The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-16
NFANY G0NSUMMA9E,
The TeTm-Extender Bill
Passes the Senate by
a Bare Majority.
KETCHAM ITS ONLY DEFENDER
Daily and Kuhl Make q Gallant
But Unayailing Fight for
the People.
VOORHEES, REMARKABLEsILENCE
KETCHAH IT'S ONLY DEFENDER
VOORHEES, REMARKABLEsILENcE
Special to the Jersey Cstp Ncys.

Special to the jersey CttN Nc1S.
TRENTON, March 16. 1Se7.-The bill
changing the time of holding municipal
elections in Newark and this city from
April to November. passed the Senate last
evening by a vote of IL to 8, and 1t ID
said that the Governor will sign it and it
will become a law.
The debate was vigorous, and while 1t
was going on the galleries were packed
and the floor was so crowded bhat those
wishing to get from the corridor to the
front of h chamber were unable to dc
so. Among those who listened to the de-
bate were Mayor Wanser of Jersey City
and many officials of the two cities.
Mr.. Ketcham, the Essex Senator,
opened the debate. This BILL" he said,
has created a great q of discussion,
and I wish to say that as far as Newark
is concerned there is 10 partisanship in
ut. Last week the amendment adopted
was engrossed and placed upon the Presi-
Tents table for final passage when 1t
should mot have been there. In his zeal
to suppress any such wickedness the
President tore up the amendment and
flung the bill back to its proper place.
This, it appears, was am error of the
journal Clerk, and in no wise am attempt
to hasten the bill along illegally.
In the spring we are unable to get
out more than sixty per cent. of the
voters. We have a great many New
York business men and voters employed
in THAI city, and they wild not lose a
day by staying home and voting while
In the fall election day being a holiday
these men remain In Newark and we get
out at least ninety per cent. OF the
voters.
There is now a complaint among u
citizens that we have too much election
machinery and that our elections cost
too much. When this bill was being dis
Sussed n U unit uni tee the co ,,r
too. We also, have too much election
machinery and CTR selections cost US too
much IS lsstsss toTqsSsp sssbau went on
that there is no craftsmanship in the bill.
The Republicans are not responsible for
the extension BY the od charts of
October, but IN 81 or '92 h election was
carried oveF5 to the spring. Our fiscal
year begins January / nov. We have
We have to borrow on temporary bonds
sufficient money to- run the City govern
ment Until the taxes come IN. By the bill
viii begin together. When the election
was from October to April the officers
were cut of. I claim 1t is less
ED4 tASaL4 . ~ ofGl Ef " N Oll-
Gals than 10 cut them off. In Newark
the Mayor Is Democratic, the Tax Board
Is Democratic, and the law department is
are bipartisan. n 1T is plain to see that
this Is not a partisan bill as far as New
ark is concerned."s
the Senate to vote for the bill in the IN
terest of econom and good government.
Senator DAILY of Hudson replied to Mr..
Ketcham In one of the best Speeches he
ever made in the Senate. He said: in
part
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
never before IN the history of the State
OF New Jersey has the Legislature tried
to enact a law so manifestly partisan.
The proposition to deprive citizens of
their own government and policies by
elections separate from State and
National elections, strikes at oneyof the
cardinal principles of our system of gov
rnment 1t is an attack, it matters not
whether deliberate or indirect, upon the
peoples rights of local self-government.
IT seeks to combine elections in these
municipalities so hat the voters VIII be
compelled to pass upon their local affairs
and upon State. National issues at
me same time, whereas by every law of
reason and experience the principles in
volved n the questions to be settled are
as diverse as the seasons.
'The Republican party went before the
people In 1895 protesting that their opp0-
IN z ocHylIlkI the -peODle-0T the
several counties the righttfo choose their
own representatives, thus for partisan
purposes striking at one of the funda-
mental PRINCIPLES of government of and
to the people The Governor, elected upon
dress dress : 3 a 4 Pdta be passed unless
The fact that q proposed law IS as is
often said, unohjectionable in itself, is
no reason for its enactment. There
should be positive reasons for law max
Ing. not negative ones. Settled rules
should not be easily disturbed. Now,
after these positive declarations of prin-
elples 1t is proposed to break away from
every sembiance of consistency. 1T is
proposed IN n measure to disturbl1ocal
government in the cities affected, to
Rerpetuate that party in power, which
snlnks Itself strongly stntrenched by re-
Aside from the moral n social effect
Of this legislation, there is also a legal
side. 1t we turn our attention to the
state OF New York and study the decis-
IONS OF the courts. we will pause before
THE discussion of this measure COM
pels a critical examination of the sprin-
riples that underlie popular government.
which principles recognize the inviolate
right OF the people on the various local
divisions to self-government. m / con-
tend that this legislation violates the
spirit. if not the letter. of the Constitu-
degree this right. State interference can
only. be justified when State policy or
local abuses requires it.
Let us consult the decisions of our
own courts, and I submit tina they will
sustain my contention that this law is
not general enough to satisfy the Con-
stitutional requirement. And let me ask
the advocates of this measure what
singular characteristics require the Inn
tatfon OF its provisions to first-ciass
cities?
There is no distinguishing mark in
the subject matter of the proposed legfs-
lation to limit its application to the
and not justified in reason. The classifi-
cation would be proper If there were a
reasonable distinguishing feature; If the
subject matter distinctly applied to the
Dusly question the right of this Legisla-