The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-07
TO THE LEGISLATURE.
Prominent Republicans Suggest
Many Changes In Existing
Laws.
SpeeiaE 10 the Jersey city Nsss.

TRENTON, Dec. Z, 1s93.-An address to
the members of the next Senate and AS
semblv has bean prepared and signed by
John Y. Foster, c.. c. Hine and ethars.
1t urges many changes in existing leGis-
lstion, and particularly the passage OF q
local optien law and the fncreasing OF
liquor license charges. The address is as
foIlows.-
To the Members OF the Legislature of the State
OF heIc JerSsD:-
AS d result OF the recent election you
have been hen0rsd by the voters of New
Jersey, az few Citizsns have bseu In Sac
| history of the State. Far at the close OF
a political campaign la which moral
questions overshadowed all others, and
IN which party differences were almost
entirely eliminated, YOU were chosen by
the people TO give effect to their deter
minatiop that the laws of the State shall
| express their best moral sentiment. The
people have greatly honored you. and
they confidently bslieye that In what you
will do during next winters session you
will seek TO bring to the Common
wealth.
We are aware of the fact that those
who reprsEeut the wrong elements o l so
| cisty In tkt State make politics a matter
of daily concern. They are slespless and
IL IN wv A1J
desired end. Thsy are never backward
10 declaring what thew want, ana never
lack exactness or diligence in working
for 1t.
We are also aware that similar activity
and earnestuess are not always the char
acteristics of those whose paramount Inv
terest in politics and government ts the
promotion of the highest welfare of the
people. We believe, however. that the
people are aroused as scarcely ever be-
fore, and mat the time has come Tor good
citizens 20 make their wants known to
their chosen legislators. We also believe
that such an expression will strengthen
your hands for the WORK that needs TO be
doue.
Holding these views. and believing
that the good people or New Jer ey, real
iZing that this Is their opportunity. are
looking forward to the coming sess ion of
the Legislature with lively an5icip tons.
we respectfully request that the follow
lug suggestions he enacted Into laws SUBJ
stautially as Indicated
Oue-The present race track laws
should be repealed. When this is doue.
avs should be enacted which will stop
every form of gam bling connected with
racing. IL laws cannot be enacted which
will stop the gambling. then the raciug
should be prohibited.
Two-The County Excise law should be
repealed. In its stead a Local Option
law should be enacted giving the towns
and cities full power 10 regulate the
liquor traffic. Penalties should be pro-
videdf for auy intraction of the law with
In the limits of any town or City where
the people have votsd that sales of liquor
for drinking purposes shall not bs SER
mitted. The law should also provide tlat
In own or cities where xaloou Licenses
are grained, In accordance with a vote of
the people, the annual charge for
licenses shall be not less that $500 In
towns or cities of less than 5000
people. aud not less than $1,000 10
other towns or cities. And it should
further provide that a sale to a minor, or
to a confirmed drunkard. or a sale be-
tween tue hours of IL P. NJ. of any day
and 5 A. M. of the next day, or IL P. NJ.
on Saturday and 5 A.. M. of Monday.
shall work an immediate forfeiture of
license; n further. that a town or city
shall not In any case grant a license to
any person who has thus forfeited a
license either in the same town or city or
anobher, or to any person for his use or
benefit.
Three-The present tax laws should bs
amended SO that that the rate OF taxes
uaidtby corporations shall bs the Same as
the rate paid by individuals on the same
sort Of property.
Four-All laws creating useless offices
the fncumbents OF which render little or
no service to the State. shouId be- re-
nealed. and the Civil list aud all expenses
of the STATE Govern ment Should be re-
duced to the lowest point consistent with
the most efficient conduct Of the public
business.
Fiye-When the Corporation Tax laws
rave been amended aud the su%perfuous
officers have been abolished as suggested,
the total amount OF taxes received from
corporations VIII largely exceed the ex-
penses of the State Government. Pro-
vision should be made for the distribu-
ton OF the surplus among the couutiss ia
proportion TO their assessed valuation.
Six-We believe that the Election laws
OF the State can be and should be so
amended as to make corruption of the
ballot aud manipulation of election re-
turns still more difficult and dangerous
than they are at present.
We do not suppose that these are all
the subjects that should enaage your at
tention. II is quite probable that you
nav be able to see how other things may
be done which will more effectively pro-
mote righteousness ia the government OF
the State and among the people. But we
ara sure that the people want s~ubstaati-
ally these things done and are resolved TO
stand by the men who will do them. We
are confident you will respond to the
earnest expectations of the people and in
doing so you will render the state Of
New Jersey at least as great a service as
any Legislature in IFS history,