The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-01-27
Initial Steps TO Stave Off
Threatened Deficiency 10 Be
Taken Next Week.
RUN STATE ON BUSINESS
LINES, URGES FORT
Shows Iiow Expenses Can Be
Reduced by Advertising
for Supplies.

TRENTON, Jan. 27.-The initial step
towards the hoped for solution of the
financial problems now vexing the
heads OF the State and the legislators
is to be the frs order OF business at
next weeks session of the Legislature.
The special committee, appointed yes
terday by President Samuel K. Rob-
bins, Of the Senate, to devise means for
Increasing the State revenue and cut
ting down expenditures, will meet here
next Monday morning at IL o'clock
The time is short in which to cover the
whole ground, as the committee must
make its report to the Senate by Feb
ruary Is.
While everyone agrees that something
must be done, and that quickly, to
stave off the threatened $3.50, 001 deficit
in the State treasury, specific plans are
not oyer-numerous. Increased revenue
or decreased expenses or both are
talked of knowingly, but methods
whereby these welcome conditions may
be brought about are vague.
Attention is being given to the cost
of the State militia. which last year
took S252,000 out of the State treas
ury. OF that amount approximately
$50,0G0 was spent on the encampnent at
Sea Girt, an item which many are in
favor of eliminating, temporily at least
The House has risen to the occasion
on Offering suggestions and bills to Oh
Sate the difficulty. Some of these meet
Aiti tie favor of the Governor. AS
seinl.lyuan Martins resolution to have
the assessment of railroad property
1t the valuation set by the State Board
s::s 4issessors investigated is one OF
these.
Asscmblynan James G. Blauyelt's bill
- TX a minimum rate for frst-ciass
railroad property at $1.90 per St00 of
valuation, the state to receive rs or so
cents out of each $1.90, embodied a
principle that bad been sustained by
law. The Governor said yesterday He
also agreed that It would meet the
reeds of the State. and might stir up
less feeling than any other measure
put forward.
state Board of Control
on the side of cutting down expenses
Governor Fort feels tina. his recommen-
dation for a State Board OF Control. in
his message to the Legislature if acted
on, would bring things down to q bust
ness basis. Governor Hughes. of New
York, with whom Governor Fort has
communicated or the subject, has sent
- copy of the specifications in use in
that State for the purchasing of sup
plies for the State institutions. Nsw
York saved in the neighborhood of
e30o, 900 on its supplies last year by fol-
loving this system.
Just to show what might be done in
tae lire of saving money by business
methods the GoYarnor yesterday told
one or two of his own experiences as
head of the State House Commission.
I'VE turned back s22. 600 of the s25,00o
appropriated last year to make changes
in the Senate Chamber. We had the
chamber recarpeted, put down new TIL
Ing in the ante-room. and had the
walls changed, all for $1,000.
"Another thing. When ] first came
to the State House or coal was bought
by simply going out and giving the or.
der for it's delivery / suggested that
we call for bids on the 700 tons we used
here every year The plan was fol-
lowed, with the result that we saved
50 a ton. or 81, 100 in all.
90 Business Lines.
1--WE wanted the chairs and a sofa
in the office here recovered with leather.
The commission was told that the
chairs would cost $i4 apiece. We or
dered more estimates and got the work
done for $3.50 for the largest chair.
We had the sofa recovered for $50 less
than the price submitted before we
called for bids. Desks. which under the
old system we paid sS6 apiece for, we
now get for $4S. simply because we
called for bids instead of buying where
there was no competition, as had been
done before"
AS an illustration of what business
methods could do the Governor also
cited the case of George W. Jagle, of
toontinucd ON Second Pagc.)