McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1919-01-24
INSIST ON STRICT
STATE ECONOMY
GOVERNOR ADVISES CUTTING OFF
OF ALL USELESS OFFICERS
AND HELP.
TAKES OATH OF GOVERNOR
Governor Roberts Outlines Policy Of
Administration In Tax Reform
Message To Joint Assembly
of Tennessee.

Gov. A. Fl. Roberts delivered his first
message to the joint assembly, in
which he outlined his program of re-
trenchment. He made 1t plain that
the state henceforth must live within
its income and that the policy of max
ing large appropriations without pro-
viding a method of securing the reve-
nue. to meet them must be disccn.
tinued
The governor insists that every dol
Lar collected by any agent for the state
must be turned into the treasury, and
that every dollar disbursed must be
upon a properly certified warrant from
the comptroller.
He advocates the abolition of over
tapping offices and an act comforting
upon one person the duties now per-
formed by five or six, with the result
that the state will save large sums
that heretofore have gone to persons
who had but little work to do and ap-
parently were appointed for political
reasons. The governor called especial
attention to four positions which might
easily be filled by his private secretary
at saving of $500 annually.
Guard Efficiency.
The governor added that the policy
of retrenchment must not be permitted
to go to the extent that the efficiency
of the government would be impaired
The governor advocated the abolition
OF the offices of assistant attorney
general in the state, except in the
cities.
/ The governor advocated the passage
Of law giving the railroad commission
authority to assess such concerns as
the Pullman company, packing houses,
oil companies and other concerns,
which now pay no ad alorem tax, be-
cause the legislature has failed to pro-
vide method for the assessment and
collection Of taxes upon the intangible
property of these corporations.
The governor also advocated the
passage of the bill already introduced,
constituting the railroad commission a
state board of equalization.
There are now two state boards Of
equalization, one charged with the
duty of equalization of assessments
upon railroads and certain other pub
lie utilities, and the other board
charged with equalizing assessments
Of land and personal property. I'VE
should have only one board" the gov
ernor declared, "and it should have
sufficient power to compel every prop
erty owner to bear his share of the tax
burden" He declared that the present
system Of having SO systems, cor rath-
or pretenses," should be abolished.
In conclusion, the governor said:
This legislature has already given
strong evidence of its patriotic inten-
ton to serve the state faithfully and
uphold the administration in every eff
fort to redeem the pledges on which
we were elected to office. The eyes OF
the people Of the state are upon us;
they are demanding that we do our
duty promptly and faithfully. Let us
take up these difficult problems and
study them and act upon them with
firm resolve and honest purpose, and
that, too, before permitting ourselves
to be drawn into a consideration of
other matters of secondary import
ance. Everything else should be laid
aside until necessary financial reforms
are effected and the state is placed
upon q solid foundation"
The senate will this session divide
the duty that was in the past imposed
on one committee, on prisons and pc
nal institutions and charitable and
eleemosenary institutions, and have
separate committees for the two sets
of institutions There will also be
new committee in the senate, to be
known as "publicities," and will have
charge of corporations, legislation
other than railroad legislation.
Hiram w. johnson Invited.
Senator Houk, of Knox county, Of
fered joint resolution, which was
adopted under a suspension of the
rules, extending an invitation to Unit
ed States Senator Hiram w. Johnson,
OF California, to visit Tennessee and
address the general assembly on eco