The Penn's Grove record., 1915-01-15

ordered an election had it been left to
my Judgment, and / therefore suggest
to you the advisability of amending
this law so as to give the Governor
discretion in ordering such elections.
The Increase in population of our
country has been steady, but there
has been a decrease in the production
OF cattle (other than mich cows),
sheep and hogs, and the recent
scourge OF mouth and hoof disease
should attract our attention to the
serious consequences likely to follow
the destruction of large numbers Of
our dairy and meat-producing animals.
Perhaps by giving the Live Stock
Commission the same powers with re-
gard to other animals that it now has
for breeding horses, a profitable ad-
vance might be made through the
standardization of all live stock, or
perhaps the State Agricultural College
and Experiment Station and the Blu
reau of Animal Industry might be
given wider powers, enabling them to
assist the farmers in solving the prob
lem I present.
Among the subjects of legislation
which will probably be brought to
your attention is the abandonment Of
the Morris Canal. 1t is not my pur-
pose at this time to express any opin-
ion upon the various plans suggested,
but there is one feature which has
appeared in bills presented to the Leg
~islature to which l desire to refer, and
that is with regard to the disposition
of the money the State should receive
for its interest in the canal property.
The Appropriation Committee,
through its Investigations and special
knowledge Of the needs of the State;
of it's departments and of it's institu-
tons, Is particularly qualified to rec
ommend the wisest means to which
State funds should be devoted. For
instance, the need of a Normal School
in South Jersey, the enlargement of
our insane asylums, and other State
institutions, or the establishment of
new ones, the relocation of the State
Reformatory and the removal of our
State Prison, the building of new
roads, the purchase of toll bridges,
the development of forest reserves and
water rights, measures of protection
for ocean-front owners from wage
by the elements, may be the most
pressing and important objects for
State financial assistance.
Recent serious damage to and de-
struction of our woodlands and forests
by fires will cause prudent men to
hesitate to invest in or continue the
attempt to preserve such properties.
The fires of last fall were more num-
for many a preceding year, notwith-
standing the States attempt to guard
against them. 1t is significant that
during the nrst weeks of the hunting
season the larger number and most
disastrous fires occurred.
I believe that this State should adopt
the plan, which in other States seems
TO have worked we'll, of giving the Gov
ernor power to suspend the hunting
! season when in times of drought the
condition of the forests and fields en-
nance the possibility of fires until
rainfall makes it safe for them to be
entered.
Complaint has been made that I'M
der the so-called Chancellor4Sherif
jury law of 1913 it has at times been
found impossible to secure a full grand
jury membership, because the law pro-
vides for drawing no more than twen-
ty-four names by the sheriff and jury
commissioners. l therefore recommend
that the law be amended so as to pro-
vide for drawing more than the num-
Der of m finally required for
grand jurors, and that the presiding
justice at the drawing be empowered
to strike from the list those unable or
ineligible to serve, and also that the
term of every jury commissioner shall
automatically expire upon the as
sumption of office of a sheriff belong
ing to the same political party IS the
commissioner.
In my inaugural message I directed
attention to the volume of useless
legislative bills introduced and to the
unnecessarily large number OF laws
enacted annually, and l commended
the proposition to place a time limit
on the presentation Of bills, and to
permit a reasonable period to elapse
between their Introduction and con-
s%ideration. The favorable reception
Of this plan by the Legislature Of
noneteen hundred and fourteen result
ed in a book of laws two hundred
pages less thangof the preceding year,
containing one hundred and fifteen
fewer laws than we're enacted at the
regular and special sessions OF nine
teen hundred and thirteen. This rec
ord can surely be equalled and posi-
bly, excelled by adopting the same
rules with regard to the introduction
and consideration of bills, and, also
by a strict attention to your duties,
the session can be shortened. Moth
ing will please our people more than
a short, businesslike session. This is
quite possible, because the Legislatures
of the last three of four years have
disposed of practically all matters for
the public good which have been
awaiting action, and the few which
you may feel require consideration can
be disposed of in a short time, giving
the thoughtful, deliberate attention to
which they are entitled.
JAMES F. FIELDER,
Governor.
,DI,N E;.o n,LI;a CoLo