The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-10

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 When the two houses of the Ala bama Legislature were organized yes \ terday and Governor Jelks was notified he sent in his message which care fully reviewed the work of every de- partment of the State government
 In the House the message was read Tt length. and was ordered to be
 printed.
 In the Senate the message was or dered to be printed without reading.
 The full text of the message follows: TO the Members of the Senate and House:
 x The constitution directs that the ''Governor shall, from time to time, give to the Legislature information of the State of the government and re- < measures as he may deem expedient," and he shall give information of the condition of the State.' In accordance with that provision of the constitution, 1 am laying before you herewith. mat ters which 1t seems particularly proper should De brought to your attention. and as we'll. In some cases, recommend ing such action as I think should be taken. .
 Seven years ago the State was appro- RssnE ss sea fqS For old sacs o past two years the disbursement for this went nearly to the half million dol lar mark. This money was divided be- tween about l5,000 pensioners. The law provides as follows:
 That any resldent citizen of this State on tEe first day of January, lss9. fe wao ,n s nls s,fen at who while in the military or naval service of this State, CT the Confederate States. lost a leg or arm, or the use thereon or who from sickness or old age. or who is blind, or deranged or unable at the time to make a living by physical labor. by reason of his permanent dis ability. and who did not desert the ser vice of the Confederate states, or the State of Alabama, and who does not own property to the value of four hun dred dollars, and who has no children living with him upon whom he can de- pend for support. and whose salary or income does not exceed three hundred dollars per annum, shall De entitled to the provisions of this act, as herein after provided, and the widow of any soldier or sailor of this State. or of the Confederate states, who has not married since the death of such sol dier or sailor, and whose husband did not desert the service of the State or Of the Confederate States and who was a resident citizen of the State on the first day of January, 1899, and who is time of fi1fiig her application. and who does not own property to the value of four hundred dollars. shall also be en- titled to relief under the provisions of this act. as herein provided
 Many of the 15.000 on the rolls come under none of the classes named in the law. They are really not entitled to pensions under strict enforcement of
 see that a proposition has been made to change the law so as to al low service pension. doubt if so fFaIfH xVnlIiG he nrarfiCad nnder the law so changed as has been or Is now practiced. With the law so chang ed it would be indeed. possible to make fin fact he was not. but there could not be so many opportunities for fraud as now.
 things: First-Change the law SO as to provide for a travelling pension ex- aminer. who will spend his entire time carefully looking into the proof of the ed by local surroundings. In that event the needy and the indigent sol dier could have. very properly. from the State Treasury. sufiiclent yearly sum to provide absolutely for the necessar- ies of life.
 Second-ChanEe the law so as to pro- vide service pension. With any sum the State can now appropriate under the best possible circumstances this new proposition would certainly not increase the amount of individual pen have been s3o, $40, $50, and s6O for the several classes. ~The service pension. you would find. would decrease these amounts with any possible appropria- ton the Treasury could stand.
 Four years ago a bill came to me pro- viding for an appropriation of S1O0.000 additional to the one mill tax, for each of four years. I offered an amendment, as I had a night to do, under the law, reducing the Amount to $50,000 each of four years. providing, however. that this sum would be increased to $780, 1t appeared to the Governor that the Treasury could stand the additional amount This amendment was ac- cepted and the bill became a law. The Veterans got. the $4O0,0Q0 originally provided in the four years. I author ized the Auditor to draw his warrant in October. 1905, and again in October, 1908. for the additional hundred thou sand.
 My apprehension of a possible treas duction by one mill of the State tax which reduction amounted yearly to about $350,000. It will be recalled. too, that at that particular time the in come from the Convict Department un- der the departure I caused to be made, increase from this source which has come to the treasury since that time. was then in the future. My fears. I think. were not unreasonable.
 Tn conclusion of this subject. you will allow me, with as much emphasis as l can command. to say that no needy or indigent old soldier ought to suffer for any of the necessaries of life as long as the State can prevent 1t.
 Soldiers Home.
 You provided four years ago for home for old soldiers. which home was