The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-27
DANGEROUS DELAY
Constitutional Commissions
Penchant for Putting
Off Action.
GOVERNOR BEDLE'S FOXY TACTICS.
Three Weeks in Session and Little
Discussions.
GOVERNOR BEDLE'S FOXY TACTICS.
Special to the Jersep Cttu Neus.

Special " the UeJSCU CuU INtuo.
TRENTON, June 81, 1S94-As the com
mission appointed to revise the State judici
airy meets from day to day, talks a little,
lays everything over Inc then adjourns, a
suspicion is growing among those who have
watched the proceedings that several of the
change whatever in the Judiciary, and are
trying to accomplish that result bya policy
of delay. The resolution under which the
commission was appointed directed that it
should complete its work in sixty days. This
is the third week that it has been in session
and no amendment to the Constitution has
yet been agreed upon, except one providing
that there shall be a separate and distinct
court of last resort, to consist of coun-
sellers at law of at least ten years. stand
ing, and one relating to the Court of Par
dons.
If those who oppose any change can sue
coed in delaying action in the future as they
AVE in the past, they will have attained
their object If a proposition succeeds in
being adopted at one meeting, 1t almost in
varlably comes up at the next with an
amendment OF a substitute: which, as a gen.
eral thing is laid over to be printed in order
UQdb Unc IuettDGIS Hldy give IL Uu6 COllSiutI-
alton it is entitled to-" Some of those who
favor changes in the present judicial sys-
tenn, which look to the simplifying of the
present mode of procedure, constantly re-
mind the body that its time is short, and beg
the members to discuss the questions, and
not waste valuable time laying propositions
over until the next meeting.
GOVERNOR BEDLE'S TACTICS.
Ex-Governor Bedle is one of those who
urge delay. He appears to be as adept in
parliamentary tactics as he is in legal prac-
tice and can plead for delay before the Com
missioners with all the argumentative
Jfhesse which has made him famous in the
courts Of the State. His chief argument is
that you can't make constitutions as you
would houses. TIL Judiciary which the
commission wants to change radically has
been in successful operation in the State for
a half century, and any changes in it should
be made only after the most careful and
deliberate consideration. He also contends
that the best work the Commission can do
is to make the least number of changes pos
sible.
The Commissioners are supposed to sit
from eleven A. M. t. two P. NJ. They gen
orally begin at half past eleven or twelve
o'clock, and adjourn about enc T. M. Once
they sat until two o'clock, and that session
was mostly taken up in talk.
YESTERDAYS DISCUSSION.
Yesterdays meeting was of the usual
order. The discussion began over Mr.. Nc
Dermott's proposition that the Court of Par
dons shall consist of the Governor, the Chan
celior, the Attorney General, the Secretary
of State, The State Comptroller and the
State Treasurer.
Mr.. Ludlow moved to amend by striking
out all after the words Attorney General, for
he said that a great deal of the criticism
which aimed at the Court of Pardons as now
constituted was due to the large number of
it's members, and he could SEQ no advantage
in associating three of the leading political
offices of the State in this court.
Mr.. McDermott agreed with MIR. Ludlow
and accepted his amendment.
Mr.. Stockton said that as he had had some
experience with the Court of Pardofls, he
understood somewhat of its workings. AS q
court it was becoming more and more 1nl-
portant every day, and he had known Gov
ernors who had spent more time and care In
the discharge of this duty than any OF
their executive duties. AS the court was
now constituted the Governor must be in
the affirmative before a pardon can be
granted, and the person who had the best
hold or would make the best appeal was the
most likely to have his pardon granted. The
Queen of England, when she took her coro-
nation oath. swore to administer justice
with mercy, and that was what the Court Of
Pardons was for, therefore let each member
of it have a vote.
Mr.. KEAN'S AMENDMENT.
Mr.. Kean moved to strike out the words
attorney General" and add 1.-THE three
senior Judges Of the Court Of Errors and APP
peals, u because he said chat the Attorney
General was often called Upon to act as
prosecutor in a case, and should not be