The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-10-22
WHAT REPUBLICANS
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.


Splendid Record In Legislation During
the Last Three Years.
With the adjournment Of the legis-
iature and the signing by the governor
of the new enactments the term of
Governor Stokes may be said to have
been completed In the short time
s prior to the Inauguration Of his sue
cessor Governor Stokes win have only
routine duties to perform, unless some
unforeseen emergency shall arise
There can be no hesitancy In saying
that the present administration has
been the greatest In the history of the
state. 1t may be truthfully said that
no previous administration approached
it and that the good that has been per-
formed for the people is greater in
character and amount than all that
was done in the previous quarter of
century.
Remedial laws of the highest impor-
tance have been enacted. Evils hoary
with age have been corrected, benefits
Of the most COMPROMISING character
have been conferred on the state, and
the welfare of state and people has
been advanced to a degree that hardly
seems credible for so short a period
of government
Three years ago the state tax laws
Disseminated so unjustly in favor of
railroad property that where private
property paid 81 of tax the railroads
! paid only 81. Today the laws provide
for equal taxation for all classes OF
property. That achievement alone re-
fleets ulster on state administration.
but 1t was only one of many.
For many years the agitation was
kept up for state control of the water
sheds. A state commission for that
purpose has now been created Three
years ago who would have believed
that there would be railroad commits
sion for this state7 For many years
state forest protection was vainly ask
ed for. We now have forestry COM
mission and a system of state forest
reserves, with fire fighting corps. and
the state commission is authorized to
purchase the inland lakes for public
parks.
The fee system has been abolished
in all the state and county offices. A
corrupt practices act is on the statute
books. The franchise tax has been In
creased from to 5 per cent. The de-
velopment of the New Jersey coast has
been begun by the state with an ap-
preparation looking to waterway
from Cape May to Bay Head. The in
surance laws have been reformed. A
suit has been instituted to establish
the equity of the state In riparian
property worth many millions In val
ues, now in private ownership, and
steps have been taken to retain for the
school fund all the remaining riparian
domain of the state An effective law
has been finally passed for the purifi-
cation of the rivers, the prevention of
pollution and river floods. A law has
been passed forbidding the diversion
of potable waters out of the state.
The promoters liability act was re-
pealed. A department has been Gre
ated to have the oversight of public in
stitutions and employ state architect,
and large economies have been effect
ed in public building. The electric
chair has been substituted for the gal
lows. In the last year of the present
administration there were placed on the
statute books primary election law,
law for popular election of United
States senators and laws remedying
long standing abuses in the conduct Of
public offices. The fish and game COM
mission has been reformed.
There are many other benefits for
the people Of the state of lesser impor-
lance, but this category is extraordi-
nary. 1t is brief history of an epochal
period in New Jersey. There is moth
ing to match It in the political history
of any other state during the same
period. 1t stands alone. by their
fruits shall We judge them" is a test
that Republican administration In New
Jersey invites. There is the record,
and 1t must be compared with the
record of Democratic administration In
New Jersey during all the years the
Democratic party was In power In the
state government