The Penn's Grove record., 1916-01-14
STATE CAPITAL NEWS.
lContinued from page u

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be made general, so that it may be 2u-
thorized to fix and establish special rates
for services. when the conditions may
appear to warrant them. The Governor
declared that it is improper to have the
power of this Board limited so it cannot
compel a carrier to initiate a rate.
After pointing out the great problem
of providing an adequate road system
and maintaining it for the state, the
Governor advised that the necessary road
funds be raised by a state tax laid spec
tally for this purpose, spreading the WORK
over a period of fifteen years, in which
event $1,000, 900 annually would be re-
ouired-or over a period of ten years,
when $1,500,00 a year would be needed.
The sum needed proprly to improve all
the roads of the state, the Governor
showed, is $51,300,000, of which the
states share would be $15,OOO,00O. lie
told the Legislature that to raise a mil
lion dollars a state tax of four-tenths OF
a mill, or 40 cents on each $1,000 OF val
uation, would be needed, while to raise
a million and a half dollars would re-
quire a tax of six-tenths of a mill ,or
90 cents on the $1,000.
Other things recommended by the Gov
ernor were: Conservation of the states
natural resources, with provisions made
for further investigation of the PROPOSE
ton to acquire the Wharton tract in
South Jersey for a state water supply;
revision of the road legislation and the
laying down of a road policy; develop
ment and improvement of the public
schools; an increase of the annual appro-
priations for vocational training IN the
schools.
Governor Fielder declared that the f.
naneial condition of the state is better
than for several years, having an actual
net cash balance at the end of the fiscal
year, October 81, last, of $305,421.O1.
with every outstanding obligation pro-
vided for. The Governor also urged a
short business-like session. The mes
sage in full will be found elsewhere in
this paper.
The Capitol was gaily decorated for
the starting of the law wheels. The cor
ridors were embellished with flags AMI
bunting tastefully arranged, while spec
ial decorations were in place in the Sen
ate and Assembly Chambers. These con-
sisted of flags and bunting draped above
the desks of the presiding officers also on
the front of these desks, giving a pat
riotic touch to the proceedings. To this
were added banks of palms, ferns and
other plants on either side of the presid-
ing officers desks. Each of these desks
was also graced with a handsome bou-
quet of cut flowers Including American
beauty roses. The desks of many of the
legislators were filed with elaborate for
al pieces, the gifts of admiring consti-
tuents, making each Chamber resemble
a conservatory. Hundreds of visitors
were at the State House from all parts
of New Jersey.
Governor Fielder sent to the Senate
yesterday the nomination of Walter P.
Gardner, of Hudson County, to be Judge
of the Court of Errors and Appeals, to
succeed William II. Vredenburg, of Free
hold. Mr.. Gardner is Vice-President of
the New Jersey Title Guarantee & Trust
Company of Jersey City, and is a person
al friend of the Governor. Judge Vre-
denburg is a Republican and the new
Judge is of the same politics, so there
will be no change in the political COM
plexion of the Court. Judge Vreden-
burg has been one of the lay judges of
the Errors Court since 1897. His term
will end February 8, next. The salary
of the lay judges is $40 per day, when
they were actually on duty.
Governor Fielder also re-appointed
Charles G. Garrison, Democrat, of Cam
den County, as an Associate Justice of
the Supreme Court for a term of Z
years, the salary being $1,000. Judge
Garrison has been on the Supreme Court
bench since 1888. Grover G. Richman,
Democrat, of Wenonah, was appointed
Prosecutor of the Pleas of Gloucester
County to succeed Joseph j. Summerill,
resigned.
There were little partisan contests in
each House over the adoption of the
rules. The Senate,by a party vote amend
ed Rule IT, which has required that all
committee reports upon bills must show
how each member of the committee vot-
ed upon the question of the report. As
changed, the rule provides that only
members favoring the reporting of a bill,
need to sign the report. In the House,
the tilt was over the new rule proposed
by the Republicans providing that bills
need not be formally introduced from the
floor during a session, as has been the
CUSTOM, but may simply be filed with the
Clerk, and subsequently read by title and
referred to committee. This change was
also adopted by party vote.
Assemblyman Harry J. Iobst, of Hun
terdon County, who is a Methodist min
lister, introduced a resolution providing
that the Governor all members of the
Legislature and the state officials attend
one of the Billy Sunday meetings being
held in a great tabernacle in Trenton.
1t recited that the Rev. Mr.. Sunday ac-
copied the invitation of the Legislature
to address the lawmakers last winter,
and this visit was to be a return of the
courtesy. The resolution was referred
to a committee on Public Welfare.
Many important bills were introduced,