The Lambertville record., 1906-09-12

the possibility of the acquisition of
the inland lakes and the state owner
ship and control Of the sources of WA
ter supply The state forestry commits
sion Is eudeavorng 10 purchase forest
lands around the head water sheds of
our streams for this purpose The wis
dom of the legislature. which looks
ahead to the acquisition Of the inland
lakes for public parks by the people,
and as reservoirs and storage ponds,
the acquisition Of all orr water sup
plies. needs no defense In IL state
whose rapidly growing population
makes the question of water supply
the most important problem Of the
day.
A notable and far reaching act hy the
legislature this year WIS that which
| prohibits the piping of potable waters
out of the state for commercial profit.
In this matter the governor and legis
lature withstood appeals from promI-
ncnt national as we'll us New York
! public officials and influences. This
new law Is Of irnmruse r'gn,hrnncc.
Control Of the watersheds of the state
has largely been acquired hY private
! corporations. and plans have been
made for divertiug their waters TO 9th
or statcs 1t would not have been very
long before the ownership and diver.
sion of state waters would be con
verted into intrenched vested interests
Republican legislation has anticipated
and prevented that.
The governor and legislature inaugu-
rated II new and highly important pol
| Icy respecting the preservation of the
rivers and streams of the state from
| pollution and for the prevention of dis
aStrous floods. By an agreement et-
fccted by the governor the municipall-
| ties on the passaic consented TO await
| the report of an engineering expert
! employed by Paterson to determine
whether that municipality would Join
| In the construction of Il sewer. The
| legislature will be called In extra ses-
sion in September to pass the neccS-
sary legislation The state also Is,
| through commission, cooperating
with the state of Pennsylvania with Il
view to the redemption of the pola.
ware river from pollution. These steps
are preliminary to cleansing up of all
the rivers and streams of the state.
To Save the Riparian Domain.
A state commission was appointed
last winter 10 investigate riparian
leases and grants. 10 ascertain the eX-
tent aud value of the states riparian
domain and report recommendations
for It's preservation for the state school
fund. Governor Stokes in his inaugu-
raj address said In respect of grants
in fee Of riparian land. '"fhe legisla-
ture can provide that riparian lands
shall no longer be disposed of in fee
simple. but shall be leased on rentals
which at proper periods shah DC read
iustcd ON II fair basis of increased
value" lie reiterated In his annual
message last winter that the legis-
lature provide In some practical way
that these lands mny not be disposed
of In the future In fee simple, but shal
he leased on rentals which at proper
periods may be rcadiustcd ON fan
basis Of Increased value" IL Will he
the duty of the legislature next winter
| 10 curry bui INC EpNtiiipi y itIt'NtNi
recommendations
The state riparian board u few years
ago made an estimate of $4,000, 900
ns the prospective value of what re.
manned OF the states riparian domain,
which, held intact as IN investment for
public school purposes, will ultimately
yield Il magnificent and ever increas-
| AL. In "A
T0ted 10 public education.
Mosquito determination.
The act by the legislature this yeaf
authorizing an appropriation, covering
several years, of $350,000 for the eX-
tirpation of the mosquito pest deals
with II state evil the magnitude of
which the people of the state fully com
prchend IT has given To our state II
name abroad that has done inCalculablc
injury Ia the statc's material interests.
II has retarded the development of our
| magnificent scHcoast and mountains,
been Il serious obstacle 10 Ihe popula-
tion Of our beautiful suburban dis
triets and injured property values 10
the extent of many millions. The pest
Is also responsible for much sickness
and the cost Of medicines aud medical
attendance. Republican legislation
FIRST provided the means for n scientific
study of the pest. and the methods now
employed Will, there IL every assur-
ance, rid New Jersey OF its age long
plane Of prosperity.
Plrer Elections.
Corrupt practice acts were passed
this year by the legislature in accord
ancc with the suggestions made by the
governor who said Ia his message:
The corruption of the ballet has
been tire subject of frequent lesisla-
tion. \ purchased vote is crime
against popular government, and the
person elected to office through bribery
has no more moral right TO his position
than II man who usHrPs il by actual
force. 1'lc purity of the bulIot Is nee
essary 10 safe and honest government.
Honest elections aud honest officials
go hand in hand
one act makes easier convictions for
bribery aud the other follows the
English actin eulaiging the definition
Of bribery SO MS TO include as nearly
as may be all methods Of unduly in
huencing The mind Of the voter.
Jury Reform.
Jury reform has been n political com
monplacc for years Jury commissions
have been created, abused and abolish
| .ai