The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-06-21

Mayor. in 1876 in 1884 and 1892. Each ot
these was Presidential year, in the
autumn Of which the city was carried by
a large Democratic majority Had thS
| elections been united, it is safe to say
| that Jersey City would not have elected
a Republican Mayor IN the last twenty
one years. Why should less populous
cities be outlawed from the municipa
felicity that would have been produced
by this unison?
Mr.. McDermott next argued that this
/ State has always been opposed to the
consolidation of local and State or Ma
/ tional elections, and that opposition is
indicated in the Constitution and the
statute book. He cited vast number
of acts in support of this claim. He goes
on:-
That the convention of 1874 gave the
subject of consolidation of elections much
consideration, and twice rejected propo-
ss1tlons to consolidate National and State
That the Constitution adopted by that
convention places it beyond the power
OF the legislature to consolidate local
and general elections so that but one
election shall be held annually in any
city or all cities.
These propositions are argued at great
length with quotations from the proceed
ings of the conventions. Commenting on
these, Mr. McDermott Says
1t will be noticed that the question
was whether National, State and county
elections should be consolidated. NUM-
cdpai cipal elections were not discussed, and
referred to as town meetings-lre had in
our Constitution only with regard to the
rdfe ONCE OF justice OF the peace, but that
ton OF the Convention that local and
general elections should not be held at
fne same time. Power was given the
election of State oftlcers. This was SO
that there should be but one general
election, II legislative wisdom should so
spring elections could or would be aboi-
ishea, and for the office of justice of the
peace, they cannot be.
There would have to be- notWithstand-
ing this act, an election held in Jersey
City every April. Art. VII, Sec IL, b.
8, provides that justices Of the peace
shall be elected by ballot at the annual
two meetings of the cities that may vote
by wards; that they shall be commits
stoned for the county, and that their
effect on the first day Of May next after
their election. They hold their offices for
five Years, but not until their successors
are elected. Their terms cannot be ex-
tended by the Legislature, and vacancies
cannot be filed except at an election.
The Constitution provides that they shall
Art. VI, Sec. VII, provides how many
justices OF the peace each township or
ward may have. These justices are not
IS not to be local election in Jersey
City each year before the first day Of
May, the constitutional regulation of this
off1ce must be disregarded. Under the
act of 1897 if there had not been an
election last April, successors to the JUS
tees. of the peace whose terms expired
elected next November, and commission
ed on the first of May, 1898, and as they
would be elected to fill vacancies, caused
1897, they would hold for only four We Years. 5.
But the command of the Constitution is
that these officers shall be elected. The
office is a constitutional one and the
ton laws that the office of every justice
Of the peace whose term expired on the
first of May, 1897, shall remain vacant
for one year.
That the Legislature may constitution
ally provide for the consolidation of cleo
ticns for all State and township officers
il, all towns is beyond question, as is the
fact that it will never be done; but that
the people of every town have the con-
stitutionally guaranteed right to vote for
term expires, andNto do that voting be-
fore the first of May in that year is writ
ten SO that the plea Of economy at
would elect Mayors of our cities on Ma
tional issues. That local elections should
be kept free from discussions of questions
of political principles has been determined
by nearly every State in the Union. The
attitude of New Jersey is found not only
in the practice of over a century and in
statute BY Chapter IS Of the Laws Of
1889 it was recited and enacted as fol-
lows
Whereas, It is deemed for the best in
1I0fT1 1D1 rrav-Ir%> IL,
elections for local officers should not be
held on general election days; therefore
i. Be it enacted, &c.. That no local or
State on the same day fixed for the hold
ing of a general election or on the day
when members of the General Assembly
are now elected by law.
Mr.. MoDermott next recites the state
of the laws regarding municipal elections
in other States. He concludes thus
# viii be seen that Idaho and Iown are
the separation of municipal from State
and National elections, while Alabama,
Arkansas, Maine. mississippi and North
Carolina keep National State and munich
pal elections apart.
1t will be seen that nearly every State
in the Union has, In its Constitution, re-
National and State from municipal cleo
tions. In a few States special laws have
been passed consolidating elections in
ed, outside of judicial presumption, that
these laws were enacted in the interest Of
good government
:. The endeavor of my argument has been
tions involves a question of policy, the
determination of which affects all muni-
irrespective of population;
that It is the generally accepted conclu-
sion that consolidation does Introduce to
the municipal aspect of the election fea-
lures, powerful if not dominating, leav-
ing no proper relation to municipal gov
If this is established II FOL
lows that the policy of consolidation. be
it good or evil cannot be limited, in legis-
lative application. to cities of the first
class.
COUNSELLOR BIssELL's TENANT
Convinced Him with . Stick and
wasted His Valuable Worms.
Mrs. Jane Fisher was arraigned before
Justice Nevin this morning on q charge