Bridgeton pioneer., 1906-09-13

act limiting public utility franchises to
twenty years. AS finally passed il per-
mitted vote Of the people to extend
the time to forty years. the maximum
10 be allowed by the law. AS will be
seen, this law was of Republican con-
ception, deliberation and execution.
As to overcapitaIization.
For years complaint has been made
throughout the country of the overcap-
ltalization of public utility corpora
tions. In accordance with the sugges-
tion in the governors message an act
preventing such overcapitalization was
passed by the Republican legislature.
End of the Fee System.
The final abolition of thA fee system
IN county offices effected this year was
the elimination of Republican policy
begun in the state offices, where the
fees of the chancery and supreme court
clerks (aggregating last year $92,00O
were turned into the state treasury.
By the abolition of fees in all the coun
ties of the state the public incomes of
these counties are increased by nearly
half million dollars annually.
Conserving the Water Supply of the
State.
Perhaps the most important legisla-
ton enacted under Republican party
control during the last two years is
that designed to conserve the potable
water supply of the state. With our
rapidly increasing population, the
future demands of growing municipal
tiles for an adequate water supply
must be given consideration and atten-
tion as matter of craftsmanship.
Such legislation was recommended by
the governor in both his inaugural ad-
dress and his first message. Steps have
been taken and are being taken that
will prove of great benefit to future
generations. The preservation of the
forests of the state presents one of the
most important aspects of the situ-
alton.
The forests, long neglected, have
been taken under the state care. The
state forestry act of 1904, enacted at
the suggestion of Governor Stokes in
his inaugural address, has been quoted
abroad as a model law. Governor
Stokes showed that the states wood
lands covered 46 per cent of the up
land area, yielding an annual product
of $4,1S2, ,537. The new law created
commission which is acquiring ex-
tensive tracts of forest land for reser-
vation development and future use as
public parks.
The legislature this year authorized
the riparian commission to inquire into
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 endeavoring to 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 our water sup
plies, needs no defense in a state
whose rapidly growing population
makes the question of water supply
the most important problem of the
day.
A notable and far reaching act by the
legislature this year was 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-
nent national as well as New York
public officials and influences. This
new law is of immense significance.
Control Of the watersheds of the state
has largely been acquired by private
corporations, and plans have been
made for diverting their waters to 9TH
er. states. 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 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 foods. By an agreement eff
fected by the governor the municipali-
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 sewer. The
legislature will be called in extra ses
sion in September to pass the neces-
sary legislation. The state also is,
through commission, cooperating
with the state of Pennsylvania with
view to the redemption of the Della
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 to investigate riparian
leases and grants, to ascertain the ex-
tent and value of the states riparian
domain and report recommendations
for it's preservation for the state school
fund. Governor Stokes in his inaugu-
H..