Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-01-11
MESSAGE.

Gentlemen of the Legislature:
You are about to write final chapters
of the story of how u state govern
ment was made an active partner with
industrial, commercial and human en-
ergy In the development of New Jer-
sey's wonderful natural resources. 1t
will be a vitality interesting story. 1t
will record the task of bringing a state
government, a vague thing as usually
viewed, nearer to the people. Not the
operation of an experimental labora-
tory of democracy, but simple adher-
,ence to the old compound of ordinary
business principles, will be the general
theme. The story will picture govern
ment not as frequently portrayed, a
deterrent to individual initiative and
enterprise, but as a helpful agency OIL
cooperation. It's pages will show gov
eminent operating in concert with ac-
cepted business customs of directness,
dispatch, economy and efficiency rath-
er than in accord with partisan habits
of lost motion, procrastination, extrav-
agance and mismanagement. You VIII
feel q sense of pride as factors prima-
lrily responsible for a Encouragement of
public affairs which will have enabled
the state household fully to measure
up to the limitless opportunities of
New Jersey, thoroughly to mine the
rich ore of its undeveloped assets,
smoothly to cooperate with the fed
eral government in that greater ma
tional growth and position to which
New Jersey is entitled by the impor-
lance of its geographical situation and
its commercial advantages among the
states of the Union.
Future Possibilities of Present Water.
front Development.
1t is essential to get the proper at
lmosphere in order to keep the objec-
tives of a business form of state gov
eminent ever before us. Therefore I
ask your indulgence while l ( defer for a
moment reference to immediate legis-
lative needs and digress to the possi-
bilities of the future New Jersey, to
the entirely plausible results in years
to come of progressive steps already
undertaken or in process of incubation
for instance, the creation of the New
York-New Jersey Port and Harbor De-
velopment Commission, constituting
the first step in the national partner
ship in big things of New York and
New Jersey.
Today this body is serving the fed
eral government, along with cabinet
officers and other executives, as the
War Board of the Port of New York.
Already the federal var department is
spending millions On the acquisition
and reclamation of thousands of prac-
tically idle acres on the Raritan river
and Newark bay so that they may be
transformed into gigantic port termi-
nails ealculated-eventually of course
to expand New Jersey commercially
and industrially at the same time as
such projects relieve congestion at the
port of New York, the national institu-
ton, and supply a very positive wal
time need. Does not this reveal the
splendid opportunity of capitalizing our
waterfront assets not merely as a wal
expediency, but under all conditions?
Facilities Need of the Hour.
With necessary federal cooperation,
cultivation can be given to New Jer-
sey's commercial and industrial soil
that will produce a harvest of benefit
to the whole country. Opportunity in
the past found us sleeping at the
switch. We are obliged to ask house
wives and business men and shopkeep-
ers to save at the spigot because there
has been all ann of waste at the
bung of neglected opportunity. The