The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-10-28
stokes TRUE
Progressive
RacOr ! Of the Republican Caa.
dlda J Is One Of Many
Needed Reforms.
HIS PLACE IN HISTORY.

Trenton, Oct. 21-"When the history
of New Jersey for the last quarter
century comes to be written" said a
member Of the supreme court here this
week. sit viii be found that the genius
of Edward c. Stokes has been the
greatest factor in the upbuilding of the
commonwealth during that period"
This remark deserves more than
passing attention in view of the fact
that-acting Governor James F. Fielder
and Everett Colby. the Progressive
candidate for governor, have been go
ing round the state for the last week
or two attacking in personal way the
reputation of former Governor Stokes.
the Republican candidate for governor.
and insinuating that he is a reaction
airy In politics and tied up, as they put
1t, with the same old gang"
Both Fielder. the Democratic candi-
date. and Colby, the Progressive can
didate. know perfectly well that Mr.
Stokes was strenuously opposed this
year for the nomination for governor
by the old time Republican leaders
with whom they now charge him with
being associated They also know that
former Governor Stokes deserves the
credit for Initiating and putting
through more progressive and con
structive legislation than any other
man identified with the public affairs
of the state in the last twenty-five
years. They not only know this. but
neither Mr.. Fielder nor Mr.. Colby can
point to one single piece Of constructive
legislation or to one policy of state
wide Importance that either one Of
them can be credited with in his polit
ical career
Mr.. Stokes WAS superintendent of this
public schools of Millville when he was
first elected to the house of assembly
In 1891. Ever since that time he has
given the public school system of New
Jersey his close attention, and 1t is due
to his intelligent and unremitting zeal
that the schools of New Jersey today
take front rank In the public schooi
~ olCin VI tliE tlujiCU NotdltS. L uTOuRN
his efforts the system has been I'm
proved not only in an educational sense,
but by reason of his revision of the
railroad taxation laws while he was
governor. Several millions of dollars
are now paid annually to the local
school districts from this revenue.
The first distinctly progressive mes
sage delivered by a governor of New
Jersey was found in the inaugural ad
dress of Governor Stokes to the legisla-
ture of 1905. 1t attracted unusual at
tentiOn In other states and received the
warm approval of President Roosevelt
elected in the same year as Governor
Stokes. In his address Mr.. Stokes said.
I'm the work before us let us remem
Der that ours is Il government by the
people and for the people 1t now be-
comes our duty TO Justify their trust
by administering the affairs of the state
for the people. and for them only. Let
us avoid favoritism toward special in
terests. Let no cheap demagogy actu-
ate our councils. Let our end be solely
that of the public good
1t is impossible to trace in a limited
space the many acts of reform accom-
plished By Mr.. Stokes before he be
came governor. while he was governor
and since that time up to the present
Through his revision of the railroad
tax laws in 1906 S5,o00,OOO annually
has been added TO the revenues of the
afafQ (1f fhiG fhapa hre
annually to the various counties for
school purposes about $3.OOO.OO Also
through tax laws enacted under his
guidance the assessed valuations of the
state increased from 81 .153. $50 96l in
1905 to S2.2S9, 7T0, 2S0 in 1912. repre-
senting an annual increased tax rev
enue for counties and municipalities of
about $25,0O000O
Under Governor Stokes the state
adopted policy conserving forestry
lands, it withdrew riparian lands from
sale and held them for rent in aid of
the school fund it engaged state
architect. resulting In the saving of
several hundred thousand dollars: it
limited public utility franchises. if
stopped watering of public utility
stock, it prohibited the diversion of
potable waters out Of the state. il en-.
acted its first civil service law. it re
formed its primary election laws and
passed its first corrupt practices act. il
began its warfare on mosquitoes. he
galized the carriage of freight by trol
ley companies and abolished the fes
system in state and county Offices
which increased the annual income of
the counties more than half million
dollars.
Among other laws passed under Gov
ernor Stokes admins tra;ion were the
teachers pension act. protection
against impure food products. age pen
sions for policemen regulating ana
safeguarding the employment of chill
dren and safeguarding dcpositors in in.
solvent banks and trust companies.
Today Go ernor Stokes is standing
On a platform which is rs consistently
progressive us is lis record as public
servant Il hciieye in construction
but not in destruction he says. II
believe in progress, but not in revolu-
ton. l believe in achievement rather
than mere agitation"