The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-04-04

their passage.
II you should enact the measures in
TO laws, an advanced step will be taken
in the administration of criminal JUS
tice, and the csnse of education will be
materially aided.
FOOD LAWS, FISH AND FORESTRY.
now invite your attention to other
legislation, either pending or which
will come before, you for consideration.
One is the pure food law, which has
passed the house and now pending in |
the senate. This bill affects the health |
of our people, has been carefully drawn
and should become law.
Another is the prevention of our
streams from pollution, and the preser-
walton of our fish and the forests of the
state.
Yon are to be congratulated upon the
passage of the game law and the enact
ment of a fish and forestry law is again
recommended as of great Importance to
our people, the beneficial effects of
which will be seen and felt at the pres
emit and more in the future.
ROAD LAW.
Among other subjects to which d.
rected your attention, and probably af-
fecting the general welfare of the peo-
pie, more than any other, was the ne
ceSsity for legislation which would i'm
prove our public road system and do
away with the cumbersome and ineffi-
cient laws on this subject which have
proven their incompetency and demon
strated their untitness.
I again urge the recommendation
made in my first message on this sub
ject, and especially where I said in the
event you felt you could not at this
time formulate satisfactory law, re-
quested authority be given me to ap'
point o good roads commission, who
3 would give the subject investigation
and study and report some plan tina
8 would meet the pressing necessity o
: the situation. This has not been done
o and no general road law to suppressed
the old one has been considered. TIL
Q time is too short now for commission
VI to act, and for you to legislate at thi
's session, but respectfully renew m
d request for the authority mentioned
d the result of the investigation to be lai
before you in extra session, or before
y subsequent legislature.
g. The people of the state are entitle
es to have this subject considered.
1T From all quarters they are clamorin
for relief, and are willing to bear an
as reasonable expense to obtain bett'
ut roads, and there is no subject whiC
or can more probably employ your tin
al and attention.
!" PASSES FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS.
renew my recommendation on tn
subject, and believe q law should I
passed which will effectually prevel
: the issuance and acceptance Of fir
!. pass by any public official. This la
- should apply to all public service co
~ porations, and not only to public of
- cials, but all persons unless they are
y the bona fide service of the corporation
:. The only way the evil can be tho
oughly eradicated ia for the act to
comprehensive enough to apply to 6
- persons, save those in actual servic
:" and to ell corporations doing busine
- in the state.
When this is done some provisiC
should be made to pay the expenses
:, those officials who are compelled
= travel on the business of the state, nj
, this also recommend.
ba BACK TAX ASSESSMENT.
/ renew my recommendation heret,
n fore made on the subject, and earnest
IN insist, as heretofore, that il more ate
ton is paid to the original assessmeI
IN of property uniformity will not only r
a. suit but our revenue will be increase,
r. and wecan dispense with back asses
Il. ing property, ct least beyond the Gu
It, rent year in which taxes are due.
or 1t is regretable that the recommend
ton made by the comptroller, and on
le braced in my first message, that thel
to should be one assessor for each count
le instead of the present unsatisfactol
,e method of district assessing, shout
We have been unfavorably acted upon b
the senate. but this can be remedied
D. the house when the assessment bill
RS there considered, and l urge that tn
" be done.
Q, A message of this character, whiC
means greater certainty and uniformit
IN in the collection OF taxes. should receiy
IL your favorable consideration, especiall
is as it has met the Endorsement OF th