The Monmouth inquirer., 1925-05-07
SAY REFORM FADS
BURDEN STATE
PaternaIiSm in Government Also
Adding to Expense and lnSti-
tuition Inmates Pampered.
GET MORE THAI TAXPAYERS
Increase in Cost Of Running New Jer-
sey's Government Due to the Fertile
Minds Of Reformers-crowd to
Get into Prison.

Observation-Disclosures in fads and
fancfes emanating from the brains of
"reformers" and in paternalistic enter
prises were given as reasons for ire
mendous increases in the cost of govr
eminent by two of five witnesses who
testified befor ethe special legislative
committee, headed by President Will
liam H. Bright, of the Senate, which
has undertaken to investigate State
expenditures.
The references to fads and fancies
came from State Comptroller Newton
A. X. Bugbee and that to paternalism,
a related subject, was made by Will
liam S. Hunt. the Republican member
of the Budget Commission. Edward
II. Grosscup, State Purchasing Agent,
and former State Treasurer and State
Democratic Chairman John A. Red
dan, Democratic member of the Bud
get Commission, and Walter r. OAR
by, Commissioner of Municipal Ac-
counts, were the other officials ques-
toned.
Fertile Minds Of Reformers'H
When Senator Alexander Simpson.
of Hudson county, asked Mr.. Bugbee
whether he had any ideas upon the
question of reducing State expenses,
the comptroller countered: do you
want my real opinion?" Told the
committee did. he went IN:
- - -
fads and fancies that are constantly
presented to the Legislature and to
the governing officials of the State.
1T is probable that g quarter, per-
haps a third. of the increase in the
cost of running the State during the
last ten years has been the product
of the fertile minds of 'reformers'-
well-thinking people who may believe
they are lettering the State but who
really are not"
Crowd to Get Into Prison
1t was Senator Simpson also who
brought from Mr.. Hunt a statement
concurring in the view that State in
situations have grown to be lad
vanced schools in sociology" and that
persons are crowding ito break into
prison on account of the especially
good treatment they receive. Mr..
Hunt said the inmates are better fed
and clothed than the ordinary citizen.
Mr.. Hunt, who is editor of the
Newark Sunday Call, said he saw in
his short State experience where in
stitutional heads have had great diff
1culty in resisting the attempt of
persons to send their children to in
stitutions for an education.
People are coming to look upon
the State as allgiving, and think they
are perfectly within their rights in
seeking these things" he commented.
Get More Than Taxpayers
do they get more from the state
than the taxpayer gets for himselfg'
asked Senator Simpson.
Yes, I'd say they do" he an
swered.
The witness agreed with Senator
Simpson that "the habitual criminal
is being housed in an advanced school
of sociology and then turned out with
the idea that the state owe him a
living at least as good as he had"
"Is the states correctional system
in the hands of men who have over
developed the idea of reclamation"
THE tendency seem to be in that
direction answered Mr.. Hunt.
Crime Notta Disease
"As a newspaper man, asked SEN,
ator Simpson, do you md that hos
pital treatment has reduced the
amount of crimes?7
mo-. responded Mr.. Hunt.
You know that crime is on the in
c~rease?'
YES"
"Your experience, then, would re-
flute the view that crime can be treat
ed as a disease rather than as moral
delinquency"
Yes"
Mr.. Hunt told that he had found
instances where parents tried to have
their IONS sem to the State Reform
School for Boys after their older
brothers had been educated in the in
stitution. He said that in some cases
this scheme was effective.
ADULTS Of State Money
Mr.. Bugbee, asked why the ac
counts Of the State Motor Vehicle De-
partment had not been audited. re-
peated what his assistant had said
last week, that the omptroller's Of
fee did not have the force to do the
work. He said he had served Under
three governors and had suggested to
each that NEAR be provided for such
an audit. but the Legislature had
never provided the money.
He said there was no question in
volved OF ths ~veracity or honesty Of
Commissioned Dill. Both Mr.. Dill
and Governor Silzer had agreed the
| department should be audited.
When quizzed about the relation Of
his department tc that Of Institutions
and Agencies, which maintains its
own auditing bureau, Mr.. Bugbee said
1t was not within the province of his