The Penn's Grove record., 1915-05-21
EDGE TAKES UP cUDeELs.
Acting Governor and Senator SmaIIsy
at Odds With La Monte.

acting governor ana Senator SmaIIey
at Odds With La Monte.
A statment justifying the actions
of the appropriation committee of the
last legislature was issued by Senator
w. w. Smalley, of Somerset county,
the chairman of the committee, in
which he held that it was the belief
OF the Republicans of the legislature
that the people of the State were al
ready overburdened by taxation, and
1t was time to practice economy rath-
er than extravaganza.
Senator Smalley's statement was
supplemented by an interview with
Acting Governor Edge, in which he
says there has been a systematic and
organized partisan campign on the
part of the state department to follow
another in criticising the work of
the legislature. The governor says
that the criticism offered by Commits
sioner George M. LaMonte, of the de-
partment of banking and insurance,
amounted almost to INSTRUMENTATION.
The banking and insurance depart
ment's head said that the curtailing
of the appropriation for his work
would seriously hamper it this year.
He said that it had been planned to
increase the number of building and
loan examiners, but that this would
be impossible under the present finan-
cial allowance, and added that it might
be necessary to issue a statement say
ing that no more building and loan as
sociations could be chartered in New
Jersey until such time as the legisla-
ture made a sufficient appropriation to
enable him to conduct the proper tx
animation. Mr.. La Monte disavowed
any partisan motive in making this
announcement.
There seems to be what might be
termed a systematic and really well
organized partisan campaign on the
part of some of the state departments
to follow one after the other in criti-
cising the work of the 1915 appropria-
ton committee" said Acting Governor
Edge, in an interview, given out by
him on the subject. while necessari-
ly any curtailment of appropriations
must result in some disappointment,
at the same time, it appeals to me
that the time has arrived when it is
the duty of the departments CRITICS
ing to do the best they can with the
appropriations at their command, rath-
e than deliberately inviting lack of
teamwork by rushing into print. after
their accredited rulers, the Legisla-
ture, have determined on the appro-
priations and policy necessary to pur-
sue"
Chairman Smalley, of the appropria-
tions committee, after denying any in
tention to become involved in a con-
troversy, in his statement declared
that a few comparisons would abso-
lutely dispose of the misleading
statements" of those attempting to
discredit the work of his committee.
The committee, he declared. had a
business policy in alloting the appro-
priations, which. was that not a penny
more thar the States revenue amount
ed 10 SnOuIQ De allowed.
Millions of School Funds Available.
The apportionment of school money
amounting to $9,713,239, announced by
Commissioner Calvin N. Kendall, is ten
tative. The money will actually be
turned over to the counties September
/. In the meantime the total will be
reduced by whatever amount is paid
out in pensions.
Warrants for the first pension pay
roll, being for the month of April.
were sent out from the State comp
trolIer's Office. Retired teachers
throughout the State who have been
complaining of the delay have been
informed by the State comptroller that
this was due to the work entailed in
putting the new system into effect.
The pensions for April amounted to
something more than $4,000.