The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-19
EXPLOSION OF GAS.
A Whole Day Given Up to
Hearings by Senate
and Assembly.
REFORMING THE Law COURTS
Four Distinct Proposals, Now
Mr.. Corbin Throws Real
Light on the Subject.
School Law Wrangle $ Liquor
Licenses-A Price for Street
Railway Franchises.
Speefal lthe Lerseu cftn Nearg.

Special , the Jersey City Meas.
TRENTON. Feb. 10. 1sss.-Last years
session was supposed to nave been the
greatest year for hearings in the history
OF the Legislature. The slightest pretext
for the discussion of a bill before a COM
raittee was so. eagerly seized upon tina a
grave suspicion arose that the whole pro-
cedure was a new ruse of the lobbyists to
XIII measures obnoxious to them by keep
ing them In committee on the pretence
that this one or that one wanted to be
heard upon them until it was too late to
pass them.
However true that may be hearings
have broken out this week with a viru-
ience which threatens to surpass even
the epidemic OF last year. They began
at two o'clock yesterday with the equal
taxation ssance before the House Com
mittee on Railroads and Canals and at
one o'clock this morning the oyster men
were in one of their characteristic
wrangles before the Committee on Game
and Fisheries over one of their measures,
which the Oldest inhabitant says has been
before the Legislature ever since Jersey
men discovered that the delicious bivalves
grew in the Delaware Bay and the
streams, creeks and inlets emptying
therein.
At noon yesterday there were no less
than five hearings going on at the same
time, the most important of which was
that given by the Senate Judiciary Com
raittee on the various amendments to the
constitution affecting the Court of Errors
and Appeals. The delegation which ap-
n q q 1,oT1.1 Al.
the strongest that ever took part in a
legislative ksaring. In it were Lawyers
Of such standing as Gilbert Collins,
Charles T.. and William H. Corbin, Wash
ington 3. Williams, Charles Hartshorne,
Judge Abel !. Smith, Judge Stevens, 10
seph Colt of Newark, Thomas and Hayes
of Newton.
Senator Voorhees, presided and stated
that there were now before the commit
tee four distinct propositions concerning
the composition Of the Court of Errors
and Appeals:-One, the amendment OF
last year, which provides tina the court
shall consist of the Chancellor and the
judges CT the Supreme Court, four OF
whom shall constitute a quorum; second
that the court shall consist of the chief
and two Supreme Court justices and the
Chancellor and two vice-Cnancellors
third. an independent court, and fourth
Mr.. Williams proposition, introduced
yesterday morning. The proposition foi
an independent court was vague. yet, he
said and Judge Fort of Newark re.
marked, that Samuel H. Gray Of Cam.
den was preparing an amendment which
would embody that idea.
speaker and he argued against the
amendment of last winter and in favor
# an independent court. He said tina a:
come to be so important that branch
should have a large representation or
the highest court.
Mr.. Hayes of Newton, one of the old.
est members of the Bar, said that the
Court of Errors and Appeals as consti
tuted today was a relic of the times be.
Tore the Revolution. There was 4 feeling
Of late that it was NOT what it should b
yet we held on TO il. Ninety per cent. OF
the cases today were equity cases, anc
there was only enc equity judge in The
of Errors and Appeals. What was
wanted was an independent court of five
Judges. The complaint was now that the
court was so overworked that the judge
had no time to consider a case as they
should, and he deprecated the rule wnicf
limited a lawyer to one hour in which
to present q case which it had taken hin
weeks to prepare. He declared that tht
court should be 50 constituted that al
the judges could near each case and pass
upon it
Mr. VOORHEES, said that it was thu
unanimous opinion Of both Houses tina
there should be a change in the court
but the question was how it was to BIZ
done.
Judges, Mr.. Hayes continued, were in.
clined to sustain each other and friend.
ship told on the Bench as we'll as any.
where Else, 1t was human nature. and ii
could not be helped. He said he under.
stood from the Governor that he proposed
to appoint lawyers as lay judges here.
wouldn't that be violating the spirii
Of the constitution asked Mr.. Voor
"Well, it ought to be stretched a nttls
Charles {. c ssR5iru wen Went Aa risht at II,
meat OF the who's matter. Tna cryins
evil Of the present system, he said, was
together too weak. There was no appel
liant court IN he country where appeals
were allowed on 50 many grounds O
trif1ing abuse of discretion or the small.
est detail Of practice. The great bulk 6.
modern litigation was in equity, and h,
aayoc ar lcs an r,d n~dspsnden court wheT'
tation with the. law He would have tn,
Judges indepsndeTt 50 that they coult
DC nothing else he also advocated join
one Judge. as in New York, whose sys
tenn, he said, had been fonnd to w5rl
Imost admirably.
Mr.. Allan Strong of New Brunswic1
objected to the present court because /
was too cumbersome. II it was compose
q less judges the State could afford t
among Lawyers who could not afford t
give up their practice for = iudgeship.
81 an ], wa prs i / SIXTEEN 81 J sIdss'f ,; sssy en-
than none at ali. Mr.. Edwin Cole 6
M a. 9ssa S said ! { that The Objection had bee
I and Appeals that 1t would not be In tnllcj