The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-01-31
JUSTICE AND PARTISANSHlP.
From the Nepars Sunday call.

It appears TO have been the confident
belief of certain politicians, especially
those in Hudson County, that George L.
Werts would not Keep his promises to
people. His peremptory refusal to sign
| Days partisan bill, changing the maui
ner of appointing the Corporation Attor-
ney of Jersey City, marks a new era
in New Jersey public affairs, aud has as
tonished the fellows who have supposed
that Governor Werts was a political hypo-
critic. They have Judged him by them
selves, and the lesson Is one of the most
heaithful that the professional politicians
of New Jersey nave ever received.
The Importance of this matter consists
not merely in the Governor declining to
give his approval to a measur without
merit. and designed only to give ring
politicians control of a public office which
the people had already decided should De
controlled in another way. The era-mak-
ing quality of the Governors course In
regard to the Jersey City attorney meas
ure is found in his evident deliberate de-
termination to let the Legislature pass
such measures as it chooses. and to exer-
else the powers aud duties OF the Gov
eruor's Office when measures are present.
ed to him for consideration. The method
pursued of late years has been to procure
the Governors approval in advance, and
the consequence has been to clothe the
office with an autocratic power, dlsas-
trous to legislative independence, inJur-
ious to public welfare, and eventually, as
has been proven, destructive of popular
regard for the autocrat himself.
The Constitution OF New Jersey has the
following unequivocal expression OF this
idea:
The powers of the Government shall be
divided into three distinct departments
the legislative, executive and Judicial;
and no person or persons belonging TO, or
constituting one of these departments
shall exercise any of the powers properly
belonging to either of the others, except
as herein expressly provided.
The Governor has the right to decide
the fate of a legislative bill to this ex-
tent. He can sign ii, and make it a law.
with his approval: he can file it In the Of
fee of the Secretary of State and make 1t
a law without his approval.or he can veto
it, by returning it to the house in which
it originated with his objections thereto.
Should the Legislature still insist, a sim
pie majority vote will suffice to make
the bill a law in spite of the
Governors objections. It was evidently
the intention of the trainers of the Con-
~st1tution to carefully avoid any Interior
ence with the freedom of legislative &C
ton, and by making the vote necessary to
pass a bill over the Governors veto a
mere majority instead of a two-thirds
vote. as in the Federal Constitution, the
;ntention to maintain legislative inde-
| pendence was made the more emphatic
and incoutestible. Governor Werts,
therefore. follows botn letter and spirit or
the Constitution in retaining from in
reference with legislation during Its
| consideration by the representatives OF
| the people, while he asserts his own In
dependence by carefully scanning mea-
sures and rejecting such as he does not
| consider just and proper.
The impropriety of the measure whic
Senator DAILY rushed through the Lsgis-
,ature under the party whip is, We think
entirely clear. A vacanc has occurred
in the office of Corporation Attorney IN
Jersey City. by the promotion OF the
| Democrat, who held the place. Under
| the law, the Mayor had the appointment
| of a successor, and the Mayor was a Re
publican, elected by a popular uprising OF
the people at the polls. There was never
a man in Office whose title to the powers
and privileges thereof was better certified
than Mayor Wanser's. The attempt to
deprive the peoples verdict of all signif-
canoe by taking from the Mayor his
power of appointment was a shameless
| defiance of the popular will 1t was es-
| pecially so when it is considered that the
office was vacated to crafty the ambl-
tions of a member of the party. 1t might
be suggested that il the occupancy of the
| Attorneys Office by a Democrat is OF such
| political importance as would warrant
| the passage of such an act, it could easily
be retained by Mr.. HudsDeth declining
| the promotion to the Judgeship which ht
has sought and received.
Government by parties implies partisan
| legislation on certain definite lines, ano
there is little murmuring when appoint
ments to public Office are made from
among those who hold the views of thu
dominant party. The Jersey City meas,
ure well illustrates the dividing line be
tween Justice and partisanship. We be-
lieye the influence of Governor Werts'.
action will be profound and widely ex
tended, and thai the people of this State
will come to regard the event as among
the most important of recent political
history.
MRS. R0EBLING'S FAIR WORK.
Mrs. Washington A. Roe bling of Trenton, on