Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1908-01-16
GOVERNORS MESSAGE

UUvLhNUh } McSSAUc
isel-son. MiSs.-G5. ysfianaa to-day
sent his farewell message to the Mis
~issippt legislature. II was the longest
document ever Submitted 10 the law
making ls-it IN tkis state. consisting
uf nearly en.oo0 wordA The governor.
after esieisl review Of tho ststs's
financial eundition. recommends liberal
appropriations for state educational and
elevnios ynary institutions; state assist
ance IN establishing a system ot rural
high -ehool-. normal ami training
schools for teachers: q memorial 10 con
grcss. either for the repeal Of the
Fifteenth and mobilization u the feur
tenth amendments Or the calling II .
national convention. diVisian of school
fund between Fser-. aud industrial e,iu-
cation only for the negro. child labor
law; Industrial schools for delinquent
boys and girlsi adoption Of statutory
and constitutional prohibition; governor
and attorney general should b. members
VI railroad commission. and enlargement
Of power. % attorney generals con-titu.
tionai amendment providing for elective
judiciary. statute making attempt at
criminal assault punishable by death;
summary removal of public officials
guilty OF drunkenness In office; sale of
the old eapitol grounds more literal
treatment of national guard; abolition
Of county convict leasing systems; lib
erai appropriation for INDECENT EXON
fe.erate-; creation Of office OF state
oculist; separate sleeping and dining
cars for races; reduction of legal rate of
interest to per csnts Endorsement Of
state board of health plan for suPpre-.
sion Of tuberculosis.
The message IL in part as follow;
To the senate and House OF Rspre
sentatives-It is source II profound
qualification to me that on the meeting
Of the legislature Of the state am able
TO announce to the member. thereof
that the affairs Of the commonwealth are
in admirable form. and the general con
dition Of the people most PROSPEROUS and
encouraging The numerical preponder.
ance Of the negro race in our ~tate-a
race inherently immoral. ignorant and
surerstitious. with a eongrnital ten
deney To crime. incapable unalterably
Of understanding the meaning Of FREE
government. devoid Of those qualities
Of mind ami body necessary 10 self fcon-
trol-snd being unable 10 control them
selves. are therefore unfit Tor the gov
ernmcnt Of other--vested by law with
equal political rights with the white
man, it i but natural to eSPec, that
such conditions should BE- attended with
disorder and lswies-ne~s. But under
the wise administration II the affairs
Of the state. the vigorous enforcement
Of the law. thank God that | eau re-
port 20 you a condition which gives
hope for still better and more har-
monious state of affairs than We have
enjoyed in the immediate past.
Financial Condition.
The report OF the treasurer reveals a
most encouraging and satisfactory con-
dition OF the state's finances. II shows
the total payable bonded indebtedness
of the state TO h. about st.25O.OOO in
round numbers. The indebtedness to
the various school funds for which the
state obligste- itself TO paw d per cent
interest j. S2.136. 1878 The assessed
value of taxable property shown by
the report of the treasurer i 1913,
5s4, 900
Public Education.
State education has become n much
a part Of the functions OF government
a. determining the rights OF man. or
the preservation of the liberties of the
people At this time il is the question
of consuming public interest. and the
end TO which a large per cent of the
government revenues are devoted. There
are few eommonwealths in this republic
that devote "a large per cent OF the
revenues derived from taxation to edu-
cational purposes a. Mississippi In
it, broader and better sense, the term
education means more. embraces more
is fraught with greater good 90 the
republic-than all the other questions
with which the Just powers from the
consent OF the governed. that govern
ment is enlightened. just in its law
enduring in quality, in the proportion
that the best part of mans nature is
developed and h- mind and morals are
interviewer in the fabric Of the state.
But there are fads in education. and a
lot of non-essentials are engrafted upon
educational system which often consume
the revenues Of the state without bring
ing any substantial returns
The State PenitentiaTy.
ut AAAtuAtRn VI AAAf AEt-tAAAAf -
directed to the reports Of the board Of
trustees and superintendent. which show
a very healthy financial condition. One
of the most gratifying achievements Of
my administration j. the improvement
OF the management of the penitentisry.
The leasing system has been abolished.
and the personal pecuniary interest in
the products Of the convict's toll Of the
e a.
has been forever eliminated by law
Favoriti>m and every sembisnce Of graft
have been completely extirpated. Great
improvement Is apparent everywhere
under the new board. and I trust that
the system may continue to improve
as the years 60 by.
Treatment Of the Insane
One OF the most beautiful fruits OF
the better and deeper civilization Is the
loyirg care and attention given by the
government to the unfortunate mem
bers o; society. Every deformed human
body. every distorted human soul. are
the legitimate result of some error or
mistake for which the creature in whom
the error il manifested OF bodied forth
in no way be responsible. The one SUI
preme test of the superiority of our
civilization to the civilization which ex-
isted IN another age of the worlds his
tory j. shown in the care which is be-
slowed upon the afflieted-the weak
and helpless members of society. There
Is no class of the unfortunate members
Of society that appeals to me 50 much
as the insane.
Protect the Child.
The greatest blessing that a benefi-
cent providence can bestow upon a state
are strong men, vigorous in mind and
body. and pure, virtuous women with
physical force undistorted by fashion,
or mis- shapen by misfortune-the per
feet image Of the Creator. To secure
that blessing to the commonwealth. the
children of the poor must be protected
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