Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-20
Urges Repeal of Hillery Act as
Long Step in Improving
Tax Methods.
CUTTING EXPENDITURES
ANOTHER LARGE FACTOR
Would Correct Lax Methods of
Assessment by Having a
Uniform System.
Especial to the Newark start

Especial to the newark Stnr.I
TRENTON. Jan. 2O.-From this
platform OF the Taylor Opera House
where he was inaugurated at noon
! Governor James F. Fielder read his
inaugural message to the Legislature
this afternoon.
The message deals largely with re-
! forms in taxation, Legislation, prison
| labor, charitable and correctional in
situations and the conservation of
| the States financial resources. One
| important feature is the suggestion to
repeal the Hillery maximum tax law,
a measure which the Governor char
acterizes as solely for the benefit OF
railroad interests.
As predicted. the Governor urges
that the jury bill be passed again.
this time without a referendum. He
approves the suggestion for con-
stitutional amendment creating As
sembly districts in counties entitled
to more than one Assent lyman and
urges that legislation be created
making it mandatory for all coun-
ties to elect a small Board of Free
holders. The message is progressive
in tone and is an exemplification of
the policies inaugurated by the
Democratic Legislature when it as
cended to power forNthe first time in
a decade and a half. 1t follows in
full:
"Gentlemen of the Senate and gen.
eral Assembly
Taking advantage of that pfovi-
sion of our Constitution which en-
powers the Governor, whenever he
IN MI n H..
cate to the Legislature the condition
of the State and to recommend such
measures as he may deem expedient,
and following the custom of incom-
ing Governors to deliver an inaugural
message, submit for your considera-
ton certain matters which l believe
of interest to the people of our State.
It is unnecessary to refer now to all
subjects which will or should be
brought to your attention at this ses-
sion, and 1t is my purpose to speak
only of those which appear to be of
pressing Importance, reserving other
matters for future messages.
Unnecessary Legislation.
II am much concerned that this
session shall be marked with care,
elaboration and earnest thought, SO
that hasty and ill-considered legis-
lation shall not be enacted. Too many
bills are introduced of not the slight
est Importance to the State at large
and too many unnecessary and de-
fective laws are enacted each year
the constitutional
limitation against special legislation,
1 venture to assert that thirds
of our laws are passed to meet spe-
cial cases or to serve special pur-
poses. At last years sessions, near
ly fourteen hundred bills were intro
duced, of which about four hundred
became laws. While it is the duty
of each member to serve the people of
his county by endeavoring to secure
legislation for their benefit, 1t Is also
his duty to the State not to clog the
processes of legislation with useless
suggestions in the form of bills or to
to secure special advantages
for those who should be governed
by general laws. The proof of a leg
islators capacity and usefulness is
not to be found in the great number
of bills he may introduce and pass,
but rather in the quality of the few
which bear his name. Each member
should carefully scan and consider
all bills offered to him for introduce
ton and he should have the courage
and good sense to refuse those he
knows cannot or should not become
laws. 1 am informed that not so
many years ago legislative bills were
not printed at State expense, but that
each member paid for the printing
of his own bills. If that were still
the rule, could easily imagine that
neither the volume of bills introduced,
nor the laws enacted, would be so
large.
"One of the evils Of legislation has
been due to the introduction and
passage of bills up to the closing
hours of the session. when in the at
tendant rush and excitement, i'm
perfectly prepared and improper leg
islation has been enacted. The Gov
ernor has only five days within which
to consider bills after they reac', his
office and he cannot give the time for
that he would wish, TO
the mass of passed bills thrown at
him at the conclusion Of a session. In