Evening journal., 1895-06-05
REFORM IN new JERSEY
State Senate Takes Prompt Ac-
tion on the Bills.
TIE INVESTIGATION REPORT IN

= Reviow Of the Long story Of bribery and
Boodielsm Given to the senate 10y ia,
Committee and Measures For Reform at
Once Set In Motion.
TRENTON, June 5. New Jerseys son.
ato committee, which has boon investigat
ing he charges of extravaganza and othel
reported misconduct OF public officers sinot
its appointment, Feb. l3 last, made
louRthy report to the senate
The Investigation has boen conducted
with great difficulty IL says, because the
wrongdoers had industrlously covered
thoir trucks, and persons who wero aware
Of the iaats tes. SLED unwillingly. Tho re.
port recitas thut previous 20 1889 tho care
and furnishing Of the state house was pro.
gided for by joint resolution placing thc
property in charge Of tho treasurer In
1883 a superintendent was appointed, and
in 1924 the Expenses had grown TO S71 600,
which by no means covered all the OK.
pensus for repairs, maintenance and fur
nishings
The report relates IA detail the ques.
tionahle furniture transactions. the irregu.
larites apparent in the buying of coal
and other supplies the fact that 81 s5O
was paid for pole and flag for the state
house the evidences OF gross overcharges
for painting; the rebuilding Of the Assem-.
bly, chamber at q cost of S2S2 600 appar.
ontly without plans and with the total
omission of any yentilating apparatus
/ subsequently put in at a cost or S25, S96),
and many other irregular OF grossly ex
| ponsive transactions.
state Expenses Greatly Increased.
The report eontinucs Tho ordinary
expenses Of the government excluding
| public debt, were about $500, 600 in 1879
and IN 1884 they had reached only 81. 600
| 600. Thenceforth. until 1894, the inoreasl
was rapid, the total in tho latter year be
ing sl.653, 000 Tho increase Is largel,
due TO the multiplication OF state officer
and state boards The expenses OF tn
Legislature increased from S58, 57s in 1871
to sl25. 2f9 50 1898. In 1894 the expens
fell of to slos, 1911
1T Is difficult to see why those expense
should thus increase. Tho number o
mombers Of the legislature has not chang
ed since 1874. The volume OF laws nov
passed IS much smaller than it was q
years ago, and there seems 90 DO no chang
requiring materially increased expenses
The growth seems 90 have arisen chief
from multiplying Of officers 70 atten
upon the legislature and from the recE
less extravaganza IN the purchase Cd legis
latiye supplies. We recommend the pass
age Of a law prescribing the number q
officers for each house and the salaries fo
cach and we report herewith bill fo
that purpose
The costs Of the courts has Increase
from 500, in 1875 to Sl7l, sec in 1885,
The increase has been gradual and VI
ceasing. IL IS due to,the increase IN th
number Of judges. the Increase u salarit
and Che abolishng Of tho fee system 4
oonponsafing judges This expense cat
not with propriety Be onrtailed. The stat
publishes ehe LEys ~ a twofold nethd
---lsrst 81 prinRng aGtp copies in boo
/ fopn at a COST Of abort 62, coo annunll
and second by publishing them in
I newspapers (s5 Democratic and A5 Repul
lioan) at a cost which this year Will
I probably Sl35, 00Q A maiorgty Of Il
Q newspapers do NOT set up and prii
7 the laws as theg do other advefsis
o urants nor DO thay yidd any Of their adve
Using space to she state Ihe laws al
SET up at Somerllle and IN New Yuf
and elsewhere. and large editions Al
! struck of In supplements form, which al
sold to the newspapers for small prlc
& For example, this year each newspaper
I paid by the state 81, 800 for publishh
the laws thus far given out for public
tion. The publisher OF the paper buys 4
about 500 from the New York print
: a sufficient number Of copies folds the
e into his regular edition and ciroulat
@ them.