The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-11-08
PORTER FOR SPEAKER.
Essex Assemblymea VIII Begin
to Boom Him at 0aee-
Against Might
Sessions.

iNI%Cidl u HS HtiSGy $iLy .ANrNS.
NEWARK, Nov. s, iS97.-Ten members
of the Essex Assembly delegation met i'll
conference at the Republican Club Friday
night and had an informal talk that last
ed two hours. Asseinhlyman Fairchild
was the only absentee. The members
who did attend began TO arrive shortly
after seven o'clock, and they remained in
the clubhouse parlors until nine O'Clock,
awaiting the coming of Assembiyman
Faitchild. When il became evident that
Mr.. Fairchild would not put in appear
ance they repaired to the committee
room on an upper floor for the ostensible
purpose of organizing.
George w. w. Porter, who as secretary
of>the caucus last year, had issued the
call for the caucus, explained at, length
how desirable it would be for the mem
bers to organize without delay. They
could then, he said, discuss the situation,
arrive at a conclusion as to what Offices
the county should obtain, n meet their
colleagues at Trenton with a solid dele
CATION that would carry Weight. 1t was
well known, he added. that he was a
candidate for the position Of Speaker,
and il he was TO lave the united support
of the delegation in his candidacy, h d
fact shculd be made apparent without de-
lay.
AssembIyman-elect Schmidt said as he
understood the situation there was doubt
of the delegation unanimously indorsing
the candidacy of Mr.. Porter for Speaker.
Not one Of the other members indorsed
the sentiment of Mr.. Schmidt, and some
of them said definite action of any kind
= : - 49,. ,-,,Il la ra4l,ar /, ,,n
They added that to organize during. the
absence of Mr.. Fairchild would be dis
courteous to the Orange representative,
and it was then agreed to defer the or
ganization until next Thursday night.
1t was also decided that the delegation
should so to Trenton next Tuesday for the
purpose of meeting the representatives
from other counties and ascertaining how
the land hes. Then in an informal way
the members agreed to state that while
the delegation had taken no concerted ac-
ton it would do SO at a later date ana be
prepared to go into the General Assembly
caucus with a united demand for what the
member considered Essex county should
receive in the way of offices. Next the
members proceeded TO discuss prospective
legislation.
All present declared themselves in favor
Of a short session and announced their in
tention of working as a unit in thai. direc-
ton. 1t was admitted that but little ac-
tual work could be done during the first
two weeks of the session, but no reason
existed, the members said, for allowing
six weeks to pass, as was the case this
year, without accomplishing anything and
then rushing the Important work OF the
session through in the closing days. AS a
practicable method OF accomplishing that
end it was suggested that the delegation
work to have abolished the rule which
provides for the opening of weekly ses-
sions at eight o'clock Monday night. 1t
was proposed that the opening hour be
made either noon or II p. M. Monday.
Others favored the same hour Tuesday
and all agreed that the abandonment of
the Monday night session would tend TO
expedite legislation.
BY converting at noon, or even at one
o'clock in the afternoon. a session of five
or six hours could be held, during which
considerable work could be done along
with giving the members who are averse
to stopping III Trenton over night ample
opportunity to 60 home. AS it is, a num-
Der of the members in Essex. Hudson,
Union ana MiddleseX counties insist on
going horne Monday night, and Tor theil
accommodation the session Which does
not commence until eight o'clock is ad-
journed at ten o'clock, and frequently at
nine O'Clock. hat makes the actual work
| ing time OF the first session each week not
more than TWO and frequently only one
hour, instead of five or six, as it might
| if the change suggested should be adopt
ed.
The subject was agitated in both
branches of the Legislature toward the
close OF the last session. and many of the
members seemed to approve it. The Mon
day night session, it was shown, was q
| relic of the days of st8gecoach travel
| when it took the Representatives of some
of the remote counties from twelve to
twenty-four hours to reach the capital
| ties no county in the State is more thar
four or five hours distant from Trenton
it is urged, and all the members could ar
rive there by j O'clock in the afternoon.
The only reason for suggesting Tuesday
rather han Monday as the opening day OF
The weekly sessions is that some of the
| members may have business engagement
! o~ccupying their attention Oh Monday
Another measure which the Essex dele
gafioa will advocate is one cuftailing the
1 Jurisdiction of Justices OF the Peace IL
| municipalities having Police Justices and
Recorders. BY that method it is expected
the office can be reduced to the status
of a nominal one My and made so I'M
profitable that 40 one will be found f
accept it.