Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-10
GOVERNOR SENDS
LAST MESSAGE TO
THE LEGISLATURE
Document Is Exhaustive and
Not Concise, as Was
Ia Promised.
REGRETS THAT LAWS URGED
FAILED TO BE APPROVED
Responsibility for NOn.passage
of Bills Is Placed on the
h Representatives.
(From a staff Correspondent

6Ta0hlln fOIL LOudy buOiilbtNo h>
final message to the Legislature. 1t II
n lengthy document and not 1.-The mode
of brevity" that the retiring executive
promised. He expresses regret in thai
the legislation he advised during his
three years government was MOI
enacted and adds, 1T believe that the
result of the election evidenced that
the people Joined with me in that re-
greet" The governor disclaims any
responsibility for the failure of the pas
sage of legislation that the people de-
sired.
In refraining from suggesting a legis-
lative program for the incoming ses-
sion, the governor says:
Avoids Recommendations.
cit has been the aim in writing this
message to confine ii exclusively to the
details of departments and institutions
and to purposely avoid recommends
lions as to legislation touching new
acts affecting State pol~icy-political OIL
reformatory.
"It seemed to me only courteous tina
recommendations as to the Legislative
policy Of the State on such subjects
should be left TO the incoming governor
1.-THE election just passed was fought
upon certain lines of policy, and a gov
ernor fresh from the contest, and WIN
has his own ideas and ideals. should
voice his own views as to the legisla-
ton he deems desirable to be enacted"
The message begins with the state
ment that the affairs of the State ars
in q satisfactory condition and that
there Is very little room for complaint.
Speaking of the State finances, the
governor says:
AT the end of the fiscal year of 1905
the first fiscal year Of the present ad-
ministration-the net free cash balance
in the State treasury, after allowing
for contracts uncompleted, was only
SIS, 083. 70. At the end of the fiscal year
of 1909 1t was 1864, 1885, Z, and at the
close of business October 81, 1910, II
was $1,60s, 043.S0.
There are no urgent demands upon
the treasury of the State at this zine
to cause any alarm, or to indicate thar
there need be n anxiety about the
present State revenues meeting all
necessary expenditure.
THE surplus does not warrant ex-
The estimated revenue OF
the State will Justify ample provision
for all reasonable state needs. A free
balance of at least one million dollart
should always be In the treasury OF d
state like ours. We never know when
an emergency may arise. The total ex-
penditure for State purposes during the
last year, including $2,376, 93s.SS dis
bursed to public schools, was $3.50
$50. SO.
las compared with twenty years ago
tho expenditure seems large, but when
1t 10 recalled how great has been the
growth OF the State and the demands
upon II for new institutions, 1t Is not
surprising. IT will be difficult to find
any way to reduce It; In fact, II Is ap-
parent to anyone familiar with the
needs Of the State that this sum must
be increased by the construction of
some greatly-need ID new buildings n
by necessary additions to existing
buildings.
New Institutions.
"The Legislature. at its last session,
provided for the erection of a reforma-
tory for women. This institution
should be built, as It Is greatly needed
There can be no justification for the
combining of women prisoners In the
Same institution with men and under
male keepers. Besides that, the erec-
ton of such a reformatory for women
has long been demanded by the en-
lightened public sentiment of the
State. A suitable appropriation for
this public work should be made.
Another building that is urgently
required is one for the detention Of
the convict insane. No one can visit
the State hospitals for The insane In
this State and fail to realize both the
peril and wrong to other inmates and
the attendants, of the confinement
OF the convict insane in such
an Insecure way. Besides that
their noise and frequent outbreaks are
most Injurious in their effect upon the
nervous condition of the durable in
mates. One hundred thousand dollars
would construct a suitable building.
Purchase of Supplies for In%stitutions.
1.-THE present method of each institu-
tion purchasing for itself, of local
trades people or otherwise, and at
local retail rates, is Objectionable in
the extreme.
eff there be n graft in the State
81 is in these purchases. The State OF
New York has saved several hundred
thousand dollars under a joint purchase
system, and an estimate of a aving in
this State of one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars per anhum, under the
system here suggested. is not deemed
excessive"
The governor urges the erection OF
three new State departments: A do
partment of corporations, a depart
ment of motor vehicles, a department
Of collateral inheritance taxes.
Power of Removal.
"Every State official holding office
by virtue of a statute should, in all
cases. be made subject to removal BY
the governor. upon written charges
and after hearing. 1t is humiliatine
to demand that wrongs be righteo
and that extravaganza, illegaiity oil
incompetency cease, and have a sub.
ordinate ut may be an underling II
: some department or institution treai
your suggestion with contempt or pos
sibly criticise you for making it, ant
be powerless to deal effectively Will
the contumacious, corrupt or incom.
potent official. No honest, faithful ant
competent public official can object L
being subject to removal for cause
He has nothing to fear. 1t Is only tn,
inefficient, careless or grating whit
need fear such a law.
The Inland Waterway.