The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-02-11
TO Be AMENDED
Governor Stokes Finds the
Gibbs Bill Unconstitu-
tional and Will Not
Sign It In It's Pres
ent Shape.

tSpecial TO ',Ihe Jersey lily news.
TRENTON, Feb. II, 1905.-Goyernor
Stokes has not vet signed the Gibbs
anti-spring election bill. and there is no
telling whether or not he will approve it,
It was stated today on what seems to
be excellent authority that the Governor
is not satifed with the bill as it was pre-
sentod to him, and that he intends TO re-
turn it to the Senate next Tuesday for
further amendg .eats.
Ii is said that the Governor has dis
covered a flaw in the bill which will
make it ineffective If it is allowed to be-
come law in its present shape, and
tiatshe wants tile error rectified before
he viii append his signature to the bill.
just what defect the Governor has
Governor has discovered could not be
learned today. but it is stated that it is
merely technical one, which might
eapse complications. The Governor is
not opposed TO the scheme Of abolishing
spring elections in all towns, townships
and boronghs In fact, he has advocated
their abolition, and has allowed II tos.be
understood that he would sign bill ae-
eomplishing that result if it was properly
presented to him..
To meet the Governors objections to
the bill in its present shape the Senate
viii have to pass it again with the
amendments proposed. under a suspen-
sion Of the rules. 1t will then hayo To
be sent to the Assembly for concurrence.
Under ordinary circumstances several
days must elapse before it is again pre-.
sented to the Governor
That the Gibbs bill win eventually be-.
come law in time to abolish spring
elections this year there is not the slight
est question. It was passed by both
Houses without opposition and even
the Democdatic members voted for it.
The latter took the stand that the
people favored the consolidation of cleo
tons in November, and besides saving
the towns. townships and boroughs CON
siderable money ii would be the means
Of strengthening the Democratic party.
Elections would then be held on strict
party principles and faetional fights
would be avoided
Assemblyman James Hamill, the DEM
ocratic minority leader in the Assembly.
and Senator James +. AIinturn said this
morning taat 50 far as they knew the
people in all the North RIVER towns fa-
vored the abolition of spring elections
as a matter Of economy and for that
reason they favored and voted for The
GibhS bill. They were sanguine that it
would become a Law.
nhe Gibbs bill makes only one excep-
tion in the aholishing Of spring slee-
tions. It exenlpts elections for members
Of Boards Of Education and School
Trustees from its provisions. The cleo
ton for such members are TO be held as
at present The terms Of all officers
elected are to begin January /, following,
ard the incumbent whose term would
have expired with the springel ctinoebg
have expired with the spring election
are to be allowed to hold over until their
successors are installed in Office.
Assenblyman Pennington said that he
would make a determined effort to in
duce the Public Health Committee TO
report the bill. Failing in this he would
ask the House 70 relieve the committee
of further consideration Of it.