The Penn's Grove record., 1917-02-23

80 %AtA
tens, Democrats. Those against it were
McCran, Mutchler, Richards, Republican,
and Ackerson, Barber, McGlennon ana
Munson, Democrats.
The Senate has passed the bill pro
viding for the participation of a detail
of the New Jersey National Guard in
the Inauguration of President Wilson on
March 5, for a second term. 1t was
amended, cutting the appropriation from
$4,000 to $4,000 and designating one
battery of fed artillery and two troops
of calvary as the New Jersey detail.
Owing to the increase in the price of
bread and the decrease in the size of
the loaves, State Superintendent of
Weights and Measures, William L. Wal
dron, in his annual report, advocates a
law compelling bakers to mark the weight
on every loaf. He also favors a law Civ
ing the Superintendent of Weights and
Measures authority to test gas, electric
and water meters.
The Prison Labor Commission has sub
mItted TO the Governor and Legislature
a report recommending an appropriation
of $19O,5O0 to properly install the "state
use" system in the Prison, or the plan
of having the ~convicts~ manufacture goods
to be used in the state institutions. Au-
tomobile license tags, of which the state
now uses thousands annually, would also
be made in the Prison if the plan of this
Commission be adopted.
The result of the inquiry of the State
Board of Health into sanitary conditions
at the State Prison, made at the request
of the Prison Investigation Commission,
is given in a report of the Health Board
just FL ed with Governor Edge. 1t claims
that the tuberculosis mortality rate in
the Prison during the last five years has
been 81 per cent. The Safe Board finds
numerous violations of all sanitary and
health regulations and makes sever-1
recommendations for improvements.
DR.. NJ. w. Bedden and DIR. J. W.
Crane, the Prison physicians, have written
to Governor Edge r~esenting as false the
charges made by the Health Board. They
claim that the Prison death rate is less
than one per cent. of the population
there, and state that this is a remark
ably small percentage.
= =
Statewide interest has been manifested
in the recommendation in favor of mill
tary training in the public schools of the
state, as contained in the last annual re-
port of United States Senator-elect Joseph
>. Frelinghuysen, as president of the
State Board of Education. Mr.. Frelin-
huysen has resigned from the Board, but
this report covers the past year of his
services as head of the Educational De-
partment. While some object to the
recommendation, others express oppos-
ition to it. 1t will be remembered that the
special state commission on this question
has submitted a report against military
training in the high schools, but favor
ing compulsory physical training in all
schools.
After being held by the Democrats for
six years, the Office of State Comptroller,
passed to Republican control again yes
terday, when State Chairman Newton A.
h. Bugbee, of Trenton, took the oath of
the position and assumed the duties. The
oath was administered by Supreme Court
Justice Trenchard, of Trenton. Mr.. Bug
bee Immediately ~re-appointed Isaac
Doughten, Republican, of Camden,
as Deputy Comptroller, and he was sworn
in by Justice Trenchard. The double cere-
mony took place in the Senate Chamber
In the presence of Governor Edge, other
state officials and many friends of Mr..
Bugbee. In honor of the event. MI. Bug
bee received many elaborate floral pieces.
The flowers completely filled his private
office and were admired by many. Mr..
Bugbee and Mr.. Doughten each gave the
state a bond of $4,000 to insure faithful
service.
Edward |. Edwards, of Jersey City, the
retiring Comptroller, was the first Demo-
crat to be reelected State Comptroller
in the last 40 years. Since 1880, there has
been only one other Democrat in this
Office. The six years of Mr.. Edwards
have been notable for the reason that the
finances of the state, which were in a
precarious condition when he became
comptroller, have been placed on a sound
basis. He could have been a Democratic
candidate for Governor last year but pre-
ferred to accept the Presidency of the
First National Bank, of Jersey City, with
which he has long been connected.
Following the action of Governor Edge
in favor of an immediate move to build
the New Jersey Ship Canal from Borden
town to South Amboy, United States
Senator Hughes has introduced in the
upper House of Congress a resolution to
obtain information as to the progress of
the preliminary work for the canal. The
purpose is to bring the whole matter
before Congress as a basis for further
action. The survey for the waterway
has been completed under the direction
of the State Board of Commerce and
Navigation. In 1911 the Legislature
passed a joint resolution for an appro-
priation of 100000 to acquire the right
of way and turn it over to the Federal
Government when the latter takes official
action to construct the canal. Governor
Edge in his inaugural address advocated
that the state purchase a right of way
one mile wide, utilizing the land on either