Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1906-01-06


10 the Senate and House Of Represent
atives
Pfofoundly grateful to the beneficent
Being whose sleepless eye ana tireless
hand guides the bird in its painless
course, makes plain the proper ways OF
men, and shapes the destiny of nations,
for the unprecedented material pros
perity enjoyed by the people of Missis-
hipni for the two years Just passed
congratulate you, my conference.-the
tmnieaiate representatives of the peo-
ple--upon the favorable auspices un-
der which you rcassemble to perform
the functions of the important Offices
which you hold. The people of Missis-
sippi have not only enjoyed most mar
velous material prosperity but In edu-
cation and thought there has been
marked progress, and in matters pouu-
cal great ethical growth. This latter
/ attribute largely 10 the transferenCe
OF political power and authority from
tines boss dominated convention to the
patriotic white Suffrdgist who rules the
State. with his ballot, deposited at the
primary election.
A great deal is expected of this Leg
islature. The character Of the men
who compose It iustihes that eXpec-
tation and the eXigencies Of the stud
tion demand that that expectation be
fulfilled and also, that every hope en-
trrtaftitd or prediction mhde OF your
wise action during this session shall be
ftdliLtu. ne WORK TO Dt uO0e is DOJn
remedial of existing conditions and an
ticlpatory of future necessities. one Is
lust as important as the other The
failure to provide for either would be
extremely unfortunate and mark de-
Rreesof reCrCanCv which true MiSSiS-
slppian is incapable Of The RESPONSE
Pilittes devolving upon a legislator are
far-reaching in their consequences ana
varied in their character affecting VII
tally the veal or woe of the people
whose commission he holds,
Financial Condition.
The State Treasurcrs report discloscs
an unsuund condition in the States
finances ana emphasizes the necessity
for Immediate remedial Legislation. The
obligations Of the State must be
promptly met and the public faith sa-
eredly preserved Scientific tinauCier-
ing and the broader statcsmauship con-
denim the policy of borrowing from the
fund collected to defray the expenses of
the state government for the year
1905, to pay the current expenses of the
government for the year 1905. That
policy has been in vogue for the past
three or four years. 1t was rcsorted
TO Tor the purpose of overcoming def
CT IN the treasury brought about by
the failure of the last administration
TO Issue bonds authorized by an act OF
the Legislature, approved March 2,
l9O0, to raise money for the purpose
or erecting new State House" That
act authorized the issuance of one mill
lon dollars of thirty-ycar per cent.
bonds Instead of issuing the million
dollars of bonds to pay for the new
State House, the cost of erecting the
building and furnishing it were paid
out of funds intended to be devoted to
the payment of the normal current ex-
penses Of the State governments The
deficit, therefore, which confronts us is
not altogether chargcable to the pres
ent Administration, but it comes to lis
as legacy from our predecessor TO |
supply in part that deficit the Lcgisla-
ture, by an act entitled IAN act to au- |
tnorize the issuance of State bonds for |
the purpose of defraying the expenses |
OF the State government, approved |
March Is, 1904" authorized the Gov |
ernor to issue five hundred thousand |
dollars Of bonds In pursuance OF said |
act, In the manner and form prescribed |
therein ! sold at par to N. w Harris e |
Co, OF Chicago ILL.,, five hundred thou |
sand dollars of thirty-ycar bonds of tho |
state of mississippi payable in ten |
ton of the state, bearing interest at |
the rate OF three and One-half per cent |
per ,annum interest payable scmi-an-
nually,' The proceeds from this bond
sale were covered into the Treasury, as
Will be shown by the records Of that
office. Fearing that that amount would
not meet the demands upon the Treas
,ury Tor tho year 1905, the Legislature
by an act entitled AN act to raise
revenue TO carry on the state govern
ment of Mississippi for the years 19Oi-
%, approved March 22 1904" author
lied the Governor to borrow when
ever. necessary during the year 1905.
three hundred thousand dollars at n
rate Of interest not to exceed five per
cent. per year payable on or before
January Is, 1906" In pursuance of
that act, and by the authority thus con-
ferred upon me, ] borrowed three hun
a i a. al C.,a. .
slppi Bank and Trust Company OF
jackson, Miss for which amount / gave
eight notes for S25,OOO each, and two
notes for $4,000 each, dated July l,
iI9o5, payable January Is, 1906, and
bearing interest at the rate of five per
cent, per annum, I trust that you may
provide for the payment of these notes
at maJurity and thereby avoid any
possible Inconvenience to the bank
whlch handled the matter for me upon
exceedingly favorable terms to the
state. ! might have been able to have
borroWed this money at four and one
half per cent. interest, but in order 20
nave done so would have been forced to
nave taken 1t FOR. a longer time than
SIX months, Confronted, as we are,
with a deficit in the Treasury, let us
consider the remedies at hand In NV
Judgment there are but two ways out
of the trouble. Either issue bonds to
pay for building the Capitol and fur
nishing it, which cost in round num-
oers $l200,0O0, or increase the tax levy.
mink the former the wiser course to
oursue There Is no Justice i'm making
he present generation pay with money ,.
vorth ten per cent for building tho |
apitol aud furnishing IT, when the ,
STATE can borrow the money at three '
,er cent, and thereby put a portion Of !
he burden upon the coming genera !
ions who are to- enjoy the use and ben /,
fits of the capitol '
The condition of the States finances
alls for prudence. wise economy deep |
oncern for the honor Of the State, ana /,
nvokes the higher order of statesman y
hin to handle the situation pronprlv 5
that savors Of extravagance I
r prodigalitY should be avoided as we II
bould also avoid everything that
macks of tho niggardlv and parslmoni- e
us. The people Of Mississippi are able u
0 bear any burden Of taxation or do \
nything that may be necessary fcv the +
1oral, educational and material pros II
erity Of the people Of Mississinni The y
mount of money invested for the good q
7 the peonle Is of no concern, if we ara \
ure that the money thus invested will y
ield profitable returns and that tho u
eoplc will be made better and richer p
or the Investment sl
I submit the matter to your greater Y
'isdom, confident that you win do 1Aal ~.
Thich Is best.
The Penitentiary.
IN my inaugural address del.4. red
eloIe the JOINT sess ION OF che l la
~ lrc oI mississippi January 13. te04
~ ~ ouSSlnS s-',le penitenliary UAnapr
~ ~ ~ !, i y commended the aboLition or
~ Guard of Control and sy'hsiitutina
aaesr'Iore department OF the STATE
government to be lnder "a he direotion
md control of one Capahla, wan seIect-
ID as the Legislature #e,a5 ,nrotidc
vhoes duty it shall bc 10 direct and
'uperNlse the working III thn cNnvjrie |
IS the law may presf riha " THO resa le,9
j, ~, 90 ,HeH i'5 uIsed l8r the proposed
,re eSuaIly ii y,'V .nan,t buary management
,io 70 nraSo,f tn, now, and appllCa
] said: Tho faiss5',,,,t,,,os or ,ho
tesel. ,os sSs.tin ,Yre that the responsible
"a 'tes a. ~ among hve men, whose
,tmel o,,n, oilitiii' Hutios, if properly per-
- : nrosos,,t VS. nsume all of their time.
os NM lease where no one man rs
.tbpr ,aaao,f Cor the acts of five" An
g ne, e,,,o,.,,,fa. "The duties of the office
u superlh's sendeut of the ponitentiary
,a co. 81 III pIscial qualifications and train
rSSi n,,d "a the Governor, Attorney Gen
aisatot enbers of the Railroad Com
'n rop v not possess-in fact, they | {
y ha aor Ness. Where something is
~ ew Wy observation is that boards
esnon kward. slow. inefficient. One
nnre i&ihe, capable head is worth
stsr Fhah dozen boards of controR
IN Rwo years of earnest, sincere and J
AN $ltic service to the State as a mem-
no II the Board of Control, am thor
he Rly convinced that the interest or
Il 3publtc service demands change In !
Il se pDhitentiary management; and am
$50 convinced that il the recommended
Aons made by me two years ago had {
9een adopted it would have redouude1
10 The peounary interest of the state !
Anj OF the moral and physical well-be- !