Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1916-01-22
Senator Edge Wants
New Jersey Affairs
Run As Big Business

Trenton. Jan. l1.-StaCe SENATOR
Walter E. Edge, of Atlantic City, the
introducer of the bill presenting the
Republican proposition for State
Purchasing Bureau, replied to-day to
the objection of Governor Fielder to
make him the head of the Bureau, as
the Edge measure provides. Governor
Fielder has stated that he thinks that
the law already makes the Governor
the head of too many commissions and
boards and gives him too much detail
work with reference to passing on
contracts, signing scores of papers,
etc. Senator Edges statement in
part is as follows:
"As the sponsor of the State
Purchasing Bill and one of the Bud
get Systems Measures, which inspir-
ed Governor Fielder's much discussed
protest against further responsible
ties, l would be inclined to agree with
the Governor, if he really desires a
business-like Encouragement of his
duties.
Further l will be pleased, as a
member of the Legislature, to assist
him in bringing this about, if he or
his Attorney Generals department.,
will prepare the necessary legislative
acts to relieve him of unnecessary
technical clerical detail.
"At the same time, the Governor
must in my opinion retain general
administrative responsibility and con-
troll, to be able to properly conduct the
business affairs Of the State. The
Governor should and undoubtedly does
know better than anyone else just
those statuatory demands upon his
time, productive of no real good and
he alone is in position to prepare
or direct the legislation required
However, in doing this, the Governor
should keep in mind two or three
general principles of responsibility
and, if he does, / am sure we will
have no trouble in reaching an agree
ment.
therefore, if the Governor in his
protest, is prepared to cooperate in a
business-like view of eliminating his
unnecessary responsibilities, and tax
ing on those that would generally be
recognized as important, l again re-
peat that I am quite certain the
Legislature will gladly help him.
Frankly, it is my belief that Gov
ernor Fielder has devoted more time
to his official work than some Gov
ernors, who have gone before, and
am positive that he is absolutely sin
cere in his complaint. At the same
time, one cannot refrain from COM
pairing the daily work and responsi-
bilities of the average active general
manager Of any successful business
corporations, with that of the Gov
ernor ofSANew Jersey or any other
State. So far as actual hours at the
desk attending to business, apart
from constitutional requirements, is
concerned, l am sure all will agree
that the policy of conducting any
States business, suffers in compari-
son. Just why the $15,000,000 an
nual business of New Jersey should
be viewed in any different light, than
the business of private corporation,
has always been hard to determine.
"Some day, perhaps, States bust
ness will be generally accepted as a
real business proposition, when the
Governor will be, in fact, the business
manager, rather than alone the po-
litical leader of the party, and this
thought is not directed in the slight
est to the present Governor of our
State, who, in my judgment has been
unusually conscientious in caring for
the detail responsibility of his Office. "