The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1902-10-08
THE FREEBOOTER QUESTION.

A recent decision of Judge Dixon
practically wipes out the new freehol-
der system in Hudson county. This
system is similar to that which will be
voted upon by the people of this coun-
ty at the fall election and reduces the
number of freeholders if adopted.
The Dover Iron Era remarks upon
an article from the Jersey City News,
as follows:
Elsewhere we reprint an editorial
from the Jersey City News Dem. I'M
der the caption, 1.-The Great Freehold
or Peril. " What our contemporary
has to say about the Extravaganza
and inefliciency" of the cumbrous
county board of former years in Hud-
son county applies also to present con-
ditions in Morris county, where TWEEN
ty-two freeholders comprise the county
board. A law passed by the Legisla-
ture last winter makes il possible to
substitute for the present board COM
mission composed of five members.
That five members would form bet
ter working body than twenty-five
may be said to be self-eyident prop
osition. We commend the News edi-
terial to the careful consideration Of
our readers.
Below We give the News article. As
IT Is the leading Democratic paper of
Hudson county, 1t shows that the pro-
posed Law Is in no sense partisan:
THE GREAT rREEHoLpRR PERIL.
The prospect Of having to return to
the old Freebooter system is calcula-
ted TO disgust all advocates Of good
government
Two years and upwards ago the
county was managed by a board of
twenty members. The result
was extravaganza and inefficieney, for
which nobody could be held response
bic IN so numerous a body.
For the last two years the county
affairs have been IN the hands of nine
ffeeholders, elected by the county af
large, every one of whom has been
prominently before the public eye.
Every member has felt that he was re-
sponsible for what was done. Every
one was conscious that If any abuses
developed IN the county administra-
ton, not only should his reelection
be impossible, but his whole career
would be ruined. The consequence
has been economy and careful man
agement of the public funds, aud really
hard work to secure successful admin
lstratlon OF county affairs Nothing
like the breath OF scandal has devel-
oped during the entire term of these
freoho dels, and even the Repnbli-
can partisan press has not had word
to say IN criticism of them.
If the county has to go back to the
old system, the Board elected this
year will CONSIST of about thirtv-fou
members, aud there cannot be the
slightest doubt that conditions will
revert TO the chaos and corruption
which prevailed in the famous old
combine board The question is
whether more recent legislation does
not afford an opening for the readop-
ton of the small Board system. We
believe that under what is known as
the MiddlcseN act the question of re-
dnclng the number of Freeholders can
again be submitted to vote of the
people this year, ms ii WAS in 1900. If
the thing rs possible, the necessary
machinery should he set in motion at
once and the county authorities should
take legal advice ms to whether or not
IT ls possible to do so without waiting
Tor decision of the Supreme Courts
IN the suits now pending to upset the
act under which the present Board
exists. No chance shonld be lost to
prevent the return to the Jumbo
Boards.