Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-01-19

succeeded as deStrOyerS OF the STATE 8
business and income? 1t is a well
known fact that a considerable num-
Der of the provisions of the so called
"Seven Sisters are In conflict with
the Clayton act of the federal govern
ment. Is 1t not unwise. that u state
laws regulating business should con-
fict with the last word that the fed
eral government has said upon this
important subject?
l do not ask these questions In a
spirit of antagonism based on an opin-
ion already formed, but rather In a
spirit of genuine inquiry. 1t is the
duty of this administration to ascer-
tain what the future attitude of New
Jersey is going to be toward the corpo--
~rations. While my face is firmly set
against the encouragement of unlawful
combinations for purposes of manipu-
lation and extortion or undue restraint
of trade, at the same time l am not
committed to an idealistic principle.
which costs the state a great deal In
lost revenue and business prestige if
that principle is only idealistic and not
practical. take the stand that, while
unlawful "big business Is intolerable,
all 'big business is not unlawful, and
business is not unlawful because 1t Is
big. On the corporation question let
us keep our minds open and search
with fidelity end without prejudice for
the facts.
ION the subject Of taxation reform
the governor said that the question of
| on11o 1izo fion a ha cn1ryod on1x hD rl~
ing final power to a body with state.
wide jurisdiction working in conjunc-
ton with the county boards and they
with independent, properly protected
assessors.]
No corporation can be conducted
along successful business lines unless.
its employees are competent and loyal.
They cannot be competent If they are
selected from political consideration
rather than because of ability; they
nno be loyal if they are subject tor
outside political influence. Conse-
quently l make an earnest plea for
the Strengthening and broadening of
the civil service system, and 1 urge.
that this administration be in thor
ough sympathy at all times with the
merit system.
Election Laws.
1t is our duty to give consideration
during this administration to the di-
rect primary act and the corrupt prac--
tees act. They may be considered
| together for the reason that they are.
closely related. ,
Most of the features of the corrupt
practices act are effective and ought
not to be tempered with at all. But
the admitted weakness of the act Is.
that there is no limit to the amount
which may be expended. OF course. the.
candidate himself is limited by law,
but there is no limit to the help which
he may receive from friends. While.
this loophole may be very useful and
may not be so very unfair, because
any party may take advantage of the
situation, at the same time it utterly
destroys the idea of equality.
L suggest that we consider how to,
strengthen the corrupt practices act
so as to prevent the excessive expendi-
ture of money. Apparently there are
at least two remedies. One is ne. Eng
lish system of limiting the amount
that can be expended by either can
| didate or his friends. Ns other rem
edy is to add TO the th'ngs prohibited
by law for which money Eaay e spent.
For instance. we might prohibit the
printing and posting OF pictures other
than such as is necessary to announce
public meetings. The posting Of pi-
lures of candidates is Il very large item
of expense and fails to appeal TO the
reason of anybody. 1t gives Il undue
advantage to the man who raises the
most money. 1t is a needless eXlrIsa
and usually resorted to simply because,
the other fellow does it. Moreover,
posters litter the highways and mar
scenery. OF course this is but one sng-
gestion by way of Illustration. I'm
doubtedly there are other practical
ways of limiting the expenditures.
With regard to the direct primary
act, l want to r%eiterate at this time
that any attempt to emasculate the
election law in the interests of parti-
sanship ought TO be promptly and I'M
tremendously discouraged wherever
It is found. But at the same time I
realize tina the question of the prac-
ticability of certain features of the di-
rect primary and election acts must be
considered by this Administrations
frankly and fearlessly without any
hesitation because of ~insinuations that
men or party are attempting to weak
en- the acts in their fundamentals. No
act is so sacred that it doesn't require
Improvement or alteration from time
to time as people gain more experience
and conditions change. Any act, l take
it. which so completely closes the OPP
portunity for general competition for
public office needs/at least careful re-
Wow and studied consideration.