The San Francisco call., 1909-01-06

Governor Gillett's message 10 the
legislature was an extensive review Of
state conditions. containing many rec
concentrations for new legislation and
amendments 10 existing laws He paid
particular attention TO the state insti-
tutions Of various kinds and to the need
OF legislation regulating various classes
Of corporations.
Stress is laid on the portion Of the
message dealing with revision Of the
revenue laws and the chief executive e
urges that a new law relative TO taxa
tion be drawn. leaving out certain fea-
lures OF the law previously proposed,
and that IL be presented TO the people
for ratification Another recommenda-
tion OF unusual interest is the proposal
for bond issue Of $1S.0 10000 for the
construction Of q system Of good state
highways
The various matters dealt with in the
message are collected under subheads
relating 70 state hospitals. state print
ing Office. state prisons, state engineer s
department. railroad legislation. good
roads, banks, state school for orphans,
Improvement OF nayigable streams,
board OF equalization. revision OF reve-
nue. laws and insurance. The printed
report Of the message contains an ap-
pendix giving a complete list OF all
pardons, combinations and reprieves
from the state penitentiaries.
The principal features of the mes
sage are included in the following syn
opsis:
SYNOPSIS OF MESSAGE
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
Sacramento, Jan. Z. 1909
-lx- fl~
state of California: Our state is in g
most hourishing condition. The finan-
cial stringency that prevailed a little
over one year ago has passed away
and today we find our citizens busily
engaged in all manner OF enterprises.
A bounuful harvest has added largely
70 our material wealth, our mines have
yielded their usual amount of minerals,
our commerce and trade have Increased
IN volume, our cities have grown larger
and many people have settled in our
valleys and along our coast, and today
q general air Of prosperity pervades
the entire state All Of our state insti-
tu1ions are doing well and only har-
mony prevails among them The dam
ages sustained by some by reason OF
the earthquake are being repaired.
Financially the state has never been
IN better condition. A. the end OF the
nscal year, June 80, 1905. there was {
balance in the treasury of S7,305, ,045.s6 s.
Of this amount there was. on Septem-
Der IS. loaned out 10 the various banks
Of this state, as authorized by an act
OF the last legislature, the sum Of So
Of about $4,000 is being paid
STATE PRINTING OFFICE
There viii soon have TO be built q
new printing Office, as the present one
is dangerous and not suitable for the
purpose for which II is being used
The printing Office has always been
a large expense TO the state, and its
printing. as q rule, has cost more than
If Il had been contracted for by private
concerns. One reason has been that the
Office has not been properly equipped
with I'D 10 date presses. machinery and
appliances. If we are going TO main
tain such an Office. and ii seems the
policy OF our state 70 DO so, then we
should place in II the best equipment
that can be secured.
STATE PRISONS
The board Of prison directors. IN their
biennial report 10 me, make state
meat concerning the sale OF 5ute grain
bags which IS as follows: We regret
10 report that the sale Of grain bags
during the last year has been much be-
low the usual number, and. as a conSe-
Ouence- we have had 10 carry over from
last year an excess OF more than 2,eoo,-
coo bags The reason we have been
unable 10 dispose of this useful product
Of the jufe- mill may be ascribed 70 the
fact that the last legislature passed a
law limiting our action and placing so
many restrictions on the sales OF bags
that II is almost impossible TO dispose
Of them II the law passed by the last
legislature has had the effect OF pre-
venting the sales Of grain bags because
Of its provisions, then / recommend
that the question OF amending the bill
as suggested by the board Of prison
directors be considered.
We must also attempt 10 devise a
system which viii tend 10 aid and as