The Penn's Grove record., 1917-01-12
STATE CAPITOL NEWS
What The State Officials Are
Doing. What The Political
Leaders Are Talking
About

HA5 AAA4 OL Tie Inauguration Oh Tower
uor-elect Edge next IuSday. the opeu-
ing of the session Of the 14lst New
Jersey Legislature at the State House
yesterday was an event OF more than
ordinary importance, and consequently
attracted unusual attention. The two
Houses convened at noon, organized for
Tie session, received two messages from
Governor Fielder, and put IN motion
the machinery which during the next
Twelve or fourteen weeks VIII bring be-
lore the Lawmakers several hundred bills
Tor their consideration, Of which prob
ably some two hundred VIII be enacted
into law.
one OF Governor FEEDERS messages
transmitted the new state budget, pre-
pared by the Executive under the bud
get act passed by tie last Legislature,
ana II was the brst time in the history
OF the state that the legislators had laid
before them on the opening day Of tie
session a comprehensive outline of the
estimated needs Of the state government.
Ihe budget is for the new fiscal year
beginning November /, 1917. The Gov
ernOr recommended total state appropria-
ions OF SS,2Jl, 1850. lie showed that
the requests Tor money filed with him by
the state departments and institutions
under the budget act t0taled S14493.-
|Ot 30. Is Governor Fielder was pro-
nlDlted from recommending appropria-
A+|A1 IL NAEE1c "a LlE dALlEL1aIEU revenue
u the state, he made cuts -aggregating
%6,2SG2l4.3l in these requests. Tie bud
get total IS @l34,49S.40 more thar the
Total of the appropriations for the curr-
ent year.; and S9J6,602 more than the
total of the appropriations for the fiscal
year of 191J-19l6.
These budget figures are not final. of
course. They viii 90 to the Joint APP
preparations Committee, which viii pre-
pare and introduce the Appropriation bills
ds usual just how far the Governors
estimates viii be observed is unknown. he
being a Democrat and the Appropriations
committee and the Legislature con
uOlled by the Republicans.
Complying with the budget act, State
Comptroller Edwards and State Treasurer
lteau submitted to the Governor a sum
airy OF the financial condition of the state.
Governor Fielder submitted this with the
budget. 1t showed a free balance in the
state treasury October 81, last, of S1,S56.-
su5.Si, with estimated net receipts avail
able Tor state purposes of SS.044,37
AKIN the estimated net receipts avail
able TO meet appropriations for the
tlrrent hscal year ending October 81,
1871, stand at S9,900.673.S7. From this
.after sum the Governor subtracted
aS.0t3.2J5.2J, the sum OF the annual
year, leaving an estimated excess of re-
sources Nov. ], 1917 of S1,S27, 41S.62.
AHlN A0A L. 4LALAEL EAIu ne DN4IEkEn TF1F
unless this Legislature makes large APP
JIOpriations, the state viii have a balance
OF at least Sl,YJO,00O this year to add TO
the estimated revenue November /, next.
the end of the fiscal year. With that
thought in mind, he suggests additional
appropriations which he believes meri-
@torlous, a~ggregating $4,000.
y
Governor FEEDERS valedictory. or last
annual message to the legislature.
omitted any recommendations as to state
policy, courteously leaving them to his
successor, whose inaugural message will
be submitted to the state next Tuesday
at noon. The Fielder message was brief.
The Legislature should always keep q
:suoAGpu5umo9ad g9!q3 s!Q 9IB 5I5H
Tree balance of at least S1.000OO0 in the
treasury as a protection against con-
Jingeucies.
The old State Prison here should be
abandoned, the Prison removed to the
State Heformatorv at Railway, and a
new Reformatory erected.
Convlcts IN the State Prison should
be kept employed, even if the contract
labor system recently abolished, has to
be re-eStablished.
The system Of paying c~onvicts a small
wage for the support OF their dependents
should be improved.
The new State Purchasing Department
ANflAAf bE AdAAC I4bLE EllElUL ana SuclSS-
tul by allowing it sufficient mony.
4 new State Building should be erected
20 relieve the congestion in the State
House and give several departments
needed room.
The Governor said he viii end his
connection with the state with genuine
regret. 1t IS not necessary for me to
ask for my successor he continued, the
cooperation, assistance and support thet
has 50 generously been given me. I
know he VIII find it ready for him
Differing in several important par
lculars from the state highway reforms
proposed by GoverHor-elecJ Edge, the re-
port of Governor FEEDERS special Road
Commission was transmitted to the Legis-
ldture yesterday by the Governor. 1t
provides a State Highway Board Of three
members, to be named by the Governor
and confirmed by the Senate; salary not
TO exceed $1,000 each; term SIX fears.
Power of removal for cause is given to
the Governor and full responsibility for
The establishment and maintenance OF a
State Highway System is put upon the
Board. The chief officers proposed are
a State Highway Engineer, salary not to
exceed Sl6,VuU Il year, n a State High
way Chief Clerk to head the clerical
bureau, salary not 10 exceed 5000. 1t
S recommended that as far as highway
work be concerned, the County and NUM-
Ipdl Engineers be connected with the
state Highway Department.
All employees 0f the Highway Board
are placed under civil service and au-
bority is given for the employment Of
auuvict labor ON the roads. The Com
mission recommends the construction Of
IA State Highway system Of 1850 miles
Of main highways during the next five
years. which it is estimated viii cost
S25.0O0,0OO, with $3.O00,000 more for
maintenance. This work would be
financed as follows; From the Federal
Government, $SSS200; state ~appropria-
tions, S3.jO0.u00; m~otorvehicle licence
fund, S~9.G60.000; total S14.O4S,2 200. The
balance would be raised by a state tax
Of one mill, or 81 on the $1,000 for the
i've years, producing an estimate of S14-
000,OOO, giving a grand total Of S2S,-
HH40O0.
The plan Of G~overnor-elect Edge calls
for a non-partisan State Highway Com
csNTINuED oN PACK 4