Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 March 1875 — Got. Hendricks’ Message. [ARTICLE]

Got. Hendricks’ Message.

Gkntlxxsn of th* Sbbatb and Hous* of Rbpbbsbbtativbs: Yon have been called in special session, by virtue of the provision of the Constitution which so authorizes, when die Governor shall be of opinion that the public welfare requires it. It is your duty to provide for an exigency which has involved the public welfare. When that work shall have been completed, the occasion for the special session will have ceased, and your adjournment should Immediately follow. You are not In session for the pupose of general legislation. At the expiration of the legislative period of the recent session there was a disagreement between the Senate and House of Representatives upon some - general bills, which were important, if not essential to the public welfare. Among these were the Revenue and General Appropriation bills; regulating fees and salaries of public officers and the bill regulating the sale of intoxi eating liquors. These bills should be put in such shape that the judgment of the two houses may harmonize upon them. I ask that they shall receive your immediate attention. By virtue of the act of Dec. 6, 1872, they stand upon the files of the two houses for your action as if the two sessions had been one and continuous. The Revenue bill should provide for the ordinary expenditures of the State. Indebtedness should not be created to meet such expenditures. By refence to the pending General Appropriation bill you will see that the two houses have agreed upon the'appropriations for the State service, the benevolent, penal, reformatory and educational institutions aggregating about *900,000 for each year. Under the reappraisement as you provided for. the taxable property of the State will not exceed *850,000,000 in value. The poll tax will be about *130,000. Your estimate should anticipate a delinquency of 20 per centum upon both property and poll tax. During the years 1875 and 1876 extraordinary expenditures will be required as follows: For construction of an additional asylum for the insane, *3'0,000; for the payment of bonds likely to be presented during the two years, under the act of Dec. 12, 1872, *‘100,000; and to meet the temporary loan under the act of March 10, 1873, *910,000. Two hundred thousand dollars of that loan will become due on the 12th Inst. The Treasurer of State has made provision for the payment. I do not think that good policy requires that these extraordinary expenditures be provided for wholly by taxation. I recommend that the authority to make a temporary loan conferred by the act of March 10,1873, be continued.

I need not remind yon that the subject of the proper adjustment of fees and salaries gave you some serious trouble at the late session. I ask you to take it up again, and to make such adjustment as shall be fair both to the people and to officers. As I suggested in my message in January, all constructive fees and charges should be made impossible. The compensation should be sufficient to command for the public efficient and reliable service, but no greater. Public officers accept their positions with the understanding that their fees and salaries are under legislative control, except in cases in which the Constitntion otherwise provides. But they have a right to expect that, after their election, their compensation shall not be unreasonably and nniustly reduced. In my message of January I expressed my views so fully in relation to the regulation of the sale of intoxicating liquors that I have now but little to do. We are without any efficient law on that subject. Society should not be left in that condition. The j udgment of the people has been distinctly expressed, as I believe, in favor of a carefully-guarded license law. This wish and judgment should find expression in your legislation The Supreme Court, two Jmjges dissenting, recently decided that, under the existing law, there is no restraint upon the sale of intoxicating liquors on Sunday, in the night time, or on election days, except in case of sales of liquor to be drank upon the premises. I need not urge the importance of legislation to correct these defects in the existing law. The necessity for this special session is te be regretted, but the misfortune is mitigated by the fact that the business demanding your attention is in such condition as to require you to remain in session but a very few days. Before the adjournment. of the regular session yesterday 1 communicated to the two houses my proclamation for this special session. I desired to prevent any interruption in the progress of business. I desired also to avoid the occasion for yon to travel to your homes. As the act of Dec. 19,1872, provides’mileage only for travel actually performed, I have advised the Auditor of State that any claim for mileage that might be made must necessarily be for constructive travel, and that it should not be allowed. Should you be of opinion that I am not correct in this construction of the law. your judgment expressed in joint or concurrent resolution*will be at once respected. I trust that harmony will characterize your proceedings, and that bya successful and prompt dispatch of the public business you may have the gratification of an early adjournment.

THOMAS A. HENDRICKS,

Governor of Indiana.