The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-12
A Bill to Reduce Salaries Of
State Officers Passed
By the House.
DEMAGOGICAL DEBATE
Republicans and Democrats Vie in
the Effort TO Exclude Compe-
tent Men From State
Employment.
snecial 70 the serscu Citu Ne,;s.

GIiggs nominated this morning Charles
Z. Hendriekson. of Burlington, for Lay
Judge of the Court of Errors aud Ap-
peals in place of the late Judge Clifford
Stanley Sims. and John F. Conklin to be
law Judge of Essex
The bill to retire and pension Police
Clerk Gilbert Robinson was killed in the
House. When it came UP Mr. Queen was
not in his seat and Mr.. Allen asked to
have it laid over but did not succeed.
Mr.. Hewitt made a strong appeal for
Robinson. but it did no good, tine hay
seaders jumped upon it and it was lost
1t IS chilly weather for Hudson men here.
no matter what party they belong to.
The House warmed up when Judge
WalliRg's bill for the reduction of the
annual salaries OF public officers who re
ceiYe more than $500. excepting judicial
officers, came up on third reading. The
bif was Introduced at the request of
the farmers organization of Monmouth
county and endorsed by a number of
local grangers. Judge walling support
ed the measure. explaining that the
feeling was broadcast that public officers
were overpaid In all other lines there
has been a reduction of compensation
and there IS a constant increase of taxes.
50 that two conditions of high salaries
and nigh taxes cannot be reconciled.
Leader Robertson said that New Jer-
ssy did not pay as high salaries as other
States, and that men employed by pri-
vates concerns and corporations get much
more than some of the State officers
He thought the salaries were only COM
mensurate with the responsibilities. He
thought the bill was not the kind that
was required. He would favor a bill
treating the subject inteiligently. cutting
off some useless officers and adjusting
the labor ana compensation.
Assellbiyman Lloyd of Camden said he
thought the bill was special, because it
elected certain officials; no investigation
rad baan made to find out what salaries
ought to be reduced. Mr.. Benedict of
Essex SAID he saw no occasion for the
bill. except 10 make a little political
capital for the Democrats.
Asse-ssblynan Skinner said ne did not
have clear idea OF the scope of the bill !
ana Ae asked for some informal ION. He
understood tfat the feeling existed IN
the rural part that the State officers were
paid too much. The bill made an unpleas-
ant discrimination between two classes
OF officers. Those who received over three
ana those under earned their money
Assernblynan ReH was surprised that
the great reform measure should now be
urged by the Democrats. Why did they
not Introduce them when they were, il,
pewer?
asseYab1vuan Smart of Hudson said he
narrefted very nueh that Assenblvnan
Eoll had brought politics into this impor-
tant measure He said the character of
the roen,hers from uudsan would hear
as close scrn5jnv as anv ,nernber in the
Bonse a.1 If the nrasar1t aalassatian from,
T5nason had been in the House of Assem-
biy before These reform measures would
have been introduced
Assenahlvman wildes If Rurl;neton
snada ) set sneacb 8 f.,sor ~ +ba hin
He Il . farmer and ,,ary of tbe farmers
q bic oo,,,+,r ,,o,,a 7aoIsxod :, -
tbe hin He t,,o,,s,+ t.s,,ser,.,, Of
ts,,,,s -
ofz,oors o,,d IN, ,a1 =, ~
freisl,f T4a yyae rlag, 5, t,ea, n sa5d f,at
thars l. - ,,os5rtcs y, ~ HI, Ha
tba,,,t,t now was tfa o,,rort,,ra time for
,sfor,o ,rba .,eo,,le ff tl,e sa,,e,ol as
srsc+s varted II and 4 was 4ba a,,tv If
s,a ,na3oritv to give tben this reform,
Il was what had q,een nIedsred "a tba
nsonle Notb;ne vet bad bsen done and
ii was time some action sbo1Id he taken
The members Of the Legislature could
NOT consider that fhev had done their
duty merely because they had reduced
the salaries of the clerk In Cbancerv
and The Clerk of the supreme Court.
Those officers had practically been re-
duced last year.
Assemblyman Reed of Somerset favored
the bill, because the sentiment of his
county Is for it He called attention to
the fact that the Supreme Court Judges
were gsting almost twice as much as
they did fifteen years ago. Can it be
that they are giving better opinions now
at 50. 500 year than they did when they
only received $1,000? The people expect
something in THIS line because the Re-
publican party gave them to understand
that there would be retrenchment and