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

you are to the. balance of the govern
fnent of the state, and / need scarcely
call your attention to the imperative
necessity of a brief, accurate legisla-
tive session. Businesslike lawmaking
Is of the essence of business govern
ment.
River Traffic Projects.
Commissions to supervise the con-
struction of a traffic bridge over the
Delaware river, connecting New Jersey
and Pennsylvania, and a tunnel under
the Hudson river, connecting New Jer-
sey and New York, have been estab-
lished, appointed and organized. 1t Is
plainly necessary hat an adequate sys-
tenn of financing these improvements
charge of these projects have agreed
that they are very properly regarded
as extensions of the state highway
system, now in course of construction,
and in accordance with this view | call
your attention to the fact that any
state wide tax imposed for the purpose
of financing the river traffic improve
ments should not be levied until after
taxes sufficient to finance the road sys-
ten completely have been levied. In
other words, in order to avoid duplica-
ton, excessive taxation and as a mat
ter of ordinary business judgment tax
alton for the purpose of meeting the
cost of the river traffic construction
should not begin until about four years
hence, when the highway overland sys-
ten shall have been financed. In the
meantime it becomes necessary to ne
gotiate and conclude details of on
struction with the states to be so on
nected and, following that, to decide
mutually on engineering plans. IL
when this is all complete succeeding
legislatures believe through existing
conditions that the tax should be
brought forward that is a matter of
simple legislative action. The bills rec
commended provide the method. OF ne
cessity future legislatures must decide
on the time. General ~Goethals, the
state engineer, has estimated the cost
of the two river traffic improvements
at $24, 100000, which makes New Jer-
sey's share $12,0 100000, or less than the
cost of the highway system. These
figures, considered in a comparative
way, indicate what possibilities exist
for developing and capitalizing the nat
ural u of New Jersey through
a businesslike and equitable method of
financing without imposing any sud-
den or severe burden upon property or
people. l confidently believe that after
the road construction has progressed
for a year or more the payment plan
will be found so eminently fair and
easy to sustain and the benefits of
good roads so great and plainly visible
that the state will be not only willing,
but eager, for further expansion along
the same lines.
State Institutions-PenaI, Correctional
and Otherwise.
A commission has worked for the
past year investigating penal and cor
rectional institutions of the state with
a view to their permanent betterment.
Another commission has similarly la
bored with regard to state institutions
OlliCl tlldit pCHdl anu COIItCllOIiuI.
Now, it is of paramount importance
that legislation be enacted, based upon
the reports submitted by these two
commissions, designed to centralize re-
sponsibility and thus remedy ills of
administration, management and con
troll and to solve, in a practical way,
the problems of prison labor and in
stitutional economy and efficiency. At
least two successful experiments with
~reformatory labor in this state must
act as a stimulus to the latter task.
One, the building of the Georgetown
Wrightstown road, leading to Camp
Dix, and the other the cultivation of
state owned land in Hunterdon coun-
ty, which resulted in a farm output
upon which a net profit Of $4,000 was
realized.
Obligations at Homa.
There is very good reason why we
should pay particular attention to the
betterment of our state institutions
during this period of 1tress. The war
In which we are engaged is one for
liberty, independence and civilization.
While we are fighting for these things
In a fundamental, world wide sense,
we cannot afford to neglect vital and
important interests, such as the sup
port of charities at home and the
proper care of helpless ones within
our borders. Special efforts must be
made to provide better facilities and
more relief for dependents, and 1 know
of no more effective way to bring this
about than through the reorganization
Of our institutional system along bust
nesslike lines. The war will end some
day. Then we will need experienced,
co-ordinated eleemosynary activities In
order to effectively and economically
cope with conditions.
Pertinent to this is the thought that
perhaps our law should be more con-
siderate of those unfortunates born