The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-10-18

wise sanitary laws passed have been care
fully executed. A new state board o
| health has been organized, combining tn
| old board with the state sewerage com
| mission, securing greater economy AM
| efficiency. Thorough and wide inspection
/ have been made. Numerous nuisance
| have been removed. Potable water source
have been protected and the milk supply
of the state improved as the result o
| numerous prosecutions. The death rat'
in New Jersey in 1909 was the lowest, will
one exception, in thirty years
| Real Conservation.
| While other states have been talking
| New Jersey has been doing, and she ha:
been in the van with laws looking to the
| conservation of our natural resources
| The efficient work of the forest commits
| sion in controlling forest fires has result
| ed in tremendously Increasing the value
| of woodland property, as will be seer
| from an examination of the assessors
| lists ard the comparison of the prices OBJ
| tanned at recent sales of woodland prop
| erty with those prevailing before the for
| est commission began it's activities. In
addition to it's work in controlling foreSl
| fires the forest commission has acquired
| on behalf of the people 5000 acres OF
woodland which it holds and administers
as practical demonstration in forestry.
potable water commission has been
established and given important powers
over the waters of the state that are
suitable for domestic use. THUS this
great problem has received the attention
it demands.
Our courts have been maintained at the
high standard they have earned in the
past and Jersey Justice is term ad-
mlrably used from coast to coast.
All these activities have been carried on
under Republican rule without the slight
est breath of scandal. 1t has not even
been charged that a dollar has been mis-
appropriated nor has a dollar been en-
bezzled, and today the Republican party,
as managers of the peoples great corpo-
ration--the state-repert to the stockhold-
ers the existence of an efficient, econo-
mieal and Progressive government that
has been run for. fifteen years without Il
dollar of direct tax upon the people and
a state that today has not a dollar of
debt either bonded or floating, and which
has in it's treasury free balance of a
million dollars.
We are proud of our report. You. as
Jerseymen. have right to be proud of
your state. Don't you think we ought to
have averdict of approval at your hands +?
But, thoroughly as we believe we have
served you faithfully In the past, we
recognize that we also have to deal with
+lthe futureS The Republican party is
again before you with the suggestion that
it is for your real benefit that you again
ntrust your state government to its
hands. The party has made me its nomi-
nee for governor, and ] stand here to-
night to ten you frankly and honestly
what attitude shall take, if elected upon
the questions which have by common
consent been put to the front as of most
Importance in this campaign.
For Rate Regulation.
OF course. having accepted nomination
at the hands of my party. I heartily APP
prove the platform adopted by the Repub-
lican state convention and pledge myself
that if elected / will to the best of my
ability, see that the pledges made in 1t
are carried out.
A Republican legislature has hereto
fore established public utility commits
sion and clothed il with certain powers
of supervision over public service corpora
tons. The act seems to meet with popu-
lar approval but there is real demand
that the further power of control and
supervision of rates charged by these cor
porations shall be given to this commits
sion. The Republican party has met
this demand and promised if continued
in power, to pass an act increasing the
power Of the public utility commission to
this extent. am in favor of such action.
and proper and effective measure of
this kind will receive my hearty support.
do not believe such power would ever be
used by the comm ssion in any way but
what would he Just and equitable alike
to the corporation and the public.
We have had in effect for some time
method of nominating county and local
officers by direct, vote of the people In
my opinion 1t is popular with our citi-
zens, and believe in its continued use
1t seems to me that in matters of this
kind the people can clearly indicate
through their elected representatives in
the legislature their desire. If therefore,
as have said on previous occasion.
after the trial that has been had by the
people, they desire that the direct primary
system be extended to apply to the NOM
nation of congressman and governor and
bill be passed for that purpose it will,
If l am governor, receive my approval.
The direct primary has undoubtedly, SO
far as it has been tried in New Jersey,
stimulated the interest Of the people In
political affairs, and this is healthy civic
condition.
Railroad Retaliation.
Railroad taxation has been for years a
subject of contention. 1t was felt for
years that the railroads were not bearing
just share of the burdens of taxation.
Several years ago a Republican legisIa-
ture enacted that these corporations should
be taxed at the average tax rate of the
state. and this seems to have appeared
satisfactory to the people. 1t has. how
ever, been claimed by many people that
the valuation placed upon railroad prop
erty is too low, and the railroads dispute
that claim. In order to settle that point
one way or the other an expert reval1a-
ton of such property is now being made.
l favor the completion of this work as
rapidly and economically as possible, in
order that we may be fully informed OF
the actual conditions.
subject of considerable interest has
lately been receiving attention. Under our
method Of conducting elections any one
may order In advance official ballots for
use outside the polls, It has become Gus
tomary for persons interested to distrib-
ute ballots by mail to the voters, and this
Is one OF the heavy expenses of political
campaign. 1t has been suggested that the
election boards cause official ballots to be
mailed to each of the voters at public ex-
pense. AS long as ballots are used outside
of the booths l can see no objection to
this proposition except the added expense.
If the legislature should make such pro-
vision |, II governor, shall favor It.
In a republican government, where
Nose charged with the conduct of the
government are selected at the polls, 1t
is. Of course. vital that the election
should be conducted with honesty and
fairness to the end that the win Of the
people may be correctly recorded. 1 am
In favor of stringent corrupt practice acts
that Will effectively reach and punish
crime against the purity Of the ballot
IN addition am in favor OF any improve
nent in the form OF our ballot that may
be considered to more carefully guard the