Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1917-02-01
By M'LISS
Trenton, Jan. 20.

Trenton, Jan. 20.
The new Governor of New Jersey
smiled a sardonics smile and his blue
eyes twin.kled behind his pincenez
when | told him that l had come to
see him to find out what plans he has
to make the skeeter State "sweeter
and holier" place.
Outside in his offices and anterooms
there was the pleasant hum of people
who, having subsisted on crumbs for
six years, are about to be let in at
the feast Indeed, the old State House
at Trenton these days fairly exudes
Republicans who are convinced that
New Jersey is about the Sweetest
and holiest' place to be found on the
map.
Governor Edge rejected the sweet
and holy, however.
I'm going to run this State, if pos
sible, on a business basis,' he said.
and then added humorously, "and I'm
going to put in as many good Repub-
licans to help me run it as l have the
power to-"
The Governor explained that his is
the only elective State job; all the
rest are appointive; therefore, before
his term has expired he will have a
slzable number of good Republicans
helping him put the State on a prac-
tical basis.
"The old idea of having the control
of various institutions scattered will
have to 60, he said. "I want the au-
thority centralized, SO that if censure
is to be leveled We know instantly
where to level it.
Much Of this criticism of the pris-
ons, he continued, getting down to
brass tacks, ''has been exaggerated.
but it is quite possible that our penal
system is not on an up-to-date, prac-
tical basis. There are two boards
whose authority overlaps, but, of
course, l did not nave the newspaper
investigations to let me in on that.
Gov. Fielder pointed out in his
last message that the prisons needed
looking into and three weeks before
the newspapers got on to all this I
had written my inaugural address. in
which l considered the condition of
the prisons.
so no one need expect me to go
up in Pc air over this. I believe in
looking at these things calmly and
sanely. 1t is quite true that the pris
oners need more outside employment.
that the regime is perhaps antiuuat-
ed.
Il have appointed a commission of
five experts. the chairman of which is
William B. Dickson. All of the au-
thority has been delegated to them.
They will investigate every phase OF
the prison situation. When their re-
port is in We shall lose no time in
getting the necessary legislation.
I'D like to see the prisoners out
clearing the swamps and working in
the quarries. If there are dungeons
and other barbarities they shall be
done away with. I shall be in per-
sonal touch with the commission.
He said it crisply and finally. Wal
ter Evans Edge. whose name is a per-
petual temptation to the punster, is a
business man from the ground up.
When he says thing shall be done
you feel instantly that it will be done
expeditiously and we'll. He doesn't
waste words. He doesn't believe in
heroics.
A stronger man than he might have
been tempted to indulge in the "gal-
lery play" and sob stuff" when the
prison scandals were divulged at the
outset of his gubernatorial career. 1t
was splendid opportunity for him
to attitudinize and declaim that New
Jersey must be "saccharine and sane
timonious" or "prophylactic and pure
Instead he merely declares: