The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-01-23

| Another Objectionable feature Of this
alliance is found in the prevalence of po-
| litieal gratitude too often exercised at
the expense of the people when the cor
porations claim some unjust reward for
services rendered before election, re-
ward which must be granted upon pain
of being termed an migrate to political
friends ard losing the support of inan-
cial interests when it comes to the selec-
tion of candidate for some high office.
Such an alliance is corrupt and can
only be prevented by removing the intiu-
euce Of money in political parties. 1t is
not, however, an evil that can be reached
in the halls of the Legislature, but must
be attacked by general laws preventing
corrupt practices such as have been sug-
gested in your message to the Legisla-
ture and by the publication of the politi-
cal system of both parties, the termina-
tion of the influence of the corrupt and
selfish boss the elimination of the control
of The party by ring rule and the eleva-
tion Of the party by the adoption of high
ideals and useful principles. Most of
this reform must come from within the
party itself. No statute will be Of avail,
but the force OF an aroused conscience
and a new sense of responsibility on the
part of the voter promise to complete the
work of publication after the legislation
needed and possible has become an es-
tablished fact.
Mr.. Colby then makes the following
recommendations in his report
That persons found guilty Of attempt
ing to influence legislation on the floor Of
either house shall be publicly reprimand-
ed and denied the floor privileges; that
newspaper correspondents found guilty
of similar offense shall be deprived of
their desks.
That necessary counsel and agents
shall be docketed in both houses and
the test made public by the attorney gen
eral; that no agent shall be employed
conditioned on the passage or defeat of
any bill; that no work be done for or
against bill except before committees;
that an agent who does not sign the roll
and produce written authority from his
company within ten days shall be sub
| ject to a fine of 81 .000; that the legisla-
ture may dtsbar agents at its will; that
at the close of the session the lobby
dockets shall be deposited with the sec
retary of state, together with a report of
the work of each agent; that violations
be punishable by disbarment for not
more than three years or by fines not
exceeding $1,000.
That the judiciary committees of
both the senate and the house shall have
charge of all taxation and corporation
bills.
That the judiciary committees have
charge of all banking and insurance bills
and all franchise bills; that at least two
hearings be had on each bill and that all
further attempts by agents to influence
legislation shall make them subject to
penalties; that notice of hearings be
published in newspapers; that persons
refusing to disclose interest in hearings
may be excluded; that the introdncer be
required to state the author and purpose
Of his bills; that lobbyists under suspi-
cion must account for themselves to the
governor and if unable to do so shall be
excluded from the state house; that wit
nesses may be required to testify in all
Investigations.
Speaker Robbins, as member of the
commission, files a minority report. de-
claring that he cannot concur in all of
Mr.. Colby's recommendations.
He is in favor Of excluding lobbyists,
but says he has met few Of them in his
legislative experiences, especially assert
ing that there is no need to reflect on
newspaper correspondents. He holds
that legislators have right to get infor-
nation wherever possible and should not
be confined to committee hearings or
regular authorized agents. He asserts
that no dishonest legislator can be made
honest by law.
Mr.. Robbins concludes by saying that
the best means Of relief from lobbyists
is to pass the proposed rule forbiddingi
persons other than officers or members
rom communicating with members while
the Legislature is in actual session.
After Sickn ess
Convaleecence from the grip, diphthe-
ria, scarlet fever, pneumonia and other
diseases is often merely apparent. not
rpal