The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-02-14

~ 0AAo NhP1 SAA&
them Should take a partisan turn. If a
| Democrat had made a similar mistake it
is not for a moment to be supposed that
| the Republicans would hesitate to make
| political capital out of it. OF course, every
fair-minded citizen regrets that pol1tics
hould be injected into the affair. put as
long as political parties are organized Tor
spoils SO long will advantage be taken OF
| all indiscretions which may be
by one party or the other.
The smooth sailing which the Republic
can leaders hoped for in this Legislature
is not being realized. The Republican
majority in the House at n rate does
not seem to be under wise management,
and consequently the sooner the Legisla-
ture adjourns the better it will be for
the dominant party.
The Steering Committee of the Legis-
lature, it seems, is taking a nap II
should awaken itself at once and do some
thing to prevent the commission OF any
more mistakes by thoughtless republican
members. The committee consists OF
President OF. The Senate Skirm, Senator
| johnson of Bergen, Speaker Watkins
and Mr.. Gledhill. With the advice OF
the Republican State Committee its duty
| is to shape all matters for legislation ana
to outline a policy by which all ~entangle-
| ments shall be avoided. If prompt meas
| ures are not soon adopted by this Steer
ing Committee for the enforcement OF
| discipline the -onsequenc may be start
ling. The Democratic minority is max
ing headway even under the leadership
of a young man in the House. The pros
pectiye candidate for Governor. Franklin
| Murphy. should come here, and overhaul
the machinery so as to make it run
| smoother and not continue elogged, as it
| has been since the session opened. AS II
is never too late to mend, perhaps Mr.
| Murphy might be well repaid for his
trouble.
1t is stated on competent authority that
I~during the coming week, Assemblyman
| Porter of Essex county, will introduce
in House Of Assembly a resolution pro-
viding for a Constitutional convention.
This resolution will emanate from the
| counties that have been leading for the
| past five years the agitation for a con-
vention s'to make over" the Constitution
of the State and is to be introduced to test
the sentiment regarding the State Con-
| stitution in the hope that a Constitutional
| convention will be secured.
Tho question of a Constitutional con-.
| vention has been discussed from all
| ~standpoints, and the demand comes prin-
| cipally from the frst-class counties
| where a change of Senatorial representa-
| ton is popular. It is, however, stated
| that Mr.. Porter's resolution will be very
much in keeping with the proposition of
| Judge Thomas McCarter of Newark, and
will provide for a scheme of representa-
ton which will put the smaller
on the same footing with the larger
counties in the convention.
TT is quite probable that Mr.. Porters
resolution will not get beyond the COM
mittee to which it will be referred, for
| the reason that it has not been decided
to a certainty whether the State needs
| a Constitutional convention or not.
Senator Foster of Hunterdons expects to-
night to introduce a bill in the Senate
| providing for an increase from $1,000 10
$40, 600 in the annual appropriation for the
| tuberculosis Commission.
The measure will empower the commits
| sioners to pay to owners of cattle slaugn-
| tered because they are affected with the
disease their market value, instead Of Two
! thirds value, as is now paid.
1t has been discovered that the State
| Institutions of New Jersey are neglected
bv the executive and legislative depart
ments. The charge is made that no Gov
| crnor of the State since the days of Gov
| ernor Mcclellan has visited a State insti-
| tuition in his official capacity, 1t is seven
teen years since a Governor of the State
| has trod the halls of the insane institu-
| tions and other Institutions that cost the
| State SO much to support.
The New Jersey Legislature creates each
wear a standing committee on these insti-
| tutions hut these committees W accept
| ed the precedent made by former Legisla-
| t,lres TO regard their visitation to these
| institutions as a junketing trip and a
! chance to get a big turkey dinner.
These standing committees are Joint
committees appointed TO look after the
management of the institutions to which
| they have bene assigned, and report to the
| LEGISLATURE each year the result of their
| investigations and observations.
Few men who are appointed on these
| committees seem to understand the pur-
| nose of a standing committee on public in
stit1tions. and in the absence of any bet
| fer they do as other COM
| n1ittees have lone for years. They have a
| good time at the expense of the State
\ and the Legislature is kept in Ignorance
| Of the needs of these State institutions and
| of the sins Of omission and commission Of
| the management.
This misconception of the duties OF these
| legislative committees is resulting In some
| combinations n some action should be
taken to compel these committees to do
more than feast and go on dress parade.
The Legislature seems to be making lit
lie or no Roadway with the suggestions
| contained in the reports of the special
| commissioners appointed last winter to
| codify the statutes of New Jersey. This
| needed reform is exciting no interest.
1t is d great work, because New Jer-
sey. for a small state, has more law, good
| bad and mixed, than any other state in
the country. Laws are repealed and re-
enacted At q speed that is confusing until
! the lawyers tear their hair over the mix
| ture. and the judges of the courts groan
over the1 confusion.
In thirty years over ten Thousand laws
| have been enacted in New Jersey, and
| during the last ten years the number add
ed to the statute books is over 3,l00.
Last week the Legislative Committee
on State Hospitals visited the Morris
IPlains Asylum, and it is probable that the
| outcome of the visit will be the introduc-
ton in a short time of a bill providing a
fabulous appropriation for this institu-
ton. For some years past thls asylum
I has secured each year a large sum of
money. and there is now a big annex in
course Of construction.