Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-06-27
oFFrcIAt ABsENrEEIsaI.

| in the administration OF puDllc once mas
gradually arisen, and, is now firmly estab-
lished-that Of high salaried state officials
absenting themselves from their posts OF
duty. An examination Of the important
state departments revealed the fact that
with but few exceptions the heads of the
departments ale seldom at their offices in
the state house oftner than once or twice
week. This custom of official absenteeism
has not only an evil tendency, but makes
such patent case Of nonfeasanee as TO war
rant the most severe condemnation at the
hands of the legislature.
The direct effect has been to create
spiris OF indifference among the subordina-.
tes, necessitating larger clerical forces and
thereby greatly increasing the cost Of state
government. The mere fact that the state
is rich is no excuse for converting public
Offices into s'private snaps" The money
in excess of what is needed for business
like administration OF the state government
belongs to the people and should be re-
turned to them in reduced taxation.
| MULTIPLE OFFICE HOLDING.
Another evil that has come to the atten-
tion of your committee is the practice of
state officials holding more than one posi-
ton in the public service. This deplorable
condition has disastrous influence on
those employed in miner places. The state
treasurer frankly declared that he held
another Office, that OF clerk of Morris Co.
The latter Office, he said, 'runs ITSELF"
The chief Of the department. Of labor is
also secretary Of the jamestown Exposition
commission. The assistant secretary of
state is chief of the motor vehicle depart-
ment Each OF these officials draws two
salaries from the state, and it is but natural
that with such suspicious precedence, en-
ployes OF a minor character should be con-
stantly on the alert seeking to get addi-.
tional offices with additional compensation
eAEoRs gIvIL SERVICE.
Your committee recommends the enact
ment OF law that will effectively pu5 an
end to dual Office holding either directly or
indirectly in the state service. Your COM
nnittee also respectively and earnestly urges
that the legislature give favorable considera-
tion TO measure that will remove the selee-
tion of employees of all state departments
and institutions from all Influences other
than that of merit The employment of
suDordinates on any other basis deInoralizes
the public service. In other states the
sspoils system" has long since been abol-
ished and the sentiment in the state seems
to strongly favor the placing of the state
service on the merit system. Your COM
mittee recommends the creation of civil
service commission haYing supervision over
the entire state service. Elsewhere the
competitive system of appointments to pub
lie Office has resulted not only in great
economy bub in greater efficiency.
CHANGES IN DEPARTMENTS
The work of fhe department of motor
vehicles properly belongs to the state road
ldepartment. Your committee respectively
recommends that it be transferred from the
secretary Of states Office to the road depart
ment. This will effect saving of 81, 500
| in the salary of the chief and may result in
more efficient service.
The work Of the bureau of labor statistics
and the department Of labor should be COM
bined. The heads Of these two departments
admitted that they spent but one or two
DAYS week at their offices. The bureau of
statistics costs the state upwards of Sl1 200
annually, and there is no sufficient reason
for its existence. The work that it purports
to do is done in large measure by the fed
eral government, and a properly conducted
| labor department. would be better fitted to-
gather New Jerseys industrial statistics
than the present bureau. Your committee
recommends that the bureau OF statistics
and departments Of labor be merged into
one Departments.
STATE BOARD OF ASSESSORS.
Two taxing boards Of four members each
are now supported by she state. Each costs
annually to maintain. At present, each Of
these boards meets once week. The work
that tie laws creating these boards contem-
plates is Of the highest importance. Under
the practices of the present state board of
assessors, the state, in the Judgment Of your
committee. is annually losing vast sums of
money. The railroad companies virtually
make out their own assessments. The as
SCISSORS do not assess.
The work is left to the clerical force Of
the board. The evidence is, that in nearl y
all cases. the assessors accept the figures
compiled by the railroad companies. Since
the first railroad assessment was made in
1884, under the railroad tax law of th at
year, railroad main stem property has
been increased by the board a little more
than two per cent. When compared with
the increased assessments on private prop-
erty throughout the state. which has been
upwards Of 100 per cent, the showing is
extraordinary. During % years since the
first assessment was made, there bas been
vast increase in the value Of the terminal
lands Of the railroad companies as well as
in franchise values Compared with the
natural increases IN assessment in other
lines Of property, the delinquency on the
part Of the state board of assessors has cost
the state many millions Of dollars Your
committee belieyes that reorganization Of
the board Of assessors and the board Of
equalization Of taxes into one board Of as
sessment and taxation, would not only save