Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1907-06-14

TRENTON, June 14:-The closing
session of the Hahn Investigating
Committee yesterday afternoon delv-
ed into the expenses of the legislative
sessions of the past four years and
discovered a new lead. 1t dug up the
fact that the lawmakers required
forty-eight quarts if mucilage one
year, that brushes enough to equip
a regiment were charged for and that
soap enough to run an orphan asy
lum for five years was purchased.
Penknives, scissors, fountain pens
and other supplies brought up the to-
tails to such proportions as to indicate
that the members needed daily scrub
bing and that they must have written
enough letters to reach every man,
woman and child in the state several
times day for many weeks.
The committee will hold no more
sessions unless it is continued in ex-
istence by the legislature when 1t
meets next Tuesday. 1t will now pre-
pare its report, which is expected to
be ready by next Monday night. The
members feel that in the short space
of time allotted to them they have un-
earthed many abuses in the conduct
of the states affairs, with evidence of
looseness in method that smacks of
graft, even If no actual stealing was
brought to light. Upon the results
will depend the action of the legis-
lature upon some of the matters con-
sidered. 1t is probable that Cover
nor Stokes will send to the legislature
a message making recommendations
based upon its findings and demand
ing reforms in the conduct of state
affairs, together with suggestions for
economies and changes that will not
permit of the abuses any longer. 1t
may be that something will be urged
to take the place of the fish and game
commission, which showed rotten
management and costly. resultless
work and it is probable that 1t will
not be possible for any board or of.
fetal to get appropriated moneys In
bulk from the state treasury or to de-
post funds in banks that do not pay
interest. Other changes are likely
to follow and even if nothing further
comes of the investigation there will
be less chance for grating in the fu
ture.
Vast Quantities of Brushes.
When Chief Inquisitor Backes this
afternoon, as the last act of the com
mittee. took UP the incidental bills
of the legislature of the past fou
l. tha
of a vaudeville sketch, with himsel
as the monologue entertainer. Tn
incidental bills are those accounts TO
the expenses of the sessions OF tn
legislature, such as for stationery
supplies and the salaries OF the ON
GERS Mr.. Backes had made an ex
haustive study of the bills and pre-
pared excerpts, which showed som
of the inside workings of the account
To the lay mind, supplies" 10
such a body would seem to mean sta
tionery. pencils, ink and the like. Blu
the items produced by Mr.. Backe
Yesterday showed that there were in
cluded in these bills great quantltle
of hair brushes. tooth brushes, ma
brushes. clothes brushes, hat brushes
combs, pocketbooks, card cases, soal
towels, soap cups, knives, fountal
pens. scissors or, as Mr.. Backes aptl
nut it, 'There is everything her
that goes to make up a woman
work basket except needles and thin
bles. What on earth could eight.
one bald-headed legislators want VIII
444 hair brushes, and what would
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