The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-12-12
MONDAY, DECEMBER u, 1898.
This paper is Democratic in principles
and is independent in its Uieacs on a@ local
questions
Foster Voorhees, as Dictator.


Governor-elect Voorhees,. to all appear
ances. will start out on his executive
career with the firm determination to be
a model Governor and to make his ad-
minfstration the starting point of an era
of Legislative Reform
There has been a superstition. still
lingering in this State. that the Legis-
1ature as being directly representative of
the people, was supreme in the land. and
that it did the debating instead of being
dictated to by the Governor or anyone
But Mr.. voorhees, intends to brush away
the last vestige of any such romance, and,
according to his public declaration, he
proposes to take the Legislature by the
collar, and make it walk Spanish" 1t
is given out on good authority" that che
will inaugurate a reform in legislation and
will insist that all bills must be in his
hands before final adjournment, so that
M can return with his reasons any bad
legislation"
There is nothing particularly slow about
this as it throws the final responsibility
for the death or life of a measure from
the Governor on to the Legislature.
But just how.the G~overnor-elect is going
to accomplish his exalted purpose, many
people fail to see. Those who are ac-
quainted with the ways of legislation,
know how bills are passed up to the last
minute; how the clock is again and again
put back, SO that some popular members
measure may be passed; how, often, one
blouse, when it has cleared its calendar.
will wait around until the other has
favorite's pet bill. This is something that
cannot be stopped under existing condi-
tons. Members have a perfect right to
urge the passage of bills up to the time
the Speakers gavel falls announcing final
adjournment, and no one, Governor or
anyone else, can curtail this privilege.
The only thing that can stop the Legis-
lature in this matter is the Legislature
itself. 1t can pass a law declaring that
no bills shall be passed within a definite
time of the date fixed for final adjourn
ment. This would accomplish the result
desired without any display of that i'm
perial. dictatorial spirit which appears to
dominate the Republican party these
days.
HI Tribune" is a funny paper. There
is no end of fun to be got out of its New
Jersey edition if you read it regularly.
1t wobbles like a teetotum. Just now it
is hammering Boulevard Commissioner
Daniel Y. Lewis, as one of the bad men
of the wicked Democracy. About a year
ago, it was extolling Lewis to the skies.
1t regarded him as one of the few hon-
est and independent men in Jersey City.
Just then, the Tribune hoped to tempt
Lewis into making a fractional fight in
the Democratic party, through which the
Republicans might carry Hudson county.
He was virtuous and p~raiseworthy only
30 long as the G. o. P. organ could use
him as a tool.
- III
$3.50.
81 49,, IL.
r..au 8 .amt.
80. ,n1
-
AssEMBLYMAN ROGER F. MUIR
RAY OF Union intends to introduce a bill
next session to make voting at elections
compulsory He has made a draft of it.
4 provides as foliows;-
Any person entitled to vote at a gen.
not be allowed to vote at the next sue
exempt from the operation Of this act,