The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-09-11
REPUBLICAN
RECORD
State Committee Tells Voters
Of New Jersey What Party
Has Accomplished.
IT IS THE REAL REFORM PARTY

The New Jersey Republican state
committee, through a subcomlnittee
appointed by Frank o. Briggs, state
chairman, has issued the following
statement to the voters Of New Jersey:
A political party that has been in
trusted for period of years with the
administration Of state government
and appeals anew to the people for their
continued suffrage and support must
not only have a record that will bear
investigation, but must have one that
shows progressiveness, adaptability to
public sentiment and leadership in all
the sincere reforms that bring better
government. If party pledges have
been kept in the past, it is a fair as
sumption that they will be kept in the
future. II party principles have kept
faith with the march of events, it is
a fair assumption that the same policy
will guide the party in the future. The
record of the Republican party in
New Jersey since it has had control
it has advocated, the legislation enacted,
are arguments either for or against its
further support by the people.
Pledge and Performances.
The Republican party came into pow
er In state legislation in 1894, and two
years later a Republican governor
was elected for the first time in twenty
seven years. Since and during 1894
the Republican party has had complete
control of lawmaking. Since January,
1896, it has had control OF the execu-
tive department of the state govern
ment. For more than ten years the
Republican party has been in com
plete control of state offices, with full
and undivided responsibility for legis-
lation, for finances, for the conduct Of
the state departments and for the
general policy Of the state.
How has the Republican party dis
charged the obligations of its steward
shlp2 How has it fulfilled the promises
of it's platforms2 What benefits has
Republican government conferred
upon the people of New Jersey? Let
us first recall the platform pledges Of
the Republican party to the people.
The Platform Pledges.
The Republican state platform Of
1892 recited the gross evils that had
grown up in the state under Demo-
cratic administration and pledged the
party to thorough reform and sthe
re-establishment of government of
which Jerseymen need not be ashamed =
1t was on that declaration that in 1893
the state legislature was revolution
lied, and in the following year Re
publican legislature began to fulfill the
party pledges. In the platform of 1895
the purpose to restore a clean and hon
est government was reaffirmed. The
Republican party had then blotted the
race track gambling laws from the
statute books, abolished a gerrymander
of the assembly districts and political
partisanship from the state boards,
made the state appropriations statu-
tory. exposed a wholesale plunder Of
the state treasury in contracts and sup
plies, and in other ways radically re-
formed the administration Of state de-
partments and repealed many laws
that created innumerable offices and
were used for purpose Of graft The
platform Of 1895 further contained this
solemn promise to the people:
1--WE pledge ourselves to the abolition
of every act now on the statute book
inimical to the interests of the people.
We pledge ourselves to oppose any at
tempt to impose upon the people a tax
for the support of the state govern
ment; any attempt to impair or divert
from its proper use the fund for the
support of the free public schools. We
pledge ourselves to the abolition of un-
necessary offices and the reduction of
excessive salaries We pledge our
selves to the publication of every de-
partment Of the state government, to
still further legislation for the general
good and to an administration Of the
affairs Of the state which shall have for
its sole object the welfare and pros
perity Of the whole people,
First Results.
Three years later, in 1898, the Re
publican state platform congratulated
the people upon these RESULTS The con
stitutional amendment prohibiting the
enactment of laws to legaIize gam
bling, the substitution Of salaries for
fees in lucrative public Offices, the
doubling of the annual school appro-
priation, the distribution Of more than
S2O0,000 of railroad taxes among mu
inequalities to relieve their local tax
burdens, an increase Of $200, 600 in the
annual state treasury balance. larger
appropriations for public roads, the ex-
penditure Of more than $1000,000 in
the construction and extension of state
institutions, the codifcation Of cum
bersome and confusing statutes, the
payment Of half million Of the old
war debt and generous care OF the
dependent wards Of the state.
The Republican state platform Of
1901 reanirmed the pledges Of 1892,
1895 and 1858. The legislature that
year inaugurated the policy Of state
payment Of 35 per cent Of the county
school taxes and had appropriated
over 100000 for the purpose. a new
law gave $408,000 OF taxes on public
utility franchises to the municipalities
The state administration nad given
splendid aid to the national govern,
ment IN the prosecution Of the wal
with Spain. The treasury surplus on
(cf RI la07 was inrroa s<ssa ~ 60