The Penn's Grove record., 1914-12-25
MINORITY is FOR ECONOMY.
Legislators Discuss Combination Of
Several Board at Democratic
Conference.

Legislators Discuss Combination Of
Several Board at Democratic
Conference.
That the Democrats intend TO have
a complete legislative program ready
before the converting Of the Legisla-
ture in January was made plain al
a meeting Of the Democratic depart
ment heads and the leaders Of the par
ty in the House and the Senate in the
Office Of State Treasurer Edward E..
Grosscup. The gathering was a con-
tinuation Of the recent conference
which was called by the State treas
urer as the chairman of the Demo
cratic State Committee.
The Democrats are going about their
work seriously and every subject on
tanned in the Democratic platform
will be covered by a bill to be draft
ed and approved by them. Ordinarily.
the efforts Of the minority would not
necessarily be taken seriously, but
in this instance the fact that the COY
ernor of the State is a Democrat
means that the minority cannot be
ignored or the governor himself would
be a~ntagonized. This is a situation
that the Republicans do not care to
bring about.
With two exceptions, Senator Wal
ter 3. Edge. of Atlantic, and Assembly
man Arthur NJ. Agnew, Of Bergen. all
the members Of the Efficiency and
Economy Commission attended the
conference. They presented drafts of
eight proposed bills embodying the
recommendations which will be made
to the incoming Legislature for the re-
organization and combination of vari-
Gus boards, departments and commits
sions.
The general scheme to be proposed
by the Efficiency and Economy Com
mission viii include, so far as r
ticable, the appointment Of single
headed commissions with associate or
advisory boards, to take charge Of the
Nork now performed by correlated but
separated boards or commissions.
One Of the most important cases pro-
posed in the consolidation into one
department of the State Board of AS
SCISSORS and the State Board of Equal
ization Of Taxes. Although APPROX
ing OF this proposition in its general
aspects, the ~conferees felt that in view
OF the avowed determination Of the
Republican majority to abolish county
tax boards the details Of the proposed
change would necessarily have to be
left until some conclusion had been
reached.
Abolition Of Tax Boards.
It is the opinion of most of the con-
ferees that the abolition of the coun-
ty boards would necessitate the substi-
tuition or creation Of some form of
appellate tribunal besides the State
body.
Another important plan Of reorgani-
cation agreed to by the conference in
cludes the consolidation Of the pres
ent State Board of Health, the State
Water Supply Commission, the Com
missfon On T-baren1css- Azaong Ani-
mails and any other body dealing with.
subjects directly or indirectly affect
ing the health Of the community.
This suggestion is similar to. one made
by the Economy and Efficiency Com
mission last winter, but rejected by
the Legislature.
The establishment of a department
or bureau of commerce and naviga-
ton was also agreed upon unanimous
ly. The Economy and Efficiency Com
mission recommended that this should
be organized along the same lines as
the proposed State Board Of Health.
The conference reached no definite
conclusion as to the course to recon-
mend looking with reference to the
consolidation of the Department Of
Labor and the Bureau Of Labor sta
t~istics. At the last session it was
proposed to merge the Bureau of sta
~tistics, Of which former Senator
George G. Lowi $ chief, into the Labor
Department The question Of revising
the State salary list downward was
not considered.
Governor Fielder was present at the
conference. He IS one of the moving
spirits in the formation of a construct
i've program upon which the minority
in the Senate and House can unite and
which he can approve.
Those at Conferences.
Aside from the govaESor, those
present included State Treasurer
Grosscup. Senator Charles OsConnor
Hennessy, of Bergen. leader OF the
Senate minority: Assemblyman T. F.
Martin, of Hudson, leader of the House
minority; Secretary Of State David s.
Crater and Supreme Court Clerk Will
lam G. Gebhardt.
Assemblyman MartE was the
spokesman OF the conference. The
Democrats viii support the economy
and efficiency program, Mr.. Martin
said: This program was started by
the Democrats and they will stand by
it in the Legislature. There will be a
series Of seven or eight bills in the
economy and efficiency report, which
has not yet been announced.
The bills will provide for the consols-
dation of the State Board OF Assessors
and the State Board Of Equalization
of Taxes and for a reorganization Of
the State Board OF Health ca the plan
of a single commissioner. The Demo
Gratis viii be committed to this plan.
The Democrats will, however. reserve
the right to criticize the efficiency
program as to the details of the bills.
cIamor for Better Station.
Riverside commuters who are
ing the railroad fare increas
added to their protests the<
S4-~-&s~~k4~~ har honr