The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-02
WERTS' MANY VETOES
Among the Batch, One of the
Street and Water
Board Bill.
FULL TEXT OF THE FOUR
Senator Perkins Votes With
the Republicans to Over
ride a Veto
Willard Fiske to Investigate the
Oyster Troubles-Red-Hot
Anderson Fight.
Special to the jersey CITY Nesrs.

TRENTON, May ., lc94-AHOIner SURPRISE
of this surprising Legislature was sprung this
morning when Senator Perkins, democrat,
of Burlington, voted with the Republicans
to override the Governors veto of the Board
of Works bill for second class cities. It
was almost noon before the Senate met Mr..
Bradley, who went home all last night did
not appear at the Chamber this morning,
and it was said he would not come to Trenton
again for week As this spoiled the Re-
publican majority it was generally believed
the Senate would take rest until he was
able to return. Senator Rogers, however,
called the Senate to order, and about the
first thing thing taken ken up up was ss.a.d the e
and motion made that bill 1877 be passed
over the veto. The thing was done so quickly
that few realized what it was all about.
The clerk started to call the roll when SEN
ator VOORHEES, said he would like to know
what the bill was. Several Republican SEN
ators made signs to him which he evidently
= Il. lerstood and he subsidized. The veto went
through with a rush and caught the Demo-
Gratis hopping Those who realized what was
being done held their breaths and wondered
whether the Republicans meant to kill the
bill by attempting to pass it with only ten
votes in the Chamber. Their anxiety was
relieved when Perkins voted with the Re
publicans.
STREET GOVERNMENT.
Senator voorhees, introduced a bill which
provides that when all the property owners
along street petition for an imprO vement,
they can let out the contract themselves.
The work, howerer, is to be done under the
supervision OF the Street Commissioner
The city will issue Improvement certificates,
which the property owners will pay In SIX
yearly installnents.
STATE HOUSE BILL VETOED.
Governor Werts this morning vetoed As
semblv bills II, IS and 70, repeating the act
and supplements under which Bernard j.
Ford was appointed Superintendent of the
State House and ending his term. The Gov
ernor sent his message to the House, where
tie repealers originated saying
II regard the law sought to be repealed
and the kindred laws approved February
eight eighteen hundred and ninety-two and
February twenty-first, eighteen hundred and
ninety-thrce also sought to be repealed as
Wise and salutary legislation. Its beneficial
eff. cts are apparent to the improved condi-
ton and appearance OF the State House
and grounds and in the more efficient
discharge of the many duties deyolved upon
the Superintendent. bnt formerly intrusted
to number of employees. | have heard no
reason urged for the repeal of the laws re-
ferred to, except that the Superintendent
for the time being does not be-
long to the political party
now dominant in the Legislative
QeDarLQleHL Oh UD6 HOVeTUIsleuU- IA6luOVdlS,
for political reasons alone, have come to be
regarded with disfavor. No allegation of
unfitness or ineffciency is made against tn e
present Incumbent, ON the contrary his ex-
ceptional qualifications are conceded.
'.The bill makes no provision for the dis
charge of duties now performed by the
superintendent by any other person. That
objection, however, is sought to be overcome
by another pending bill, Senate No. 164 en-
titled AN act relative to the State House
and adjacent public grounds That bill
makes no change in the system. 1t
instead of one to be appointed
by the Comptroller and Treasurer instead of
by the Executive, with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate. The responsibility of ap-
pointnent is thus divided as is the response
Pill sty oda IN the The cost aad ea0enss os
to the State is also materially
increased. In any aspect the proposed legis-
lation is unwise and inexcusable, unless re-
peal of beneficial laws and the removal of
competent officials, for purely partisan ends,
be acts Of wisdom and propriety."
BOARD OF WORKS VETO.
Governor Wsrts sent his veto of the New
ark and Jersey City Board of Works bill to
the Senate. saying
ssThe bill returned affects but two cities
in this State, Newark and Jersey City. In
each Of these cities Board of Street
and Water Commissioners were au-
thorized by the act approved March
%, one thousand eight hundred and
ninety-one. Those boards have been assailed
on various grounds but chiefly because the
of the right Of Home Rule which each
municipality should enjoy. The pending
bill merely legislates out of Office the mem
hers of the existing Street and Water Boards
for the purpose OF enabling the Mayors of the
respective cities to appoint others in their
i Ioc 1ir1+n 70
continue in Office during the term of the
Mayor appointing them, which means two
wears in Newark and three in Jersey City
After that they are to be elective. The only
present result is the substitution OF one set
Of appointed officials for another appointed
set. The change Of system permitting
Home Rule is deferred for two and three
years in the respective cities. The only
apparent reason for that provislon is
the desire to Immediately change the party
complexion of the boards and prevent the
people from expressing their approval or dis
approval of such action for periods of two
and three years. If the people should elect
at the expiration of those periods, there can
be no good reason why they should not elect
at the next regular election or sooner
# the right OF Hons. Home Il Hule Is to to
choice Of those officials, the delay imposed,
is an invasion of that right, unwarranted
and unjustifable The proposed legislation
is SO manifestly intended to secure and main
tain a partisan advantage, in possible disre-
gard or difiance Of the popular will, that it
should not be permitted to be enacted with
out protest.
A THIRD VETO.
The Governor also vetoed Senate 113, giy-
ing Boards of Aldermen in second class cit
les power to fill certain city offices. Regard
ing this bill the Governor says:-"The pas
sage of some such bill as No 14S, was made
necessary by the passage OF Senate
bill No. 142, which latter bill legis-
lates out of office, before the
expiration of their terms, many officials in
certain cities of this State. ending their
terms on May s, 1894. The bill herewith re-
turned is also to become operative May Sth,
1894, but the officials to replace those retired
by Senate bill No. 14a, may be appointed at
any time within one month after May 8,
1894. A period of thirty days or
more may therefore elapse during which
different municipal cities viii be without
any officials Of the kind dis
placed and no provision made for the ex-
ercise of powers and duties thus terminated
If Senate No 142 is exacted into law, some
such measure as Senate No. 143 would