The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-03-09

snow NecueO OndnReS IN MANAGE
ment-Dr. BuckIey's Plea for
EpiIeptic Colony School Law
Much Discussed Senator Pitney
Busy with Judiciary Measures
and Game Laws State Conven-
tion and Delegates.
Especial Correspondence.
Trenton March 8-This has been a
busy week in Trenton for law makers
and politicians. The State Commit
tee had lively meeting and formally
opened the campaign of the year by
fixing April 10, as the date of the State
Convention to select delegates to the
National Convention. This means that
the contests for delegates to both the
State and District Conventions will
begin and politics throughout the
State will from this date be worth
Watching.
The newspaper men gave their an
nual dinner, which brought together
large number of prominent men.
The date is nominally fixed for the
adjournment of the Legislature,
which will be March 2S.
The Democrats had their first form
al olive branch bearing powwow in
the form of reception given by the
Democratic League of Trenton, to the
Democratic delegation in the Legisla-
ture.
The investigation of the Girls In
dustrial School management continued
and some new sensational facts devel-
oped.
There was big rush of bills into
both branches of the Legislature dur
ing the week, but nothing unusual
happened to mar the serenity of the
sessions
United States Senator Sewell was
made happy by the presentation of a
silver service, which is to adorn his
family sideboard for the rest of his
life. The service was purchased out
of the surplus of the welcome home"
excursion last summer in which many
prominent Republicans participated
on the Senator's s return from Europe.
This is brief summary of the prin-
cipal events of the Legislature for the
week.
SOME PHASES OF LEGISLATION.
There is not much heavy work being
done. The Senate has passed the bill
which creates a commission of three
to adjust the assessment of taxes, a
substitute for the County Board of
Assessors. The bill is to relieve Ber-
gen County, where there are 66 asses
sors, and their work of adjusting is not
satisfactory. 1t can apply to Morris
County, if the people petition the
Judge of the Court to create such a
commission. 1t is not a mandatory
act, but it's generally believed that
more than the county of Bergen will
avail themselves of its provision.
This bill differs from the majority
of general acts pending, because it
has no referendum clause. This year
there are referendum clauses galore,
and they do not seem to be popular.
The referendum in many cases is the
new dodge to escape the constitution
al clause against special legislation.
1t was formerly done by classifications
within elassifications, but the Courts
have made that unhealthy legislation
and now the referendum comes in as
a life saver Most all bills this year
are general. For instance the Hudson
County Freeholder bill is, but nobody
seems to be disposed to substitute a
commission for Freeholders, so the
act becomes distlnctively known by the
title stated. The increase of the salary
of school teachers and firemen could
apply to Morris if the people chose to
vote for the adoption of the provision
of the act The objection to referen-
dunn clauses, is that at special cleo
tions the vote is light as in the recent
case in Jersey City, law was sub
mitted to the people and cnly 4, 800 of
the 80, 900 voters gave an expression at
the polls on the issue. This is the ex-
perience in other cities and towns.
Those who favor change of laws
can stimulate interest ON their side
and win with handful of votes.
SCHOOL LAW CHANGES.
There is more or less opposition to
that part of the codified school law
known as the Stokes Law which pro-
vides that the Boards of Education
in towns and cities shall be elected
by the people There is a demand here
for referendum, that is the people
to be given the right, to say how the
school government of municipality
shall be secured There is expressed
the fear that where boards are elected
that they would be solidly partisan
and would have the effect of dragging
the school in politics Some favor
election of school commissioners by
wards or by requiring the minority
party of the community to have rep
resentation and an equal number of
names that are to be voted, to be
placed on the ticket In fairness to
the Stokes Commission, il should be
stated that the Commission in their
report suggest several forms of school