Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-01-15

AAA1 I'LL " q $50 -
demned by our constitution. which pro-
vides that ITO avoid improper infiu-
ences which may result from intermix-
ing In one and the same act such
things as have no proper relation to
each other every law shall embrace
but one object" The expenditure of
all money should receive the careful
attention Of the legislature. and espe-
cially of its appropriation committee,
and should not be bound up with any
other subject of legislation. And at a
time when we are called upon to exer-
else retrenchment In state expenditures
special care should be taken not to
place Upon the state burdens which
will require large appropriations in iu-
ture years for construction or mainte-
nance. The appropriation committee,
through its Investigations and special
knowledge of the needs of the state.
of its departments and of its institu-
tons. is particularly qualified to rec
ommend the wisest means to which
state funds should be devoted. For in
stance. the need of a normal school in
South Jersey. the enlargement OF our
insane asylums and other state insti-
tutions OF the establishment of new
ones. the relocation of the state re-
formatory and the removal of our Gtate
PRISON. the building of new roads, the
purchase of toll bridges, the develop
ment of forest reserves and water
rights. measures of protection for ocean
front owners from ravages by the Gle
ments. may be the most pressing and
important objects for state financial
assistance. Any of these / have men
toned and perhaps others may be OF
paramount importance. but the fact
cannot be properly or safely deter
mined In consideration of or debate
uIon a canal abandonment bill and
therefore should be left to a separate
and special consideration.
Recent serious damage to and de-
struction of our woodlands and for
ests by fires will cause prudent men to
hesitate to invest in or continue the
attempt to preserve such properties.
Beside the vast timber loss. the Gran.
berry farming interests suffered seri-
ously. The state forestry commission
has advised the exclusion of deer and
rabbits from the protection Of the game
laws as one way to avoid the danger
from fires during the usual dry season.
but | am not willing to recommend so
drastic a plan. because, while l feel
that with proper Gre and caution by
hunters many of the fires could have
been avoided. the particularly dry con
dition of the underbrush and dead
leaves in the woods and forests last
fall contributed to the danger. ! do
believe. however. that this state should
adopt the plan. which in other states
seems to have worked well. of giving
the governor power to suspend the
hunting a when in times of
drought the condition of the forests
and fields enhance the possibility of
fires until rainfall makes 1t safe for
them to be entered.
Amend Jury Law.
Complaint has been made that un.
der the so called chancellor-sheriff jury
law of 1913 it has at times been found
impossible to secure a full grand jury
membership because the law provides
for drawing no more than twenty-four
names by the sheriff and jury commits
sioners. 1t frequently happens that of
| the number so drawn some are absent
from the state and cannot be sum-
moned. others are i'll and others are
Ineligible. Further, it is the intention
of the act that 10 jury commissioner
shall be of thc same political party as
the sheriff of his county, but jury
commissioners are appointed for n
year, and there is no direct provision
for vacating the office upon the cleo
ton of a sheriff belonging to the same
party. The chancellor can only carry
out the spirit of the act in this partic-
ular by removing the commissioner
before the expiration of the term for
which he was appointed. The act in
question was adopted by the people at
a referendum election and ought not
be altered in any respect unless the
amendment will serve to preserve its
character and increase its efficiency to
accomplish the purpose for which ii
was enacted. | therefore recommend
that the law be amended So as to pro-
vide for drawing more than the num-
Der of names finally required for grand
jurors and that the presiding Justice
at the drawing be empowered to strike
from the list those unable or ineligi-
hle to servo and also that the term OF
every jury commissioner shall automat-
icailv expire upon the assumption of
office Of Il sheriff belonging to the same
political party rs the commissioner.
In my inaugural message ! directed
attention to the volume of useless leg
i~slative bills introduced and to the IN
necessarily large number of laws en-
acted annually. and | commended the
proposition to place u time limit on the
presentation of bills and to permit a
reasonable period to elapse between
their introduction and consideration.