Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-01-26

The charge OF extravaganza is re-
PEELED by members of the commission
which had the work in charge They
say that the report of the commission
in 1889 estimated the cost of an institu-
ton capable of accommodating 500 In
MATS to be between 100000 and $780,
coo. The legislative bill instituting the
yveformatory required the commission
t. complete the main building. hospital
and one wing to accommodate $50 in
mates and appropriated 100000. The
commission realized that this was far
short of what would be required. but
under advice of Governor Werts they
went ahead, hoping for relief from the
ensuing legislature. 1t was due to a
general misunderstanding that the COM
mission have been charged with ex
travagance. Many seemed to think
that 100000 would complete the re-
formatory. but as shown above, the
commission had held out no such hope.
The application for a further appropri-
alton and the statement that it would
take fully 81 500 600 to complete the in
stitution naturally startled the public.
The present commission say that the
talk of 81 500 900 Is ridiculous, but they
estimate on a probable requirement of
$780, 900 for ZOO inmates. Three hun
bred and twenty-five thousand dollars
will enable the institution to care for
$50 inmates and to that extent relieve
the congestion at the state prison.
The commission urge that to abandon
the reformat tory, as some seem to ia
vor. would be a disgraceful proceeding
on the part of the state of New Jersey,
which would thus confess itself unwill-
ing to join sister states in the reforma-
ton of its criminals. II is stated that
the reformatory idea is approved by
penologists everywhere. In New York
state. for instance, before the establish
ment of the reformatory at Elmira Is
per cent of the convicts were reformed.
while now fully so per cent are re-
formed.
The legislative committee on appro
priatlons will doubtless present clea.
and full report in few weeks.
To Wipe Ont school Tax.
One of the important measures of the
legislative session was introduced by
Senator Stokes yesterday. Its purpose
is gradually to wipe out the school tax,
which is the only state tax now levied
upon the people in New Jersey. The
general expenses of the government are
betrayed out of the receipts from taxes
on railroads and other corporations, but
the schools are supported partly by
tax levy amounting to about $4,000 900.
1t is found. however. that the state
treasury is showing a continued surplus
from year to year. and there has been
some discussion as to how it may best
be kept down. Senator Stokes idea that
part of the surplus be used for the main
tenance of our public schools has the
merit that it will tend to the relief of
the taxpayers generally throughout the
state He proposes not to specify just
how much money shall be taken annu-
ally but to leave it to the appropriation
committee of each legislature to name
the amount that may then be spared
from the general fund. This amount,
whatever it may be, shall be distributed
among the school districts of the state,
and the total of the school tax to be
levied shall be reduced proportionately.
At present the tax is S. per child of
school age Just how much the reduc-
ton is likely to be Senator Stokes will
not predict, but it is hoped that the sum
may be increased from year to year till
the tax is finally wiped out.
The trustees of the State Industrial
School For Girls have in a bill en-
towering them to erect an additional
building at a cost not to exceed 81. 800
for the accommodation of the inmates.
Billy Thompson of Gloucester has
had a bill introduced authorizing him to
secure one liquor and beer license for
Washington pars. his well known ex-
cursion grounds. At present the county
court has ruled that he should have a
separate license for each bar on the
grounds.
A little bilI-quite innocent on its face
provides that all deeds and other pa
pers in county clerks and surrogates'
offices shall be recorded in typewriting,
but it is said that this will require ev-
cry county in the state to provide it.
self with q specially patented type
writer designed for typewriting in
books.
The above comprise some of the more
interesting bills introduced this week
in the senate. Another. by Senator Fos-
ter, tends to reduce railroad freight
rates for fruit growers 1t fixes the
freight charges for fruit as follows:
Five cents per standard basket for SO
miles or less; cents for distances be-
tween so and rs miles, and not more
than cents when the distance exceeds
rs miles.
Some other Topics.
A delegation of newspaper publishers
from the northern end of the state
waited on the governor Monday night
relative to the passage of an act provid-
ing for the publication of the laws in 90
newspapers. the papers of each county
to print only those of general applica-
ton and those applying to the particu-
lar county. This would reduce the cost
100000 under the old statute) to about
$50, 900. The present system of printing
them lin pamphlet form) is a fiat fail
ure. Governor Voorhees, was noncom-
initial.
Assemblyman Albeit has a bill pro-
viding that all railroad and canal taxes
collected by the state shall be distrib-
uted among the municipalities where
the taxed property is located This
would be a speedy way of reducing the
state surplus. 1t would take about
81, 0OO, 900 a year from the treasury.