Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1909-02-04
STATE. WIDE PROTEST
AGAINST FORTS Plan.
Secret Orders Condemn Scheme Ia
Make Up States Deficit by Taking
From the School Fund.
CLAIM IT is CRITICAL POINT


of Governor Fort published in these
columns last week, in which he urges
the Legislature to repeal the act of
1906, which sets aside all that portion
above one-half per cent. of the State
revenue derived from the main stem
tax for the benefit of the public
schools, the officers of the State Coun-
ell, of New Jersey Jr. o. U. A. NJ, have
issued to the members strong cir
cular letter, cOndemning the Cover
nor's action, and calling upon the
thousands of members of the order in
this State to urge the members of the
Legislature to keep hands off the pub
lie school money.
This letter was issued and sent
broadcast over the State Saturday.
On the same day the Executive Com
mittee of the State Camp of the Pa
triotic Sons of America, adopted a
resolution condemning the Governors
action, copies of which will be sent to
the several members of the Legisla-
ture.
It is believed from the action of
these two influential organizations
that there will be determined effort
made in New Jersey to prevent the
proposed raid on the school funds.
The letter issued by the State Coun-
Gil, Jr. o. U. A. NJ, follows:
eve call your attention to the at
tack on the public schools made by
the Governor in his special message
to the Legislature under date of Jan
uary 10, 1909. The public school and
the public school funds are of interest
to every patriotic citizen, every school
board, every school child, every par
ent and every taxpayer The attack
upon our public schools is now open
and pronounced.
Twenty years ago the school fund
was diverted from school uses to
avert a State tax. 1t has since been
bitterly denounced and brought dis
aster to those who attempted it. To
day recommendation is made to
again divert school money, under the
excuse of avoiding State tax.
This is the situation. Under the
leadership of the Junior Order United
American Mechanics law was unan-
imously passed in 1906, with the ex-
ception of one vote, providing that the
railroad tax from the main stem, over
and above one-half of one per cent. On
the value thereof, should be devoted
to the maintenance of the schools.
Remember, this had the unanimous
vote of the Legislature with one ex-
ception. Last year an attempt was
made to take away part of this money.
1t failed in the House by an adverse
vote of so to 2. At that time the Gov
ernor stated in his message that this
proposed measure was only the be-
ginning; that the act of 1906, giving
the money to the schools, was unwise,
and should be repealed. In his recent
message to the Legislature it is rec
commended that the law be SO changed
that part of it be turned into the
State Treasury instead of being used
for school, and that part of it be used
to pay expenses heretofore paid out
of the State Treasury. This would
amount to $900,000-a loss to the tax
payers for the support of the schools
This is only the first step. 1t opens
the door and means, as suggested in
the message to the Legislature of
last winter, the ultimate repeal of
this entire law.
The annual appropriation to schools
in the appropriation bills that have
been made for the last decade were
omitted last year on ccount of the
condition of the treasury, involving a
loss to the schools of about $4,000
annually, so that the total loss to
schools this year if the Governors
recent recommendation is carried in
to effect, will amount to $1,S00,000.
This is big cut for one year, and
very large one for beginning
The excuse for this movement is
the threatened imposition of the State
tax. The State school tax, will, how
ever, necessarily be increased to
every taxpayer in this State because
of the cut in the annual appropria-
ton to the schools above mentioned.
1t seems remarkable that the only
suggestion for the avoidance of
State tax is to cut down school mon
eys. No retrenchment is suggested
or recommended for any other de-
partment in the State. Why should
the schools be asked to bear the
whole burden? The friends of educa-
tion should not be misled The State
tax can be avoided without modifying
the principle of the act of 1906, or
doing injustice to anyone.
The Governor makes a severe at
tack upon the present law which this
order had passed, dedicating to the
schools the moneys from the tax
from the main stem of the railroads
over and above the amount thereto
fore received from the State from this
source. This act received the unan-
nous approval of the State when pass
ed. One illustration of it's many bene-
fits is to be seen in the Governors
message.
In 1905, he says, the district school
tax raised locally for current pur-
poses was $4,7S5, 900; in 1909 the dis
trict school tax raised locally for cur
rent purposes is $2,73O,000 Thus,
according to the Governors own
showing, notwithstan ding the increase
in the number of children to be edu-
Gated in four years, the amount which
the taxpayers of the school districts
was required to raise for current
school expenses decreased s2,055 ,000
This sum is, of course, made up by
moneys from the railroad tax, which
the Governor now propOSaS to 1ala