among fruit, vegetables and cereals, and to inquire as to noxious insects, which so often overrun and destroy the results of the husbandman's labor. It is especially on their behalf that every effort should be made to reduce taxation and to secure the utmost economy in administration. THE EXCISE LAW The present excise law has proved to be the best revenue-raising law on the statute book. One of its gratifying features is the fact that, compared with the old law which it supplanted, it is administered by a very small number of officials, while bringing in so much more revenue. GENERAL The various heads of other departments, such as Public Works, Public Buildings, State Engineer and Surveyor, Fisheries, Forest and Game, State Board of Health, Civil Service Commission, State Tax Commission, Bureau of Labor Statistics, State Commission in Lunacy, State Hospitals for Insane, State Reformatories and other penal and eleemosynary institutions, will in due time make their several detailed reports to the Legislature, and I invite your careful attention to these reports, when they are received, to the end, that if defects are found in the systems of administration, there may be proper remedial legislation. THEODORE ROOSEVELT ASSIGNMENT OF JUSTICE BARNARD TO DUTY IN THE SUPREME COURT STATE OF NEW YORK Executive Chamber WHEREAS the term of office of the Honorable Joseph F. Barnard a Justice of the Supreme Court in and for the Second Judicial District having been abridged on the thirty-first day of December, 1893, by the limitation of age prescribed by section twelve of article six of the Constitution, and he prior to said date having served ten years as said justice and having thereby become entitled to continue to receive the compensation established by law for the remainder of the term for which he was elected, to wit until the thirty-first day of December, 1899, and which compensation is now being received by him, and he consenting to be assigned by the Governor to any duty in the Supreme Court while his compensation is so continued, and it appearing to my satisfaction that the public interest requires it; THEREFORE By virtue of the power conferred upon me by section twelve of article six of the Constitution and upon filing his written consent thereto, I do hereby assign the Honorable JOSEPH F. BARNARD to any duty in the Supreme Court which he might lawfully have performed if his term of office had not been abridged as aforesaid, for and during the term ending December thirty-first, 1899. GIVEN under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State at the Capitol in the city of Albany [L S] this fourth day of January in year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine. In accordance with section two of article six of the Constitution the Honorable ALFRED SPRING of Franklinville who is a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Eighth Judicial District is hereby designated as Associate Justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in and for the Fourth Judicial Department, in the place of the Honorable Hamilton Ward, deceased, late an Associate Justice of said Appellate Division, for and during the term of five years from the date thereof. GIVEN under my hand and the Privy Seal of the [L S] State at the Capitol in the city of Albany this ninth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninetynine. By the Governor: WM. J. YOUNGS THEODORE ROOSEVELT Private Secretary DESIGNATION OF SPECIAL COUNSEL IN THE MATTER OF CANAL INVESTIGATION STATE OF NEW YORK Executive Chamber Albany, January 9, 1899 The canal investigating commission appointed under chapter 15 of the laws of 1898 having filed with the Governor its report and the testimony taken by it; and such report and testimony having been transmitted by the Governor to the Attorney General with the request that he examine them for the purpose of determining whether judicial proceedings should be instituted against any of the persons referred to therein; and Hon. Edwin Countryman having been designated as counsel to assist the Attorney General in such examination; and he having filed his report as such counsel, recommending that criminal proceedings by indictment be commenced against the State Engineer and Surveyor and the Superintendent of Public Works; and on such report the Attorney General having been requested by the Governor to take immediate charge of such proceedings on behalf of the State, and institute and prosecute to their conclusion such criminal. actions or proceedings against any person as may be warranted by such reports and testimony; and also having been required to attend in person or by one of his deputies the Supreme Court, and appear before the proper grand jury thereof, for the purpose of managing and conducting such criminal actions or proceedings: THEREFORE, in pursuance of the authority conferred on the Governor by section 55 of the Executive Law, and it appearing to my satisfaction that the public interest re quires it, I do hereby designate and employ Honorable By the Governor: THEODORE ROOSEVELT Private Secretary MEM.- Mr. Locke subsequently declined this appoint ment. APPOINTMENT OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF ERIE COUNTY STATE OF NEW YORK Executive Chamber Albany, January 12, 1899 APPOINTED: District Attorney of the county of Erie: THOMAS PENNEY of the city of Buffalo to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Daniel J. Kenefick. THEODORE ROOSEVELT APPOINTMENT OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF STATE OF NEW YORK Executive Chamber Albany, January 23, 1899 APPOINTED: District Attorney of the county of Rock land: GEORGE A. WYRE of Nyack to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Alonzo Wheeler. THEODORE ROOSEVELT |