The Jersey City news., 1905-11-23
MORRIS CANAL
QUESTION
Rev. Adolph Roeder Discus
ses It in a LetteA to the
Newark Evening News.
DEFEAT OF TAEN CAAAl BILL
MANY AND VARIED INTERESTS
THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDER
ED IN TIE ABANDONMENT OF
THIS WATERWAY.

ED IN THE ABANDONMENT OF
THIS WATERWAY.
A known want is more tangible than
an unformulated wish, says the Rev.
Adolph Roeder in the Newark Evening;
News I a man who is hungry and de-
sires to eat, is in a better position to
have that want supplied and his anx-
ieties set at rest, than a man who is
awakened at night by a mysterious noise
and has his choice of explana tion as to
the cause Of the disturbance being
mouse, burglar, the wind or a visitor
from the beyond.
No feature has been so apparent, and,
in some Instances, so glalingly and offen-
sively emphasized in the production of
legi.lation as the difference between the
man, or the body Of men, that has
definite and OBJ jeetive point in view, and
the man, or the body Of men, not so sup
piled. In most instances, the former
was a corporation and the l4tter the
people of the State" In most instances
the demands of the corporate body were
succinct definite, clear. They knew
what they wanted. On the other hand
the rebuttal on the part of the people
of State was feeble. It was not con-
crete, but more in the nature of criticism.
The people of the State usually knew
what they did not want while the people
of the corporation knew what they did
want. And the positive prevailed. The
Ayes had it. And they had it because
they knew what they wanted The eff
feet on the part of the people of the
State" should, therefore, be to find and
occupy a similar position. That is, af-
ter realizing what is not wanted, tley
should realize with equal feryor and
elearness, what is wanted. 1t is not the
negative, but the positive which prevails
and carries.
It is quite evident that all legislation,
not in the nature of a repeater, must aim
at the attainment of definite object or
purpose, and that even the repeater
arises from the fact that some definite
object, opposed TO the thing repealed, has
been formulated and brought into shape
for the purpose of having legal enact
ments, not in agreement with that object,
set aside.
It is because of this general and getl-
erie condition that much of the legisla-
ton sought at any time is OF this posi-
tive nature, and has back of it body
of men, an organization or corporation,
the definite requirements of which are
the source of legislation in such ms sances.
! This was the case with reference to
the Morris Canal act during the last ses-
sion of the Legislature. True. the inn
mediate cause of the defeat of the bill
was the rumor of lobbying and undue
influence" but the proximate cause was
the basis of larger, and, actuamy, d
more influential portion of the vague ac-
cusations afoat at the time as an effec-
tive, desirable and probably leg.rlmaIe
weapon wherewith to secure a result
otherwise less ready Of attainment
The opposition coming, as it did, from
interests not represented, and overlooked
or neglected. brought out another fea-
ture, however. That was the fact that
the people of the State were awaking
to the proper estimate of their own
wants in the matter. and this feature
is worthy Of attention on the part of
those who are interested in the popular
civic awakening now sweeping over the
States Of the Union.
The opposition came mainly from the
Jersey City end of the canal, and centred
about the enormously valuable water
front involved in the proprietorship of the
''eanal basin''-from Newark, through
its Board of Trade. emphasizing the fact
that an unused waterway represented
both civic sloth and detriment to mu-
/ nicipal healtll-fron those cc.;ce-..ad IN