The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-01-16

Perhaps l might say in this place that,
owing to the efficient action of the at
torney general, the state is likely to
receive from the general government
for interest on money advanced by the
state during the civil war a sum that
will be more than sufficient to pay for
the voting machines.
To Abolish Fee System.
L recommend that a law be passed
abolishing the fee system in payment
of various county officials throughout
the state and fixing their compensation
in a suitable salary. The laborer is
worthy of his hire, but one laborer is
not worthy the hire of two or three. In
some minor offices in some of the small.
er counties such law might add
slightly to the expense of the county.
If so, 1t may be said that each county
can afford to pay and should pay ii
reasonable salary for services rendered
But as to most offices and in all the lar.
ger counties the saving to the people
would amount to very large sums. This
is especially so as to the Office of sher'
iii. There is no practical reason why
this office should not be salaried, and
when it is stated that this Office iD
many counties yields in fees over $780,.
coo a year the gain to the people is al
once apparent.
A striking illustration of the desira.
bility of the salary over the fee system
fe oh in 1tc tn fxx,A Of he
state offices where the change has been
made.
In the Office of the clerk of the SUI
preme court the annual receipts during
the last five years have increased from
$4,000 to $4,000 per year. The annual
expenses have not increased, being
slightly less in 1902 than they were In
1893, and the net profits to the state
after paying all expenses, including the
salary of the clerk, have in that period
amounted to the substantial sum of
$116,477.19.
In the Office of the clerk in chancery
for the same period the average annual
gross receipts have been $45 ,5S1.75, the
average annual expenses have been
1913, 1925. and the net profits for the
period after paying all expenses, in.
Guiding the salary of the clerk, amount
to $50, 393.SS.
These two examples show that under
the salary system in these two offices
the state is making an average annual
profit of $35,774, which under the fee
system the incumbents of those offices
used to put In their pockets, and the
offices are as well administered today
under the salary system as they ever
were under the fee system.
Let me furnish another illustration
In some of the larger counties of the
state the fee system has been abolished
in several of the county offices. In the
large county of Essex the surrogate re-
ceives salary of $1,000, and the coun-
ty receives substantial profit from the
office. In some of the smaller counties
the occupant of that office is still al
lowed to take the fees, which, am in
formed, amount to upward of $4,000
per annum.
| cannot too strongly urge makir
this change in every office in every
county in the state.
Interest on State Deposits.
The last legislature passed law re-
quiring the treasurer to demand an in
terest of per cent on deposits of the
state money kept in the various banks
of the state.
Although the law was passed after a
part of the fiscal year had expired, the
report of the treasurer shows that the
sum of $4,000 has been received by
the state from this source, and of
course larger sum may be expected
this year. This is just so much money
added to the income of the state which
it has not heretofore received and
which shows the wisdom of the law re-
ferred to.
Child Labor.
During the year many complaints
were made that children of less than
legal age have been employed in vari-
GUS factories in the state. In some in
stances suits have been brought and
fines imposed for breaking the law. In
other cases charges have been made
against certain establishments, notably
against certain glass factories in the
southern part of the state, for employ
ing children of tender years, and the
papers at one time were filed with sto-
.ries of what was described as child
slavery.
l investigated many of these reports
and am satisfied there was much exag-
geration in them. and in some cases
they were entirely without foundation
in fact But, desiring to have the law
obeyed in letter and in spirit, had a
number of interviews with the factory
inspector and urged upon him the inn
portance of prompt and vigorous action
in every case of infringement of the
law. The inspector and his assistants
are responsible to the legislature only.
If the power of removal was lodged
with the governor, more vigorous en-
forcement of the law could be expected
at once Children should be protected
from the heartlessness of parents and
the seltishness of employers. The pres.
ent legal age for the employment of
girls is fourteen and of boys twelve
years, l recommend that the legal age
for the employment of boys be increased
to fourteen. That is quite young enough
and is the age prescribed by Massachu-
sets, Connecticut, New York and eight
other states, eleven in all. Children
cannot be expected to go to school after
the practical work of life has begun,
and their mental, moral and physical
welfare all demand that the change