Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1909-01-27
GOVERNOR IN
DEFENSE OF
PROPOSITION
Says Criticism of His Recent
Financial Message Due to
Misapprehension.
SCHOOLS WOULD STILL
RECEIVE $500, ,00Q
Governor Says He Is and AL.
ways Has Been a Friend
OF the Public Schools.
Special to the EVENING NEWS.

VI t1C ! uuttC OttlDJISs
Special to the EVENING NEWS.
Trenton, Jan. 2T:-Deelaring THAI
all the criticism of his recent finans
cial message to the legislature waS
due entirely to misapprehension Of
the facts. Governor Fort today gav&
out statement with reference to the
discussion over the proposition I'd
take larger proportion of the raif<
road taxes for the support Of thd
state.
| The governor resented the charge
that he had made an attack on the
public school system of the state, and
he declared that the attempts ID
make it appear that the suggestions
which he had made were antagonistio
to the schools, were quite gratuitoua
and founded entirely on ignorance or
misinformation. he was not quite
sure which.
| The governor was asked II he in~
tended to make any statement with
relation to the criticism of his specs
ial message on finances. He replied
THAT all the discussion In opposition
to his message was founded on an
entire misrepresentation OF the facts.
lGoing on Governor Fort said tha
effort seemed to be TO make 1t ap1
lpear that the proposed increase Of
the proportion of railway taxes tha4
Ishould come to the state. was an at
Itack upon the public school system,
Tor in some way an attack on tha
fund for the support OF the public
ischools; and because Of this some
lconfusion had arisen in the minds OF
1.-THE people which had led them to be-
Ilieve that the fund which was pros
lposed to be taken was the school
funds"
Not Robbing the Schools.
This is utterly untrue" said the
governor, "as the school fund of the
state is an invested fund anN is no
lpart, and never has been any part,
lof the taxes derived from railway
property; and the school fund Of the
state is not touched In any way By
any suggestion which have made.
Nor would lrmake~a -
nor consent to - 80
Involves an interference with the
lschool FUND as It has been estnb7Ish@
led In this state under the constftu>
ltion."
Governor Fort continued Those
Iwho are endeavoring TO support the
lDTeEC4l bgSNClu VI fatAWnJ aAa ~-tA4
land the present uses which are made
of the moneys derived therefrom. are
ldoing SO upon the theory that they
are helping the free public schools
Iof the state. II they continue and
Their methods are approved. the re-
suit will be quite opposite to what
lthey anticipate.
III the present system OF railway
Taxation is to fall. then the present
taxes on main stem. personal prop
lerty and franchises. which produce
lover S2,500,00o, which is distributed
to schools. will be lost and every dols
liar of it will be collected locally. Be-
Icause, If the state is not TO be sup
lported from railway taxation, then
Ian railway property will be taxed
locally. and the act OF 1905. under
which the schools now get s2,2ab.-
600. will all be wiped out and all
that money must be assessed upon
the people.
$500, ,O0O For Education.
Governor Fort stated that the sng-
gestion which he had made would
relieve the necessity OF direct stats
tax; would still give to the schools
over $1,500,0o0 from the railway
taxes, and II the valuation OF railway
property should be increased in the
future, would probably give them
,ver $4,000 600, as It present.
The governor was also asked what
lis views were with regard to appro-
priations at the present session Of
| the legislature, and he declared that
he was opposed to the making Of any
appropriations at this session untN
the financial problem was settled.
"In any event." continued the gov>
ernor, Il am opposed to any extrav<
agance in expenditure. and no ap-
preparation will meet with my apr
| proval unless It is clearly necessary
for the purpose for which it is made.
| The strictest economy should be obs
served, and will be insisted upon By
me in order that the states expenS
ses may be kept to the very limit OF
necessity. so that as much or the
railway taxes as will be possible can
continue to be devoted. as al present.,
to the maintenance OF the publio
schools OF the state.
For myself" the governor said In
conclusion, Il have always been an
advocate of and was attendant upon
the public schools of our state They
have no warmer friend and no firmek
defender; and the attempt to mako
lt appear that the Suggestions Which
have made are antagonistie TO the
schools are quite gratuitous and
founded entirely In Ignorance or
misinfCrmation, l am not quite sure
which. Whichever may be the rea-
son they should have no weight With
sensible, thoughtful people Of the
state.
What 1 am trying 20 do and hope
to accomplish is to protect the tax
payers Of the state from excessive
taxes and to safeguard. not only the
schools, but every interest and every
institution and all the affairs and de-
partments of the state. The state OF
New Jersey is large one, rapidly
growing, constantly increasing in sx-
pense of government. and yet II ia
in my judgment, the most econom~
ically governed state In the Union'
considering it's needs and popuia~s