Bridgeton pioneer., 1913-10-09

anu pht Np'u lne SldluIS
books by the Republican party of this
state. The public. therefore. is enti:
tied TO expect from our party a pro-
gram which will continue the work of
constructive progress
The state of New Jersey has reached
point where piecemeal legislation
constitutes only patchwork reform If
the state is to continue to advance. the
work of development and legislation
must be planned for the future as well
as Tor the present. \ policy that be-
gins and ends with one administration
Is neither a progressive nor an effec-
tive method of government. A state
lives forever. and its work must he
planned with a view to meet all its in
creaslng needs, just as a schoolhouse
should be planned with a view to ad-
ditionS without destroying the symme-
try of the structure.
Outline of His Plan.
shall not attempt to give in detail
the program | have in mind. That
VIII constitute the theme for other adj
dresses during the campaign. briefly.
however, suggest to you an outline
OF the plan. l stand for the de-
velopment of our state in every
phase. A number of important prob
lens like our state highways. the con-
troi o1 our potable water, the build
ing of Translate ship canal now
recommended by the engineers of the
national government and other similar
enterprises / shall classify under the
title of public works" There are 9th
er functions and problems of New Jer-
sey life which l shall classify under
the head of service" A state govern
ment is for service, and that is the
best form of government which co-or-
dinates itself with the everyday life Gf
the people and helps the individual
citizen, the manufacturer. the business
man, the farmer, the laborer and the
educator to solve each his respective
problems and to better /his condition.
The German nation has shown the
practicability of this governmental
function. 1t is no longer true that the
least government is the best govern
ment, and, while in many cases we
have too much government and in
most cases too much law, so long as
the government is spending the peo-
pies money it must cease to be partisan
in it's activities and keep in touch with
the humanitarian side of life 1T must
help people to live better, to improve
conditions under which they earn
livelihood and to insure equality of op-
portunity This function of govern
ment | designate as Service" Such
are education and development of agri-
culture, labor conditions, charities ard
corrections and health and other fea-
turesgwhere the very day life of the
individual could be made happier by
efficient administration.
Many Reforms Now Needed.
There are a number of administra.
tive reforms that need constitutional.
treatment. have great respect for
the organic laws of this land. Under
our vnational and state constitutions
we have progressed as nation and II
people In comforts and in morals. in
education, in material prosperity, be.
yond the dream of empires. Sweeping
constitutional changes are generally
more revolutionary than statesman
like and the organic law, which has
stood the test of years, should not be
lightly changed. The state, however
must be kept abreast of the march OF
events. A constitution, for example.
that provided only for horse ears would
be out of date in this day of the trolley
car. What we need today is not so
much new constitution as a flexible
one constitution that can adopt the
best that political and economic sci
ences evolve in the light of advancing
intelligence, constitution that. new
ly made today, would be archaic in the
progressive tomorrow, but constitu-
tion that is flexible enables us to adopt
measures necessary to new conditions.
| am in favor, therefore, of amending
the constitution. as has been proposed
by the last legislature. so rs to strike
out the provision prohibiting amend
OlllN dlteT lHleTNulS Vi I'VE Years
and make it possible to amend the
constitution when necessity requires
These amendments should be made
not in revolutionary way, but in an
orderly, constitutional way, after leg
islative deliberation and popular ref
erendum. l touch but a few of the
other topics of interest Industrial
peace between employer and employee
is essential to the states welfare and
an industrial investigation act similar
to that which has proved so success
full in Canada should be made a part
of our state life. The subject of taxa
ton is always with us. Our present
method of levying taxes needs to be
modified and supplemented by prop
er state board, with authority over
subordinate taxing boards to secure
uniform assessments and equality
throughout the taxing districts. The
Pierce plan. with some modification.
is excellent. 1t Is a principle recon-
mended in the Republican platform