New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-04
ACROSS THE NORTH RIVER.
DISCUSSING THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT ELECTION.
ELECTRIC RAILWAYS AND RAPID TRANSIT-MR'
uAVEMEYER'S GIFT-THE MECHANICS
LIEN LAW-WORK OF THE
COUNTY ASSESSORS.


Trenton. y. j. Aug. 3 (speciaD.The constitutional
amendment election in september has furnished a
summer topic of discussion without many valuable
results thus far. The amendment permits special
legislation for cities. The constitutional amendments
iu 1873 forbade this special legislation ana directed
that general laws should be passed. The courts I'M
mcdlaely began strict construction policy, the evil
dent purpose being 70 require the Legislature to obey
the more important part Of the constitutional require
mcnt-that directing general legislation. But the
Legislature respectfully declined. There were com
missions appointed % draw up general laws, and one
bill which wa, prepared by senator now GOVERNOR
Albeit was an exhaustive and interesting attempt 10
map ont a complete city government. Newark, how
ever complained that IL would be great shame 10 De
compelled TO abandon charter that had given great
satisfaction and every other city had some objections
against quitting old for now. The general bills
failed and the legislature rcsored to eXpcdientS Tor
lodging tie prohibition against special legislation for
cities, Tie courts would not permit II for "Bhe
and rithlcssly declared void 10 end Of lngcnionsly
con structed measures hs time went on the Legs
laturc became ingenious IN its devices and the
courts more enicnt in scanning the laws, and the
prospect Of general legislation gradually DISAPPEARED
The. last device was that 10y which law had 10 elect
until accepted by vote Of the people, and by this
means Jersey City secured new charter without dis
turbng Newark. \ natural effect OF the attempts 10
>ccur special legislation by general laws has been that
the city Counsel, # Newark and Jersey City have
been pretty constantly employed during each legislative
,csion in asccrtainug whether bills In general FORM
designed for one or the other city. were desirable and
,hcr, have, been some hot struggles between the two
Municipalities. AuothC- effect has been the enactment
of a number Of laws Of doubtful cou>tituuonality,
which, however, have been accepted because no one
CARD 10 contest them in court The objection 10 the
return Of the Legislature To the old method OF special
legislation for cities IS that when member Of the
Legislature proposes special act for his town. 10
other member cares whether il goes through or not,
and there is les check upon city law making a. Il
consequences \ somewhat curious objection has also
been raised 10 the effect that the courts have built up
system Of constitutional Interpretation based on the
amendments Of l-73, and that it would be pity 70
knock this down.
The amendments proposed chiefly affect Newark
Jersey city Trenton. Camden and Paterson The hrst
two have much legislation that they ask for each year
and are principally Interested The rest Of the state
i, calmly Indifferent to the fate Of the amendments
and il /, difficult TO wherein any city would bc
greatly benefited injured 10y change as proposed
The vote Is sure TO be extremely lcht.
Electric railway, arc ready for operation in PasSaic
CITY and Jersey city. and several miles will be pre-
pared In Newark in the course Of few weeks. Ihcy
are all run by the overhead wire system. ana quicker
time and generally better service ar assured The
rapid transit question has been an issue In most of
the cities. aud Is Of a. great Importance IN thelr
dcyclopmcnt comparatively, it is IN New York.
There have been reduction, in fare, promised d wei
As better facilities. and the suggestion Is made that
thc steam railrad companies ont OF New York can
80 arcclv afford 10 be left behind by the enterprise Of
local street railroads The Pennsylvania Railroad can
take no extra business it, hands just at present
because il j, heavily handicapped by H. elevated r"hi
building in Jersey city and other changes These VIII
be- finished in a few months. however ana IT Il th'h
cxpcctcd that the Pennsylvania will ii" something
toward establishing genuine quick transit business
over its line for it will possess ample facilities. There
i, room for the development of a large cuisines, IN
This direction if the railroad companies would think
little les, Of through trac and more OF the opportum
lies that lie At their doors.
Theodore 4 IIayemcycr who is spending the summer
nj Newport, sent word the other day 10 the school
tr,>tee, Of Darlington Bergen County that he in
tended to build a yhool house for " District No. %
IN the Ramapo Valley rhc plans contemplate
stone school house of handsome appearance with
library i'm the Second story and all the conveni'hces
that modern architecture provide. The site Is IN the
romantic Ranlapo Valley The gift has been accepted
and work il about beginning 1t is to be regretted
that there is not more Of such bcrality. The dis
trct schoolhouscs perhaps sufficiently comiorta
bile. but they are as rule, ugly and bare structures
with meagre furnishings. The educational system Is
pretv fair but the school houses have little to recon-
mend them. II IS possible that individual generosity
* somewhat discouraged by the fart that the state
las "A II
for this purpO,e. The fund Is now briEg uacd lVi
higher education" and 1t l. Il question now Hucn
good il doc, IL is derived from the sale ana lease
Of riparian lands. and it as mounted up INTO me
millions without taxation to the extent I'll 4 uoilar
upon the people. ,.,. .,,,.to for
4 new mechanics lien law Is making trouble lQr
builders The Legislature has meddled WITH TINS SUP
iect for years and usually with bad results oIgaN
devised for the protection Of the mechanic the IN
terests OF the carpenter aud mason nave gwen place
Ia ecnl protection the material men ana con
tractors the annOyanCcs To which the owner Is
subjected have been increased 10 dangerous extent
| M. lat. has due LOBBYING matter
~ course lint It's effects FAR nS tat even
te per,onS who pred the act are beginning To feel
alarm. .,.....,. a.. a...o
The work OF the county assessors through the state
is nnw about concluded. The Increase in the vaua
lions for taxation which was aSitated some weeks
arn has been general and runs up into the millions
I'm nearly every county where there l. large city
The country districts show little OF no advance and IN
,rmc eases there /, IA falling OF. The increase in
valuation, Ia, resulted IN a reduction IN the tax
rate i'm several places, notably in Newark. where the
rate is only ~ - on SlOo or twenty points below
Ia vcor and the lowest for eighteen years. Other
rauses than the rise i'm valuations have contributed
In This reduction. however The rate IN most OF tho
Giles is considerably above per cent and often far
above The rates in the country are higher tah tey