The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-03-08
OBNOXIOUS TO HOME RULE
1t Would Make the Finance Board
Perpetual and Irresponsible
A Pitiless Dissection.
speeial to The Jersey cftu Mems.

hudson Senator, and the politicians who
are behind him, that he will not De held
in such contempt as their action implies.
He has intimated that If he should choose
to meet them in their own way, they
could begin to wonder what struck them.
The Governor sent the veto of the FL
nance Board Confirmation bill to the
Senate this afternoon. 1t is a scorcher.
The prevailing opinion now is that the
bill cannot be passed over the veto. A
rumor is in circulation that the Governor
has suggested as way out of the difficult
ty that confirming board, consisting of
the Alderman at Large and Two citizens to
be elected by the people be created.
THE VETO.
Following is the full text of the veto -
STATE OF NEW JERSEY,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
TRENTON, March 8, 1898.
70 the Senate:
l return herewith to the Senate. in
which House it originated. Senate Bill
No. 1893, entitled IAN act concerning the
Appointment of Municipal Officers and
Boards in Cities" with my objections
thereto.
The proposed law consists Of four sec
tions, and is open TO constitutional OBJ
jections. Section provides, therefore,
that if any section of the act shall be held
unconstitutional. its other provisions
shall not be Affected thereby.
Section A repeals prior inconsistent
, legfsfation. and provides that the pro-
posed law shall have immediate effect.
JUST LIKE NO. 8.
Section l enacts that in cities of the
frst-class, The Corporation or City Coun-
sci and Corporation or City Attorney
shall be appointed by the Board having
charge of the financial affairs thereof,
etc " an affirmative vote of not less
tha Swo- thirds of all the members of
such Board. This section, with the excep-
tion of requiring two-thlrds instead of
majority vote, in which respect it is
more Objectionable. is identical with
Section of Senate bill No. 8, which after
passage by both houses, was recalled
from the Executive by concurrent reso-
luton.
THE CONFIRMING POWER.
Section 2 enacts that Except certain
minor oficiais);-"In every case in any
city, where the Mayor thereof is now au-
thorized bv any law TO appoint any mu-
nicipal officer or member OF any NUM-
cipal board, the name of the person aD-
D ,inted shall be subRitted to the board of
such city government having control and
management of the financial affairs in
such city. and no such appointment shall
take effect until such board has confirmed
the same by vote in favor thereof Of
not less than two-thirds of all the MEM
bers of such board"
TO MEET A SPECIAL CASE.
The proposed law Is intended simply TO
nrpef an nYistinU e0nAitiOn of affairs in
jersey City. The Board referred to is
the Board Of Finance, consisting of five
members, and two-thirds thereof is four
of its five members. 1t is not now and
was not at the time OF his election in
political accord with the present Mayor
Of Jersey City. Under the charter
of Jersey City the appointment
of the Corporation Counsel and Attorney.
and most of the other officials and Boards
-iucluding four of the i've members OF
The Board of Finance-ls vested in the
Mayor alone. The effect of the proposed
legislation will be to divest him absolute
ly of the power TO appoint the Corpora
tion Counsel and Attorney. and to make
his heretofore untrammelled power
of appointment of other oft1ciaIs-in-
Guiding successors to four me mbers
of the present Board of Finance-depend
upon the concurrence, !. e., the will OF
four OF the five present members OF the
Board-all other acting officials mean
while to continue in Office until such CEN
currence be had.
PITILESs EXPOSURE.
Tt is manifest that under such provi-
sfons the Board of Finance will exercise
the controlling power over all appoint
mepts, Nomination by the Mayor be-
comes meaningless privilege, of which
he were better deprived altogether. That
the concurrence OF LwO-thirds OF the
Board of Finance shall be required before
hor n, ne
by others is simply to constitute that
body self perpetuating machine. totally
irresponsible to the people or any other
authority.
can conceive of nothing more likely
10 piove inimical TO the puolic welfare.
EVASION OF POPULAR WILL.
The proposed legislation Is further OBJ
iectionable in that it is mere device to
evade the popular Will, as legally ex-
pressed in recent local election. 1t sub
verts municipal home rule. and practi-
caIly establishes government by legls-
Iatiye commission in its stead.
Purely partisan legislation may be
proner in certain ca es: but it should not
be enacted in defiance of the declared IL
teption OF any municipality 10 work q
change In officials or methods, and only
for the purpose of defeating such inten-
fion. AT the last municipal election IN
Jersey CITY. the Mayor was elected with
Knowledge by all the voters that he
should be invested with the discharge OF
various duties, including the appoint
ment of officials. 1t must be presumed
it was the purpose and desire OF Tue ma
: iosity that he should perform those duties
aud appoint officials. II the proposed
leg slation be enacted, that purpose and
de ire is nullt1ed. for no other apparant
re- son than the attainment of mere par
! san ends.
THE APRIL ELECTION.
As already stated, the Board of FL
nance of Jersey City is, under existing
laws. composed of five members, four CT
Life is short and time is fieeting, but Hoods
y sSrsaparula will bless humanity as the ages