Union, President, and William H. Albright, of the county of Gloucester, Secretary, and has proceeded to business. Mr. Case offered the following resolution, which was read and adopted: Resolved, That the number of copies of the Legislative Manuals apportioned by law to the State Senate be distributed on the same basis as at the session of 1918. Mr. Case offered the following resolution, which was read and adopted: Resolved, That, unless otherwise ordered, the daily sessions of the Senate shall begin at eleven o'clock in the forenoon and at half-past two o'clock in the afternoon. Mr. Case offered the following resolution, which was read and adopted: Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate be and he is hereby directed to furnish each member, clerical officer and reporter one copy of Members' Pocket Calendar of Legislature of 1919. Mr. Case offered the following resolution, which was read and adopted: Resolved, That 1,000 copies of each bill, joint resolution and concurrent resolution, daily memorandums and gummed synopsis sheets be printed for the use of the Senate. Mr. Case offered the following resolution, which was read and adopted: Resolved, That the Committee on Stationery and Incidental Expenses be authorized to procure bill files and the necessary stationery and supplies for the use of the members and officers of the Senate. Mr. Case offered the following resolution, which was read and adopted: Resolved, That the usual number of copies of the Governor's message be printed for the use of the Senate, and that the same be spread in full upon the Minutes. Mr. Case offered the following resolution, which was read and adopted: 2 Sen Jour Resolved, That the President of the Senate is hereby directed to instruct the State Printer to mail to each member of the Senate, at his residence and business address, at least one copy of each bill and resolution, both Senate and House, as soon as the same is printed. The following communication was received from the Comptroller, which was read: January 14th, 1919. Hon. William N. Runyon, President of the Senate, Trenton, N. J.: DEAR SIR-You are hereby notified that the contract for the current printing of the present session of the Legislature has been awarded to the MacCrellish & Quigley Company of this city. Very respectfully, (Signed) N. A. K. BUGBEE, Comptroller. Mr. Case offered the following resolution, which was read and adopted: Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms be instructed to report daily to the Secretary the absence without leave of any of the officers and attaches of the Senate; the complete report of such absentees and the time lost to be furnished to the Committee on Appropriations at the closing of the session, and that a pro rata reduction be made by such committee, and a copy of their report be furnished to the Comptroller. Mr. Case offered the following resolution, which was read and adopted: Resolved, That 800 copies of the Weekly Senate Journal be printed, and the State Printer be directed to mail copies to each member of the Senate and House and to the clerical officers of each body. The following messages were received from the Governor, by the hands of Mr. Croasdale, his Secretary, which were read as follows: GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE. GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATURE: There would be scarcely any occasion for an extended address at this time were it not for conditions growing out of the war. In former messages I outlined in detail a program 'for reorganization of the State Government along business lines, and with your hearty and unselfish co-operation that program has been fully carried out. You have provided legislation making possible the co-ordination of departmental activities and the centralization of our institutional property and its control. You have given laws looking toward a comprehensive system of State highways, interstate traffic facilities and port and canal development. In short, you have placed on the statute books all the legislation which was deemed necessary to meet both domestic needs and the emergencies of a war period. Some of these physical developments have necessarily been halted because of war responsibilities, but the laws are on the statute books and I look for a rapid resumption of the projects so auspiciously started. It is particularly gratifying to be able to point to the splendid financial condition of New Jersey, especially in these days when all outlays necessarily have been abnormal. The State is prepared to meet the problems of reconstruction with a free balance in the treasury of over three million dollars, a condition absolutely unprecedented in the history of the State. I shall go into further detail concerning this and the financial affairs in my message concerning the budget. PREPARATIONS FOR RETURNING SERVICE MEN. Out of war, however, there arise conditions affecting industry, health, labor and trade which demand the earnest consideration of every State Government, as well as the National Government. For many weeks our State Department of Labor, through its employment bureau facilities and its careful post-war survey of industry, has been securing the means of livelihood for discharged soldiers and sailors-actually getting them jobs. Other State departments have been quietly studying conditions and preparing and are ready to equip you with all details and possibilities of the situation. By proclamation the efforts of all State and municipal departments and of all organizations have been mobilized and concentrated in one central channel toward the desired end. But more must be done, and on a larger scale. No task confronting you is nearly so important as providing for the smooth, convenient and satisfactory return to peaceful pursuits of the one hundred and fifty thousand Jersey patriots who within the last two years unselfishly gave up their ordinary occupations for military and kindred service. They dedicated their lives to the common cause; the least we can do is to dedicate our resources to their comfort and welfare. No doubt private business, with its trained efficiency and unfailing resourcefulness, will absorb more of this released labor than we suspect. Nevertheless, it would be nothing short of a tragedy if without proper preparation the millions of men in the military service were to be suddenly and at one time thrown back into a labor market glutted, perhaps, by the slackening of activities naturally to be expected in munition factories and other strictly "war enterprises." The Federal Government appreciates this situation and will doubtless take such steps to meet it as will require the hearty co-operation of all State governments. New Jersey should be ready to give this co-operation without stint, and, as usual, anticipate the responsibility. PLANS FOR FEDERAL CO-OPERATION. I bespeak your prompt and earnest consideration of some practical plan for acquiring through co-operative Federal and State action some of the vast acreage of cut-over land in New Jersey, and also cleared land that is idle, for the purpose of providing farm homes for returning soldiers and sailors. New Jersey has available land―plenty of it—and I am sure we are ready to look after details of obtaining and parceling the farms if the Federal Government will attend to the financing. In the latter function the Federal Government has a much freer hand than the State. As one concrete suggestion, and awaiting definite Federal financing, I call your attention to the possibilities for so safeguarding and refining our Homestead Association Act (P. L. 1888, page 231) that these organizations be encouraged for the purpose of co-operating with the plan of Federal land banks and thus enabling service men to secure valuable farms without a penny of capital. These banks advance fifty per cent. of the purchase price for farm land, taking a mortgage payable in forty annual installments. Our Homestead Associations, if properly stimulated and encouraged, would play an important part in those cases where the seller of the farm declines to take a second mortgage for the balance of the purchase price; the association would take the second mortgage and advance the balance. This is one very successful function of the Hebrew Agricultural Aid Society, endowed with the Baron de Hirsch Fund, and I see no reason why the principle and practice cannot be extended for the benefit of all discharged soldiers and sailors through our encouragement, in every proper way, of associations formed for this purpose and adequately endowed by public-spirited and patriotic citizens of this State. I submit, also, that the time is opportune for New Jersey to urge the Federal Government to take advantage of our legislation of 1917 and join with New Jersey in the immediate building of a cross-State ship canal. Federal legislation is pending. Here is a public work, not only highly valuable in the interest of the nation's trade, but also offering limitless opportunity for the absorption of labor. Of course, immediate action is essential if the project is to serve the purpose of reconstruction. But nothing is impossible where there is a will. If the Federal Government is ready and acts, I recommend that New Jersey proceed immediately with its part of the bargain. As an augury of good faith let us, at this session, actually appropriate the money, contingent upon favorable action by Congress. |