New-York tribune., 1909-01-13
GOTERNOR FORTS MESSAGE.

Interest in the annual message of the GOV
ernor 81 New Jersey naturally centres chiefly
in his discussion Of the measures Of admins
trative reform which have recently been
enacted or which are now practically proposed
Upon all Of these Governor Fort speaks plainly
showing that his expressed determination 70
make New Jersey, 50 far as If lies within his
mower the best governed state in the Union
is by no means abated. Conspicuous among his
! recommendations is that Of an act empowering
the Governor To remove unfit or unfajthful Of
fciaIs or a least providing some ready way
for their removal. The power Of removal ex-
lists in many states. and cases Of its abuse are
go few as 10 he negligible But in New Jersey.
while the Governor himself and members of
the Legislature may he removed by fmpeach
ment statutory officials are absolutely irremOv
able even after conviction of crime. On gen
eraI principles such system is unreasonable
| and ndefensible Recent occurrences have
shown convincingly how much specific need
there is Of change
As result of the elaborate and painsraking
investiga ton Of excise matters which was con
Quoted last year the Governor makes some
strong recommendations for the much needed
reform Of the New Jersey license system. He
would maintain and enforce the Bishops law"
and in addition would radically revise the
licensing system. securing uniformity by put
ting the granting of ii"enSeS III the hands OF
county boards. restricting The number OF Ii
censes granted 10 n certain ratio 10 the popula-
ton. and providing some prompt and certain
means of revoking licenses for violations of the
law These recommenda tiOns are not in the
direction Of intolerance, but of simple Justice
10 the LIQUOR trade well as TO its opponents
and it is difficult to see how opposition can be
made to them save on the ground that the
liquor business is exempt from the ordinary
| principles and operations of the law.
Governor Fort expresses hearty satisfaction
with the working of the Civil Service law, and
urges that everything possible he done to en-
courage the commission and to strengthen its
work He also recommends the maintenance
and strengthening Of the direct primary system
which is already working we'll in New Jersey
expressing his personal inclination to see It
extended to the nomination of candidates for
Congress and the governorship- He renews his
( condemnation of voting machines but urges
election reform with system of personal reg
istration in cities, and a blanket ballot so ar
ranged and dealt with that it would be difficult
not easy, for an honest voter to lose his vote
He again recommends the enactment of pub
lie utilities law which shall give q commission
ratemaking power and authority over grade
crossings An employers liability law is also
prominent among his recommendations, In con-
nection with which 1t will be recalled that on
Monday we published the gist Of such meas
ure which Senator Alderman has already pre-
pared for Introduction.
The absence Of anything like partisanship is
a noteworthy feature Of the message Some of
the measures recommended would. If executed
involve large expense, and in view of that fact
and of the rumored scarcity of funds in the
state treasury there will be much eagerness to
hear the special message on state finances
which the Governor will submit 10 the Legis-
lsture in a few days. There Is not one project
In the present message which the people of
the state would not like TO see fulfilled, and if
the Governor and bis associates can suggest
way of providing the necessary funds without
ipc1lrring the necessity of a state tax. this ad-
miristration will deserve exceptional distinc-
ton for its efficiency and for its great benefits