Bridgeton pioneer., 1888-11-15
NO. 2I2
NEW JERSEY POLITICS.
AN INTERESTING SESSION OF
THE LEGISLATURE.
What is Likely to be Done This
Winter--LOcal Option


Must Go.
1t is certain that the next session of
the Legislature will be an intensely in
teresting one. Between making
choice from half dozen candidates
for the United States Senator and re-
pealing the High License Local Option
bill there is every promise of exciting
times.
The scheme that is most talked of to-
day, is the attempt to so re-arrange the
representation in the Lower House as
to forever keep Democratic majority.
Some Democratic leaders talk of reap.
portioning the assembly districts and
others of redistricting. Notwithstand
ing that much is said about reap
portionment, it can not be done. be-
cause the State Constitution will not
allow it, and the language in the clause
is very positive. 1t states that s'the
present apportionment shall continue
until the next census of the United
States shall have been taken, and an
apportionment of members of the
General Assembly shall be made by
the Legislature at its first session after
the next and very subsequent enumera-
ton or census, and when made shall
remain unaltered until another enum-
Grafton shall have been taken, This
shuts off any apportionment until after
the United States census is taken in
1890
There is, however different scheme
In the mind of some of the leaders, and
that is redistricting only few counties
such as Hudson, Essex and Cumber-
land, and, perhaps, two or three
others. The bill will be put through
for one county at time. This can be
done, so it is claimed The talk about
changing the senatorial representation
has been dropped during the last day
or so. Tie constitution defines that
each county must have one senator,
and to secure more according to popu-
latlon, would necessitate the calling TO-
gether of constitutional convention.
and.many are of the opinion that this
would not be wise.
Mcpherson and Albeit will be the
leading candidates for the United
States Senatorship, but there will be
side shows without number: Hon.
Stafford Little, Secretary of State Kel-
sey, and the last one entered, Prose-
cutor Charles H. Winfield, of Hudson
county. So far the talk has all been
favorable to Senator Mcpherson being
his own successor
Inc liquor men are considerably
worried about the Senate. There is
only majority of one, and it is known
that both Senators Baker, of Cumber-
land, and Smith, of Sussex, are staunch
temperance men. Senator Baker took
a positive stand last Winter when the
bill was under discussion, and, repre-
senting as he does the temperance
communities of Millville, Vineland and
Bridgeton, it would be political death
for him to hedge under the dictation
OF King Caucus.
Governor Green will have some con-
siderable patronage to dispense next
Spring. The most important will be
the appointment of three Supreme
Court associate judges Judge Alfred
Reed, who sits as presiding Judge in
Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and
Salem; Judge Jonathan Dixon, whose
circuit is in Passaic and Bergen coun-
ties, and Judge Manning NJ. Knapp,
who sits in Hudson These are all
good berths, the salaries being over
$1,000 d year, He will appoint an
associate lay judge of the Supreme
Court TO succeed William Patterson,
and a riparian commissioner in the
place of Miles Ross, of Middlesex. Ed
ward Bettle's term in the State Board
of Assessors expires next Spring, and
his successor will be named. There
will be a large number of lay Judges
whose time will be up. In Bergen
Aaron G. Garrison goes out At the
same time the terus expire of Judge
James 0. Glasgow, of Burlington;
Judge John Gaunt, of Camden; Judge
Downs Edmunds of Cape May; Judge
Oh rles G.. Hampton, of Cumberland;
Judge Edward L. Stratton, of Glouces-
ter; Judge Marcus Beach. of Hudson;
Judge Henry P Cullen. of Hunt ardon;
Judge Robert M. Hitchner, of Salem;
Judge James NJ. Thompson, Somerset;
Judge Samuel L. Smith, Sussex; Judge
Nathan Harper, Union, and Judge
George H. Beatty, Warren.
In South Jersey there will be sharp
contest in three counties for prosecu-
torship. The time of Wilson H Jen-
kins, of Camden, expires early in 1899;
so does the term of Belmont Perry, of
Gloucester, and Albert ii. Slape, of
Salem
TIE joint meeting appointments are
as follows: Trustees of the State Nor
NAL School, Morristown Insane Asylum,
Jamesburg Reform School, State In
dustrial School for Girls, Commission
ers of Pilotage, State Directors of