The Monmouth inquirer., 1924-12-11
PROGRAM AWAITS
JOB ADJUSTING
New Jersey Republicans In Leg
iSIature Intend to Care for
Faithful Party Men.
TAX REDUCTION TO FORE
Governor siIzer's Message likely to
Stress Demands of States Tax
payers--Whitney May Figure
In Some Insurgent Activity.


Trenton.-It is altogether probable
that taxation will eventually come
forth as the outstanding problem for
the forthcoming session Of the legis-
lature, preparations for which appear
to have been put across by the Re.
publican majority with so little visible
friction. 1t is certain that if the ma.
jority gets the drift of public opinion
in the state it will do something to
remove one large cause for unrest
and dissatisfaction. And yet the con.
ference committees named by the Sc
lected presiding officers of the two
houses after last Tuesdays tame bal
loting have sent forth no outlines of
the program for the session, and no.
body appears to have any clear idea
of what is projected.
Perhaps the committees will give
consideration to the most pressing
matters to command attention and to
answer some of the demands as repre-
sented in the platform adopted by the
state convention. They will probably
make report in two weeks when the
senators and assemblymen-elect re-
turn to get al idea of what is likely
to happen with respect to the division
O. the patronage. That matter APP
peared to have had more serious i'm
port to the Republicans than any plan
of action for the session.
There are so many of the faithful
to be rewarded with soft berths in
the legislature and so many members
to be appeased that the steering com
mittees" will have their work cut out
for them. Eighteen senators and
forty-seven assemblyn.en will present
their lists to the committees and exert
all the power they can command to
get their followers on the payroll
That, to be sure, will consume some
little time, not to mention the jockey
ing and wire-pulling, so that the pro-
gram for the session will probably
have to await the outcome of the
scramble
Nevertheless the taxpayers of the
state expect from the Lawmakers
CdIiy anu GAOCllNS dlbCnLlOn IL IuS
pressing problem to which so many
minds are directed at this time. What
with federal, state, county and local
taxes, the average home-owner finds
It difficult to keep himself square, and
those who are striving to clear off
mortgages are obliged to make many
twists and turns.
Taxation Question Again
No doubt Governor Silzer in his
message to the legislature will touch
upon the taxation question again, as
he did last year, following up his in-
augural address; but as this is the
governors last year what he may have
to say will fall lightly upon the ears
of the Republican legislature. Still.
1t will have the strict attention of the
taxpayers. and they will give the law
makers plenty to digest during the ses-
sion. The governor has been con-
WINGED that the people of the state are
justly entitled to tax reductions. and
he has had his own ideas of how that
can be achieved, presenting the ideas
In his messages, but with legislature
politically disinclined to tune in with
his wave nothing has come of his sug-
gestions. In view of the Importance
of the next state campaign, with so
much at stake, it is very likely that
the governor will return to the sub
ject and press it with all his power.
Nor is that the only subject which
the governor will probably give attep-
ton in his message. Last winter he
arranged special joint session, at
which he made long. somewhat SEN
s4tional address urging survey of
the whole public school system of the
state, with the purpose of discovering
what was wrong and whether the peo-
pie were getting a fair return for the
enormous sums of money spent upon
education every year, with strong
trend upward and no corresponding
Improvement in results. He called
sharp attention to widespread charges
that graduates of the high and normal
schools had displayed woeful igno-
rance of the fundamentals of educa-
ton. that extravaganza in the con-
st .uction and equipment of school
buildings had been called to his atten-
ton, citing several conspicuous in
stances, and he desired to learn If
the educational system Of the state
was reaching the standard which it
should reach under the liberal appro-
priations by the state and the munic-
qualities.
The governors quest was futile. The
legislature declined to start the sur
vey he suggested It would have cost
some money, to be sure, but the gov
ernor felt that 1t would be well spent.
even If 1t proved that high grade
Of efficiency had been reached in the
school system and that it was func-
tioning at 100 per cent. The Repub
lican majority baked at the plan, but
good many people In New Jersey
nave been wondering to what extent
the governor was right, believing that
he had obtained information upon
which he had based his request, and
IL g. 1fr