The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-06-29

true principles OF Democracy at heart.
that is opposed to united Democracy.
Who are they that charge the regular
posed to unity? Who are they who charge
II upon those who fought for the National
ticket with being opposed to recon-
party. 1t is the Republican press, al
ways eager to exaggerate discord IN our
ranks. that is attempting to spread dis
newspapers TO work division in the Demo
cratic party is as ludicrouS as it will be
futile. They well know that they cannot
dwell upon the record of their own party
and win, and they have everything to fear
from united Democracy. You would
imagine to see the amount of anxiety dis
played by the Republican papers. that
they were really heart-broken at the pros
pect of continued division in our party.
Let me say to those Republican organs,
and to those Republican leaders who are
anxious as to our future. that it would be
well for them ito pluck the. beam out Of
not appear SO large in the eyes of their
opponents The special session of the
Legislature fully demonstrated that their
party machinery needs new gearing.
They have enough sins to answer for,
and when they are confronted with their
record their time will be completely occu-
sentatives Elected upon platforms
promising to give the people the legisla-
tion that they demanded. we all know
how they have violated those pledges.
Every department in their control, every
office and almost every legislator has
been absolutely subject to the dictation of
the bosses. And it is a notorious fact
that the bosses who dictate to the Re-
publican party in this State recognize the
interests of none by corporations in the
distribution of laws.
l need not recall at this time all of the
specific acts of the Republican legislation
that brought back the old Democratic
ma jorities of last spring. In word, the
State has never beer subjected to such
extreme <partisanship. ss it has since the
advent Of those So-ciiled refornerS. They
were pledged to compel the great railroad
corporations that override New Jersey to
pay their just share of taxation, but the
Legislature saw fit to conciliate Jersey
equal taxation. But they took care not
to injure the railroad corporations, and
nues to that municipality. That is not
the equal taxation that Jersey City de-
mands, nor will Jersey City be satisfied
until full justice is done her.
The bin in the interests of the COM
muters died on their hands from want
of careful nursing or of too careful nurs-
ing 1t was too much to ask from these
corporations to allow a passenger to ear.
ry with him any parcels. for the. use of
his family. Yet I challenge them to
show in what particular that was an
unjust measure. Do you not think that
this class which forms an important fac
tor in this State, will hold the Republic
can LEGISLATURE accountable for that act?
The Republicans pledged their party to
judicial reform by Constitutional amend
n ent. They attempted the scheme, and
hha n the New York e ser
ry failure indeed they made of the at
tempt. showing their utter incompetency
to deal with such an important question.
Some of the leading spirits of the party
wanted to gain the reputation Of consti-
tution-makers. They cared not for the
they they wanted, and the sacred instrument
| was kicked around the Legislature for
| two months. orators OF fame and no
road lobby did not like it, and a lawyer
| lobby did like it. Finally the whole pro-
ceedings wound up by the railroad lobby
| defeating the amendment introduced by
Mr. voorhees, The Democrats voted
| against any change whatever, believing
| in the principle of letting well enough
on the Voorhees, amendment in the House
| were a disgrace. They showed the in
fluel:ce of a railroad lobby In legislative
| halls"
They promised that the Constitution
| would be amended by providing for the
| election of members Of Assembly by. dis
| " necessary. It protects the rights Of
| the minority; it gives some opportunity
| for close touch with the people. But in
| disregard of their promises the Constitu-
| ton remains the same, and the people
| are i'll position worse than in the days
! of gerrymander. Thousands of both Re
| sented in the Lower House. Probably
| In no State in the Union are Assembly
| men elected in the manner or ours. All
Counties COUNT s0ef Of this State the Republicans
| would never be represented, and in the
! others SO with the Democrats. Yet they
/ resentation should be more nearly proper
1 tionate. This condition Should not exist
but it is permitted upon the principle that
greater number of the counties, and
| therefore they will continue in the as
tendency. A change to districts would
l. 1.Af.. o1.o t1,<
cenary principle of party prestige pre-
| walls rather than a purpose to enact
what is best for the good government
1 of the people.
| At such times as the country has been
passing through, it is well for the State
| to practice that economy which the pru-
| dent business man is compelled to prac-
tice. Yet the Republican Legislatures for
the past four years threw wide open the
gates for the increasing of municipal in.
debtedness, making it possible for muni-
cipalities to bond themselves for enor-
nous amounts. and placing heavier bur-
dens upon the patient taxpayers, with
of this debt. This has become a serious
question, and 1t is my opinion that the
Republican party violated the principles
of good government more in this respect
than in any of its purely partisan acts.
AT the behest of the privileged few, and
for this necessity and for that improve
ment the Legislature has permitted mu-
inequalities to assume an excessive
amount of Indebtedness And the class
that holds these bonds is the class whose
wealth consists largely of non-taxable Sc
| eurities, and the burden of interest bear
ing falls upon the middle and laborine
classes. From a debt of about $40 ,000, 000
as shown by the census of 1880, the
amount has about doubled at the pres
ent time. and the increase has been es.
} publican Legislatures Take the county
of Essex, she has been allowed to in
J crease her debt over $4,000. 900 in this
| time. The Legislature says she car
stand it, but / say she cannot and, i
she were abundantly able to stand it
such legislation is contrary to wise an(
economical public policy. There has beer
no absolute necessity for this lavish in
! crease and we must hold the Republican
Legislatures responsible for it.
: They criticised US for infringing upoI
I the right Of the people to direcr the
own local se1f-government, but we neve
attempted anything so extremely partisan
as the Extension act. passed by the las
Legislature. By that act they tried t
take away from Newark and Jersey Cit.
the right to elect their officers independ
ent of the. confusion attending the join
ing of local and national elections. The.
] saw that the people of these municipali
r ties were ready to drive them from power
! and they were successful, with the ali
e of their legislative tools, in passing tina
! act disfranchising the voters of thos
e cities, thereby violating principle a
!, old as the government under which W
live.
e What can they say in defence OF thei
action in passing the Delaware Dam bill
: Only that 1t gives the corporations great
er privileges over the common propert