The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-10

THE TERM EXTENDER
Passage of the Infamous
Office Grab by No
Means Assured.
QUEER FLAW IN THE DRAFT
II 1t Pass the Senate II Must Go
Back to the Assembly on
amendments.

TRENTON, March 10, 1S97.-After what
has proven the most stubborn contest OF
the session. the advocates of the bill
abolishing spring elections in Newark
and Jersey City and extending. the terms
Of all elective and appointive officers in
the two cities. succeeded in having the
Senate Committee on Elections. 1t was
reported with an amendment, without
recommendation, and went on the calen-
dar for second reading. The amendment
remedies a defect in the bill which was
discovered after the measu passed the
House.
II permitted to stand In Its original
shape, the bill would, IL enacted, have
provided for the installation of the mem
bers of the several boards in Newark and
Jersey City on January l, and have left
the date of official organization of those
boards the first Monday in May of each
year as at present. This would have left
the boards without official organization
for four months, and the amendment pro-
vides that the boards shall organize on
the first Monday in January,
The bill in its original shape, passed
the House on February 9, after it had
been attacked by Assemblyman Porter as
unwise, unwarranted and vicious legis-
lation. When it was first referred to the
Elections Committee of the Senate potn
Chairman Francis and Senator voorhees,,
who constitute a majority of the commit
tee, held that the bill should not pc re-
ported at all unless with a referendum
clause. Both declared they were opposed
to the measure on principle, n Monday
night they said their opinion not
changed. Still they consented 70 re q RE-
brought to bear in favor of the measure.
Senate. voorhees, said that while III
Washington attending the inauguration ne
heard of nothing but the bill, and he
was persistently importuned to Withdraw
his opposition to ii. Senator Francis said
The bill had occasioned him more trouble
bined, and that the influence brought to
bear to force its report was simply amaz-
ing. First Major Lentz, of Essex. and
as the special champions Of the measure.
beseeched the chairman and appealed to
his colleagues constantly to report the
o5ll. d, FACING al no,,, 1hey sec fbe9 enc cn3,i ass ms,sfer
in favor of the bill, and last night Unit
ed States Senator Sewell appeared upon
the scene, He didn't visit the Senate
at room 100 in the Trenton House and the
Senators went to him. Even Senator
Yoorhees was among the callers and the
last night without comment.
Neither Senator Sewell nor his friends
would say why he advocated the bill. and
in fact most Of the latter say he Is not in
terested In il at all.
An anticipated effect of the bill, certain
politicians say, will be the return of Dem
Assemblymen from Essex and
Hudson counties to the Legislature of
1899. which win elect a successor to United
States Senat Smith. This result might
make the Legislature Democratic on joint
ballot, and Senator Smith might succeed
himself. Then the distribution of Federal
patronage would be, as 1t is now, wholly
in the hands of Senator Sewell, and he
not be forced to share the honors
with a Republican colleague. If the bill
had come up on IN passage Monday
night, these are the only votes that could
have been counted for it:-Hoffman, w.
Stokes and Ross. The latter is not GER
tain. but Herbert is. and he was absent.
Gould. Ross and Francis are doubtful,
and Monday night the votes. of eleven
Senators were still against the bill.
No action was taken on the bill by the
today. The advocates of the measure
still found that they had not sufficient
votes to pass 1t, even to a second reading,
and Il went over. 1t may not be possible
to reach it this week. Even II it should
be reached it cannot go beyond second
reading and that will put it off for final
passage until next week. Before 1t leaves
me Senate one Of the three registration
days IA Newark and Jersey City will have
some Of the Senators who were counted
in favor Of the bin Monday night are
showing evidence Of weakness and It's
passage. by the Senate, even now. is