The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-03
~BAbKRUPT|NG
THE STATE
Mad Career of the Republic
can Enthusiasts at
Trenton.
ENORMOUS DEFICIENCY BILL
Last Years Extrayaganees Not
Yet Fully Realized by
the People.
THIS YEARS FRANTIC RAID
Every Branch of the State Govern
ment Besieges the Committee
on Appropriations.

Special to the Jersey City Neacs.
TRENTON, March 5. 1S9e.-The Joint
on Appropriations appreciated
more yesterday, han ever before. that
they have an assignment that for vex-
alton of spirit and the kinking of pa
thence, excels anything that was ever
given to a legislative to do.
Their duty is to construct a deficiency
bill which is to meet the urgent demands
OF the departments whose regular appro-
priations were not sufficient to carry
them through the fiscal year of 1896. and
TO frame a general appropriation bill for
the year1S97. AS the race goes now it is
hard to say whether the deficiency bill
will be larger than the regular appro-
priationi bill or not. AS it stands the
deficiency bill needs but another twist to
turn it over the 100000 mark. 1t is
now over $1S0,000. The committee is very
much inlbued with the idea that there
should be more economy. They very
strongly favor the clipping of Injuries
and the shearing off of unnecessaries
and their disposition was made manifest
in a hearing that they gave to Quarter
master General Donnelly and General
Bird W. Spencer yesterday afternoon.
1t is very evident tina General Dom
N<AS AA(t k'4- -S 49,
about to run up against a set of men
who were not enthusiastically favorable
to the National Guard and he came well
prepared to answer questions. He was
very modest in his demands, asking an
appropriation in the deficiency bill of
$500 on the expense account for the
coming encampment of the Second
Brigade. He explained that there would
be more money needed than was figured
on because of a brigade encampment,
and he asked in the general a~ppropria-
ton act that the sum for the camp be
made $4,000 instead of $4,000, explaining
also hat this increase was due to the
fact that 1.-The First Brigade would hold
a brigade encaInpment in 1897 instead of
a regimental camp, the same as they
held in 1895; that the First Brigade had
three regiments of twelve companies each
and the expense of a brigade encamp-
ment was always greater than a regi-
mental encampment for reasons too
numerous to mention. He was very
plainly asked what would be the effect
should he increased appropriation not
be made. and he stated that there would
have to be a pairing down in all the
departments, even to the m-aintainance
of the men. He said this would be dan
gerous. to bring a large company of men
into camp and not provide them with
necessary foo and comfort. and that
the encarnpment could not be held on any
cheaper basis. He asked for $500 for each
of the telegraphic and signal corps about
to organize, and $3.50 for each of these
two organizations, to be provided for in
the deficiency bill so as to pay their
current expenses for this year. When
the members Of the committee discovered
that this Grga nIZa1fQn had NOT VET been
mustered in. they were disposed not to
give the appropriation and keep them
was discovered that they were entitled
TO their $500 for each corps by statute,
and the committee regarded that they
had nothing else to do but carry out the
intent of the statute.
General Donnelly asked for $500 more
for the State arsenal It was very evil
committee had never visited the arsenal,
for they wanted TO know If 1t was nor
General explained to them that the arms
OF the National Guard were all in the
armories throughout the State and that
Obsolete arms were kept there to loan
out TO Grand Army posts and military
schools a work which h Legislature
had sattled on the arsenal of recent years
1t entAled additional help. He stated
that the appropriation for the arsenal
and it was insufficient. He then touched
upon the subject of the rifle practice de-
partment. and he Informed. the committee
suficient; that they ought to have an
allowance OF at least $4,000 more in the
g ggneraI a a -bl1l' b and tb 5eat in gta tas
amount should be at least $4,000.
Senator Rogers wanted to know
of the National Guard to Sea Girt to
give them training in rife practice Or
per cent of the Guard-wouid not be
enoughet to be made s-harpshooters, and
whether this mamber could not do all
General Donnelly said that that was
against all ideas of military discipline,
and and eoaa ne gea ppaeiAee ia at the c ranrel
He said the most essential part of a
military, o~rganiization was to know how
Assemblyman Duncan thought that the
rifle practice ARRANGEMENTS were not
practical; that too much money was spent
to Sea Grit, and that the money could
be more judiciously expended If there
these r dgya Il t ransss CARS neNS sSaf + IA 3
rifle range was erected on tho Hacken-
sack meadows that it would be acces-
EHzaheth. Newark Fat orangs and
Jersey City; that the men could often
go there and practice and become more
proficient than by going to Sea Grit once
General Donnelly explained that there
was a Tune WHeu there were reSimentaI
ranges and the expense was lust the
same. Just why it was SO he could not
explain. He stated that there were new
arfnories going up and that they have
ranges In them, but they are mostly,
shooting through a tunnel and only cali
culated to train the guardsmen in the
way of handling the rifle; and that the
outdoor work ait the range under proper
Instructors was the proper thing. Gem
eral Donnelly yielded the further argu-
ment on this subject to General Bira
w. Spencer, Inspector General of Rifle
Practice, who later on was given a hear
General Spencer prefaced his statements
with the remark that he had been doing
the same line of duty for thirty years
ard that he had rendered his resigna-
ton. but it had not been accepted, much
to his regret. He was fully satisfied
that with the allowance made him for
his department that ne could not COM
fjnue the degree Of efficiency that had
been attained; that New Jersey was
ahead Of any other State in the United
States In the matter of rifle practice, and
the position the State has acquired could
not be kept up. He said il no more
money is forthcoming for his depart
ment he would raise by q popular sub
scripfion the amount necessary to give
the boys the proper practice this season,
and then he would consider that his
mission ii the National Guard was end
II for there could be no more rifle prac-