Inaugural address of  Richard A. Snelling  As it appears in the  Journal  of the  JOINT ASSEMBLY  BIENNIAL SESSION  1979  Thursday, January 4, 1979. Inaugural Address  Mr.  President,  before  I  begin  the  official  task  assigned  to  me  on  this  occasion,  may  I  make  a  very  brief personal  observation?  I  would  like  to  join  with  your  many  friends  and  with  all  those  throughout  Vermont  in extending  my  personal  congratulations  to  those  of  you  who  have  been  selected  to  do  the  great  civic  duty  on which you embark.  I want  to express my congratulations  to you, Lieutenant Governor-Elect Kunin,  to you, Mr. Speaker,  and  to  all  the  members  of  the  Legislature  who  have  come  here,  I  must  share  once  again  with  you  a sense  of  feeling  almost  of  relief  to  have  you  back  in  Montpelier.  I  spent  so  many  delightful,  educational  and truly rewarding years myself in these Halls that I really do look forward to the period when we will be working together again in the months ahead. I am very glad to see you back. Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, Distinguished Members of the General Assembly: Each  of  us,  every  member  of  the  human  race,  wakes  each  morning  certain  to  make  history  and  fated  to change  the  course  of  events.  There  is  no  course  of  action  or  inaction  open  to  any  living  soul which  leaves  the future unchanged. Only the direction of change, the magnitude and worthiness of it, are our options. And so it is certain that when the representatives of a people gather to consider what they can do together, in the name of all, history will be made. I may be made mightily, in proportion to the needs and opportunities, or it may be made weakly, shrinking and trembling before the task. You  gather  here  as  surrogates  for  all  Vermonters.  They  have  enfranchised  you,  subject  only  to  the constitutional  balance  and  reservation  of  their  own  ultimate  powers,  to  speak  and  act  for  them.  And  so  you make history not only for yourself, but for all of us. Historically, many Vermont  legislative  bodies  have met  to  face  dramatic  crisis. None  failed  to  do what  the circumstances required. On those occasions the problems were clearly outlined. Little argument was required to identify the central issue or its urgency. Thus crises became the turning points around which enormous bursts of energy were focused to bring needed change. But  most  legislatures,  fortunately,  are  not  faced  with  such  dramatic  calls  for  action  to  meet  such  clearly identifiable  dangers.  A  feeling  of  urgency  and  immediacy  borne  of  mortal  threat  is  the  unusual,  not  the common. In ordinary times we are tempted to apply politically safe, cosmetic changes to even the most persistent and long  festering  social  problems.  Legislatures  have  often  behaved,  as  individuals  frequently  do,  by  satisfying short-term needs in ways that have left more basic problems to become ever more serious, ever more damaging. This  may  be  democracy’s  most  serious  challenge,  and  this  may  be  its  most  serious  defect—a  tendency  to tolerate inertia in the face of all but the most dramatic crisis, an urge to do the most popular thing when the real duty  may  be  to  call  forth  the  same  discipline  and  self-restraint  in  the  prevention  of  crises  as  would  surely  be summoned to face an obvious threat. A  government  which  panders  to  the  immediate  demands  of  the  public  for  superficial  solutions  can  only continue to erode the public confidence upon which it rests. The greatest of all legislatures, those most worthy of our children’s approbation, may thus not be those who raised  armies  to  fight  wars  thrust  upon  them,  or  who  ordered  the  rebuilding  of  lands  ravaged  by  floods  still receding. The  truly worthy may well be  those which have  the  foresight and  the courage  to  take dramatic action bringing  us  closer  to  real  solutions  of  basic  problems.    Herein  lies  the  distinction  between  the  adequate legislature  and  the  truly  great—the  courage  to  make  signal  accomplishments  which  are  demanded  by opportunity, rather than by tragedy or necessity. And these are for us, for Vermont, times of opportunity, not of tragedy. The nation is at peace and our Sons and daughters are at home. The  productivity  of  our  people  and  the  consequent  strength  of  our  economy  these  last  two  years  have yielded  such bountiful  revenues  for  the  state  as  to make possible both  the  largest  tax  cuts  in Vermont’s history and  the significant expansion of  support  for education,  for  the handicapped and  for  the needy. After decades of incessant  growth  of  the  bureaucracy  we  have,  together,  reasserted  the  people’s  determination  to  keep government in its place, always servant and never master to the people. If  you  choose  to  do  so,  you  might  be  excused  for  treating  this  biennium  as  a  period  of  good,  but  ordinary times.  Although  there  is  an  ample  agenda  before  you,  few  are  the  calls  for  heroic  action  or  significant  new directions which come so clearly that you would not likely be excused by the jury of public opinion if you count this session as one demanding only prudent and honest business as usual. But the opportunity for you, for Vermont, and for democracy to prove itself, is, I believe, very much greater than that. Beneath the facade of healthy routine lie significant problems for which solutions are long overdue. Although I recognize that traditionally the Chief Executive uses the opportunity of his inaugural message to list  a  dozen  or  more  general  problem  areas,  today  I  have  chosen  to  identify  only  four  issues  of  particular,  of unusual  and  concern.    I  believe  the  opportunity  for  singular  accomplishment  on  your  part  exists  in  each  of these—if you will accept the responsibilities and risks of breaking new ground, of meeting serious problems and opportunities head on, with measures of proportion and scale equal to the objectives. The first of these is in the field of finance. One year  ago,  appearing before  this body,  I  said,  “Huge basic  changes  in  the  fabric  of  society  come  rarely, and  when  they  do,  they  are  often  difficult  to  perceive.  I  believe  that  right  now  in  America,  and  in  Vermont,  a basic change  is occurring which  in a  fundamental way changes  the  role you and  I must play  if we are  to accept the  responsibilities  of  leadership.  That  change  is  that  after  a  long  period  of  years  during  which  the  burdens  of government  have  risen  to  require  a  larger  and  larger  share  of  the  total  wealth  of  the  people,  it  is  no  longer possible to increase that share without imposing unfair hardships on the people.” We  went  on,  here  in  Vermont,  to  enact  the  largest  tax  cuts  in  history.  And  five months  later  the  people  of California  adopted  a  constitutional  referendum  so  severely  and  dramatically  abridging  the  levels  of  taxation  in that state as to set off shock waves which still reverberate throughout the nation. The  circumstances  under  which  you  will  consider  matters  of  appropriation  and  taxation  this  biennium  are unprecedented.  Since  we  last  met,  a  public  demand  has  risen  for  a  fiscal  accountability  far  broader  and  more difficult than that of merely balancing the budget. I  believe  that  we  see  clearly  now  that  when  government  feels  compelled  to  fund  every  program,  the  total burden  of  taxes  will  inevitably  make  it  impossible  for  our  citizens  to  afford  their  own  personal  programs,  for their own households and for their own families. And  so, at  long  last,  the people call  for  restraint. But most national and  state  legislative bodies have not yet attempted to draft budgets under these new circumstances. It is a dangerous oversimplification to say that it was the  thoughtlessness  of  elected  officials  alone which  brought  us  to  this  calamitous  level  of  public  expenditures. When existing tax measures provided revenues each year far greater than those of the preceding year, the public applauded  the  legislators  who  matched  newly  identified  good  works  with  new  public  programs,  or  who  vied with one another to announce their support of all public programs in terms of the size of the increases. Now,  the  loudest public cries are  for budget  limitations, and  for zero growth. Many,  to be  sure, call  for  full retreat  and  retrenchment  by  enactment  of  funding  levels  which  will  not  provide,  in  purchasing  power,  even maintenance  of  the  programs  so  recently  considered  essential  to  the  dignity  and  worthiness  of  a  thoughtful government.  I  urge  you  to  recognize  that  instant  blind  obedience  to  these  calls  is  no  more  worthy  of  this legislative  body  than  it  was  for  your  predecessors  to  enormously  expand  the  scope  of  government,  year  after year, to please those who refused then to consider the future consequences of that long and debilitating trend. What  I  see Vermonters  asking  each of us  to provide  is  a government which has  reached  financial maturity. A  government  that  recognizes  that  it  can  not  take  a  larger  share  of  its  citizens  resources  each  year,  or  fail  to adequately  provide  for  the  real  needs  of  its  citizens  within  those  bounds.  A  government  that  is  capable  of establishing a  financial  stability which  sets  limits of  reason because  it has had  the vision and  leadership  to plan for the future. When it is possible, the easiest approach to budgeting is to provide all sums asked for. In that, at least at the moment it is done, there is no pain and there is much self-gratification. That is not possible in these times. The  easiest  task  of  those  who  prepare  budgets  is  in  times  of  financial  extreme—of  depression  or  deep recession—when  funds  are  simply  and  clearly  not  available  as  the  result  of  external  and  uncontrollable  forces. In  such  times  denial  is  the  common  denominator.  Since  all  claimants  go  away  disappointed  there  is  a  sense  of equity, parallel to the pain of leaving so much undone. These are not times of depression. At  this moment  in history we are asked  to provide a  leadership which recognizes  that Vermont  is neither so rich nor so poor that it can avoid the anguish of choice. We  will  find  some  programs  worthy,  but  must  risk  the  criticism  of  their  proponents  by  admitting  we  find them  less  worthy  than  others.  We  must  agree  that  some  programs  would  benefit  Vermont,  yet  announce  our sincere conviction  that others are more  timely because  they will strengthen our future capacity  to finance social accomplishment. We  will  still  accept  new  challenges  and  expand  expenditures  in  some  areas,  knowing  that  to  do  so  will offend  those  whose  requests  are  reduced  or  denied,  as  well  as  those  who  demand  absolute  contraction  of  the levels of expenditure. To establish your willingness  to meet  these new budgetary challenges  in an era of governmental maturity,  I hope  you  will  early  adopt  a  bill  which  limits  1980  expenditures  from  the  General  Fund  to  an  increase  of  6 percent,  and  those of 1981  to  a  further 6 percent  increase,  in  full knowledge  that  inflation  is currently  reducing the purchasing power of each dollar approximately 10 percent per year. I  am  asking  you  to  establish  for  yourself  such  a  spending  limit  independent  of  any  estimates  of  revenue.    I am  asking  you  to  start  a  new  Vermont  tradition  of  setting  spending  limits  based  on  your  judgment  of  what  is necessary and appropriate, rather than on what might be conjectured to be available. No  one  knows  for  sure  today,  nor  will  we  at  the  time  of  the  budget message  a  few  weeks  from  now—nor even  a  full  year  from  now—precisely what  our  revenues will  be.   However,  I  believe we  can  agree  that  in  the foreseeable  future  expenditures  held  to  the  level  I  am  recommending will  put  us  on  the  track  of  fiscal  stability and assure us there will be no need for harsh corrections in this biennium or even the next. I  believe  that  your  treatment  of  the modest  surplus  currently  in  the General  Fund  is  another  opportunity  to speak boldly in favor of fiscal stability.  Such a surplus is a fortunate but unpredictable occurrence. We must  avoid  the  temptation  to  appropriate  this money  for  an  ongoing  state  program  or  to  enact  new  tax cuts. Although I fully understand the validity of the argument that the surplus should be returned to the taxpayers on  a  onetime  bonus  basis,  I  hope  you  will  not  take  this  action  either,  until  you  have  satisfied  yourself  that  the monies will not be, in the words of the Vermont Constitution, “Of more service to community.” I  believe  there  are  several  onetime  opportunities  of  such  potential  value  to  Vermonters  as  to  warrant  your considering  the  allocation  of  these  funds  to  accomplish  those  future-strengthening  purposes.    I  will  speak  in  a moment of the largest of these. Although it is true that a dozen problems have claimed the attention of my predecessors and yours endlessly over  these  last  two  centuries,  none  have  been  more  frequently  mentioned  with  frustration  and  anxiety  in inaugural messages,  retirement messages or proposals  for  legislation,  than  those dealing with  taxation and with the support of the public schools.  The two problems are closely linked. It  has  been  an  article  of  faith  in  Vermont  since  the  days  of  the  Constitution  that  a  uniform  quality  of education  for all young Vermonters  is  the foundation of  future opportunity, as well as  future  liberty. And  it has been  a  source  of  growing  rather  than  receding  anguish  that  there  is  both  disparity  in  the  quality  and  scope  of public education among the towns and great disparity in the burden which education places upon the taxpayers. I  believe  we  have  an  opportunity,  and  a  rare  one,  to  initiate  action  in  this  session  which  has  a  reasonable likelihood of leading us, at long last, to something approaching a solution to the problem. The  unavoidable  lesson  of  history  in  this  matter  is  that  either  property  must  not  be  used  at  all  to  support local education, or  that  it must be appraised  so uniformly  throughout  the  state  that all men and women of good will can accept the basis of appraisal in other towns, as well as their own. The time has come for us to build the one  indispensable  foundation  of  a  program  aimed  at  equalizing  educational  opportunity  and  providing  tax equity. We must  accept  the  responsibility  of moving  promptly  and  decisively  to  appraise,  fairly  and  uniformly,  all the  property  in  the  state.  I  am  advised  that  this  project  could  be  completed  in  two  years.  Obviously,  this  will require  considerable  expense.  It  is  perhaps  the  magnitude  of  the  expense  as  much  as  any  thing  which  has  so long stayed our hand in taking this critical first step towards the solution of this historic problem. An  effective  and  responsive  tax  system  cannot  be  achieved  without  balancing  our  broad  based  sales  and income  taxes  with  a  property  tax  raised  under  a  uniform  system  of  appraisal,  tempered  for  low-income Vermonters by our property tax relief program. When I speak to you later this month concerning my recommendations in the area of financial matters, I will recommend  to  you  that  you  use  a  sizeable  portion  of  the  surplus  available  June  30,  1978,  to  appraise  all  of  the property of the state starting first with the nonresidential property. I  hope  to  be  able  to  make  some  additional  recommendations  aimed  at  decisive  action  in  the  direction  of public  schools which  are more  equitably  financed  and  thus provide more  equal opportunity. A  just appraisal of property  values  is  but  one  of  two  great  omissions which must  be  corrected  in  this  area.  The  second  deals with the  amount  of  money  which  must  be  available  in  any  equalization  formula  if  there  is  to  be  any  real  hope  of equalization. It is mathematically obvious that if disparities between property wealth and the number of students to be educated varies as much as tenfold, no fund for equalization which is only a small fraction of the total cost is likely to succeed, even if it be a so-called “perfect” formula. Therefore,  I  hope  this  body  will  join  me  in  the  search  for  a  more  equitable  method  for  assuring  that  the capacity of the entire property tax base of the state be used to achieve equal educational opportunity in harmony with equal tax burdens. The  third  area  where  I  believe  this  General  Assembly  has  a  unique  opportunity  for  significant accomplishment is in the consideration of some fundamental principles for the reform of our welfare system. The  will  of  our  people  to  tax  themselves  to  assist  the  truly  needy,  springs  from  the  heart  of  the  social compact.   But  it  has  become  clear  that  in  the  area  of welfare,  one  of  our most  noble  undertakings  has  evolved into one of our least effective institutions. I must warn you that in a time of budgetary limits, the need to establish a new philosophy for welfare marks the  emergence  in Vermont of  a  truly great  social  challenge—a  challenge which will grow  each year  and which cannot be met with tiresome debates over old remedies. It is self-righteous to label as generosity a system which creates as many problems as it solves. We  have  taken  from  people  in  the  name  of  a  good  cause  but  have  left  them,  and  ourselves,  in  doubt  as  to whether  the  good  cause  was  accomplished.  For  example,  it  is  shocking  but  true  that  some  of  those  now  in receipt of public assistance, often find themselves in better circumstances than many of those whose hardearned tax dollars provide that welfare support. We  must  stop  blind  acquiescence  in  dependency.   Whenever  possible,  welfare  should  assist  people  on  the path to independence.  To accomplish true welfare reform in Vermont, we must accept the risks of turning away from those policies which for years have been the cornerstone of our approach to funding the needs of the poor. We must  take  a  second  look  at what  it  really means  to  be  compassionate  and we must  not  permit  our  good intentions  to  cripple  the very  individuals we  seek  to  serve.   Accordingly,  it  is my  conviction  that  the  following four principles must guide our efforts toward substantive welfare reform. 1.    That  the  goal  of  welfare  be  to  foster  and  assist  personal  independence  whenever  such  an  alternative  is feasible, and not in such situations to continue relief indefinitely; 2.  That state funds which directly support consumption and spending be made available in accordance with real  and  demonstrable  needs,  objectively  determined,  and  not  merely  according  to  the  demands  of  those receiving the funds or services or those being paid to distribute them; 3.  That we accept, as one measure an ultimate goal of fairness, the principle that total welfare support from all sources must not exceed the levels of income a fully taxed working person can expect to achieve.  The equity of such a principle clearly rests on the availability of decently compensated employment; 4.   That after basic  levels of support required  to meet  the genuine need of our fellow Vermonters have been met,  the  priority  for  additional  expenditures  should  be  programs  which  strengthen  our  people  by  improving mental health, alleviating drug abuse, relieving handicaps and removing barriers to employment. The  implementation  of  this  philosophy  is  already  under  way,  and  has  been  for  two  years.    This  policy  of confidence  in  the  ability  of  dependent  Vermonters  to  learn  to  stand  on  their  own  has  been  demonstrated  by substantially reduced welfare rolls of unemployed fathers. Additional confirmation of the reasonableness of our direction is provided by the fact that two years ago only 17 percent of those enrolled in our basic family welfare program  were  employed.  One  year  ago,  20  percent  were  employed.  A  month  ago  25  percent  were  employed. With  this  legislative body’s encouragement we believe before  the end of  this biennium 35 percent can and will be  employed.  In  each  area  of  the  Human  Services  Agency,  legislation  and  budget,  you  will  find  specific evidence  of  this  new  philosophy  at work,  and  you may  at  first  find  some  of  them  difficult  to  accept. However, unless we can accomplish a transfer and coordination of the WIN program; unless we can substantially in crease support  for  the mentally  ill;  unless we  can  decide  that  an  emergency  fuel  program  has  outlived  the  emergency which  gave  it  birth;  unless  payments  to  providers  of  services  such  as  Day  Care  and  Medicaid  can  be thoughtfully controlled and exposed to reasonable limitations we will fail to achieve our goal. Over  the  past  two  years,  this  administration  has  undertaken  a  major  effort  to  make  the  basic  welfare programs operate at greatly increased levels of achievement. However, this increase of effectiveness of existing programs  alone will  never  solve  the  underlying weaknesses  in  our welfare  system. What  is  required  of  us  over the  next  two  years,  is  a  willingness  on  the  part  of  government  to  address  the  real  inequities  in  our  income transfer programs. We have  in  this  state  at  the present  time,  a multiplicity of programs designed  to  fill  a  large variety of basic needs  for  various  categories  of  people.  Each  program  has  its  own  eligibility  requirements  and  its  own constituency  of  advocates,  some  of  whom  have  demonstrated  a  willingness  to  defend  programs  even  at  the expense of the people they claim, to serve. We  also  have  thousands  of  low  income  people  who  are  eligible  for,  one,  or  more  often,  many  of  these programs. Few are well served by this shotgun approach and many inequities arise because of it. I  have  asked  the  Secretary  of  Human  Services  to  accelerate  the  task  of  evaluating  each  of  these  programs, their  interrelationships  with  each  other,  their  effectiveness  and  the  equity  by  which  each  acts  as  a  conduit  for taxpayer’s money  to  those  in need. Before  the  term  for which  I have been  today  inaugurated  is  far along,  I will be  presenting  to  you my  recommendations  for  substantive  changes  in our method of  transferring  income  to  the people  of  Vermont  who  do  deserve  assistance.  In  making  these  proposals,  I  will  be  guided  by  the  principles  I have spelled out here today because, in times like these, there is no other way to assure that those who are truly, in need will receive our help in adequate measure. Finally,  I call upon you  to share a vision  to establish now  the  foundation  for an  industrious and, prosperous Vermont for coming generations which will measure its success against new and far higher goals. Vermont was wrested from the wilderness. Its early history speaks of the tasks of assuring survival in a new place uncommonly attractive  to settlers, but requiring enormous energies  to create  from scratch  the elements of a civilized place. Although what we have  in 1979 goes  far beyond  that which might have seemed  to be “success” beyond  the dreams  of  our  forefathers,  it  falls  short  of what  our  realistic  aspirations  should  be  now  that we  know  better  the shape  of  our  opportunity. The  time  has  come  to  raise our  sights  and  to  set new  standards  for ourselves  and our society. I believe it is time for Vermont to reject underemployment, just as unequivocally as it has consistently in the past  rejected  unemployment.  We  are  unusually  situated  and  have  already  established  for  ourselves  a  national and  international  reputation  as  a  people  of  special  skills  in  a  special  environment.  We  can  build  upon  that reputation to the immense personal benefit, pride, and security of every Vermonter. Through  the  last  several  national  recessions,  some  industries  vital  to more  permanent  trends  of  progress  in this country have continued to prosper and to seek out individuals possessing both the talents and work ethics of the  craftsmen  of  old,  and  the  training  and  knowledge  required  by  the  pacesetting  industries  of  the  future.  Such employers  are  seeking  out  Vermont  as  a  place  where  people  bring  an  intense  Yankee  pride  in  quality  and achievement. The  times  call  for  a  new  partnership  embracing  every  public  institution  seeking  to  match  people  with opportunity and to enhance occupational and professional skills. A  new  relationship  between  our  vocational  institutions,  our  colleges  and  universities,  our  employment programs,  our  employment  and  training  efforts  for  the  disadvantaged,  and  our  private  industries,  will  be required  to  achieve  this  vision,  and  I  will  be  asking  you  to  join  in  the  first  steps  toward  the  design  of  a  new integration of  these many programs now spread so widely  throughout government and  the private sector.   If we succeed,  our  children  and  grandchildren  will  be  able  to  look  forward  to  a  life  in  Vermont,  armed  with  skills which  will  open  to  each  of  them  an  opportunity  of  prosperous  employment,  and  which  will  make  Vermont  a spectacularly productive place. The  font  initiatives  I have  chosen  to present  to you  today  address  as yet unresolved problems which we,  as the  representatives  of  all Vermonters, must  agree  to  face.  If we  fail,  these  problems will  rise  again  and  again.., slowly  eroding  the  public’s  confidence  in  both  our  ability  and  our will  to  determine  our  own  future.  There  are many  other  more  routine  issues  which  together  we  will  resolve  in  the  coming  months  and  which  I  have  not mentioned here not because  they are unimportant, but because of my conviction of  the over  riding need  for me to identify the more fundamental opportunities and responsibilities which face us. I  know  you will  feel  the  usual  pressures  to  keep  this  session  brief. But  I  truly  believe  that Vermonters will judge  the  session  far  more  by  the  scope  and  worthiness  of  its  accomplishments  than  by  its  length.  There  is, perhaps, no  reason why a  session cannot be both brief and  fruitful. However,  I believe  that what  is expected of us  in  these  times  of  negative  public  attitudes  about  government  is most  of  all  that we make  real  progress,  that what we do will make it unnecessary to address the selfsame problems two years from now, and that our works will stand the test of time. If our efforts are invested toward putting the right questions and answering them with courage and vision, this will be a Legislature and a session worthy to be remembered.  As our forefathers failed us not, we now begin the deliberations which will decide if we have fully accepted the duty and opportunity to preserve, defend and strengthen this Vermont we all so love. BENEDICTION Benediction was pronounced by Rabbi Max B. Wall, Ohavi Zedek Synagogue of Burlington. Lieutenant Governor Buckley requested that the Committee escort the Governor from the Chamber. REMARKS BY THE CHAIR Since  it  is  necessary  for-us  to  wait  for  the  committee  to  return,  I  would  like  to  avail  myself  of  the opportunity  to  say  to  you  all  that  I  thank  you  for  all  the  kind  things  you  have  done  for me  and  I would  like  to leave  you  with  a  thought  if  I  could.  Having  been  your  Lieutenant  Governor  it  has  been  my  privilege  to  visit quite a  few other  legislative bodies, both domestic and  foreign, and  I would have  to conclude,  I do not mean  to be  irreverent,  but  some  of  them  could  be—as  far  as  being  compared  to  the  Vermont  House  or  the  Vermont Senate or a Joint Assembly—could properly be described as a zoo. I would  like  to  tell you very seriously  that I think  that  this  is  one  of  the  last  few  places  in  the  world  where  citizens  are  represented  by  a  citizen  legislature and  the  will  of  the  people  still  prevails.  I  want  to  tell  you  that  when  I  go  home,  I  will  feel  very,  very  secure knowing that a group of people like this Vermont House and this Vermont Senate are here to look after things. There  are  people  out  there  who  are  well  intended,  have  the  best  of  intentions,  and  would  like  to  see  your government grow  and would  like  to  see more  and more  attention placed  at  the  top. For God’s  sake, keep  it  the way it is as long as you can. Thank you and God bless you all. DISSOLUTION The Joint Assembly dissolved.  JAMES A. GUEST. Secretary of State, Clerk.