the people and asks the guidance of
Almighty God in the work before him..
Happily the way is not unknown. The
constitution of our state wisely divides
hALO " VI
tinct OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES executive
and judicial. 1t provides that no person
Belonging to one of these departments
shall exercise powers that encroach
apon another. The executive and leg
islative functions are clearly defined. l
believe the interest of good govern
Mhent demands that they should be kept
clearly Instinct 1t is the duty of the
= Iz,..1ot{o, Nh "
acutive should not presume upon the
legislature in its functions, nor should
the legislature avoid its duty or shift its
responsibility by assumed submission to
executive will. AS governor of this state
1 shall not assume the responsibility of
anacting legislation. For that, gentle
men of the legislature, you must hold
yourselves accountable to the people
who elect you. This does not mean
that we shall not cooperate and act in
harmony. The constitution provides that
the governor of this state may recon-
mend to the legislative body such meas
ures as will, in his opinion, conduce to
The public welfare. l shall from time to
time, as necessity arises, freely exercise
that executive privilege. 1 shall at all
times freely consult with the members of
your body as to the needs of the people
o6 the state and as to the character of the
legislation which will best promote the
prosperity and progress of our beloved
commonwealth. In this exercise of our
mutual duties differences of opinion will
undoubtedly arise. 1t is well that they
should. Discussion is a good thing and
leads to wisdom and truth. III cases of
this kline l shall endeavor to persuade
you to see the light as | see it, but when
your own convictions remain firm despite
argument | shall remember that Moham-
med went occasionally TO the mountain.
In the work before us let us remember
that ours is a government by the people
and for the people. The people have eX-
ercised their powers in selecting us as
their agents; it now becomes our duty to
Justify their trust by administering the
affairs of the state for the people and for
them only. The more unanimous the
choiee the greater not our citation, but
our responsibilities. The greater the trust
the greater the obligation. Let us avoid
favoritism toward special interests.
Above all things, let no cheap demagogy
actuate our councils. Let our end be
solely thst of the public good.
State Revenues and Business Compa-
MES.
The preservation and growth of state
revenues upon sound and conservative
principles is of great Importance. The
financial condition of New Jersey is well
Known. AT the close of the last fiscal
year the balance in the treasury amount
cd to 81. $40, 9lS.9 The ordinary receipts
for the same year amounted to 81, 1902, 370.61,
% which nearly rs per cent, or So, Dol ,543.69
came from railroads and the business
companies domiciled in our state. OF the
entire income of the government not a
penny was contributed directly by the
people. yet all of it was expended for their
Benefit and in their interest. The state is
caring for the blind, the feeble minded and
the insane, supporting our prisons and re-
formatories. educating the young genera
tons, developing a magnificent road sys-
TEN, maintaining the state government
ard courts of justice. all of which woulc
he a burden upon the taxpayers eXcepi
for our present fiscal policy. Last veal
out of every 500 expended by the state
S12 was given to the taxpayers. $3.50 fol
education. $50 for charities and correc
tons, 81 for militia, Sc for public roads
$3.50 for the courts, $3.50 for the veteran.
and $1.20 for agriculture. To this cNten'
did the people draw benefits from ta'
STATE treasury without contributing there
to. To have raised last year by direcr
taxation the income of the state would
have imposed upon property a tax rate OF
more thar four-tenths, or nearly one-half
uf l per cent. To have raised the amount
that comes from railroads and corpora
lions alone would have imposed upon prop
erty a tax rate of more than three-tenths