The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-01-31
ERA OF SURPRISE,
Governor Werts Gives the
Politicians a Lively
Guessing Match.
PHELPS FOR LAY JUDGE.
Reasons for the Outgoing Ger
man Minister'S Nomin-
alton.
THE SENATE NAY FIGHT.
Daly's Bill No. 13 Withdrawn, But
the Veto Was Ready-Floods
Of Municipal Bills.
THE SENATE NAY FIGHT.

Special to The Jersey City Ne,cs.
TRENTON. Jan. 81, 1s93.-If Governor
Werts' refusal to sign the bill which took
from Mayor Wanser the power to appoint
the Corporation Attorney and Counsel
was bombshelI, one of his nominations
last evening was an explosion of whole
powder magazine.
About the first thing done in the Senate
was the reception OF q long list of ap-
pointments. The Senate adjourned with
out taking action upon the nominations
and the envelope containing them was
supposed to go into the Secretary's safe
without being opened. By some mys-
terious process, however. which no one,
of course, can account for, the list became
public property.
The first name on the lis5g was that OF
William Walter Phelps, now United
States Minister to Germany. He was
named to succeed Judge Jonathan 5.
Whitaker of Cumberland as Lay Judge
of the Court of Errors and Appeal s.
In a short time the nomination was the
one topic of conversation. Judge Whit
aker is a Democrat, and voted in the
Court of Pardons to parole the Hudson
ballot box suffers. Many persons. who
did not approve that act, were Jubllant,
and declared that the nomination of such
publicau as Mr.. Phelps to succeed q
democrat, under these circumstances, was
a rebuke to Judge Whitaker for his ac-
tion in the matter, and showed that ring
sters and ballot box suffers had nothing
to expect from the Governor
A certain class of politicians, on the
other hand, could not conceal their dis
gust and freely spoke of what tney called
The Governors blankety blank Mugwump
policy. They thought it worse than d
shame. preceded by several adJectives un-
fit for publication. that a good democrat
like Judge Whitaker should be turned
down.
GOOD REASONS FOR IT:
A close friend of the Governor gave
some explanation of the appointment. He
said that the lay judge feature of the
Court OF Errors and Appeals has long
heen source of ridicule and has been
considered by many. most farcical. E.-
pecially has this been SO since the
sswooden Judges" as they are irreverently
called, ouIvoted the law judges in the
case OF the New Jersey junction road
against the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany Governor Werts, my inforiEans
said, desires to see this odium taken from
The bench and he therefore proposes to
appoint lawyers whenever vacancy oc-
ours during his incumbency of the
Governors office.
Another gentleman said that the ap-
pointment was made at the request OF
Mr.. Phelps himself. 1t will not be long
after Grover Cleveland's Inauguration
when he will be retired to private life SO
far as Federal honors go. He wants to
come home and take position in his
State which will bring him prominently
before the public. He contemplates, it is
said, fighting General Sewell aud raising
Old Harry III his own party. So he asked
fo,s ic
coming vacant soon which he had any
chance of securing. The Governor, who
is a strong personal friend of Mr.. Phelps,
gave it to him and it is very good poll
TICS, too.
There is much discomfort among some
Democrats over the nomination sof Mr..
Phelps, and when he comes up for con-
1irmation some say there may be lively
time in the Senate. The general impress
sion is, however, that he will be con-
drmed.
The other nominations which interest
Hudson were that of Prosecutor Charles
IL. Winfield to succeed himself, and
James P. Laverty of Hoboken to succeed
Saeriff Stanton as Port Warden of Hud-
son County. Bayard Stockton Of Mercer
was appointed his own successor as Prose
cutor of Mercer.
-......-... PHELPS LAID OVER.
The Senate held an executive session
this morning and confirmed the nomina-
tion OF Prosecutor Winfield and Judge
Hudspeth, who was renomlnated for the
full term, beginning from April !. The
domination of Mr.. Phelps was referred to
HE Committee on Judiciary without
comment. 1t will come up next Monday
night, when considerable opposition TO its
cJnfirma alton is looked for.
VETO WAS READY.
The Governor had a veto for Senate
No 13, the Jersey City Corporation Couu-
Gil and Attorney bill, and would certainly
have sent it to the Legislature had not
the friends of the bill persuaded him to
allow them to withdraw the obnoxious
measure. This was done by resolution of
both Houses "for further consideration"
as the resolution read. The bill Is about
as dead as any one need want 1t to be. AS
one of the pages said. Its number hoo
dooed it,"
The substance OF the veto could only be
learned Indirectly, and in vague phrases.
It is said the document was short, but
very sharp, IL is said 1t would have as
serted the principles Of Home Rule in en-
phatic style.
The Hudson members seem to be at sea
over the next move. It may take the form
of a general amendment of the city
cnarter.
Judge Robert Hudspeth will resign to-
day, and it is said here That Mayor
Wanser will appoint ex-Judge William
6,
THE NEW CITY HALL.
j. D. Carscallen, Jacob Ringle, Joseph
A Dear and Daniel Cleary from the
Board of Trade and City Hall Commits
sioner Pearson were here last evening
looking after the bill which increases the
appropriation for new city nall to $780,
600. They had long interview with
Judge Daily and impressed upon him the
fact that the great majority OF Jersey
City's taxpayers and citizens wanted that
bill passed. Mr.. Daily replied that be
would do all in his power TO make the bill
a law. The committee was somewhat
surprised to find that some opposition has
sprung up to the bill ia the House.
Where it comes from it is hard to learn,
as no one will admit that he is the man.
The opposition has taken the shape of a
diisinclination TO see Jersey City bonded
further
KNOCKED OUT BY A BALL
Hasty Adjournment of the senate-Pen-
sion for Justice BeasleY