New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-08
WOULD REFORM
, JERSEY FINANCES
State Controller Edwards
Urges Creation of Rev.
enue Department.
WANTS LEGISLATURE
TO APPORTION FUNDS
Plan Would Chiefly Affect Edu.
cation and Fish and
Game Bureaus.

From stan Correspondent OF The Tribune
Trenton. n. j., Dec If the plans of
Controller Edward I. Edwards for a COM
prehensive reorganization Of the financial
system of New Jersey are carried out by
the coming session Of the Legislature the
state will be in a position, so far as its
receipts and expenditures of money are
concerned, second TO none in the Union.
Mr.. Edwards whose reelection by the
coming Legislature is assured, proposes
plan OF action which will be in harmony
with the work of the Efficiency and
Economy Commission, which has been in
vestigating conditions in the state depart
ments for the last few years He will
not. however. poach on the commissions
preserves, his efforts being devoted to the
financial end of the state government
only.
One OF the first things that Mr.. Ed
wards will propose to the Legislature is
the creation OF a state department Of
State Treasurer and a tax expert, the
duty OF which will be 10 place the raising
OF money for the support OF the state on
a scientific basis In addition 10 providing
means for raising money for state pur-
poses. Mr.. Edwards would also give this
department supervisory powers over the
way this money is spent.
In this way q check on receipts and ex-
pendltures OF each department would be
kept. so that the Appropriations Commit
tee OF the Legislature would be In pos
session OF all the facts concerning the
work Of each department when the head
OF the department appeared before the
committee in search Of funds.
Under Mr.. Edwsrds's plan. all laws on
the statute books making mandatory APP
preparations 10 any department would be
repealed, as would any laws apportioning
any fees. licenses or other moneys. He
wants all moneys received by the depart
ments turned into the State Treasury, TO
be apportioned by the Legislature 10 the
various departments.
The State Board of Education would
be the most important department in the
state TO be affected by Mr.. Edwards's
plans, for this department receives each
year something like 100000 from the
taxes on first class railroad property.
Under the law this money can be used
for the administrative expenses OF tho
public schools only, such as teachers sal
aries and the salaries Of other persons
EMPLOYED around the schools. The result
has been, according 20 a number OF per-
sons who appeared before the Pierce tax
investigating committee, that COOL
many OF The smaller municipalities gei
more money than they need for this par
ticular purpose, i'm several cases new and
schoolhouses being built, 50
that the money can he used, TO the hard
ship OF the local taxpayers. Mr.. Ed
wards wants this money turned into the
state Treasury. to be apportioned by the
Legislature.
Another department which would be
affected is the Fish and Game Commits
sion. which now gets something like
100000 year In gunners' license fees,
the act providing that this money shall!
go direct TO the commission, without any
regard TO the needs Of other departments.
Other departments will be affected in a
smaller way. The main idea that Mr..
Edwards has In mind, however is that the
present method, whereby each department
looks after its own interests. should be
done away with. and that all the various
state departments should work In har-
mony.
There has been considerable discussion
among prominent Republicans throughout
New Jersey as to the advisability of hav-
ing 4 meeting of the Republican state
Committee for the purpose Of placing
itself on record as heartily In favor or
progressive legislation OF an advanced or
der ut the coming session. The sugges-
ton has not met with any great amount
of enthusiasm, for while the claim has
bcer made that the members Of the COM
mittee we're elected by the people, the
presence OF n number OF oldtime bosses
on the committee would. It is feared. Gre
Alto some doubt as TO the sincerity of its
members.
Most Of these old bosses are responsible
for the present condition Of the Repub-
lican party in New Jersey because Of
their opposition TO the passage Of pro-
gressive legislation when the Republicans
were In control 1t is quite true that most
OF the important legislation now on the
statute books would have been irnpossi-
BILE had It not been for the Republican
Senate two years ago. IL must be remem-
bered, however. that this wasn't the fault
Of the bosses, who were just az much OPP
posed to such legislation az ever. II came
about when such Senators as Bradley. OF
Camden, and Frelinghlysen. Of Somerset,
declined to be dictated to by the bosses
Senator Bradley's independence cost him
a denomination and reelection.
II begins to look as though the Re-
publican party In New Jersey will not
come back into its own until these old
timers take a tumble and get out Of the