The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-10-26
JOHN KHRR'S INIQUI2Y
How Governor Werts Stopped
His Scheme for Robbing
Hudson County.

One of the most Ubiquitous measures
introduced into the last UBIQUITOUS Legis-
lature was the bill which sought to take
Harrison and Kearny from Hudson, and
annex them to Essex County. This was
not only part of the Republican scheme
to perpetuate that party in power by
adding more Republican votes to Essex,
but 1t robbed Hudson of a large area
of taxable property and Increased the
taxes of those who remained In TUCSON.
Taxpayers, irrespective of party, mas
tened to Trenton and urged the defeat
of the measure. But the Republican,
paid no attention to them, and rushed
the bill through. One of the most active
in this work of iniquity was John Kerr,
member from the seventh district, who
is seeking a reelection. Taxpayers OF
Hudson County will do well to keep him
in mind when they come to vote Tor
Assemblymen next month. The only
thing that saved Hudson from being
thus robbed was the veto of Governor
Werts. In this the Governor said
at is not proposed to submit any por-
ton of the bill, by popular vote or other
wise, to the ratification, approval or re-
lection of any of the municipalities to be
affected by it. 1t is alleged that the in
habitants of the territory to be annexed
are largely in favor of annexation. They
may or may not be so; the best method
to determine that fact is by popular
election. Otherwise, it is mere conJec-
ture; and. whatever the apparent senti-
ment under the excitement of the present
moment, it may be altogether different
when deliberately expressed at the bal
lot box.
."This question of annexation concerns
not only the inhabitants of the territory
to be annexed, but the entire counties
of Hudson and Essex. Hudson should
not be dismembered and deprived OF so
large a domain and reduced from the
most populous county in the State to a
secondary position without it's consent,
nor should Essex County, without its
consent, be compelled to annex extra
territory and possibly assume or become
liable for a portion. of the indebtedness of
Hudson County, The argument that the
situation of Kearny and Harrison is
such as to make it desirable for them
to belong to Essex rather than to HudIi
son County is dictated simply by cons
siderations of self-interest and personal
convenience. 1t regards these municipal
tiles only, and ignores all other parties
and all other considerations. The same
gun could be used to justify the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of every county in the
State.
A of them have within their limits
some town or territory so located as
to make it more desirable for the in
habitants thereof to be incorporated
within an adjoining county. II such a
condition is to be an all-sufficient reason
for withdrawal or annexation, no county
will be able to preserve its territorial
integrity. The right of home rule
urged in favor of his bill, does not
enter into the controversy. Kearny and
Harrison, I presume, have home rule
now. If not, they would be no better off
in the County of Essex. Their local
home rule governments would be the
same in either county. The bill provides
for that. The doctrine which asserts
the right of individual municipalities to
sever county relations at their own free
will and pleasure is not the principle of
home rule: it is rather the heresy of