Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-01-16
message of Gov. Goldsborough To
The legislature.


The Legislature.
obeying the mandate of the Constitu-
tion that the Governor shall from time to
time inform the Legislature of the condi-
tion OF the State. and recommend to their
consideration such measures as he NAV
Judge necessary and expedient." take this
opportunity to address you upon such sub
Jects as occur to me to be worthy of your
early and special consideration, at your
now pending session.
FINANCES.
The financial condition of the State. as
set forth in the report of the State Comp
troller, indicates that we are continuing to
increase in wealth and are fully able to take
care OF all obligations that we have, up to
TINS time, assumed. From a careful OBJ
SerVation, 1t will be seen. that the present
margin Of safety should always be main
tanned by increasing the receipts into the
treasury. either by creating new methods
OF raising funds or by increasing the bur-
dens already borne by some occupations
or pleasures, If we are to continue to in
crease the demands upon our income.
Under our Constitution, whenever money
is borrowed it is necessary to levy direct
tax to take care of the interest, as well as
provide fund to retire the loan upon ma
turlty 1t is, therefore, the part of wisdom
to incur debts for such purposes only as
are of both an immediate and LASTING
benefit.
A proposition to divert income from the
state to local purposes under the claim OF
Home Rule" should be viewed with alarm
such a doctrine could easily be carried to
the point of divesting the State of all
sources Of income except through direct
taxation. Things that owe their existence
to the sovereignty of the State should in
all cases, be subject to the State s supreme
authority. Yet things of essentially local
character may be properly left to the de-
termination of the particular locality af-
fected. Home Rule" should not mean
division of the State into large or small
parts. but that political parts of the State
should be left to solve only such questions
as are peculiar to itself, and in which the
rest of the State has not common interest
and no concern. Any tendency to assume
that the general interests of one commu-
nifty are different from the welfare of all
is unpatriotic and unwise. and the thought
that an artificial line can either enlarge or
curtail the privileges or burdens of citizen
ship of the State should be discouraged.
The line Of demarcation is distinct and
can be easily observed when we approach
the subject with a mind freed from bias
and misunderstanding the desire to
possess something at the expense of those
equally entitled.
The reports Of the financial officers show
that the revenues of the State from sources
other than direct taxation amount to the
sum of $4.152 ,104.24. This is the only
amount available for all the expenses of
the State government. including the amount
returned to Baltimore City as its share Of
the liquor license receipts, which amounted
to $996, 450.82. thus leaving the net sum
of $3.155. 653.42, to devote to all the State
institutions. for the care of the insane,
reformatories. hospitals. educational insti-
tutions, the support Of the oyster navy,
the payment Of salaries of all public
officers, the expenses of the Legislatures,
the 100000 appropriated for State aided
roads and $i38. 845.9l paid for the upkeep
of State roads. This sum also includes the
amounts received from the counties and
City of Baltimore for the care of the insane,
amounting to $212.033.35.
The consideration of these figures makes
necessary a most careful examination on
your part Of the merits of any additional
appropriations which you may see proper
to grant. and call your attention to the pro-
nounced limitations of the State Treasury
The present State tax rate is 81 cents
upon each 500. and yielded revenue OF
$3.132, 5l5.55. being collected from real
and personal property, stocks of corpora
tons and tax on Baltimore City stock
This sum is specifically devoted as follows
To schools. .......".."..........$l, 74S, 1881
Road maintenance........... S0.47S52
Interest on public debt and
sinking fund to retire the
same .......................... l,JUj,o4l .Z2
,1c, iSL,olo.ot
TAXATION
Il is impossible to exaggerate the i'm
portance of our adjusting the burdens OF
taxation as to insure the general welfare
Of the people. Equality is misleading
term. Those who are creating should be
encouraged and those who are contributing
nothing, but are reaping the benefits OF
values created by the enterprise and in
dustry of others. should be made to con-
tribute in another form their proportion to
the States necessities. No kind of prop
erty should bear more than its share but
the obligations Of different characters Of
property should be equitably adjusted
With full realization of the fact that
many hardships exist, as well as knowl-
edge that many persons are escaping their
full obligations, under our present laws
which are the growth Of many years, the
Legislature of 1912, empowered me to APP
point Commission to study the subject
l., datoil and renort their 6ndinds Th;,