Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-01-23
treasury that is not a serious matter.

possible, and the expense might easily
be met by appropriating from the
treasury of the state sufficient sum
to provide each county with the nee
essary number of machines.
1 also recommend to the legislature
the amendment of the present law so
that the polls will close at 5 o'clock.
1t may be said by some that this
change was tried a few years ago and
was found unpopular and the present
hour of closing was returned to. 1t
is true the experiment was tried and
abandoned, but it was done for party
reasons and not because a majority
of the people were dissatisfied with 1t.
If the law works well in New York
and it is so conceded-there is no rea-
son why it should not work well in
New Jersey. 1t is admitted by those
who have had practical experience at
the polls that a large proportion Of the
illegal voting is done after shutdown.
Crookedness of all kinds thrives better
in the dark than in the sunlight, and
it is for this reason probably that SO
many of the states have thought it
wise to enact what is known as sun
set law. New Jersey should not be
behind her sister states.
Primary Election Law.
also recommend the passage of a
primary election law. Our primaries
are still under the conduct of party
agencies. The existing provisions of
the law not only permit but encourage
the conduct of the primaries by the
agents selected by the dominant or
ganization within the party under
which the primary is held. 1t will
probably be conceded by all that an
immense advantage is thereby afforded
for the execution Of any purpose that
leaders and that the free and untram-
meled expression of the party voters is
well nigh impossible. 1t is currently
reported and perhaps generally believ-
ed that in more than one case the pop
ular will has been unable to express it.
self, the popular choice set aside, by
practices and proceedings rendered
possible by the methods under which
primaries are conducted. This Is
very serious matter. In order to have
an election there must be a regular
nomination. If the will of the legal
controlled as to the choice Of a candi-
date, the right of suffrage, the right Of
choice, is trammeled and perhaps alto
gether set at naught. The legislature
has already given expression to the
moral sense of the citizens of this state
by attempting to regulate primaries.
Violations of the statutory regulations
are classed as criminal offenses, and
the question now remaining is not one
of moral sense, but of method. It is
suggested that further legis-
lation upon this subject be enacted,
and it is recommended that the prima-
ries of the two leading parties be held
under the supervision of the regular
boards of election and that the expense
of holding the same be met out of the
public funds in the same manner in
which the expenses of the elections are
betrayed, with similar penalties for
any violation of the statutory regula-
lions under which they are held. 1t is
not forgotten that all laws depend
very largely for their efficiency upon
the persons who execute them and
that unless the statutory provisions are
complied with and any violations of
duty are promptly and vigorously dealt
with by courts and juries the require
ments of statutes are of little avail. 1t
is believed that the suggestions made
will contribute in no small degree to
secure results in which the voters will
have confidence.
Finances.
The finances of the state continue to
be in excellent condition. The receipts
for the last fiscal year were $685.
S11.29 and the disbursements $780,,
350.2S, the receipts over the disburse-
ments being $346, 461.01. The extraor-
binary disbursements included in the
total and not properly charged to the
current expenses of the state and its
institutions amounted to the large sum
of 81, 134. 063.55, leaving as the sum ex-
pended for the total annual expenses
50, 346, 2S6.73 and the amount of re-
eeipts over running expenses 81, $780,
524.56 The surplus in the treasury
Oct. 81 was Sc, 351, 683.17. The state is
entirely free from debt, and this exhib-
it of the financial condition Of the state
is as exceptional as it is gratifying.
l am informed that the state receives
no interest on the balances In the vari-
GUS banks, nor has it ever received
such interest. Why l do not know.
One treasurer has followed the exam
pie of his predecessor in distributing
the funds of the state to the various
banks throughout the state who have
had at times large amounts on deposit
on which they have made money, but
for which they have paid no interest.
This is all right for the banks, but the
state is deprived of an income which
every business man under the same
circumstances would insist upon. If
the average balance in the treasury is
two and quarter millions, an interest
of 2 per cent would net the state the
important sum of $45 900 year. Some
legislation may be necessary to provide
a plan which shall authorize the treas
urer to arrange with the banks for the
payment of interest. If SO, recon-
mend it without delay. If instead Of
distributing the money of the state to
favored banks in various localities it
should be placed, under proper safe
guards. in a smaller number of banks
of undoubted safety, an important sum
can be earned for the state each year.
Disposal of Surplus.
The disposition of portion of the
large surplus now in the treasury Is
an important subject that will come
before the legislature for its action.
Last year a special appropriation of
$500, 58S.25 was made from this fund
for the purposes Of public education
and was used by the various counties
of the state either in reducing the To-
cal school tax or in increasing school
facilities. No better use of a portion,
and a large portion, Of the surplus can,
/ think, be made. The action Of last
year will doubtless be repeated this
year, but think other uses of the sur
plus can wisely be made. Too large
s11rnIl1s Shnuld not ha allowed to QC-