Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-01-12

ment For Murder-Review and Fare
well.
Trenton, Jan. 9.-In his third annual
message to the legislature Governor
James +. Fielder said:
To the Legislature:
In presenting this message, within a
week of the close of my term, 1 con-
slider 1t only courteous and fair to my
successor to make 40 recommendations
on new state policies or legislation.
but rather to leave him entirely free
to advise with you on such matters as
he may wish to present touching the
management and conduct of the state.
During my term of Office l have from
time to time communicated to the leg
islature my views concerning the con
dition of the state, and | nave recon-
mended the enactment of such meas
ures as | believed e~xpedient or proper.
With some of those recommendations
the legislature has agreed. l have no
wish TO withdraw any of those on
which no action has been taken or
even to suggest any modification there
in. Rather would l refer you to them
again for further consideration.
Great Growth of the State.
The growth of the state has been
steady, and its population is now
10000 900. Its field of activity and OPP
Grafton has been greatly extended in
recent years, and it did a business,
with o receipts for the year ending
Oct. 81, 1916, of $12,917 $3.50.
We are giving more thought and at
tention to protection by the state of
the personal rights and property inter-
ests of the individual and to his Sc
curity, comfort and happiness. and to
Increased the scope of courts and de-
partments already esta blished and
have added new branches of govern
ment. This is shown by the enactment
of laws for the regulation of public
utilities; the tenement house act; the
supervision of weights and measures;
the children's guardian board; the
widows pension act; the pure food
and healths1na1ltes.-the YoElkmep,s-
compensation act; improved sanitary
requirements for bake shops, factories
and other work places, and the safe
mechanics and operatives under the
supervision of the labor department.
In the care of the insane and defec-
tives and for the restraint of the Grim
inal we have found 1t necessary to ac-
quire more land and to enlarge the
institutions devoted to them, which in
cludes the establishment of a new col.
ony for the feeble minded, a new site
for an insane building or buildings. a
new building for the criminal insane
in connection with the Trenton hos
pital and the women's reformatory.
AS an illustration of the scale of state
expenditures, let me instance that dur
ing the three years of my administra-
ton the legislature has appropriated
for the purchase of additional Lands.
for new buildings and for remodeling
of old buildings with their appurte-
nances, all devoted solely to the state
care of mental detectives and the Grim
inal and exclusive of repairs and equip
ment, more than 81 100000.
Raising More Revenues.
To meet the legitimate demands of
all state departments and institutions
for larger appropriations with which
to finance the great increase in the
states activities the revenues of the
state were severely taxed, and the leg
.-Iu4.uu &c 1n11 ura. aoIIoI 800 =.
provide new sources of income if a
state tax or bond issue would be avoid
ed. This was accomplished by the en-
actment of an inheritance tax act, i'm
posing a reasonable and fairly graded
tax on the estate of d~ecedents, which
in the first year of It's operation added
nearly 100000 to the state funds.
The requisition act, passed the same
year, also aided in relieving the finan-
cial situation, in that it helped to check
improper expenditures.
The net increase of state receipts for
the year just closed oyer the previous
year was $749,54S.72 Z, and the balance
in the treasury Oct. 81, 1916, for state
uses was 1891, 000.42, against which
were ~OulSldHu1lS ItQuiSlllOIs anu tOn-
tracts amounting to 81, 3 ,696,55, leav-
ing a free balance in excess of obliga-
lions of every kind and nature of ST.
1856. 303.S7. 1t is a wise financial poll
ey, and it should be the aim of the leg
islature always to keep a large free
balance, at least $1,000,000, in the
treasury as a protection against un.
foreseen contingencies, since the con.
~etitution prohibits the creation of any
debt or liability of the state in excess of
100000 except by vote of the people.
Our state departments and institu.
lions are In excellent condition, except
for the need of additional room, and
are well managed. Indeed, the state
is most fortunate in having the serv
ices on its various boards, as heads Of
departments and as superintendent Of