The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-03-28
LEGISLATIVE PRoPR1ETY.

"
II Under the above heading the Tren
, ton Times" makes some timely OBJ
servations in regard to some undeser
/ we'd criticism of Senator Hillery, be
, cause he appeared before a Hous,
committee that was considering th,
Morris Canal abandonment bill last
, week.
i When he was introduced, Senator
Hillery announced that his present
appearance was as counsel for property
owners in Mount Arlington borough
4, which borders on Lake Hopatcong
and that he would not speak on the
merits of the bill, leaving that to 3
| future time, if the bill reached the
Senate. His purpose was to deny the
assertion made by Richard v. Linda
bury, who appeared as counsel fol
property owners at Lake HopatcOng,
that certain proposed amendments
would make the abandonment bill
satisfactory to them. Senator Hillery
declared that the amended bill would
not be satisfactory to the borough OF
Mount Arlington, for which he had
for several years. been the legal adj
wiser.
So much for the facts, and to set
Senator Hillery straight, for there
seems to be a dispositionins some quar-
tiers to misrepresent his position, and
ridiculous charges have even been made
that he is acting as counsel for the
East Jersey Water Company, a cor
poration whose interests are diametri-
cally opposed to those Of the Senator's
constituents, who are fighting the
Duffield abandonment bill, and have
always opposed the scheme on the
basis proposed. Both as an Assembly
man and Senator, Mr.. Hillery has
been aconsistent opponent of the side
favored by the East Jersey Water
Company, and inasmuch as the insln-
uation that he was acting for that
company was made in the BoOnton
Bulletin, of which former Assem-
blyman Samuel L. Garrison is the edi-
tor, there is ample room for the sus-
picion that desire to injure Mr.. Hill
lery's good name may have prompted
the nasty attack. Mr.. Garrison was
overwhelmingly defeated for the Sem
atorial nomination by Mr.. Hnlery, in
a fair fight, and his cowardly insinua-
ton comes with i'll grace at this time.
The Times" holds that county S
Senator and Assemblymen are chosen
to look after the interests of their con-
stituents, and that it is entirely prop
er for them to appear at a hearing
either in favor of or against any meas
ure that will affect their county, ex-
cept that it would be unfair for leg
isiator who was acting in quasi-judi-
cial capacity as a member of the com
mittee conducting the hearing to
advocate or oppose the bill. It is
much fairer to take an open stand on
a proposition than it is to quietly &c
about securing the pledge Of votes re-
gardless Of the merits of the PROPOSE
tion.
-Four years ago, when Justice ,Pitney
was in the Senate from Morris county
and the Abandonment bill was under
consideration, he opposed it before
committees and on the floor of the
Senate; and no one thought there was
anything improper in his course. That
was what he was sent here for.
A representative who limits his ser
vice to his people to voting yes or M
on roll-call is entitled to no common
dation for that, and there is no moro
: improperly in his appearing in oppo
sition to a bill at public hearing
than there is III his explanation of on
at a private sitting OF committee.
Committees are appointed to ascer
tain the facts concerning the bills re
ferred to them. and after hearing
them to report their conclusions t
the State or House "A Senator or AS
! semblyman ought to be better qual
Lifted to give the desired information
than a private citizen, and his wor
: should at least go as FAR as that 6
4 counsel employed BY opposing IL
terests.