The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-31
THE LOBBY RETALIA9ES
Voorhees, Judiciary Scheme
Killed Because the Senator
Scored the Bosses.
special to tho Jerseu Cztu Nesos.

TRENTON, March 81, 1Ss7.-The House
sat until almost one o'clock this morning,
the entire time being take up with a fight
over voorhees, judiciary amendments to
the Constitution. Two reports had been
made on the bill-a favorable minority
and an adverse majority report. The
minority report was taken up first and
while the clerk was reading it Mr.. Gled-
hill rose on APPOINT of order. He claimed
that the minority reports discussion of
the Johnson amendment was not in or
der because the House was acting on the
Voorhees, amendment. The point was de-
clared well taken.
Mr.. KIM moved thai the entire report
be read. Mr.. Gledhi1l withdrew his OBJ
lection and the reading was continued.
Mr.. Coddington spoke in favor of main
tanning the minority report.
There has long been a demand for a
change in the judiciary he said. .It
seems to me that if we are to have a
change we should have the voor-
hees amendment. That amendment
has already been adopted by two
Legislatures and should it be defeated
now we will not be able to do anything
in the matter again for some time. We
ought not to delay longer. Pledges nave
been made by US to the people of New
Jersey and we should keep them. The
question now is: Shall we repudiate our
pledges? Shall we break the promises we
SO profasely made, or shall we perform
our duty?p
Mr.. Coddingtof claimed that the voor-
hees amendment would cause a saving to
the State of from $40, 900 to $50, 0e0 a year,
and was more economical than the John
son amendment. Our present system is
ancient and SHOULD be brought up to date.
The Voorhees, amendment is not as radi-
cal as the other and would be better
understood and be more popular with the
people. Every action in law under that
could be at once brought in the court to
which it properly belonged and thus a
great convenience to the people estab-
lished at once. It will do away with much
litigation and people cannot go from
court to court as at present.
I'VE should act and not postpone he
said. ITO postpone would be to put off
another amendment we are pledged to
act upon favorably-the anti-race track
amendment. We told the people we would
act upon it. They believed us and trusted
us. It is our duty to act at once in
no uncertain tone"
Mr.. GledhilI opposed the Voorhees,
amendment. He claimed not a single
good argument had beeen made for it.
II four years have been taken consider
ing it, there is no reason why more time
should be taken. He declared fifteen
judges were considered enough to do the
work of the courts by those in favor of
the Voorhees, amendment.
And the gentleman from Union says
we haye promises to keep" said Mr..
Gledhill. SO we have. and we will keep
them, and the adoption of the voorhees,
amendment need not interfere with that
course of action. 1t seems to me there
Is q covert threat under this talk about
the amendnent-that if we do not pass
1t we viii not be allowed to pass the
other amendments to which we are
pledged. | stand by the report of the
committee for the Johnson amendment
and | believe we should pass it,
Mr.. Goldenhorn declared the change
proposed in the Voorhees, amendment to
the bottom of our organic law, and that
it would entail endless litigation. as any
change in the Constitution involves. The
Voorhees, plan is entirely new, but found
ed on the old idea of a law division and
an equity division. It is absurd, he said,
in face of the fact that now with twenty
one Judges it is proposes to have fifteen
Judges. We should go slowly In a matter
of such vital Importance. The provision
giving the Legislature power to fix the
| would cause endless legisiafion nv size
| ceeding only hitcb ,,ndar
the present system is in the court Of last
| " and satisfactoriIv
II have I heard. and / don,t believe
anv r,enher bara nae baar a. ~ psiiS Evss
manaed Nv The neonla Thn = VA
| comes from tha / wvars wbn oia;ne 4 ILL.
have had some neTsonal ai,sanitias .iieS
tell YOU to "a slow. Whv sho,,id ~