Orange County observer., 1905-01-12
INF STATE is NOW -PRospERINd
covernor Speaks Of the States
.,urces and Recommends Such
.o;sation as Will Bring Highest
development.


development.
4 The Biennial message OF the Govern
:. was read in both houses of the State
| legislature on Thursday. The sub
a.ance of the message and all the most
:unortant sections are given below:
INTRODUCTION.
rho Honorab BILE. the General Assembly:
! congratulate you as you enter upon
.bo discharge Oe your duties that you
And in the State an excellent condi-
inn Her citizens of all callings are
urosperous and the revenues of the
ctate are adequate for all the needs
tbat you will be called upon to supply.
A. the close of the last fiscal year on
+he 3Oth of November there was in the
ctate Treasury for general purposes
tho sum of 1888 ,6S3.30. The revnue and
machinery acts passed by the last Gen
eral Assembly have worked admirably
and have brought into the State Treas
ury sufficient sums for all purposes Of
government economically administer
Cd You will therefore enter upon the
discharge of your duties unhampered
ya deficit and untempted by any large
surplus to make eXtravagant appropri-
atoms.
Certain taxes levied by the last Gen
eral Assembly have been declared by
the courts unconstitutional. THESE
taxes are adverted to in the report of
the State Treasurer and l concur in
y his recommendations concerning them.
Such changes ought to be made in law
as will enable the collection of these
taxes for the future and likewise for
the past two years. The taxes SO levied
we're proper, but of course they must
lie levied in constitutional manner.
With the few changes suggested. the
machinery and revenue acts are per-
haps as good as we can make them un-
der our constitution.
The whole subject CT taxation is one
we'll worthy your profuoundest cOnsid-
Grafton. The burdens of government,
always onerorls are made more so by
wrong distribution Of them. The tax
alton in many of our towns and cities
when combined with the State, county
and special taxes, is found to be very
burdensome and results in great loss
of revenue by reason of the refusal of
the taxpayer to fully list his property
when the tax rate is so high as to
amount to something like confiscation.
commend to your most careful con-
sideration the able discussion Of this
matter by the State Tax Commission.
This commission has given much and
profound study to the question of tax
alton and its opinion is worthy OF the
most serious consideration.
The assessment of railroad property
for taxation in 1898 was $33 ,619 $50: in
1903 this assessment was made s70,-
62S,529, thus more than doubling the
assessment in period of five years.
This increased assessment of railroad
property at first glance might appear
to be unjust, but when it is considered
that within the time named the gross
earnings of the railroads OF this State
have increased from $11, ,543 ,566 to $751;
elO,S15, the appearance of injustice
passes away and leaves one in doubt
whether the railroads are even now as
sessed at anything like their true value
The Corporation Commission has man.
aged the assessment of railroad prop
erty and the collection of taxes out cl
the railroads with great wisdom ant
without creating any. serious friction
between these great corporations anC
the State.
EDUCATION.
| commend to the earnest considera
ton of your honorable body the re
port of the Superintendent of Public
instruction and recommend the adOp
uon of the suggestion contained there:
IN. This State is extremely fortunate
IN having as Superintendent. ,f Public
instruction a broad-minded, cultured
ana able man, who is push ing her eou
catlonal interests forward at a pac,
which commands the admiration o
our sister State. He has given mucl
study to the subject upon which hi
report is based and l cannot do bette
tnan to declare that l concur in hi
leasonlng and his conclusions. l great
y oeprecate any attempt to raise tn
race issue on the question of educa
tion. There is absolutely no justifica
uon LOT stirring up our people On thi
SUBJECT. The small sum which tn
Whlte people are contributing to tn
support of the negro schools canno
m one moment justify the continue
asltatlon OF the question of dividin
.Ae school fund according 20 the sur
naia py each race. Having diveste
sne s negro of power it is manifestly ou
uuty to make of him the best citizen c
\ anlch ne is capable and this we ca
certainly b; never do by leaving him t
s ms own devices, nor by withdra win
aom u hlm the small amount of take
", ~nich we devote to his education
mere mere are three courses open with re
ieience hce to the negro. The first is to Il
i.nh, nin 90 without any training and inc,
naoly drop back into savagery. Whe
s we make up our minds to do this th
eesond es plan will at once be put int
ehect e and that is for philanthropic pei
PIE throughout the world to TAX
vnarge of his education and train hill
tl ~ out of harmony and in enmity
tn he people among whom he lives. Tt
'nlfo plan is for us to train him ou