The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-11-27
SLATE IS INTACT
Nc Signs of Change ii the
Names Chosen for Leg
islative Offices.
SCRAMBLE FOR MINOR PLACES
South Jersey Republicans Dis
satisfied and Will Try
to Make Trouble.
SCRAMBLE FOR MINOR PLACES

lCDEclHl 10 lC GtAScl ONtS
TRENTON. Nov. q, 1Sss.-The slate ar
ranged by the Republican leaders 1or Ing
organization of the Legislature shows no
signs of cracking yet, and 1t may as wen
be understood now as later on tnat Ml'
johnson, OF Bergen, will be elected Fresa-
dent OF the Senate, and MI Jones' Il
Gssex. Speaker of the House: Augustus
s.. Barber. Jr., of Gloucester, who served
as secretary of the Senate last year, WIZ
be reappointed and the clerkship OF the
House win go to James Parker, OF Pas
sale. These high Offices thus disposed OF
and in a manner which gives satisfaction
apparently to the politicians of the inn
bortant Republican circles Of the State
the subordinate Offices are left for the con-
sideration and decision of the regular
caucusses of both Houses. Mercer ana
Camden may wage a contest for the once
Of Sergeant-at4Arms Of the Senate. While
naddlesex and Monmouth Will be heard
from with reference to the same position
N the House. There are six more Re-
publican Assemblymen this than last year.
ana they must be provided for so mat as
far as possible an equitable DIVISION OF
the Offices may be made among the falth-
ful.
A question has been raised as to the
constitutionality of the law passed last
winter authorizing the Governor 70 ap-
point a Supervisor of Bills tor potn
Houses. This is a new office, n i
takes the places hitherto filled by the
enerossing clerks. 1t is held TO be un-
constitutional because it sencroaches on
the right of the Legislature to choose its
own officers. as provided by the organic
law. It is not within the p~rerogative OF
the Governor, 1t is contended, to appoint
an officer for the Legislature. And It
would seem that the point is we'll taken
according to a paragraph in the Com
stitution concerning the appointment Of
legislative officers. However, as the
Governor is presumed to know the law,
and as he has an able adviser in the
person of the Attorney-General, there is
no fear that any entanglements win occur
oyer the matter.
The next Senate viii be composed OF
able and experienced men ON both sides,
and as a body it will compare favorably
with the Senates of former years, when
seats were occupied by such intellectual
giants as Sewell, Hobart, Griggss Abs
bett, Magic, Gardener, McPhersony Stone,
Potts, Werts and john w Taylor. There
will be young leaders in the next Senate
who may become as distinguished IN the
affairs of State as those whose names
have been just mentioned. On the Re
publican side there is good G-ubernatorial
material In Stokes, johnson, Pitney,
Cross, Reed and McCarter, and on the
Democratic side McDermett's brilliancy
as a lawyer and his marked ability as
a politician are unquestioned- Then there
are Senators Braun, Martin, q Cleef
and Cornish, who are possessed of abil-
ity above the common. The interests of
the State and the taxpayers should be
safe in the hands of those men, provided
p-artisanship does not sway those In the
majority. But there seems no necessity
for partisan legislation at this time. The
Republicans are safely entrenched in pow
er, and any attempt to disturb the laws
now governing the State In order to
reach out for additional patronage might
prove unsatisfactory to the people, who
would resent such a radical proceeding at
the first opportunity. Leave we'll
enough alone is a good old axiom, and
doubtless the conservative element of the
party in power will follow it.
In the House there will be SOME young
men who later on may develop some abil-
ity to attract attention. On the Repub-
lcan sid Messrs. Bradley, Jones, Wake
lee, Wood, Lewis and Welsh, who have
been reelected, have already evidenced
more than average capacity, while
Messrs. Murphy, Benny and Albeit, who
have also been returned. have already
.l~. kL--,--1~1- H. 49, II. -~1~-sx