The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1915-01-23
ECONOMY CAMPAIGN
NOW ON IN EARNEST
Republican Legislature Applying
the Pruning Axe to Uujustly
High Officials Salaries.

1SSSAAe 49, ~
be ~retrenched by the Republican Leg
islature now in session in accordance
with platform pledges was plainly in
Dictated Monday night when Senator
Mathis of Ocean County introduced
a bill to cut exorbitant salaries of
certain high officials. 1t is generally
believed that this bill will become a
law in which event Senator Mathis
states there will be a saving of about
$4,000 annually to the State.
Some of the reductions set forth
in the bill are: The salary of the Gov
ernor is cut from $4,000 to $4,000.
The Governor will retain, however,
$500 a year for serving on the State
House Commission which has made
his salary $4,000. The salary of the
Chief Justice is reduced from SIS, 900
to $4,000, but he will get an additional
1000 for sitting in the Court of Err
rors. There will be a similar cut in
the Chancellor's salary. The associ-
ate justices of the Supreme Court and
the vice chancellors' salaries will go
from $4,000 to $500; Circuit Court
Judges from $4,000 to $500. The
State Treasurer, Comptroller, Secre-
tary of State and Attorney General
will be cut from $4,000 to $4,000.
The Supreme Court Clerk and the
Chancery Clerk from $4,000 to $4,000
The Commissioner of Labor from
$4,000 to $4,000. The Commissioner
of Education from $4,000 to $4,000.
The Public Utility Commissioners
from $1,000 to $4,000 and men lower
down in proportion.
In addition to this, another bill for
the reduction of salaries of County
Officials perhaps next week which will
result, if passed, in the saving of $751;
600 more, making the total saving of
the two bills $15O,000.(
The Economy and Efficiency bills
show a saving of a little more than
$4,000, so that in all at least $780,
900 annually will be cut from the x
penses of running the State if all of
these bills are passed.
One of the planks in the Republi-
can platform last fall was the reduc-
tion of exorbitant salaries and that
the Republican majority has thus
FASTENED to carry out this pledge is
an evidence of good faith that should
increase the confidence of the voters
in Republican principles and Republi-
can methods of administering the
affairs of the State.
Officials salaries had been boosted
out of all proportion by Democratic
Legislatures. 1t is a matter of gen
eral knowledge that New Jersey is
paying higher salaries than other
States of similar population and in
come, therefore the bills introduced
and still TO be introduced along this
line cannot be disputed on the ground
of injustice. There has never been
any good reason why New Jersey
should pay such fancy salaries and,
now that the treasury of the State
has been emptied by this extrava-
gance, it is high time that the econ
omic and efficient business system
proposed by the Republican majority
be installed.
The economy and efficiency bills
have been widely discussed during the
past week. Democratic newspapers
have vainly attempted to discredit
the motive that brought about the in
PRODUCTION of the eight bills by saying
that they were for the one purpose of
l~egislating Democrats out of office.
This opinion has gained no support
whatever because the people under
stand the true situation too we'll to
permit it to be in any way clouded by
newspapers that have condoned the
eXtravagances of recent Democratic
Legislatures.
The economy and efficiency bills
represent, as a whole, a plan to benefit
the taxpayers of the State. They
seek to give the State a business-like
method for the transaction of its
business-that and nothing more.
They may not all become laws in the
form in which they were introduced
but the general opinion is that the
fundamental principles will be adopt
ed.
The fifth of the economy and effici-
ency bills which creates a department
of labor and industry by consolidat-
ing the present department of labor
and the department of labor Stats
tics, with an advisory board of eight
members, not more than our from
one party and requiring the appoint
ment of three labor men on the board,
has met with the greatest opposition.
1t is said that both the employerssand
the labor men have asked to be heard
on the bill and Senator Read stated
Tuesday that a date for such a hear
ing would be fixed next week. 1t is
certain that the claims advanced by
both sides will receive the most care
full consideration.
1t is likely that $4,000 will be
saved to the State by the bill that
was passed on the opening day of the
session which compels corporations
and individuals who desire copies of
legislative bills to pay $40 for each
set. Last year it is estimated that
the practice of giving bills free to all
who asked for them cost about $780,
900.
In the Senate Tuesday morning,
Minority Leader Hennessy took adj
vantage of a technicality to legislate
against the farmers of the State.
Senator Gaunt asked that the rules
be suspended and a vote be taken on
his bill to reimburse the Commission
on tuberculosis mammals for $685.
900. The commission had advanced
the State Board of Health in the fight
on the foot and mouth disease. The
bill vas reported out of committee
without the signature of the Demo-
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