The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-04-08
A REFORM OUTRAGE.
Republican Senator's Take
a Mean Advantage of
Their Colleagues.
GARDNER THE PRIME OFFENDER.
New Proofs Of the Conspiracy
to Defeat All Ballot
Reform.
GARDNER THE PRIME OFFENDER.
Special to the jersey c1ty Ne.rs.

TRENTON, April s, 1890 There was q
serious outbreak Of ballot reform in the
Senate this morning. The bill was on
second reading, when Senator Carter in
troduced minority report Of the COM
mittee and moved that it be adopted as a
substitute for the bill. The substitute is
practically the same as that introduced
by Mr.. Potts in the House last night,
with Mr.. Coles amendment providing
that no member Of the Board of Registry
shall hold another public office.
TO everyone's surprise the substitute
was adopted by viva voce vote without
discussion or opposition. Senator Werts
and the Democratic leaders were absent
at the time, and there was suspicion
that the introduction of the substitute at
that time was more than coincidence.
Shortly afterward Senator Werts called
in, and, upon learning what had been
done, indignantly denounced the course
of the Republicans as discourteous and
tending to suppress free and full dis
cussion of the bill.
He then moved that the original bill be
placed back upon the calendar. He said
he watched for the bill last night when
not come up. While he was temporarily
absent the substitute was sprung upon
the Senate.
GARDENERS DIscoURTEsY.
Senator Gardner in his usual autocratic
manner attempted to defend the charges
brought against the majority by making
Others against the Democrats. He made
some misstatements about the bill in the
House and wanted to know why the same
bill was before both chambers at the same
time.
Senator werts showed the Atlantic
Senator how that course was suggested
in the committee.
Mr.. Gardner tried to ridicule Senator
Werts' position with far-fetched simile;
but Senator Werts' manly plea for sena-
torial courtesy and fair treatment con-
vinced every one of his sincerity, except
subseryient Republican majority. Mr..
Werts called for the reading of both bills,
and the clerk began that weary task.
One of the most of INSCRIPTIONS dis
plays of partisanship which has ever dis
graced the New Jersey Legislature en-
sued. Senator Werts said he would in
corporate the reading of the bills in his
speech. The Clerk read away, when
Gardner moved that Mr.. Werts' motion
be laid on the table. Mr. Werts claimed
that he had the floor and would not
yield.
DR.. Roe was in the chair and the officers
of the Senate were whispering and buzz
ing about him. He decided that as Mr..
Werts had taken his seat he had yielded
tine floor.
wERTs PREVAILS.
Mr. Werts was indignant. He claimed
that while the clerk was reading his
speech he had the floor, He declared that
the good doctor would not make such a
ruling. except at the dictation of super
ior power, and Senator Roe denied that
he had been influenced by any one and
took back his decision.
Senator Gardner prodded him with an
other motion. The good doctor, like a
weather-cock, veered around again and
decided against Senator Werts.
The Senator from Morris was too much
for him, however, and moved that the
matter be made special order for tomor-
row, and as part of his remarks on the
question he had the clerk read the Gov
ernor's message.
This was too much for the Republicans,
and the Senator's motion prevailed.
President Nevlus and Speaker Heppen-
heimer held conference this morning
and discussed the practicability of taking
q recess over next week. No decision
was reached, but it is probable such a
course will be taken