Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-01-10


tify its friends III the belief that the ex-
position will equal and in many respects
surpass I'LL those previously held.
The enterprise is purely American in
purpose and scope and has received sub
stantial aid and encouragement from the
governments of the United States and
other countries of the western continent.
Several states have signifed their inten
ton to take part therein.
The advantages to our own state i'll
having a suitable exhibition Of its re-
sources and products are manifest, and
to defray the expenses thereof a suitable
appropriation is recommended.
Revision OF the Statutes.
A recommendation for the revision Of
the general statutes, which is so neees-
sary, has heretofore been withheld be-
cause the eodification of laws relating to
various subjects was in progress Many
of these have been prepared and enacted
into laws by preceding legislatures.
The gentlemen comprising the several
commissions have done excellent work.
They have harmonized conflicting stat
utes, caused needless or obsolete laws to
be repealed and combined similar acts
with slightly differing provisions. They
lave secured clearness and directness
in style of expression which is highly
commendable.
These condensed and tersely stated
acts have been prepared and put into
the form of laws since the volumes con-
tanning the general statutes We're pub
lished. Much contained in those vol
umes is now useless or misleading. and
the time has come when a new revision
CT the laws should be made.
Judging by the work already done, il
is believed that the three volumes, on the
800 pages of which are to be found
many laws now obsolete, repealed, con-
ficting or declared unconstitutional,
could be reduced to a single book. The
republication would afford accuracy and
convenience.
1t is therefore respectfully recommend
ed that commission be appointed with
full power to do this work and that a
suitable compensation be authorized.
1t would be well to start on the TWEEN
tieth century with creditable digest Of
the laws of New Jersey.
Judiciary Amendments.
Repeated efforts have been made dur
ing the last few years to adopt amend
ments to the constitution providing for
the reorganization of the higher courts.
These attempts have, unfortunately, fail
ed, because of differences of opinion as
to the manner in which the reorganiza-
ton should be accomplished. Proposed
amendments, intended to bring about
this result, will be laid before you.
The need of reorganization is generally
admitted. 1t is not intended to suggest
what form the amendments should take,
but it is important that the changes
should be made without lessening the
dignity and influence of the courts. AT
the same time the proposed system
should insure methods less cumbersome
and more expeditions than those now
prevailing 1t is earnestly hoped that
amendments in some form, and embody-
ing in the main these features, will be
adopted
Distribution of Surplus.
Your attention has already been called
to the condition of the state treasury
and the balance therein at the close of
the fiscal year. 1t is difficult to tell
exactly how much Of this may be strictly
termed a surplus, as it is subject to the
charges for appropriations made by the
legislature for expenses of the state
government. After deducting these ap-
preparations, however, there is still a
balance left in the treasury Opinions
differ as to the best way of disposing of
this surplus
Under chapter 60 of the laws of 1897
we are distributing to the municipalities
annually about $205,000 of the moneys
received from railroad taxation, which
used to form part of the states income.
Under chapter 1876 of the laws of 1900
we shall this year begin to remit between
$150000 and 100000 Of the revenues
formerly received from the tax on fran
chises of quasi-public corporations. The
annual amount appropriated for school
purposes has been increased 100000.
1t is doubtful, however, if any of these
methods have relieved the burdens of
local taxation. This result, it is be-
lieved, can be best accomplished by dis
tributing the surplus in the treasury in
accordance with the provisions of section
100 of the act establishing a system of
public instruction passed last year. I'm
der it the legislature may appropria
from year to year, any sum not less than
100000 toward the payment of the
states school tax. Whatever amount it
may thus appropriate will be actually
deducted from the tax bill of every in
dividual taxpayer. He will receive an
immediate and direct benefit therefrom.
When it is considered that in some of the
rural districts the state school tax
amounts to one-third of the actual tax
alton, the wisdom of reducing this item
is at once apparent.
You are therefore respectfully urged to
make as large an appropriation for this
purpose as you may think the condition
Of the treasury will warrant.
Within the past few years the atten-
ton of the legislature has been called to
this subject frequently. The condition
of the rivers and streams in several
localities demands attention. Especially
is this true of the valley of the Passaic.
The citizens and property owners in that
valley have become alarmed at the foul
and polluted condition of the waters of
the river. These are now the receptacle
and conduit of all Of the sewage of the
cities, towns and villages in the terri
tory which it drains, and of all of the
refuse of the numerous factories and
manufacturing establishments along its
banks.
The valley teens with population and
by far the most important manufacture
ing district within the state. The foul
condition of the river affects the value
Of property and threatens the public
health. Alarmed by existing conditions,
the board of trade of the city of New
ark has recently selected a committee of
representative men from that organiza-
ton to sugg sst additional legislation and
present the matter for your consider
alton. Simhbi action has been taken by
other bodies u like character. The sub