Gloucester County Democrat., 1903-01-15

would amount to very large sums. This
is especially SO as to the Office of sher-
iff. There is no practical reason why
this Office should not be salaried, and
when it is stated that this Office in
many counties yields in fees over $20,-
600 a year the gain to the people is at
once apparent.
A striking illustration of the desira-
bility of the salary over the fee system
is shown in the results in two of the
state offices where the change has been
made
In the Office of the clerk of the su-
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
lightly less in 1902 than they were in
1888, 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
$116,47719.
In the office of the clerk in chancery
for the same period the average annual
gross receipts have been $45,581.75, the
average annual expenses have been
$33, ,102.9S, and the net profits for the
period after paying all expenses, in
cluding the salary of the clerk, amount
to $62, 800. .SS.
These two examples show that under
the salary system in these two offices
the state is making an average annual
profit of $35,77 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 a salary of 81 800, and the coun-
ty receives a 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, l am in
formed, amount to upward of $4,000
per annum.
l cannot too strongly urge making
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
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
| 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 i'll letter and in spirit had
number of interviews with the factory
inspector and urged upon him the i'm
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, a more vigorous en-
forcement of the law could be expected
at once. Children should be protected
from the heartleSsneSs of parents and
the selfishness of employers. The pres
ent legal age for the employment of
girls is fourteen and of boys twelve
years. 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-
setts, 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
recommended be made
Hospital For COnsumptive Poor.
l refer you especially to the report of
the commission appointed under the
bill of last winter to provide a santa
rum for the consumptive poor of the
state. After giving very careful consid-
Grafton to the question of location and
visiting various sections of the state
and listening to suggestions from the
people of all sections the commission
finally chose a location in Hunterdon
county at Glen Gardner, where an
abundance of land has been purchased
at a reasonable price sufficient for an
institution of large size. visited the
site in company with the commission
and feel that l can congratulate the
state upon the selection made. After
obtaining statistics as to the probable
number of consumptive poor in the
state the commission have thought it
proper to recommend an appropriation
of 100000 for the construction and
equipment of a plant suitable for their
purposes. 1t is possible that the legis-
lature may think it wise to appropriate
a portion of this sum at the present
session, leaving the balance for the
consideration of their successors /
recommend that, whatever the amount.
the commission be authorized to pro-
ceed upon a plan sufficient to accommo-
date the large number of patients they
are likely to be called upon to take care
of, and approve the suggestions made
in the report as to the class of cases the
institution should accept.
Labor Troubles In Paterson.
The city of Paterson has had disas-
trous year. A large part of the business
section of the city was destroyed by
fire, and a larger part was injured by
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