New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-29
FRIENDLY WORD OF ADVICE.

| -1u,oso 20 whom the government Of the State
NJ Na1r.Jersev has been intruSted will do well
to walk warily during the incoming session of
the legislature. There are many schemers and
political hucksters who think this a favorable
time m nut through their little jobs, and inces-
SAINT vigilance will be necessary TO checkmate
them. That there will be no election of any
consequence next year is not an argument In
favor Of loose or unwise legislation. Such was
the talk among Democratic spoilsmen twelve
years ago the last previous occasion when
Governor was chosen in Presidential year, and
the legislature then elected had to select a
United States Senator Everything was fastened
down, as they said, and high jinks were permits
sible Nevertheless, the loft year. that seemed
not worth bothering about saw the beginning of
a revolution which within three years swept
from the State House every vestige of a govern
ment that had seemed as solid as the eternal
hills.
Nor does the magnificent majority given three
weeks ago furnish excuse for assuming that
New-Jersey can bs depended upon to stay in
the Republican column regardless of what may
be DONE or left undone, at Trenton. Those
who not too blind TO and who kept in
close touch with the progress of events during
the recent campaign understand very well that
at one period not many weeks before Election
Day. the result on the Governorship was GER
tainly not a foregone conclusion. That was
when the votes of many thousands of indie
pendent citizens. Republicans and Democrats,
were trembling in the balance. Roosevelt's
extraordinary popularity In New-Jersey, q be-
lief in the honesty of the Republican declara-
tons regarding equal taxation, and the promi-
nence Of the Same Old Gang" in the Demo
cratic campaign were the deciding factors.
Last winter the legislature angrily refused so
much as to consider the tax revision bills pre-
scented TO it. Does any sane man doubt what
would have happened November s If the
legislators had not at the last moment, under
Mayor Fagans spur authorized the appoint
ment of commission to investigate the whole
question Of equal taxation?
The Republican State Convention put the
party squarey in the right on the equal taxa
ton ISSUE and the nominee for the Governor
ship, Edward c. Stokes, frankly affirmed and
ably expounded the platform Of that conven-
ton. The party, the Governor-eIect and The
Tribune are all committed to the fulfilment of
those pledges, and they simply must be kept to
the letter and in the spirit There are other
matters of legislation, such as the Morris Canal
abandonment, in which the public interests must
be sateSuarded, first, last and all the time.
There is no need for any great mass of new
statutes. but the necessary legislation should he
framed solely for the benefit of the State and
the various municipalities thereof and without
bas toward or against any section, individual
or corporation.
incidentally, 1t may be remarked that next
January John Kean will be reelected Senator
by the unanimous Republican vote Whether or
not John f. Dryden will be equally fortunate
TWO years later depends to some extent on tba
oolngs In Trenton in the next four months.