The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-09
-tf
4 PARTISAN RAID.
Schemes of Pinnder Out
lined for the Legislative
Session.
THE ASSAULT UPON HELLER
Boards Of FreehOlders to Be
Abolished and Legislative
Commissions Set Up.
THE ASSAULT UPON HELLER

CFrom the Newark iDaily Advertiser
Of Yesterday.)
TRENTON, Dec. S.-The Boards of
Freeholders in several counties of the
State are becoming very much interest
ed in a matter which has not hitherto
attracted much attention. The an
nouncement In The Daily Advertiser a
few days ago thu a movement to SUI
persede Boards of Ffeeholders by Coun-
ty Commissioners was on foot attract
ed such widespread and favorable con-
| sideratfon that a number of the incum-
bents of this particular position are al
ready considering the propriety of hold
ing a meeting 20 oppose the passage of
an act by the Legislature which would
legislate them out of office.
Your New Jersey politician is usually
a wise man in his day and generation,
and he has learned by experience the
propriety of looking after his fences
before they are down. That the rural
Freebooter is not the only man in poll
ties who is interested in fence-building
just now has been made apparent by
the fact that the proposition to con1ne
the proposed change In the form of coun-
ty administration to third and fourth
SAe@1 "A - toA Skif CT LII A1NA~
essary by the residents of counties of
the first and second class. 1t is doubt
full. however, If Essex County would at
this time second the motion of Hudson,
Passaic and Camden for the change.
It is the sudden growth of popular
sentiment in favor of County Commits
s~ioners, since The Daily Advertiser
called attention to the proposed move
ment in that direction, which has
aroused some of the Freeholders to be
on the alert for self-protection. so to
| speak.
In some way. the report got abroad
that Governor Griggs might not regard
unfavorably the substitution of Com
m n1isst ayo for Fr~eeholders; His ire
and county Government gave additional
strength to the report, since it is noto-
rious that the government of several
counties has been conducted with glar-
ExTRAvAGANcE THE RULE.
to speak authoritatively upon the sub
ject nave said that extravaganza has
been the rule. Moreover, It is related
tnaI E]scep bifIs In In t Gne a Of the q sma oqer
10000 were ordered paid without a vote
of the. Board having been taken upon
one Of them, and before the auditor
had passed upon them. So that the
form of government is not the only
| grievance of the taxpayers. They OBJ
ject quite as earnestly to the methods
If it Is true, as reported, that the Gov
ernor is not opposed TO the consideration
of a change for which there is sure, sooner
or later, to be a popular demand, it is
easy to understand why the Freeholders
are beginning to seriously mediate upon
organization for self-protection- The
axiom, Few die and none resign APP
plies to ~Fsreehplders, as well as to officials
of a higher class.
In a recent conversation, ex-Speaker
Oviatt, one of the foremost business men.
and a NAH who is thoroughly familiar
with the conduct of public business in
Monmouth County, said that the change
from Boards Of F~reeholders to County
Commissioners could not come too saor.
1t will not be denied that Monmouth
County has afforded an excellent OPP
portunity. for observation in this connec-
ton. To Monmouth might be added Hid-
son, Passaic, Bergen. Burlington, Camden
and others.
my idea" said Mr.. oviatt, sis that, to
Freeholders, there should be three Coun-
ty Commissioners and a practical Coun-
ty Engineer.
The Commissioners should be elected
by the people, and the engineer might be
elected In the same way, or appointed by
the Commissioners, as should be thought
best Only men Of known reputation for
integrity and ability should be selected,
and they should be paid such compensa-
ton as would enable and encourage them
to give their best attention to their du-
would, as It happens. be az economical
step ito begin with. The propriety of ap-
pointing a County Engineer is self-evi-
dent.
IF he were a competent and reliable
man, bridge building at the public ex-
pense would not be as much of an en-
terprise as it now is IN some counties
Commissioners would be all-suficicnt for
each county. In other States where this
system of county government prevails,
1t Is generally found to be alike practical
and economical and more satisfactory
than the method so full of various pos
sibilitieg which obtains in New jersey
MOVEMENT GROWS APACE.
The opinion of Mr.. Oyiatt has been
energetically endorsed by residents of
Bergen, Passaic, Camden, Burlington,
Hudson ana ocean Counties. and the move-
ment for the PROPOSED change is growing
apaee.
The proposition to Increase the number
Of Assistant Prosecutors is being met by
the most emphatic opposition. 1t is
claimed that the need of these officials
where they do not already exist is not ap-
parent, and that their appointment would
be an -extravagant waste of public money.
It Is also said that the re-enactment Of
the recently repealed statute would be a
tax upon the people which would benefit
only q few member of the legal profess
sion. 1t is pointed out as a matter of fact
that indictments for petty offenses, which
are already too prevalent, would be ma
terlaiiy increased 70 the evident detriment
of the taxpayers.
1t Is a matter Of public omm an
preaching a complaint, that in some coun-
ties, where the terms of court were a few
| years ago of brief duration, they are now
almost continuous Throughout the wear.
Hundreds of witnesses are summoned Ia
the trials of small offenses, whereby the
| court expense are enormously Increased
to the advantage of no one except to those.
who receive the fees.
Hence it is commended that the appojnt-
ment of additional assistant prosecutors
would only nave q tendency to aggravate
an evil which 1t Is desirable to cure. Tegis-
lation with this end In view would be en-
Outraged. but that looking to an increase
In the number of assistant prosecutors
will be earnestly opposed.
Changes in the present ballot reform law
are of frequent discussion, and some Of
them meet with favor.&In cities the pro-
position to close the polls at sunset has
decided Republican support, and most Of
those Democrats who are not politicians
for revenue would welcome the change.
In the rural districts there would be some
opposition by both political parties.
Some Republicans recall the disfavor
which this experiment met with some
years ago, and fear tina a repetition of
1t would prove unsatisfactory now. The
cry of the Democratic demagogues then
was that the Republicans were attempting
to deprive the laboring man Of his vote.
and 1t had It's effect. although the cry
was then az palpably insincere as 1t would
be now Still, the Republicans are not
| ROilrbous at either learning or foraetfing