The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-03-26
Serious B1emishes DiScoy-
cred in Senator Ed
wards Bill.
IT MUST BE AMENDED.
Millions Of Newark Bonds to Pay
the Swindlecates--- --Heppenheim-
er's Bill in the Senate.
[specia1 to he Jerseu citu Nelgs.l

Especial to the Jersey City Neius.l
TRENTON, March 25, 1ss9.-The Jersey
City Charter passed the Senate tonight by
strict party vote, and half an hour after
was in the House 1t will stay there
week, when it will be sent back to the
Senate amended If there is much delay
in the Senate, Jersey City will have to en-
dure being misgeverned another year, for
the end of the session is very near
If what one member of the Legislature
says is true, the bill must be amended.
No Governor could sign it, if the defect
which he declares exists is real. 1t would
be parody on legislation. Some people
believe that the laws relating to Jersey
City's government are as bad as it is pos
sible laws should be- The Charter bill,
apparently, goes step further.
BAD BLUNDER.
The gentleman who makes the criticism
is trained lawyer, is thoroughly con-
versant with municipal legislation and is,
besides, DESTROYS of helping Jersey City
out of the bog in which she is now stuck.
"The thirty-fourth section of the bill" !"
he said, relates to submitting the charter
to vote of the people. 1t provides that it
may be so submitted by an ordinance OF
the Common Council or proclamation by
the Mayor. Nothing is said about the Gus
tomary notice being given that the ques-
tion is about to be submitted nothing is
said about advertising the fact. Under
this section Common Council might
pass an ordinance, or the Mayor might is
sue proclamation the day before election
submitting the charter to a vote OF the
people; only six persons might hear OF the
proclamation or the ordinance; yet,
by the terms of the section, the charter
would be deemed to have been accepted
by vote of the people of the city if a ma
jority of the six votes were cast in favor
of accepting it. Such proposition is abb
surd The bill will have to be amended
before it passes the House and will then
be sent back to the Senate. How much
time this will take can't say. In the or
binary course of events, the bill might
have been passed in three days. Do such
errors as these often occur when bills are
hurriedly drawn up do you ask? un-
derstand that the bill has been under con-
sideration for some time, and that it was
not hurriedly drawnup"
Another gentleman said:-"The Hudson
county members may all vote for the bill;
but it is possible that enough members
from other counties may vote against it to
defeat it, 1t doesn't seem to make much
difference; whatever party is in power in
Jersey City the same old set seem to have
the offices. It's ring. Why doesn't THE
JERSEY CITY NEWS break it?''
In the bill as first introduced the vote
section was missing and it was tackled on
in committee.
THEY THINK IT WILL PASS.
The Hudson county members, when the
bill was received from the Senate, ex-
pressed hope for the charter, and said it
was the best that could be expected this
session, although far from perfect. They
agreed that any change must be an i'm
provement on the present state of things.
These are their opinions
Speaker Hudspeth--I think the bill will
pass.
Colonel Heppenheimer = 1t will go
through.
Mr. Donnelly-I am in favor of it or any
thing else which will make change. 1t
can't be any worse than we have now
The bill may get some Republican votes.
Mr.. Norton-I will vote for the BILL
although it has some Objectionable
features. I believe that the two police
justices who were elected last year and
for whom / voted should be allowed to
serve out ther terms. think the bill will
pass.
Mr.. Francois-I believe the bill gives
too much power to one mantle Mayor.
However, it will not affect the section of
Hudson county represent. Its chances
seem good.
Mr. Feeney--Sure to go through.
Mr.. O'Neil-C Certain to pass.
Mr. Fagan--I hardly think, from what
hear that the bill will pass. will vote
for any measure which the people of Jer-
sey City desire. Jersey City has the worst
government in the world, and anything
likely to improve it will have my support.
Mr. Farrell has been too occupied with
the Harrison -Kearney consolidation to at
tend to the affairs of place like Jersey
City, and has not studied the charter suffi-
Gently to make up his mind.
Senator Edwards thinks it will pass the
House. There was no debate in the Sem
ate.
WATER AND GAS.
Senator Bogert Jesteth, and the Citizens