The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-07-12
Leader Of the 'Retormers
Declares the Upset Of the
Redistricting Bill Suits
Him
LENTz LIKES IT TOO
SITUATION SEEMS ALSO TO SAT-
IsFY DRYDEN, AND THOUGH
RECORD IS SURPRISED HE
DOESN'T KICK

DOESN'T KICK
The opinion of the Curt Of Errors de-
claring unconstitutional the Assembly
districting act was no surprise, although
disappointment, to some of the sregu-
lar" Republicans who We're responsible
for its introduction.
During the session it was known as an
administration measure pure and simple,
having the Endorsement of Governor
Stokes and State Treasurer Briggs, who.
as chairman Of the State Republican
committee, had Randolph Perkins. lead
er of the majority, Introduce the bill in
the House.
Its appearance was long deferred for
two reasons. First, the leaders wanted
to know the attitude of the court as
near as that could be ascertained in adj
vance before the bill was introduced.
Second. the Governor had announced and
everybody else agreed that the district
lines submitted by the various Repubn-
can organizations should be the accepted
lines in the bill, and that was agreeable
everywhere except in Essex.
The delegation from Essex would not
stand for the county committee lines, and
finally the State organization, backed
by the Governor, accepted the Colby lines
for Essex. and the bill in that shape was
introduced. When placed on final pas
sage it was somewhat Unexpectedly de-
feated in the Assembly. One week later
it was revived, passed by the House and
Senate, and was duly approved by the
Governor.
The rest was plain sailing. Just as the
sponsor had predicted, the constitutional
ity of the act was raised before Supreme
Court Justice Reed, the sole survivor Of
the branch court which declared the dis
trict plan void thirteen years ago AS
predicted, the Court of Errors gave it
precedence over other cases, and the ar
gument began two weeks ago. The first
day the promoters of the plan realized
that something had gone awry.
Questions propounded by Chief Justice
Gummere, Chancellor Magic and Justices
Pitney, Swayze and Garrison led to the
belief that these jurists did not look with
favor upon the act.
United States Senator John f. Dry
den, Major Carl Lentz and others identi-
fed with the regular Republican move
ment were so busy this morning they
could not be seen.
Both, however, are quoted as saying
that they were gratifed with the result.
Mr.. Dryden, to friend, is said to have
remarked that when first elected he had
the eleven Assemblymen from Essex and
he hoped to be reelected with similar
vote.
Major Lentz is quoted as saying that
he was not surprised, because the lines,
as presented by the Colby delegation,
were a gerrymander which he did not
think even the Legislature would stand
for.
Il always feel that there was a good
deal of merit in the district system
Senator Colby began in reply to ques-
ton. 1T brings the representative near
er to the people and makes it easier to
fix the responsibility for bad legislation.
The conditions in this county at the pres
ent time, however, are such as to make
but one issue the vital one; that is, the
domination of machine and corporation
rule, and believe the district system
would have lent itself more readily to
those who are anxious to prevent the sue
cess Of the new movement. l am sur
prised at the vote by which the decision
was made. as l had anticipated much
closer one"
Hudson County leaders in the Repub-
lican new idea movement are conf
IDENTIFY predicting the nomination of a full
county delegation of twelve Colby AS
semblymen in Hudson as result of the
courts decision in declaring the Assem-
bly, district act unconstitutional.
The reformers are unanimously agreed
that the election of Assemblymen from
the whole county this fall will enable
them to control the county convention.
and while there is an undercurrent Of re-
greet that the courts upholding of the
Wrightson decision makes the district
plan Of election now impossible of estab-
lishment without constitutional amend
ment, the decided advantage that the
Colbyites are given in Essex and Hudson
this fall by the sustaining of the old sys-
tenn furnishes encouragement.
ssThe decision is sort of a two-edged
sword, said Georca L. Record. SIT cuts