The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-11-05
ANNEXATION POSSIBILITIES.

From the Kearny Record, Nay 5, 1894.
The bill introduced by Assemblymen
Kerr, providing for the OF
Harrison and Kearny to Essex without
| the sanction of the people of either town
or county, has passed both branches
of the Legislature and now awaits the
veto or imprimatur of Governor Werts.
| AS to what disposition the chief execu-
tive will make of the measure in it's pres
ent form is purely a matter of conjee-
ture; but thnt he will give the matter
| ample consideration and use good 1udg-
ment is generally conceded.
AS to the defects in the bill and the
inadvisability of this scheme, the Rec
ord has nothing to add; it has already
expressed its opinion plainly enough;
and it simply trusts that the measure
at least in its present state, will not re-
ceive the Governors approval. Ihus
far he has manfully rebuked gross par
tisanship, and checked unwise and iHlb-
eral legislation, and it is not improbable
that he will see the plain defects OF
this measure and make them evident in
very unmistakable language. Senator
Voorhees,, admittedly one of the most
sincere, impartial and intelligent mem
bers of the upper branch of the Legis-
lature, paid little heed to the importunl-
ties of the interested and also the over
enthusiastic advocates of annexation;
and when u vote was taken he declared
himself as opposed to the scheme. He
saw the force of the argument put forth
by Senator DAILY to the effect that the
people of a county should a " an OPP
E. o-;y;pr, fhajr consent nr
refusal to the secession of any integral
parts of such county. l.
Those annexationists who have devot-
ed their whole attention to their favorite
side of the subject would probably OBJ
iect to a general expression of opinion by
fhe people of the county whose indlV1duai
fax burdens would inevitably be tncreas-
ed by any section seceding; YET Lness
same opponents of a popular vote would
denounce with emphasis the secession OF
the Southern or Western states without
the consent of the people OF the natlon.
They would oppose an attempt OF any
county to annex itself to an adjoining
State. and they would declare it unjust
were a body of legislators to ROB hearhy
of the mill district, and without ASKING
the people of Kearny who uppor the
government of the township and VINO
in a sense own the mill district, as well
as all other sections, whether they were
willing to have that amount OF taAapIe
property taken from them WITHOUT CON
sultation.
It was unfair enough to deny the peo-
ple of the county that which appears 10
be simply their constitutional righf,
but when the introducer of the Dill re-
fused to allow it to be amended so that
/ even the people of these towns coulo
have a voice in the matter, the move.
ment incurred the tacit opposition OF
MANY who otherwise might have be-
| come strong supporters of the measure.
! DESPITE the fact hat the bill was mani
festfv unfair, it passed both House ana
Senate with a majority that must nave
| pleased it's introducer. But is 1t not 3
| fact that a big vote can be obtained by
, an energetic representative for almost
| any bill, provided such bill does not al
| feet the personal interests or constItuenoo
| cies of either Senators or Assemblymen!
The Trenton reports of yesterday tell
/ us that the House was in a humorous
mood when the amended bill was brought
| IN for final passage, and apparently they
voted for the bill just to please Its IN
PRODUCER.
The changing of county lines is serious
business, but yet it seems to be treat
| ed like a joke by the Trenton legislators.
| They would put us in Essex this year
| and cause a vast amount of confusion
and next year it is just as likely that
another set may put us back into Hud-
I son and thus give us no end of trouble.
| What guaranty have we against such
! disturbance?