The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-09-27
THE ELECTION OFFICERS.
The Aldermanic Majority Will
Choose for All Parties.

The Board of Aldermen will probably
appoint all, election officers in this city on
October s.
Previous to the action of the Republi-
can Legislature of 1888, in all large cities
election officers were chosen by the people
at the spring elections, the same as other
ward or district officers were chosen. The
election lew of 1875 provided for a minor
ity representation, and the polls were
kept open from seven q. m. to seven p. m.
In 1888 the Republicans passed an act
which closed the polls at sunset and re-
suited in compelling workingmen to lose
a half days work to cast ballot. So OBJ
noxious was this law that the first bill
introduced in the Legislature was by
Senator Edwards to repeal it, and it was
known as Senate bill No. l. 1t was the
first bill to pass both houses, the first to
be signed by the Governor, and it is now
known as Chapter l., laws Of 1888. The
repeater of the infamous sunset law was
hailed with delight by every honestVoter.
BAD FOR A THIRD PARTY.
During the session of 1888 the Repubh-
cans resolved to deprive the people of the
right to choose their election officers, and
they passed bill that enabled the Boards
of Aldermen to appoint the election Off
jority of the body appointed two inspect
ors and the minority two, thus working
an injury to a third or fourth party
should there be such in the Board of
Aldermen.
In addition to this law, 1t was provided
that the persons SO appointed need not
reside in the district where they served,
and as result many non-residents were
appointed, who, under pretext of not
knowing personally the voters, managed
to delay the election 80 that many Demo
Gratis could not vote. At the time it was
openly declared by the Republicans that
the law was made to do away with the
Democratic majority in Hudson county.
This bill, SO distasteful to the people,
was repealed by the Democratic majority
of the last Legislature, but the bill was
not signed by tho Governor until after
the spring election. For that reason no
officers were elected in the different pre-
cincts, and the election Offices are vacant,
and under the law of 1885 must be filed
by the majority of the Board Of Alder
men.
MINORITY RIGHTS.
The majority OF the Board of Aldermen
has right to elect all the election officers,
but must give the minority representa-
ton. The claim of the minority to
nominate it's officers is not substantiated
by good Republican precedent in this
State. In joint session of the Legisla-
ture in 1888 the Democrats made an open
request, as will appear from the minutes
of the journal of joint sessions, to be per-
mitted to nominate their candidates to
the so called non-partisan State boards.
The Republicans replied in effect that
they proposed to fill these places from
both parties with their own nominees,
and as a result, rewarded Democrats with
Office who had been notoriously out of
step with their party. Indeed, they
elected some of the Republican candi-
dates. The Democratic minority pro-
tested that the nominees did not belong
to the party, but the Republicans ignored
the protests and filed vacancies TO suit
their own selfish ends.