Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-01-16


the state and exceeded that of the previ-
GUS year by $346. 961.01.
1t further appears that the increase in
the appropriation recommended can be
made without embarrassment to the state
from the following estimate of the re-
sources made by the comptroller for the
fiscal year upon which we have just en-
tered:
Estimated receipts from all
sources for fiscal year ending
Oct. 81, 1902. .................... $S,2S6,Sl0 w
Balance on hand Nov. l. 1901. 2,351, 6S3 II
Estimated resources for the
year NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. $5,6SS,50S II
The appropriations already
made for the year ending
Oct. 81, 1902, are................ $3.50, 1853 81
Leaving an estimated surplus
of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. Sz,5o5,zc5 90
The Civil War Debt.
The last installment of civil war debt,
amounting to $71,000 fell due on the LIST of
January, 1902, and its payment marked the
extinguishment of the entire issue of the
war bonds, which amounted in 1886 to
81, 1896, 200.
The only debt of the state amounts to
$4,000, represented by certificates to the
commissioners of the Agricultural college.
1ne state ASSetSs
Aside from its ordinary revenues the
state has 1887 shares of the stock of the
united railroads and canal companies of
New jersey the market value of which is
about $3.50, 247 and assets in the sinking
fund which the state treasurer reported as
amounting to s19S ,9S1.52.
In the foregoing estimate of expendi-
lures the comptroller has included the
large amount paid on account of the
school tax Supplemental appropriations
will reduce the estimated surplus, but they
cannot under any circumstances exhaust
the funds available
The recommendation made in my inau-
gural address that the amount diverted
from the surplus should not be fixed an
nual sum, but one varying according to the
condition of the treasury and the claims
likely to be made thereon, is again re-
newed. In view of the present 1ourishng
condition of the treasury there might be
made an appropriation for defraying in
part the expenses of the various counties
for the support of their courts or the
maintenance of their insane who are con-
fined in the state hospitals.
Taxation of Corporations.
Until recently corporations of public
service character occupying the streets
and highways of our municipalities paid
taxes to such municipalities only on the
personal property and real estate owned
by them. Now the special grants or privi-
leges enjoyed by them are regarded as a
species of property and are made to bear
their just proportion of the public burden
in the way of taxation. The right to i'm
pose this kind of a tax is no longer ques-
toned. Mr.. Justice Miller in delivering the
opinion of the supreme court in State
Railroad Tax Cases, Otto, SOB, says,
THAT the franchise, capital stock bust
ness and profits of all corporations are Ii
able to taxation in the place where they
do business and by the state which creates
them admits of no dispute at this time
Accepting this as fundamental PROPOSE
ton, the legislature at the session of 1900,
in obedience to a very general demand for
some legislation on this important subject
passed the act entitled IAN act for the
taxation of all the property and fran
chiseS, persons, copartnerShipS, associa-
lions or corpora tons using or occupying
public streets, highways, roads or other
public places etc. This act took effect on
the LIST day of January, 1901, and has
visions of the act If such an amendment
be made. there should be suitable APP
preparation in view of the great amount of
additional work involved.
Capitol Should Have More Grounds.
The present plot of ground on which is
erected the state building has a frontage
of about 300 feet on West State street and
extends back to the river Delaware,
distance of about 800 feet On this site
the capitol has stood for long time, and
when first chosen the lands were suffi-
GENTLY large to meet the requirements
of the state. The original building was
small in size but as the needs of the
state increased more room was found to
be necessary for the accommodation of
the public business. Gradually the build
ing has been enlarged until it now occu-
pies a very large part of the capitol
grounds. For convenience of location and
easiness of access it is doubtful If a bet
ter site could have been chosen, and re-
moval now is not to be considered. The
increase in its size which has been made
necessary from time to time by the ext
gencies of public wants has caused a
cramped appearance, and the capitol now
lacks the impressiveness and dignity that
should belong to the official buildings of
a great state. To add to it's beauty and
imposing effect more spacious grounds
should surround it. The lands can now
be procured at less expense than in the
future. AS time passes values will natur-
ally increase, and if there is to be an en-
largement of the grounds it should be
made without any delay.
the people of the state will not approve
of the expenditure of money for extrava-
CANT or useless buildings. But they are
not opposed to grounds and buildings
whose beauty and size will excite in them
a civic pride. Without doubt the sur
roundings and appearance of the capitol
would be greatly improved by adding a
strip of land on the west and still another
strip east of the street known as Della
ware street. 1t is reasonable to believe
that the municipal authorities of Trenton
would consent to the vacation of this
OF f6ory he Iat
vision would be made for new one to
take its place farther east. If the lands
necessary for the purpose recommended
can be procured without too great ex-
pense (and having the purpose in view, it
is thought that the sum required would
not be deemed excessively, they would
greatly add to the beauty of the present
location of the capitol and provide space
wherein to erect additional buildings
which the state may at some time find
necessary.
School Law Revision.
After a most careful consideration and
consultations with school au-
thorities throughout the state and after
frequent hearings extending over three
years and the fullest public discussion of
Its provisions the commission appointed
by me to revise the school laws of the
state submitted bill which, with some
of 1900. This law embodied In the main
the provisions of existing laws, and I'M
der it the legislature established for the
first time "a thorough and efficient sys-
tenn of free public schools" as the con-
stitution expressly empowered and direct
ed it alone SO to do. The system estab-
lished by it approached as near to the
thorough and efficient system which the
constitution requires as 1t was possible to
go under the complex conditions that ex-
listed and the widely varying views that
prevailed at the time of it's enactment
The wisdom of its passage was demon
strated by the increased efficiency, econo-
my and thoroughness that soon began to
mark the new administration of school
affairs. Its provisions and the new
methods of administration instituted by
It were adopted in all save few mu-
Its constitutionality, howev-
er, was soon attacked by those refusing
to be governed by it's provisions. and at
the last term of the court of errors and |
appeals the whole law if we read Alright |
the opinion of the court, was declared in
valid So important and wide reaching |
was this decision and SO disastrous in its |