Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-04
Direct TAX STORY
REPUBLICAN MYTH
Hennessy Says Reported Imn1i-
hence of One Originated With
c. o. P. Press Agents.
CIRCULATED TO AFFECT
MAKEUP OF LEGISLATURE
: Figures Show Appropriations
Were Pared So Increase Was
ProportionateIy Small.

tanned in an article recently pub
ashed throughout New Jersey that
state finances are in such a bad con-
ultlon that direct State tax is inn
Hlinent. Senator Hennessy charges
tnat the article was circulated from
Republican Headquarters i'm Trenton
TO influence the election of Republican,
members of the Legislature this fall.
without mlnctng words, Senator
Hennessy denies the allegation and
retutes the claim that the Demo-
cratic control of State finances has
resulted in such waste and extrava-
gance as to make a direct tax neces-
sary. He says he considers the ara
Gle partisan misrepresentation of
the condition of State finances and
or his own opinions on the Question
of State tax.
II think the people of New Jersey"
Senator Hennessy said. SHOULD be
warned against the wilful misrepte-
sensations that are now being cir
culated broadcast in newspapers and
otherwise regarding the condition of
State finances These reports I find
are sent to the newspapers from Re
publican headquarters in Trenton, and
are cleverly designed to affect the
election of senators and assembly
men tlns fall. The reports purport to
show that the Democratic control of
State finances has resulted in such
waste and extravaganza as to make a |
resort to direct tax necessary.
Record Shows True Figures.
"1n all my experience in politics l
cannot recall a more unwarranted at |
tempt to deceive the citizenship of |
State for merely partisan advantage |
The public record open to any honest |
investigator. shows the very opposite |
of the condition that is charged or |
implied by the partisan literature that |
Is now being sent out
The most recent emanation from |
Trenton, widely published, contained
this statement:
Instead of economizing, the last
Legislature, which was Demo-
cratic. appropriated $91S,426-
nearly a million dolars-more
than was appropriated In 1913. 1t
is figured that this will have a
direct bearing on the Assembly
and Senate elections this fall. In
few weeks the voters will nomi-
nate candidates for the Legisla-
ture. They know some of the men
who have been given the oppor-
tttnity to make good and who have
failed. The only thing that will
prevent a direct State tax, 1t is
declared will be the nomination
and election of men who will cut
out the extravagances and graft
before looking to other sources for
revenue, and who will prevent the
levying of a State tax
Now, the total appropriations in |
the annual and supplemental bills |
passed by the last Legislature |
amounted to $S,4S2,22S, as compared
with $S,024, 705 of the previous Legis- |
lature, an increase of $457, 523, just |
about per cent. This is the lowest |
percentage of increase in many years |
The normal increase of the demands |
of the States correctional and char
liable institutions would alone ac-
count for the small percentage OF in
crease shown. The records are open,
and I challenge anyone to recall |
better showing than made by the |
Democratic party in the last Legis-
lature, with regard to State finances.
. For example, in 1910, the year before |
Governor Wilson'S election, the Legis- |
Iature. Republican in both houses, in
creased the appropriations $1,367 ,592 |
or nearly 80 per cent. over the previ-
GUS year.
Seeking Further Economics.
at should be borne in mind, also, |
that the amount actually granted to
various departments and institutions
Of the State by the last Legislature
was nearly one million dollars less
than the total applied for. The APP
preparations committee endeavored 70
make a painstaking Investigation OF
the states needs, and for the first
time il, many years the committee has
continued with its work, after the
session of the Legislature, to study
the particulars in which further econ-
4 on1jcs can be effected. =.
"Besides this, there Is to the credit
Of the last Legislature and OF Coy
ernor Fielder, the enactment OF the
two laws that may be justly regarded
as the most valuable pieces of con-
strtictive financial legislation enacted
in MANY wears. | refer to chapter |
I5S. known as the Requisition act, !
which imposes prudent checks ana
balances upon the methods of draw
ing appropriated monies, and chapter
PIG, which makes it a misdemeanor
for public officials to disburse, order |
or vote for the expenditure of public |
monies in excess Of appropriations.
"rrl1e enactment Of these laws has
enabled the auditors department, in |
the state comptroller's Office, to OBJ |
tain a knowledge of institutional and |
departmental financial methods, and |
tn maintain a check upon waste and |
extravagance. The laws have, be- |
lieve, already saved the State large |
sums of money, and have placed the |
states finances upon systematic |
and businesslilxe basis.
Correcting the story.
MISREPRESENTATION is also made Of |
the remarks made by me at New |
brunswick recently, on Farmers Day, |
with reference to the possibility of a |
Direct state tax at some time in the |
future. I was careful to say at that |
time as anyone who heard me will |
hear out. that very few, if any, of |
NV marty associates agreed with me |
that a State tax was wise or neces- |
sarv did not and do not think it is |
an issue at this time or is likely to |
he one in the immediate future. |
sinnlv took occasion to say, speaking |
for myself alone, and not for the |
Democratic party, that believed |
that the direct system of raising pub |
lir revenue was the best system, since |
n would enable the voters to know |
NOT only where the money came from |
but where it went to. Some of the |
revenues now going into the State |
treasury thought, should go to the !
counties and municipalities, and |
eynressed the belief that with the |
constant growth of the State and its |
Institutional activities, the time would !
come when its present indirect |
source of revenue would be insult |
ficient to meet expenses, even when |
,,ost economically administered.
Ala not saw nor intimate that state |
tax was imminent, although the re-
mort that / did say so is now widely |
circulated.
HensIers Return Safe