Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-20

| these days the veto power is not con-
sidered a sufficient barrier against
improper legislation. and the failure
of legislators to act with dellhera-
ton. thought and good Judgment, has
helped to produce a distrust of leg
islative bodies. resulting In the sug-
gestion of various devices and expe-
dents to curb and limit their ac-
| ton.
with these thoughts in mind. I
! commend your proposition to limit
! the time for introduction OF bills and
] to require that a reasonable period
shall elapse between their introduce
ton and consideration. as also the
provision 1 understand you are to
make for a legislative reference
bureau and for a legal adviser, who
shall prepare and criticise bills. The
adoption of these remedies for check
ing the evils of which I have spoken,
entailing but slight expense, indicates
your desire for safe and sane legisla-
ton and merits general approval
Conservation of Resources.
Our State expenditures have in
creased from year to year. in conse-
quence of our growth in population
and the natural placing of heavier
burdens upon our departments and
institutions. This increase in expen-
ditures has been met by a gain In in
come, but the difficulty which has
confronted preceding administrations
Is that our income has not kept pace
with the demands made upon 1t. We
must husband our resources. exercise
a more careful watch over our outlay
and see that each dollar expended
brings its full return to the State.
There Is a widespread belief that
l.. a. n.
plicity of departments. boards and
commissions and that by simpllfca-
ton in administration and CONSOLE
dalton of departments. our revenues
can be conserved and expended to
better advantage. l believe that
much can be accomplished in this di-
rection, but 1t is not my intention to
deal with the subject in detail at
this time, for the reason that the
Economy and Efficiency Commission.
appointed pursuant to a joint reso-
luton of the session of 1912. has had
this matter under investigation, and
1 am assured its final report will be
presented to you within few weeks
I feel that this commission has de-
voted much time to a searching ex-
animation of the functions of and the
results accomplished by our State de-
partments and that its report will
contain information and recommen-
dationS of great value to you. With
this report so near completion, 1t
would be unwise to attempt any re-
organization scheme without the ben
eft of the conclusions Of the commits
sion and l therefore recommend that
you await its findings before proceed
ing. 1 would refer you in the mean
time, to the preliminary report pre-
hxy hn mic IN ha
sion of 1913.
Vocational Training for Prisoners.
1.-THE sentiment of these enlightened |
times demands change in the care |
and treatment of prisoners in our
penal institutions. The idea that Of
tenders against our laws can be re-
formed by confinement and punish |
ment alone is obsolete Confinement |
within prison walls and harshness |
and severity has and never will check !
crime, and the proper treatment of |
convicts must receive more intelligent |
thought. Criminal tendencies are |
very frequently the result of mental |
or physical defects and the lack of |
decent surroundings and |
bodily nourishment. The State should |
be more concerned in ascertaining |
and, if possible, removing the cause |
for crime than in administering pun
ishment. With first offenders espe- |
cially the State can hope for better !
results from more thoughtful and |
modern system of treatment. A care
full mental and physical ex-
animation should be made I'M
der the direction of the prison
authorities of each person sent
to a penal institution and a serious
made TO cure or relieve the
Ills that such an examination dis
closes. Prisoners should be placed at
some occupation which they can con-
tinue after the expiration of their
sentence for the benefit of their phys
while in confinement and
to fit them to earn their own liveli-
hood after their discharge. Prison |
labor contracts should be terminated |
as speedily as possible and the pris-
oners placed at work under State |
direction and an effective State-use |
system installed. We have taken q |
step in this direction with the in |
mates of our State prison, but suffi- |
cient funds have not been made avail
able by the Legislature to make much |
more than a start. Placing men at
work upon the roads, the purchase of
a farm and a quarry (the latter not
yet actually acquired), will provide
for some of the prisoners, but more
funds are necessary for these pur-
poses, as we'll as for the industrial
employment in shops of those who |
cannot be placed at labor outside the
prison.
intimately connected with this is