The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-01-08
One Hundred and Twenty
fourth Session Of the
Legislature Meets
Tomorrow.
YOUNG MEN WILL PREDOMINANT
But the Old Leaders Will
Rule Some Proposed
Legislation.
[special 3 ..rhe jersey city News.'l


dred and twenty-fourth session of the
legislature will be be organized in this
CITY tomorrow afternoon. 1t will cou-
tain a Republican majority of "a on
Joint ballot The Senate will be COM
posed of IA Republicans and seven DEM
ocrats. and the House of 4S Republi-
cans and Is Democats. For the first
time in many years there will be a va
cancy in the latter body, owing to the
death of Mr.. Graves, which occurred
soon after his election, in Bergen Coun-
ty There will be no friction whatever
in effecting the organization, the ma
jority in each House having already held
caucuses and apportioned all the offices
within their gift. When the organization
is perfected the presiding officers will
announce the committees, SO that the
work of the session may be commenced
in real earnest. This will be the first time
in the history of the State that the Legis-
lature will have settled down to business
on the opening day of the session. 1t
means, perhaps that the volume of legis-
lation to be enacted will be much smaller
than that of any previous session, and
that there will be an early adjournment.
With every branch of the State Gov
ernment entirely under Republican con-
troll, and with such an overwhelming
majority in the Legislature, the party in
power can do as it pleases in all matters
appertaining to law-making. The plans
of the Republican leaders will be carried
out TO tho letter. despite any remon-
STRANGE which may come. from the Dem
ocratic minority. Having all the re-
sponsibility on their hands, perhaps 1t
is the intention of the Republican lead
ers to pursue a course which will be al
most free from partisanship and other
wise radical acts, so that the welfare OF
the party may be promoted, with the
main view of having the State once
again counted in the Mckinley column
at the next Presidential election. 1t goes
without the saying that the Republi-
cans, from policy alone, will be on their
good behavior throughout the session,
and, consequently. the demands of the
spoils-seekers for additional patronage
TO be created by legislative> acts will
probably be met with a fiat refusal. OF
course, the record which the Legisla-s
ture will make will depend upon the
wishes of the prominent leaders of the
party. such as General Sewell, Frank
lin Murphy, Governor Voorhees, and
Senator Kean. They will be the only
arbitrators of all the questions, which
will be submitted for consideration.
Their advice must be taken and their
conclusions accepted
With eight lawyers in the Senate and lS
in the House the Legislature should be
well fortified against the faulty construc-
dfon, from legal standpoint, of all bills
which will become laws. Each of the pre-
siding officers and each of the majority
leaders will be a lawyer. The minority
leaders will also be of the same profess
sion Most certainly brainy men in each
party have been chosen for leadership on
the fioors-Messrs. Pitney and McDermott
in the Senate and Messrs- Wakelee and
Benny in the House The legal fraternity
no doubt will predomiaten in all matters OF
legislation. The agricultural element VIII
be poorly represented, as there. will pc
only four farmers altogether, one in the
Senate and three in the House The mer-
camille business has more than an aver
age representation in six Senators and ten
Assemblymen. The Senate has one each
of the following vocations: A piano and
organ manufacturer, bank president,
railroad agent, contractor, brewer and
miller. There are three manufacturers and
three contractors in the House, besides
two newspaper editors, two druggists
and two real estate dealers. The House
has also one each of the following voca-
tions: Mechanic insurance agent. carpen-
fer. fish and oyster dealer, miller, moul-
der. engineer, glassblower, theatre proprie-
tor. painter. bridge tender, clerk and un-
dertaker.
All the Senators are native Americans.
Sixteen were born in New Jersey; two,
Messrs Stokes and H. W. johnson, came
from Philadelphia; two from Massacnu-
setts Messrs McDermott and smith,
and former President Reed-is a native OF
Indiana. Sussex, Mercer, Somerset and
Morris each claims two, while Cape May
Essex Gloucester, Monmouth, Salem,
Hunterdon and Passaic have a cred1t OF
one each with regard to nativity Ihere
are twelve former Assemblymen, 1nciuo-
ing one who has filed the Speaker S
chair Mr.. Cross, Of Union in the Sen
ate. and besides there are two forner
Presidents of that body. Messrs. Stokes
and Reed. Two Senators, Messrs P1tney
and Cornish. formerly served in Congress,
ard from the same district, too. Instances
have been very rare, indeed, in the New
Jersev Legislature where man after
having served a term ir Congress became
4 member of either the Senate or the
House The first time Mr.. fltney was
elected as a national lawmaker he defea'-
e5 Mr.. Cornish, who was a candidate for
a second term. Now the old rivals Tor ma
tIonal honors meet in the State Senate
where incidentally they can recount the
old scenes of their Congressional CAM
paigns.
some Of the Senators are looked upon
as candidates for Governor, on the re
publican side being Messrs- Pitney' John-
son of Bergen. Stokes and Reed and on
the Democratic side Mr.. Cornish. All are
comparatively young men, and snouio ths
fsubernaforial lightning not strike any o.
them next year perhaps later on fortune
may favor them. Mr.. Stokes is ssrvlns
bis eighth year in the Senate; Mr.. Jonn-
son d. Bergen, and Mr. Smith, of Ocean
4beir fifth. Messrs Johnson of Camden
sanger. Francis. Miller, Reed and Martin.
sbegr fourth. The three-year men are
.1aessrs. Packer. Hand, Foster, Van cleel
55rann and Martin, and those in their sc
ond year are Messrs Evans. McDernott
hutchinson, Pitney and Cross. Mr. Aac-
Garter is the only Arst-year Senator, ana
be Is the youngest member Of the body