The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-01-11
HENRY MBR|DE's LAST MESSAGE
Retiring Governor Makes Recommendations to the New
Washington Legislature.

rs the full message oeii'eio" ~
Washington state Legislature today oy
Governor Henry Mcbride, who retired
this morning:
State of Washington, Executive De-
partment. Olympia. Jan. IL, 1S05.
x.artlenen of the Senate and of the
House of Representatives:
Section s. article III. of the state
constitution requires the governor to
communicate at every session by mes
sage TO the legislature the condition
nf the affairs of the state, and recon-
mend such measures as he shall deem
expedient for their action. While I'M
der this section it is clearly the duty
of the outgoing governor to communl-
cate to the Legislature the condition Oh
the affairs of the state, it is generally
considered that the recommending or
new measures does not fall within
his province. except, perhaps such as
may be necessarily connected with
with or growing out of information
that he may have to impart.
Finances of State.
The finances of the state are in
healthy condition. For the biennial
term ending September 80, 1902, the
state Indebtedness was reduced $13l,-
222.34. and for the biennial term end
ing September 80, 1904, $122.61O.S6,
making a total reduction, during the
four years, of $253,533.2O.
Reduction of Indebtedness.
The reduction of the state indebt-
edness for the biennial term ending
September 30, 1904. in the sum of
5I22.61O.86, is largely due to the fact
that, i'm several instances, it has been
found not necessary to expend the en-
tire amounts appropriated at the last
session. OF the appropriations made
under the head of For Governors Of
flee" about $27,0OO.00 will revert to the
treasury. Something over $50,0OO.OO
will remain uneXpended out of the
appropriations made for the mainte-
nance of the state institutions under
the management of the state board of
control. The Louisiana Purchase Ex-
position commission of this state, after
returning here such exhibits as may
be suitable for use at the Lewis and
Clark exposition, will probably have
an unexpenied balance of between
eight and nine thousand dollars. Out
of an appropriation of $3,OOO.0O to be
paid upon certificates of the labor
commissioner For settlement of diff
ferences between EMPLOYERS and en-
ployes," only $500 has been used.
These items | have mentioned as re-
verting to the treasury will reach
total of between eighty-five and nine
fy thousand dollars.
Matter Of Appropriations.
In the matter of appropriations
feel 1 would be falling short Of my full
duty did | not address a word of eau
tion to the legislature. The needs Of
the state are many. Many requests
will be made, and there are many
worthy objects to which it would be
pleasing to lend aid by way of appro-
To keep the expenditures within the
revenues will require constant
struggle. After the adjournment of
she last session l felt constrained to
eiisapprove appropriation bills and
stems of appropriation bills amounting
TO more than four hundred thousand
dollars. Had not this been done, and
mad il not been found unnecessary to
express the entire amounts authorized
by other appropriation bills, the state
debt. instead of having been reduced
during the last biennial term would
have been increased several hundred
thousand dollars. This statement is
made not through any desire to revive
viz SoiitiofCi SiCS Out IOI Tue SOlc pUI -
pose of emphasizing the necessity for
caution in these matters. 1t is not q
pleasant task for an executive to be
compelled. after adjournment, to dis
approve measures of the legislative
branch of government or else as a
penalty for not doing so, to accept the
responsibility of seeing the state in
debtnedness very largely increased
In this, the closing act of my admins
tration, l feel my motives will not be
misunderstood in suggesting that this
burden should not be placed upon the
executive.
State institutions.
The state Soldiers home, Western
Washington Hospital for Insane
Eastern Washington Hospital for In.
sane, State Penitentiary, State Re-
form School and State School for De.
fective Youth, institutions under tn,
management of the state board of con.