The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-03-08
MR.. MDERAITs QUEER WORK.
He Interests Himself in Jersey City's
Charter and Other Matters.

ne interests Himself IN Jersey Clty's
Charter and Other Matters.
Especial to the JERSEY CITY Ne,cs.1
TRENTON, March s, ,1SS9.-All plans for the
Senate were off today, because the full
Democratic strength could not be brought
together. After very short session, the
Democrats held caucus, at which the
Werts bill was discussed some more. One
of the most important proposals was to
add provision that, should one section
be declared unconstitutional on appeal to
the Supreme Court, the remaining
sections should not therefore, be held
void. 1t was decided not to add
this provision to the bill, but it may be
subsequently enacted as supplementary
bill. The proposal gave rise to a report
that the idea was that the Baker amend
ment was believed to be unconstitutional
and that the provision was designed to
save the rest of the act when that portion
had been thrown out Senator Werts de-
MED that any such proposition had been
advanced or entertained. The proposed
provision, he said, was similar to one in
the general railroad law and was not con-
sidered especially with reference to MIR.
Bakers contribution.
The absence of Senator Wyckoff may
have been the reason why nothing was
done about the new Jersey City charter,
as it was the cause of non action on the
Werts bill; but the impatience over Sena-
tor Edwards delay is increasing. There
has been no conference of the Hudson
county members since the one at which
the Senator was asked to draw up Il
single-headed commission bill and it
seems doubtful whether anything has
been done since. The fear is now
expressed by members of the Hudson
afrr 6a1o hot xxyfl tae
done until it is too late to pass the bill in
the House after it has gone through the
Senate
In the meantime, Frank McDermit, of
Newark, comes to the front with a singu-
lar message. He made announcement in
the House today that unless the Hudson
county members agreed on a measure be-
fore Monday night, he would introduce a
bill which would secure a new charter to
Jersey City Afterward, when asked for
copy of this proposed bill, he said he was
under pledge not to show it until it was
introduced. 1t was, he added, a copy of
the charter prepared by the Committee of
One Hundred, and another copy was given
to member of the Hudson county dele
cation several weeks ago. The charter
proposes commission of three to be APP
pointed by the Mayor, and a Board of
Finance, to be elected by districts, with a
member at large The Mayor is to ap-
point the Corporation Counsel and At
torney.
Attorney General Stockton sent to the
House reply to Colonel Heppenheimer's IS
questions in regard to the rights of cor
porations to acquire water rights for the
purpose of supplying the water to munich
palities. He says that no general answer
can be given, but that he has been con-
vinced that special cases should be con-
sidered on their own merits when they
arise.
Mr. McDermit Immediately afterward
played one of his peculiar pranks. For
some reason best known to himself he in
troduced a resolution calling on the At
torney General for statement of money
paid by the State for legal services under
the Railroad Taxation law and the names
of the persons to whom it was paid Un.
fortunately, when the resolution was
offered Colonel Heppenheimer was not in
his seat, having been called away by one
of his duties as leader of the Democratic
majority in the House, and the resolution
was allowed to slip through. In speaking
of the matter Democratic members said
that the information sought was contained
in the Attorney Generals annual report
and that the resolution therefore seemed
uncalled for and capable of being regarded
as prompted by i'll will.