The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-01-17

duties are relative and inter-dependent,
aud no body of citizens has the legal or
moral right to form alliances or engage
in occupations plejudicial TO the gen eral
welfare.
Nor can the suggestion be entertained,
that the effect of the monopoly or COM
bination would be reduction in price.
Such. in some cases might, aud from pru-
dental motives. probably. would be the
first result. But the power to increase
the price would inevitably create the dis
position, with it's natural consequence,
and In dealing with such conditions. the
teaching Of experience is to regard "as
established all ills which may be estab-
lished, and deem no right secure which
another has the right to invade or take
away"
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADVOCATED.
1t is doubtless unnecessary. in this
presence. to discuss the wisdom and JUS
tice of local self-government-in other
words, the Inherent right of the people to
regulate and administer their local affairs
through officials of their own choosing,
and to hold those officials directly respon-
sible. This is of the essencs of Demo-
cratic government. and, unless we are
prepared to accept that truism. that
government derives its just powers from
the consent OF the governed, it is impos-
siDle to discover on what theory this
right of selr-governmenl can be denied to
any municipality. 1t matters little, If
any, what form the governing body as
sumes. or by what name 1t be called. pro-
vided 1t be the elected of the people.
But where the actual governing body is
designated by an agent interposing be-
tween the people and the governing body,
although that agent be chosen by the
people, such government is not truly
Democratic. The vital principle of home
rale ls violated, when the right of the
people to choose their own rulers Is ex-
ercised by another
From the right of self-government the
transition is natural TO the right of good
government.
A government through officials chosen
by the people, implies that each individual
may have voice in the designation of
those officials. speak, not now, of the
right to vote for nominated candidates,
but of the light and opportunity to say
who those candidates shall be. o nder
the refinements of modern politics, the
caucus or primary for choosing delegates.
is the principal factor in the political
machinery Of all parties. The character
of candidates. and consequently of gov
ernmeut, is there determined. Theore IT,
| cally, the primary is popular assem- bly,
where the popular will finds expression.
| Practically it has become, in many in
stances mere appliance to register the
| will of "ths boss" ''tbe ring" or ''the
machine" This admitted evil has
| iuruIshed occasion for remedial legisIa-
| IN the past. but without substantial re-
suit The evils sought to be suppressed
nave increased rather than diminished.
| LAW FOR PRIMARIES.
| Ballot reform has, in recent years, ac-
| complished much in the direction OF hon
| est elections 1t would seem that the
enactment of a law applying the same
| principles and methods to the caucus or
| primary would prove equally efficacious.
| The result would be the abolition of the
| primary and of the convention also, the
| convention being simply the culmination
| of the primaries, anu affording opDor-
| tunity for the same objsc tionable prac-
| tices there prevailing, upon wider field.
| With the existing Ballot Reform law, the
| enactment of such law as that suggest
| ed Is only a matter of detail. The gen.
\ eral outlines would properly be:-For
| Gubernatorlal and Congressional candi-
| dates representing more than one county
| or parts of counties, a certificate. signed
| by requ ired number of legal voters OF
the State or district. should be filed with
| the Secretary of State, setting forth that
1 the stgners present designated person te
| be voted for as Guneruatorial or Congress
| siopal candidate; for legislative. county
| or municipal officers. like certificates
4 should be filed with the county or
| municipal clerks. From the certificates
SO flied the respective clerks should pre-
| pare an official ballot containing the
/ names proposed for the different offices
| TO be filled, under proper heads, arranged
| in parallel columns, with only the names
| of one party appearing in the same
| column. On an appointed day an cleo
| tion should be held under the provisions
| of the ballot reform law for candidates
! TO be voted for a5 the succeeding election
| The result should be certified to the Sec.
| retary of State or county or municipal
| clerk, as the case might require, and The
leperson receiving majority or plurality
1 vote OF any party, for any office, declared
the nominee of that party for that office.
| The ballot to be used at these nominating
| elections should be confined to ths polling
( room and not circulated outside, the
1 voter to indicate bis preferences by marks
/ placed at the head of the column or op-
| posite particular names.
4 PROTECT THE VOTERS.
Under such q system every voter cou Id
freely express bis choice as to the oandi-
| of his party, and the influence and power
| of the s'machine" would be reduced 20 q
| minimum, If not overthrown.
1t may be objected that the scheme in
wolves considerable expense. Whether
the matter of necessary expense should
be considered in question involving
| good government may be debatable, but
| however that may be. the objection car
be in great degree obviated by appoint
ing the nomin ating election to be held on
day when the boards of registry art
| met under the present law for the pur
pose of personal registration and revising
and correcting the registry lists.
The proposed method OF nominating
candidates would not, If that were desir-
able, prevent united action for or against
| q particular person. On the contrary
those to be voted for being known in ad-
| vance, their merits and dement's Woulo
be thoroughly discussed in the publit
prints and by the people among them
selves, and considerate and deliberate &C
ton thereby insured.
Should it prove difficult or unwise II
apply the method proposed to the nom1n-
alton of certain officers, such as electors
for president and vice-president, and in
ferier municipal officers, the methods
now prevailing, or others TO be adopted
= y. ell <,nA Co fyVn "a n