The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-05

5 Today It al rests with the SherlH VIVA
sort Of men you have upon the jury, an
1 It is true that In tome cases-in too many
: ! fear-fhe best men are not selected TO 81
I jury duty. Speaking after some ten years
: experience with jury trials, l can sa.
I truthfaliy that cannot recall a half dozel
{ cases where l thought the jury acted from
prejudice or were wrong because OF inaDii
iv to grasp the ease. Nor would remove
from the sherifs Of the State all right I,
any voice IN selecting Jurors. From tillt
-mmeuloriSl the Sheriff has had the righl
IS one II the functions Of has honorable
eihee and many of them have exhioited
the very highest ideals in the performance
81 this duty. others, it is true. have not ]
would add others with the Sheriff in select
ing iurorS, and I Would define definitely by
Law how they are to be selected. All the
aileScI difficulties in the grand and petit
Jury system can be easily remedied by a
clear statute on the subject. Whatever
needed reform in this respect there may
Ne. the Republican party Is committed TO
hi IL may be noted In passing that the
Democratic platform says nothing on this
subject
Probing State institutions.
snuring the pas, few months there has
been NJ INVESTIGATION Of several of the in
S8tGtiOnS Of the State. l have been unable
ia no time ! have had 10 obtain copies of
the evidence taken at the hearings, and
can only refer TO II from information re-
ceiSed which mag be more or less inaecu-
rate
I ~ = AEAAAA &AilttA AaAl E0kAN AiitttSS q
been deVeloped which indicate the need
Of siricter control by the boards of man
Aaeeuaent Of State Institutions than has
heretofore existed. What position to take
with relation to the method of accom-
ptshing such reform Is a matter fequir-
ing serious consideration. but this much
Is evident. hat the Governor OF the State
should be expected TO devote more time
70 the management Of the penal and char
itshle institutions of the State than he
has been heretofore permitted to do. He
should be given specific powers as TO such
Institutions and the right TO inquire at
sl times into their management and con-
trci.
a law should be enacted comforting on
the Governor power, alone or with others,
10 investigate. with full authority TO take
evidence. He should also have the power
10 remove for cause, after hearing n
Official of any Institution in the State, or
SnY other State official. appointed under
any statute. who has been derelict in the
performance OF duty or guilty OF
illegal or corrupt conduct in office. Let the
Governor be charged with responsibility
in these respects and let him be placed in
a position where the people of the State
can hold him responsible for the conduct
Of all officials. Let me add another word.
Il am elected by the people Of this
State TO the office of Governor. l will in
sist upon the removal Of all officials shown
by II Investigation to nave been guilty
OF w~rongdoing. Not only that, but II any
one is shown to be guilty of any offense
of a criminal nature he shall be prose-
euted. There will be no excuses or apol-
ogies accepted for w%rongdoers in my adj
"Riparien SaIA should Cease.s
Our State owns all the land in fee be-
tween high and low water mark on the
ocean and tidal streams. This land con-
trolls all rights of nccess to the sea and
tidal rivers. 1t is of great value TO the
state. BY an act passed in 1859 the Legis-
lature authorized the conveyance of the
rights of the State, in fee, to purchasers
of these lands; Much of ii has been sold
at a price which today is many times
is in the Riparian Commission. The policy
of the State prior to 1869 was to lease
these lands to persons desiring to use
them. In my view 1t is regrettable that
this policy was ever abandoned. All the
rentals. from these lands were pledged to
the school fund, and receipts from the
sales thereof now 90 into that fund. My
present view is that all sales of riparian
lands should cease and the old leasehold
system be returned. The vast increase
in value~of these lands in the future can
not be estimated. Notwithstanding the
large areas sold there still remains much
for the State which in time will be in
great demand.
State and Corporations.
New Jersey is the home of corporations.
A greater number of companies and with
larger interests have been Incorporated
under our laws than in any other State.
A great revenue has annually come to
the State from this source. Our laws
have been most liberal for the incorpora-
tion of companies. Public sentiment now
thinks them too liberal, Notwithstanding
THAT Maine, Massachusetts and New York
have of late practically adopted our stat
ute and are now taking the business from
us under more liberal terms to compa-
MES. On of the chief defects In our law
Is the matter of overcapitalization. There
are no restrictions on the capital stock
which may be issued and no authority
To- fixing the reasonable value of cor
porate property for which stock for
property purchased" may be issued. The
result is that much of the so-called
property purchased stock is mere water
without any actual value. This stock gets
into the market and lead to loss by the
ignorant or uniformed. What our State
should have is a department of CORPORA
lions, with full authority and charged
with the responsibility of issuing eertifi-
Gates of incorporation, with ample power
as to Capitalization and with some super
vis0ry control. Every other State, with
great corporate interests such as ours, has
this, and with an efficient public official
of this nature and some judicious amend
ments to our corporation laws, there
would seem to be no reason why we should
not retain in New Jersey all the con-
we now AVE and which contribute so
beneticially to the State revenue, thus re-
lieving the property of individuals from
taxation.
THE Republican party stands committed
to the enactment of a public utilities bill
for the effective regulation of all public
utilities corporations. This legislation is
urgently demanded by an almost universal
pending at this time before the Legislature,
which l have not had opportunity to ex-
anime. Whatever is done in 4hie line must
be effective My opinion on this question
is best voiced by 81 extract from the
speech of Governor Hughes at Utica on
April 2 last, which l have adopted for my
own:
+" The Importance of providing effective
State supervision OF public service cor
poratiOns seems to be generally conceded.
! shall not recount the grievances which
have made the subject one of paramount
the people, without luminosity toward
rights of property, with just insistence
upon performance of public obligations, de-
mand that the State shall exercise its
power over its creatures and compel due
regard Sfor the duties which are correlative
to the privileges 1t has granted
For such q law our PLATFORM, as l read
it, stands, and for such a law as that l
stand.
state chO System Praised.
THE public school system of the State of
well be proud. We expend this year for
school purposes for all sources over $1,000
600. Republican legislation during the past
two years on railroad taxation has re-
lieved the people of the State, If the pres
ent railway tax system shall be sustained
by the highest court of the State, of
81, 100000. Fifty per cent, then, of all the
school taxes Of the State has been lifted
from the shoulders of the people by the
railway taxation acts of 1905 and 1906.
This. Of course. will increase as the great
railway transportation lines of the State
shall increase in value.
"The public school is the nursery OF the
I a~.A1t LNn~aBRrthfan IA.t11 kA 1A..A 80