Newark post., 1915-01-13
MESSAGE OF THE Gov
ERNOR READ AT JOINT
SESSION OF GENERAL
ASSEMBLY THURSDAY
Important State Document Recommendations Meet With
Statewide Favor, Irrespective of Party---Economy
And Education Keynotes of the Address

sistance and that the best interests
Of the State and the people will be
srved, as a result of such co-opera-
ton.
LEGISLATIVE EXPENDITURES
Under the practice now in force
in this State there exists no check
upon the expenditure of each
House for the running expenses Of
the two branches, neither is there
any limit to the amount Of money
each House can appropriate for its
own contingent expenses. In most
commonwealths a specified ap-
preparation is always provided,
which the General Assembly can
use in full if so desired. In this
State, however,-there being no
budget and no fixed appropriation
made for the contingent expenses
of the General Assembly-there is
consequently no limit placed upon
expenditures. Without reference
to any particular instance there
have been times when the contin-
gent expenses Of the General AS
sembly were apparently in excess
of the actual requirements.
In order to provide restrain
ing influence for such occurrences
the provision Of the Constitution
which vests the Governor with the
right to veto items in the general
appropriation or claims bills,
could be in like manner extended
to cover Legislative expenditures.
In the interest Of economy | ven
ture to suggest that you employ
only such persons as are actually
necessary for the proper conduct
Of the business of the session; that
the salaries paid employees be in
conformity with those paid for like
service in the commercial and bust
ness establishments and if extra
pay is allowed for extra service it
be inconformity with the service
rendered; that before you adjourn
the general appropriations and
claims bills be submitted to the
Governor by the respective commit
tees Of the Senate and the House
so that the Chief Executive may
be intelligently informed concern
ing the several items in the Claims
bill previous to your adjournment.
| beg to assure you that in pre-
senting these matters there is no
intention, either expressed or i'm
piled, to trespass upon your legis-
lative prerogatives. The only mo-
tive which prompts these sugges-
tions is the desire that you may in
augurate a system Of economy for
the present session which may also
serve as precedent for future
General Assemblies to follow.
EDUCATION
At the session in nineteen hun
dred and thirteen the General AS
sembly enacted a law which pro-
vided for the appointment by the
Governor of a State Commissioner
of Education. The duties imposed
upon this official were those of i'm
proving and standardizing the free
rural schools Of the State. In view
of the results which have already
been accomplished by this official,
the wisdom Of those who framed
the law and the action Of the men,
bers of the General Assembly in
passing it should be commended.
The present Commissioner assum-
ed office in June 1913 and within
this short preiod has fully measur-
ed up to the requirements of this
important office and there has been
a very decided improvement in the
conditions of the public schools
throughout the entire State.
A most cordial and cooperative
spirit exists between the several de-
partments of our educational sys-
tenn. So manifest is this condition
that | cannot, in justice to those
concerned, refrain from an express
sion of personal qualification at the
splendid work whcih has been done
during the past year by the men,
bers Of the State Board of Educa-
ton, Commissioner of Education,
the several County superintendent
and the entire teaching force. We
have now an educational Organiza-
tion, all the units of which are 10y
ally supporting each other, the
strength of whose influence is be-
coming more apparent every day.
This will result in the improvement
of the student body and the de-
velopment of more substantial
and useful citizenship.
The present salary of the Com
missioner Of Education is not
with tho d,,tiac Of