The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-04
BI-PARTISANISM
Colonel Dickinson Has More
Hard Luck With His
Little Bill.
ESSEX DON'T FANCY IT MUCH
Consider It a Dangerous
Measure Little Hope
Of It's Passage.
ESSEX DON'T FANCY IT MUCH


TRENTON, March A, 1Ss9-Colonel
Samuel Dickinson, of Jersey City who,
as the Republican leader of Hudson
county, has been endeavoring to secure
Legislative support for a bill affecting the
management of the police departments of
Newark and Jersey City will make a final
appeal in behalf of his pet scheme to the
Republican Senators next Monday night.
Should the Senators agree to vote for
the measure, even in defiance of Guber-
natorial veto which might follow its pas
sage. the bill in question may be intro
duced, but otherwise it will be abandoned
the same as a companion measure which
was intended to affect the fire departments
of both cities.
The bill is already prepared, and if en-
acted it would take from the Mayors of
Newark and Jersey City the right to ap-
point Police Commissioners and vest the
power in the Republican and Democratic
city conventions. Ostensibly, the proposed
act calls for the election of four Police
Commissioners, but inasmuch as it stipu-
lates that not more than two may be nom
mated and elected by any party, it means
that nominations made by the two parties
casting the highest number of votes re-
spectively, would be equivalent to election.
In Newark, instead of having the Mayor
appoint, subject to confirmation or rejec-
ton by Common Council, the city con
ventions would appoint and their selec-
tions would not have to be ratified by pop
ular vote or otherwise.
Furthermore, the act provides that the
terms of the commissioners shall be for
two years, instead of four years, as at
present and that two of the commission
ers of opposite political faith shall DE
selected each year. The act is intended
to take effect Immediately, and the terms
of the present commissioners would ex-
pire on May 1 next, on which date their
successors would assume control. Two
of the newly selected commiss: :oners
would hold office for one year. two for
two years and their successors would be
selected thereafter for term of two
years each.
AS previously stated, the act was intend
ed to apply to fire as well as to police
commissioners, but the firemen's organi-
cations of the State and citizens generally
made such decided protest against re-
turning the fire department to political
control that even Mr. Dickinson was led
TO remark thar politics should not be per-
mitted to enter into its management un-
der any pretext whatsoever. Such prom
inent Hudson County Republicans as
Postmaster Wanser, Joseph Dear, Spencer
Weart, ohm P. Landrne and Judge Potts
hold that Mr.. Dckinson's remarks apply
with equal force-to the police department.
Should such law be enacted" re-
marked John P. Landrine after con-
ference with Governor Voorhees, sit would
require a policeman with more than ordi-
nary nerve to arrest an influential ward
politician, and I am very much afraid the
crime, of ballot-box stuffing' might come
to be regarded as a very trivial offence
This is my view of the question as sub
mitted to Governor Voorhees, he con-
tinued, ''and 1 told him, further, that the
enactment of such a law would have
more disartrous effect on the Republican
party in Jersey City than the anti-spring
election law had. The very agitation on
the subject is bearin fruit, and am
afraid it will hurt us in State as well as
local affairs. I do not believe there Is a
possibility of such an act passing the
Legislature, and know that the Governor
would not sanction it, but believe that
fact should be made so clear that Mr.. |
Dickinson. will realize that the Republi~
can party is mot running the State In his
interest alone"
Other Republicans from Essex. Union
Bergen and Passaic counties, Speaker
Watkins and several other legislators are
opposed to the proposed act, and agree
with Mr.. Landrine that even its discussion |
will have bad effect politically.
o1a