The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-05-29
Interesting Historical Relic
Possessed By Mr.. ]. M.
Herbert Of Ewin
PROGRESS IN u YEARS
OLD DOCUMENT OF EIGHT
PAGES DEALS WITH A TREATY
: BETWEEN NEW JERSEY AND
NEW YORK AND RAPS THE
SCHOOL SYSTEM.

The s'True American" gives an ac-
count of an interesting historical relic
brought to its Office by J. NJ. Herbert, of
Ewing.
1t is copy of the message of Gov
ernor Peter D. Vroom to the Legislature,
and is dated Trenton. October 30, 1884. /"
It presents facts which, when compared
with the present-day conditions in New
Jersey, show in a graphic way the pro-
gres made by the State in 72 years. The
document contains eight pages and is
yellow with age. The last message of
Governor Stokes contained A pages.
1t is addressed: ''The Legislative Coun-
Gil and General Assembly of the State of
New Jersey" The opening paragraph
refers to the flavor of benignant
Providence and closes with the refer
ence: Except the Lord keep the city,
the watchman waketh but in vain" Gov
you an exposition of the affairs of the
State, as it is my duty to do, have moth
ing very special OF interesting to COM
.municate."
There is a reference to the agreement
or treaty entered into by this state and
New York, and which the message says
was then in force. 1T is matter of
congratulation, continues Governor
yroom, ''that this delicate controversy
has, at length, been honorably and ad-
yantageously adjust"
The present state prison was then
nearing completion. In view of the
present opinion that the structure is
years behind the times and the old por-
tions almost uninhabitable, it is interest
ing to note that the Governor Vroom re-
ferred to it in the following languag ge:
II doubt not that our prison will be the
most perfect in design and execution in
the United States" Then the number
of prisoners was Ia. Yesterday the
besides 400 in the Railway reformatory
Governor Vroom reported that the prison
for the previous year came within $51 .6S
of paying the entire cost of it's mainte-
nance. including the cost of the trans
portation of the prisoners.
The balance in the state treasury was
reported to be $4,90625. Governor
Stokes. in his message to the last Legis-
lature, reported that the balance in the
treasury was $2,858, ,398.13.
Governor Vroom said the amount Of
the school fund was $2S0SS1. .64. Then
he said: This fund must increase very
slowly under existing circumstances. 1t
requires nearly all its interest. to be
the sum of $4,000, appropriated and
paid annually in support of common
schools" State Comptroller Morgan in
his report for 1905 showed that the
school fund amounted to $4.436, ,430. H.
The amount the State will this year ap-
propriate for the support of the schools
will be S1,11O,419s5
The message gave the public school
system a tremendous rap. Governor
Vroom said: "As to our common
schools. In the aggregate they are con-
fessedly inferior to those of some Of our
sister states. The branches taught are
the most ordinary; the mere elements of
information, and they are often taught
very defectively. There is no uniformi-
ty in the mode or system of instruction,
nor is there even an approximation to it.
Many of our teachers are not well quail
fled in point of intelligence, and some
it is feared are not well fitted to form
the morals of our youth. They are not
well compensated and the business of
teaching in our common schools is far
from Icing as respectable in public esti-
nation as it should be-"
This sounds strange to-day when the
schools of New Jersey rank among the
best in the land; when the graduates of
the Normal school are in great demand
everywhere; and when the State school
exhibit at St Louis was awarded num-
erous gold medals.
The message says: In June last the
Delaware and Raritan canal was opened
for use and is now in successful opera
tion. : It is proud monument
of the intelligence and public spirit Of
those who conceived the plan, as we'll
as those who carried 1t forward 70 conn
pletion. Its benefits are already exper-
ienced By the community, and every year