Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-02-02
STUART DELIVERS !
HIS INAUGURAL
New Governor Says He Is
Not Candidate of Clique
or Faction.
WITHOUT PLATFORM.
Devotes Large Portion of Address to
Subject of Taxation Hoping For
More Satisfactory Conditions.

Richmond, Va, Feb. 2.-Gcvernor
! Henry c. Stuart delivered mis- inau-
gural address at the Capitol toGay
before an immense throng composed
of representatives from all sections
CT the State. The ad Iress was COM
paratively brief. Among other things
Governor Stuart said:
enter upon the duties of the gov
ernorship with deep sense of the
generous consideration of my fellow
citizens. Called to the office by the
unanimous voice of my, own party, and
without serious opposition from any
source, feel that, coupled with the
honor, there is the fullest measure
of obligation and responsibility 81
The announcement of my candi-
dacy contained this declaration: "I
am not the candidate of any clique
or faction, but ask the support of all
Democrats who stand for good gov
ernment in the paramount interest
of the State" Having now taken the
oath of Office | promise that my
course as Governor shall be controll-
ed by the principles thus announced,
and that in that spirit my strength
ard energy shall be steadily :ind
earnestly devoted to the service of
the State.
Nominated and elected without
platform having been promulgated
! by my party, and without any state
ment of my own views with respect
to public questions, it now seems NC;
duty TO interpret as best | may the
sentiment to which my election is the
substantial expression. by some de-
! finite reference to the work which lies
before Us. So far as my particlpa-
ton in that work is concerned. wish
to say at the outset that rely with
confidence upon the other officials Of
the Executive Department, and par
ticularly upon the wise and active
operation of the General Assembly,
to whose committees and members I
shall frequently turn for consultation
and advice.
The functions of government are
m;sapplie: unless there is produced
approximate equality in the distribu-
ton of burdens anG benefits. That no
such equality is incident to our pres
ent system Of taxation is perfectly ob-
vious. Determinations are flagrant
and shoulGi be removed with as little
delay as possible. The task is diff
cult. but it is not, for that reason, to
be postponed or slighted.
The present rate of state taxation
or all classes of property, real and
personal, is equal and uniform, and
existing determinations must there
fore arise from the non-assessment,
or under-asssessment, or over-assess-
ment of property. Accordingly /
think it is clear that the initial step
in tax reform is to put under actual
contribution every kind and descrip-
ton of property not exempt by law,
and thus so broalen the base of taxa
tion as that the common burden may
rest lightly on all.
Real estate is assessed at inter-
walls of five years by assessors ap-
nointed by the courts, many of the
! counties being divided into two or
more assessment districts. Personal
property is assessed every year by
commissioners of the revenue elect
ed bv the people. and in some counties
+bere are half "a dozen or more dis
+ricts. each having a commissioner
There is no adequate provision for
local equalization, and gross lneuqal-
tiles frequently obtain in the valua-
toin of both realty and personally IN
the different assessment districts OF
the same county. Likewise there IS
M provision for state equalization,
and Just as gross inequalities obtain
affecting counties and cities, and the
various sections in their relation to
each other. All of this occasions no
surprise. when it is considered that
the duty of making the assessments Is
performed by hundreds Of individual
officials. who do not act in concert:
and each of whom, as far as the last
assessment Of real estate is concern