The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-27
VOORHEES, TRIUMPH.
He Succeeds in Getting the
Corbin Amendment Through
the House.
spccsol to thc Jerseu CYtu Ne,es.


ference" as the Republicans call it here,
but which everyone else terms caucus,
of the Assemblymen yesterday afternoon
was a long and bitter one. The whole
trouble was over the constitutional
amendments. The one providing for
the election of Assemblymen by districts
was promptly sat down upon. The South
Jerseymen could not be persuaded that
they could not do better with the county
at-large system. Then came a long
wrangle over the amendments affecting
the judiciary. They had the same trouble
that the Senate had, and being unable
to agree, like the Senators. decided to
fight it out on the floor.
1t was late in the afternoon when Mr..
/ Skinner. Chairman of the Judiciary Com
mitttee, offered a concurrent resolution
preventing the Governor from r~eappoint-
ing a man to office before the next meet
ing of the Senate when the Senate has
refused to confirm the appointment. This
was one of the provisions of the redis-
trioting amendments passed by the Sen
ate. and while the Republicans of the
House rejected the idea as whole, they
desired to retain the clause embodied in
the resolution. The House passed the
resolution n it went through the Sen
ate a few minutes later.
MI. Walling, for the Democrats. who
Iatnremen By districts, followed Mr.
SINNERS resolution with another EN-
bodying the redistricting clause. This
action had been anticipated by the Re
publicans. and on motion of Mr.. Lower
the resolution was tabled.
Mr.. Skinner, an hour later, reported
the Senate judiciary amendments in a
concurrent resolution, and Mr.. Scovel
offered as a substitute the amendments
rejected by the Senate. Then the com
cans and the Democrats fought an hour
with the Robertson Republicans, who.
g11a GoYsTn0 Which, Grlgg fbe f se,Safs b ths
thrown overheard.
In arguing upon the merits of his sub
| stitute, Mr.. ScOvel said that nine out
of ten lawyers favored the amendments
the Senate had rejected. and that the
plan adopted by the Senate would make
Mr.. Queen doubted the statement that
| nearly all lawyers were opposed to the
Senate amendments. and said that if they
| people beside the lawyers to be consider
ed He argued that the courts were
| established for the benefit of the people
and that the Senate amendments would
establish courts such as the people
want.
not twelve men on the fioor who could
explain the objects of both
He said that eight of the committee Of
amendments had decided that they We're
better than those the Senate adopted.
He favored relying on the opinions of
one.
Mr.. Reed spoke for the Senate amend
ments and said the people wanted them.
The substitute offered by Mr.. Scovel, he
said. was strictly a lawyers measure.
MT Skinner said that a change in the
and that the Senate amendments were
| complete, harmonious and consistent He
argued that the Court of Appeals Should
| and 1t. would not be if organized under
the substitute amendments.
Mr.. Scovel held that the fight was be-
tween the Supreme Court and the people.
The people, he said, wanted the substi-
tute amendments and the Supreme Court
objected to them, because the dignity of
substitute amendments prevailed.
TIL debate was closed by the irrepres-
mitted that he knew little of the differ
ence between tine two amendments but
said he believed those adopted BY the
d to guarantee the best law for the least
money. This remark was greeted with
hearty cheers from all parts Of the
demanded and a vote was taken on Mr..
Sccvels substitute, which was lost, II
n nee5a | IN 1Re ras Tma e anS Il IL t g.
Senate amendments was then put and
was carried by a vote of So to 4. The
| resolutions embodying the woman suf-
frage, biennial session, Inc anti-gafnbI;n
amendments wen through without dis
/ cussion.
Some of the Republican senators were
greatly dissatisfied over the way the
judiciary amendments were put through
the Senate on Wednesday. When the
jority of the Senators favored the report
presented by the majority of the special
committee of lawyers. Senator Yoor-
Hees opposed these and objected to hay-
ing the matter settled In caucus. The
reason for this was apparent when ii
was later discoveries that he had in
duced. three Democratic Senators to vote
with. him and this gave him a majority
on the floor of the Senate. The amend.
ments were passed in this way, although
two other Republican Senators went over
to the Voorhees, ranks when they found
the tide was that way. Governor Griggs
was known to favor the report of the
Eccfnmittee of lawyers, and. the action Of
the Republican leader. in seeking Demo.
cratic aid to defeat the views Of a ma
/ jority of the Republican Senators Is INC
subject of much criticism.