The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-12-10
Want q Short Session So
That Their "Reformers'
Can't Put Them in a Hole
ANTI sEwELbIsM DYING OUT
The Generals Camden Association
to Attend the Opening Of the
Session With Banners and
Noise.
ANTI sEWELLIsM DYING OUT
Special to the Jerssu City Ne,cs.

the Legislature the shortest ever kHoWH
in the history of the State. They be-
lieve it could be accomplished very
easily were it not for the United States
Senatorial contest, but even with that
to absorb at least two weeks OF the ses-
sion, it is thought that all that is neces-
sary to be done this year can be done
in five weeks. so that the Legislature
can adjourn within seven weeks and go
on record as the shortest session ever
known in the history of the State.
AS rule nine weeks has been the du-
ration of the session, while some sessions
have continued fifteen weeks The ses-
sions of 1892 and 1893 were both nine
weeks in length The shortest session
has been eight weeks, and that was in
1S47 and 1s4S. Speaker Cross is of
the opinion that it would be good thing
to make the sessions of the Legislature
much shorter than they have been, and
he intends, as far as he is concerned. to
rush the work through so that it will be
possible to reach sine die adjournment
by the middle of February.
SENATOR VOORHEES, VIEWS.
Senator Foster M. Voorhees,, in discuss
ing the Presidency of the Senate, ex-
pressed the opinion that Senator Edward
Stokes, of Milville, is entitled to handle
the gavel during the next session. He
thinks he will be elected to that Office in
recognition of the excellent work he did
during the long period of confusion nnd
excitement caused by the Instructions
that the Democrats put in the way of the
Constitutional Senate. This is Senator
Stokes last year, and, while there is no
oIo h hoip 10
chooses to seek the honor again, yet it is
thought this is the time when he should
be given the Presidency of the Senate if
he is to be given it at all.
Senator Voorhees,, in speaking of him
self, said he would willingly accept the
leadership of the majority in the Senate,
but he was not an aggressive candidate;
that if there We're any other Senators
who would like to be the leader, and in
that way prepare themselves for the
Presidency next, he is willing that they
shall be so honored. He believes he can
serve his party just as well on the floor
of the House, in the rank and file, as TO
be the acknowledged leader.
Senator Voorhees, also favors short
session. and thinks there will be no po-
litical measures introduced at all, and
probably the most important thing that
will come before the Legislature will be
the Judiciary bill, which bill provides for
a change in the Court of Common Pleas
doing away with the lay judges. There
will probably be stout fight over this
BILL as the lay judges have organized for
the purpose of defeating it if possible.
JUDGE ABBETTS SUCCESSOR.
1t is regarded as a striking historical
coincidence that with a new order of
political things beginning in this State,
Leon Albeit, the man who produced the
old, should pass SO quickly away. His
death gives to Governor Werts an addi-
tional Supreme Court Justice appoint
ment The list of available men is quite
long 1t is necessary first to determine
whether Governor Werts will appoint
Democrat or a Republican. The Repub-
licans are very strongly urging the
claims of ex-senator John B. Grigg.
Ever since he was in the State Senate,
and since his ability became known, there
has been a desire to see him go up
higher. But there was no place for him
on the bench, and he always claimed
that he was too poor to be candidate
for Governor. Passaic County is not
Appellate Courts, and yet the county has
produced some good lawyers. Ex-Sen-
ator Grigg is now in the South for his
health, and his views on the subject are
not known.
In Democratic circles there is much
talk about Judge Francis Child, who is
one of the new Circuit Court Judges and
who is doing good work relieving the
strain on the upper Supreme Court cir
cults. 1t is generally understood that
Governor Werts wants to go back to
the Supreme Court bench when his term
expires, and it is thought that he will
be willing to name a Republican in the
hope that should there be a Republican
Governor that he might reciprocate the
favor a year or two later, OF should
there be a Democratic Governor, that
a Republican Senate might keep the fact
in mind.
IT LOOKS LIKE SEWELL.
The United States Senatorial matter
goes along without any noticeable change.
The general feeling is that William j.
Sewell will be elected. Even such con-
servative men as Senator Foster M. Voor-
| hees, who halls from a county where
there is more or less opposition. expresses
the belief that such may be the result.
| The opposition to the General in the
upper part of the State is losing no op-
portunity to spread before the people
| some blue-penciled statements about why
| the General should be defeated. The col
| umns of several Democratic newspapers
are controlled by them and they are
| mailed systematically to the members
elect and The rural editors These are
articles against General w. J. Sewell
| and in favor of nobody else. The scheme
| is to create an opinion against the Gen
eral and his canvass and bring confusion
into the caucus.
Those who are watching the canvass
| closely are firmly OF the opinion that
the General will go back to Washing
ton His friends are preparing to coen
| the Legislature with some enthusiasm.
| The w. j. Sewell Association in Camden
| is growing beyond all expectations in
South Jersey. They will make an inn
posing parade in Trenton the day the
session opens.
| It looks like Senator Edward G. Stokes
| of Cumberland for Presidentsof the SEN
ate, ex-Judge Joseph Cross for Speaker
| of the House. and James r. Logan Of
| New Brunswick for Clerk. The session