Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-01-19

Assessment ana axation OF liiosso
Property-Plea For State Forests.
Trenton, y. j.. Jan. 1.-THE inau-
gural address and first message to the
legislature of Edward c. Stokes, the
new governor of New Jersey was de-
livered 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. \ bountiful prosperity is ours today,
and the future is rich with promise. From
a feeble colony we have become a power
full commonwealth and d potent influence
in the destiny of the nation. Serious, then,
the task and solemn the duties he as
sumes 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
the powers of government into three dis
tinet departments-leg islative executive
and judicial. 1t provides that no person
belonging to one of these departments
shall exercise powers that encroach
upon another The executive and leg
islative functions are clearly defined. I
believe the interest of good govern
ment demands that they should be kept
clearly distinct 1t is the duty of the
legislature to enact legislation. The ex-
ecutive 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
/ shall not assume the responsibility of
enacting 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. conduee to
the public welfare. | shall from time to
time, as necessity arises, freely exercise
that executive privilege / shall at all
times freely consult with the members of
your body as to the needs of the people
of 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. In cases of
this kind / 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 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
choice the greater not our elation, 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 that of the public good
State Revenues and Business Compa-
mics.
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
ed to 81 $40, 91S.9S. The ordinary receipts
for the same year amounted to 4,902, 370.61,
of which nearly rs per cent, or SO, 351. 543.6 So,
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-
tenn, maintaining the state government
and courts of justice, all of which would
be burden upon the taxpayers except
for our present fiscal policy, Last year
out of every 800 expended by the state
s22 was given TO the taxpayers, $3.50 for
education, $50 for charities and correc-
tons, 81 for militia, Sc for public roads,
So so for tAe courts, $3.50 for the veterans
and $1.20 for agriculture. To this extent
did the people draw benefits from the
state treasury without contributing there
to- To have raised last year by direct
taxation the income of the state would
have imposed upon property tax rate of
more than four-tenths nearly one-half
of 1 per cent. To have raised the amount
that comes from railroads and corpora
tions alone would have imposed upon prop
erty tax rate of more than three-tenths
of per cent.
Shall the Present Policy Continue?
For years the policy of New Jersey in
this respect has met with the approval of
the people and has received the indorse-
ment of both great political parties.
Shall we, then, continue our present fiscal
system or shall we tax the people for the
support of our state government, our
courts of justice, our educational and hui