The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-03-04
The Reapportionment Bin.


The reapportionment bill as intro
iuced is nothing more than just and
a little short of generous to Hudson
County. 1t gives us eleven repre-
sentatives in the Assembly, and pre-
sumably we can get along with that
number for the next five years.
Doubtless the growth of Hudson by
the expiration OF that period will
bring at least one more vote this
way.
The preponderance which Hudson
is gradually gaining in the State is
not artificial or political. it is natural
and essential. Not only does Hudson
hold the lead in the matter of popula-
ton; in wealth and enterprise, she is
far ahead even of Newark.
Newark has had great advantages
over Jersey City in the race for supre-
macy. As Mayor Haines said on
Monday evening, when Newark had
AZ, 600 people. Jersey City had but
1900. Newark was a city when Jer-
sey City was not a fair sized village,
and Newark had banks and anu
features, wealth and trade, while Jer-
sey City was still little more than a
ferry house and a swamp.
1t is not surprising therefore that
the streets of Newark should be better
paved, that her principal thorough
fares should be adorned with finer
business buildings, that she should
have a better retail trade, that she
should still have a more complete and
self contained status as a municipality
than we have yet been able to realize.
On the contrary, it is strange that,
starting with the immense advantages
she had, she has allowed Jersey City
to practically overtake her.
And there is no prospect that she
will over regain the lead she has lost.
1t is probable the population of New
ark will increase in her pleasant
northern suburbs, and doubtless new
people will bring more business,
money and industry. But her present
situation offers no great prospects
like those which open out before Jer-
sey City. One scheme alone, which
is now fast nearing realization, prom
ises to lead to results which will soon
place Jersey City ahead even of
Brooklyn. The utilization of the
Hackensack water front for purposes
of commerce and manufacture opens
up possibilities which appear almost
boundless. With the shore lined with
vessels, with the fiat lands west of the
Hill covered with factories and tene-
ments, the Jersey City of a score of
years from now will not only over
shadow any other city in this State,
but will rank high among the great
industrial and commercial centres OF
the country.
1t must be remembered, too, that
Jersey City has not yet enjoyed the
benefit of rapid transit. With three
great railways affording means o fcom-
munication every few minutes through
the day, Newark has for years been
nearer to New York than the residence
quarters of Jersey City, and the com-
pletion OF the two elevated railways
which are DIV being actively pushed,
and the realization of rapid electric
transit to the Hill may have astonish-
ing effects upon the growth of popu-
lation here.
Perhaps our readers may think that
this is travelling rather far afield
from the question of reapportion-
ment; but we offer these considera-
tions to our fellow citizens
throughout the State, who may
feel agrieved at the transfer
of another vote from a rural
district to Hudson. Presently it viii,
we believe. be necessary to increase
the number of members of Assembly
in order to give Hudson and Essex a
fair proportion of the representation
in the Assembly and still leave the
other counties sufficient members to
voice their opinions and desires.
THE State Gazette takes the refusal
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