Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-04-09
We Must Wait for the Laws.

lit will probably be many weeks or
even months before the people will have a
chance to learn through the slow and driblet
issue of the pamphlet laws what measures
were added to the statute books. Mean
while and even afterward, because of the
limited issue of the seasonal laws in pam
phlet form, there will be many infractions
of the new statutes through ignorance Of
their provisions.
f'The people have the right to know at
once what laws are passed for their govern
ment and welfare. This right is partially
denied in the refusal of the Executive to
approve bill providing for publication of
the seasonal laws in the newspapers, the
only avilable vehicle for their immediate
perusal by all the people.
ssThe Governor slaughtered the news
paper publication bill last year after it had
passed both houses and this year is believed
to have inspired its throttling by House
Leader Boyd, in his committee, after it
had passed the Senate.
s'When the bill was presented at this
session the Post Telegram suggested that it
would be waste of efyo t on the part Of the
publishers to press its passage unless they
bad assurance of Executive approval.
The result shows that the Post Telegram
knew what it was talking about
We quote the above article from last
Saturdays POst-Telegram in full for the
reason that it sets forth with much clear
ness the contention of the press of the state
that the present method of promulgating
the State laws is an absolute failure. But
fully as important is tie admission in the
last paragraph that under Republican
administration government by the people
and for the people does not exist under
Republican administration in this State.
The people of New Jersey have been
under the delusion that they had created
three departments of government = the
Judicial, Legislative and Executive-but as
matter of fact, and according to the
admission of one of the most intelligent of
the Republican party's writers, Governor
Murphy has arrogated to himself the two
latter.
1t is true that the editor Of the Post
Telegram suggested, as he says he did, that
the Governors approval be secured before
the bill providing for the publication of the
laws in the newspapers be presented to the
legislature, but the independent spirit of
the editors revolted at the suggestion. They
recognize that it is the Governors consti-
tutional prerogative to veto all measures
passed by the legislature of which he does
not approve, but when he $ oops to order
the member of committee to refuse to
report bill to the House, so that he may
escape responsibility for its defeat, he
robs the people of their constitutional
rights.
1t was we'll known that great majority
of the legislature favored the enactment Of
this law, and were anxious to have it
reported by Mr.. Boyd to whose committee
it was referred. Members of the legisla-
ture, representing both parties, urged him
to report the bill, until finally, in his own
defense, he admitted the truth that he was
holding it at the Governors request
For the above reasons the people will for
another year, remain ignorant of the en-
actments of the legislature, and is one of
many reasons why the Republican party
has been in power too long for the good Of
the people and the State.