Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1909-03-18
DOCUMENT WORTH READING.
[From Trenton True American.]

[From Trenton True Americana
Among the multitude of reports,
recommendation and messages that
have been poured into the legislative
hopper touching the State financial
problems the report of the Democratic
minority, published in another column
stands out prominently as being the
simplest and most reasonable plan
yet advanced.
This report should be carefully read
by every voter and taxpayer in New
Jersey. It contains more food for
wholesome thought, more facts and
figures upon which to base an opin-
ion than anything yet advanced, and
the citizen who desries to inform him
self as to the real situation as regards
New Jerseys financial problem,
whether he be Democrat or Repub-
lican, should study this document.
Many weaknesses in the position of
the raiders" are brought out in this
report. Here is an example:
The scheme of the majority for re-
lieving the State of it's financial dis
tress included a plan to shorten the
next fiscal year so as to have it end
on April 80 instead of Octobe 81,
the idea being to secure a short year.
The Republican leaders evidently
hoped by this plan to secure the pri-
vilege of spending years appropria-
lions in six months, at the end of
which time another years appropria-
lions would become available.
with appropriations on this basis
says the minority report, 'the public
might be beguiled into believing that
the financial situation had been taken
care Of" and it is wisely suggested
that in all Juggling of financial mat
tiers, make-shifts of this kind only
serve to complicate and cucumber and
delay the day of reckoning" The peo-
pie will not be fooled by such trans
parent expedient.
Here is another declaration that
will appeal to the taxpayers as being
eminent1y sensible and praiseworthy:
Economy should begin at home,
and the yearly disbursements by the
Legislat ure of $104,739.70 for eXpen-
ses is too large an outlay.
The taxpayers of the State will
surely agree with that statement and
also with the suggestion that in the
conduct of legislative affairs, as in all
other affairs of the State there should
be an application of business princi-
ples.''
The Democratic minority does not
propose to starve the charitable and
penal institutions of the State in order
to protect the school moneys. 1--WE
have charitable and penal institutions
that must be maintained, it is stated.
Some should now be enlarged and
others must be in the future"
But the policy of making the States
charitable and penal institutions
larger and more comfortable, or eff
cient, as the need may be, and the
policy of pr otecting the jobs of office
holders are two widely different prop
ositions.
"Official absenteeism," is another
public vice that is attacked in the
minority report. The practice is as
sailed upon the ground that it leads
to the necessity for the employment of
more help. 1t might have been added
that it leads to serious neglect of the
States business An instance is
given in the case of the Supreme Court
clerk, who, receiving a salary of &c.
600 a year, was, it is stated, in attend
ance upon his duties at times not more
than four hours week.
A careful reading of the whole re-
port of the Democratic minority will
convince any reasonable taxpayer that
all that is needed to lead the State
out of its present financial difficulty
is to conduct it's affairs on business
principles for few months. No di-
rect State tax would be needed, no
raid on the school moneys would be
required no worthy State institution
need suffer, no additional burdens of
taxation need be laid upon the people
no violence would be done to the dig
nifty and welfare of the commonwealth
and the only individual that would
suffer would be the job holders, who
are either overpaid or whose services
are not needed.
Easy Way to Ruy CIofhing.