The Penn's Grove record., 1920-08-20
Want Revision of
State Constitution
Increased Salaries of Legislators
Desirable Changes at Rah-
lieved at Asylums =
way. Congestion Re-

Ill the legislature are seeking their sup
port, bat there Is none more impor-
tant than the need Of amending the
Constitution, a matter which the pres
'ent legislature did not ever consider,
though there is not the slightest doubt
that most of the members had it in
miAAd{ particularly the de~sirability of
increasing the compensation beyond
$500 a year.
When the present salary was fixed.
not only We're living expenses much
lower, but the cost of going through
a primary and election campaign was
1nconsiderable in comparison with the
t--pellSeS now, n since the salaries
OF every otler class of public officers
have been generously increased there
is no reason why the enators and as
snrlb1Ymen should not receive consid-
Grafton. 1t is true that Il salary in
crease amendment was defeated a few
years ago, but conditions weIe differ
ent then.
The subject of biennial sessions
should also receive attention. New
Jersey is n Of not more thar half
q dozen of the states that stick to the
ancient custom of holding legislative
sessions annually. In the old days two
Or Three 'sittings' were held yearly,
and it $ time that the people took an
other step forward and adopted the
biennial session plan, which will not
appear like such a radical move after
the experiences of this year.
Many other changes in the Constitu-
ton are desirable, and the legislative
candidates should be men with ability
and force TO present them for consid-
Grafton next year in order that they
Eiay be submitted to popular vote in
1922. after having received the ap-
proval of two successive legislatures.
This is no time to nominate candi-
dates whose only claim is that they
covet the honor and think they will be
liable to give as good service as others
have given. The fact is that the serv-
ice has been unsatisfactory. 1t can be
improved by raising the standard of
candidates.
More Honor Among Railway Inmates.
In Railway Reformatory during the
past year the new methods advocated
by the State Department of Institu-
lions and Agencies, principally con-
corning the classification of it's in
mates have been carried out along
more extensive and thorough lines
= han in any other institution of the
state and have effected a marked
change in the results obtained in the
reformatory. This statement is made
in a letter to Ogden H. Hammond,
%resident of the State Board of Con-
tiol of Institutions and Agencies, by
Burdette G.. Lewis, Commissioner of
Institutions and Agencies, who says
that the reformatory has served as
an experiment station to show the
progress made under the system in
augurated about two and one-half
years ago with the creation of the
State Department of Institutions and
Agencies.
Mental tests, which had been tried
out as early as 1911, but limited to
the administration of the school of
7 the institution, were kept within
these limitations until the latter part
VI ICIO, WllSH la 1idSoiilNdIiOh was ca
tended to include every inmate COM
mitted to the institution. Not quite
two years operation of the classifica-
ton methods We're necessary to drive
home their efficiency. By these means
it was demonstrated that there vas
more honor among the inmates than
it was possible to disclose under the
old method of control.
Commissioner lewis letter shows
that from a record of escapes, a total
of twenty in 1918, to the year just
closed, during which there were re-
ported only two escapes, was the long
step toward the goal of perfection,
which the modern treatment of the in
mates is designed to accomplish.
New Wards for State Hospital.
Proposed building operations at the
Morris Plains hospital, for which
S80O.000 is available, were considered
at a conference between Governor Ed
wards, Superintendent Marcus A.
Curry of the hospital, Daniel s.. Voor-
aces of the board of managers and
State Architect Francis Bent.
Mr.. Bent expressed the belief that
in place of the two ~psychopathic
wings proposed to be erected, but
which it was found would cost far in
excess of the available appropriation,
it would be possible to build a double
building with two p~sychOpathic wards
and an administration structure in
the center for 100000, the amount
available for the purpose. 1t was
agreed that this should be done, pro-
vided a contract can be awarded with
in the appropriation.
IT was also agreed that the other
half of the appropriation, or 100000
should be devoted to building an in
Urinary at the hospital and that the
work should be undertaken as soon as
possible. Although the completion OF
these structures will not relieve en-
Catarrh Cannot Be Cured