The Penn's Grove record., 1917-07-06
State News

CaSale, Il cOuNlcl, 10 uedtu at lhe ClatV
Prison, Governor Edge has written Prose-
cutor Martin Deylin, Of Mercer County,
requesting him to make a thorough in
vestigation of the case. Members of the
Citizens Union, headed by ]. A. II. Hop
kins, of Morristown, who is also the Pro-
g~ressive leader, charged that Deputies at
the Prison had ~blackjacked Casale, caus-
ing his death. Prison Keeper Mulhoron
and other head officials claim Casale was
insane and became so violent it was re-
cesSary to subdue, but that no unneoes=
sary violence was used. Owing to the
vote of the other members of the Board
Of Prison Inspectors generating the Dep
uties against whom other charges were
recently made, William p. Dickson, of
Essex County, has resigned as a member
of this Board. He was head Of Governor
Edges prison investigating committee and
did such good work that the Governor in
duced him to become a Prison Inspector.
The State Board of Health reports that
there were 13 cases of infantile paralysis
in the State during May, compared with
only two cases in May last year. There
was a decrease in the number of cases of
tuberculosis, I'll in May this year,
against 1905 last May. The total num-
Der of deaths in May was 3,547, or rate
of 14.1s. This is slightly less than for
April this year, and q decided decrease
from the rate of last February, when the
rate was 1870.
The fight before the State Public Util-
ity Commission between the municipali-
ties of the State and the gas companies
over the question of lowering the stand
ard of gas has gone off for two weeks.
On Monday counsel for the municipalities
asked for two weeks extension in order
to give them time to prepare to examine
the expert testimony put in by the com
panies. The municipalities have engaged
Judson Dickerson. of the Virginia Cor
poration Commission as their expert. The
gas companies opposed the -postponement,
but the Utility Board granted the two
weeks extension.
Not much attention is being paid in
State political circles to the move in Jer-
sey City to boost Commissioner A. Harry
Moore. of that city, a Democratic candi-
date for Governor. More led the success
full ticket at the recent election in Jer-
StN lily. II Is lOO early " q 6uDCLHd
torial campaign and besides Commissioner
Moore can hardly be classed as a State
figure yet.
Several additional recommendations
have just been made as to ways in which
the people can aid the war with Germany.
w. s. Clifford, chairman of the Committee
on National Defense asks that farmers
unite in purchasing fertilizer and other
commodities in order to avoid wasting
space in freight cars. The American
Railway Association claims that only Al
per cent. of the space in freight ears has
been used owing to individual shipments
that do not fill the cars. By joining ship
ments this space would be saved, enabling
the railroads to give the Government more
service for war shipping. The New Jer-
sey Committee ON Public Safety is con-
tinuing its crusade to get bakers to stop
accepting returns of unsold bread, as q
step in conserving wheat flower. The
Committee is also planning to aid the
Council of National Defense in the use
of motion pictures to aid the war meas
ures.
Governor Edge declares he has abso-
luteiy no intention of calling a special
session of the Legislature for the purpose
of creating a State constabulary force to
take the place of the National Guard
There will be no special session unless
unforeseen circumstance of an emergency
character connected with the war make i
necessary. There is an agitation for a
State co%nstabulary coming from same
quarters as last winter when the bill was
pending in the Legislature for this pro-
vision to protect the State while the reg
ular Guard is serving the colors.
There continues to be great dissatisfac-
eioH over the way the examinations for
candidates for election officers are being
conducted this year. Owing to a lack of
appropriation the arrangements for the
tests under the Geran act have been
greatly curtailed and the hours for them
have not been fixed to suit the candidates,
bat the examiners. There have been nu-
merous snarls in the plans, and altogether
the tests have been far from successful.
While there should be more than 5000
aigibfes from which to make the appoint
nsnts, it is said the tests will produce
less than 1000 because of the way they
have been handled.
Pass a local option bill next winter
with a statewide referendum attached, is
the proposal just made by State Senator
Emerson L. Richards, Republican, of At
lantic County. This is the plan that was
followed with the Chancellor-Sherif jury
reform bill a few years ago. That bill
was adopted at the polls and is now a law,
Some politicians profess to see the hand
IF Governor Edge back of the Richards
proposition. as the two are from the same
county and are close friends.
Senator Richards admits that local op-
ton will be an issue in the approaching
~eampaign. and maintains that the state
referendum is the only solution of the
2erplexing question. If such a bill were
passed no municipality would have the
light to vote on the saloon question unless
he bill were first adopted by a majority
If the voters at the polls.
eff seems to me-" says Senator Rich
ards. that the Statewide referendum