The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-03-06
WORDS, WORDS.
Another Day of Tedious
Hearings Before I.egiSla-
tive Committees.
THE "opEN" PRIMARY SCHEME
George L. Record Explains the
Measure-The Ward Combine
Fight for Gruber's
Water Bill.
spscfal to the Jersey citu Ne,us.

TRENTON, March 6. 1S95.-It was an
other day of hearings yesterday ana sew
eral committees returned to Their carry
dissipation vita appetites increased ny
their long a-6stenance. The House Com
mittee on Elections heard arguments ON
the bill providing for open primaries.
George w. Record of Jersey City ex-
planned the bill. He said it was sub
staatially the same plan under which the
Hudson County Democratic Primaries
held last fall with the important add--
ton tina the primaries viii be held IN
the registry a fomr weeks before
election, by the Election Board and by
both parties at the same tAmes 1t WEI
be the duty of the County Clerk to sup
ply the Registry Board with the oificlai
primary ticket. having printed thereon IN
alphabetical order the name OF an ms
cano4aales who are to be nominated py
petition as hast fall.
When a person registers he can ask lof
the primary ticket. and taking II into tne
booth which is 10 be provided at tne
place of registration he can cneck the
name OF the candidate Tor WnoIn he
wishes to vote.
This scheme, Mr.. Record argued. would
do away with conventions ,wpllcn were
all more or less corrupt. DELEGATES We're
always chosen by a few and never rep
resented the mass of the voters OF fheir
party and before une conventions they
were subjected to all sorts OF tempta-
tons, promises and pressure. Undef the
system. proposed by the bill the people
themselves would vote directly for The
candidates and their action would Ileces-
sarily be DISTINGUISHED and unsel1ish.
Furthermore, he argued. every public
official would be dependent upon the peo-
pie or the masses of mis- party tor renoIn-
inatton. rather than the good will OF
the bosses and leaders which would dns
ouce them TO work tor the approval OF
the people rather than the party man
ayers. or indiy9dual leaders, all or when
would lead to a higher standard IN pup-
lie life.
it would also do away with bosses.
Mr: RECORD claimed. which are the pone
and evil of any political party. and soon
er on later bring the party 20 ruin. 1t
confronted with a choice OF evils and n
order to punish a bad candidate, phey
must vote for opposite political party,
which brings disaster upon their own
poltieal organ-zat1on. which most s. mel
system they could tight the matter out
at the primaries without .njardng the
party.
Congressman .McEwan, who never
misses a trick when there is a chance TO
make a speech. also spoke in the line
81 L 10 INg gFfsnS9tEf SCHEME.
The on BAN and lnsur-
anee rave a hearing on Senator Thomp-
sons bill authorizing the formation of.
LIoyd's insurance companies in the State.
That is, a number of men can get to-
ge5her and go into the insurance s DIS.
%~Soo oNAAS - ~
the law. A large number of insurance
men from Jersey CITY were in the dele
asg eai1n T the bill ialn AMONG aHgn then ae p'S asre
Messrs. Muller, Kline and Gopsili. They
objected to the bill because the .Lloyd's
companies under it would nos be sub,
GRTRER's WATER BILL
Evan worked hard all the afternoon,
and succeeded in getting the House Com
mittee on Municipal Corporations to hear
them on Gruber's bill, which seeks to
condemn Newark's surplus water.
Newark wasn't represented. neither was
the East Jersey City Water Company.
in the raid on Newark's $1,000. 900 plant
m MITE; a hat Sa Newark saGiiy had laa0'n 10 OBJECTIONS bSs ola
Congressman McEwan. the particular
champion of the measure. went even
farther than that. and declared that II
was Senator Ketcham who had suggest
ed the measure. Tois was a surprise to
the committee, but not half as Surprising
Is it was to the senator from Essex;
Mr.. McEwan's statement. and declared
with emphasis that the assertion of the
gentleman from Hudson was incorrect.
intimate, let alone boldly assert, that I
suggested this measure. Ten days ago
the gentleman spoke to me in regard to
a desire on the part of Jersey City to
provide for a temporary water supply
by receiving the Newark surplus from
the East Jersey Water Company. I ad-
vised them to go ahead, believing it was
their Intention to make a contract with
the East Jersey Company, as I believed
they had a right to do"
The contradiction was not made until
some time after the committee adjourned
and had no part in the hearing. Mr.. Nc
Evan, after comparing the relative posi-
tons Of Newark and Jersey. City with
abundance Of everything; the other alb
solutely destitute. said this was the act
ply. Newark had contracted. for a fifty
million gallon supply. of Which @, 5oo. 900
was allowed to run into the sea daily,
and he did mot think she would prevent
her sister city from getting this surplus,
which was essential to her very exist
ence. Then he proceeded to tell what
he knew of the Newark city charter
and her contract with the East Jersey
Water Company. and in so doing mad
v%ertently made the assertion, which was
patent to all. that Jersey City may,