The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-01-09
GOVERNORS
MESSAGE.
loONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

lcoNTINUED FROM FIKsT PAeE.l
ing. in injury to. person or property, snouro
leb be punished by imprisonment
The fee system in state offices as COM
pensation for public officials has already
been abolished. | recommend that It be
extended throughout the state that the
Offices Of sheriff, county clerk, surrogate
and register of deeds be made salaried
instead of fee Offices.
Jury Reform.
SO long as juries form a part OF our ju-
-dicial system, their character and mem
bership cannot be Of too high standard.
Liiigants have a right to ask the unbiased
Judgment of fair minded men. Jury duty
should not be the reward of political serv-
ice nor be made a means of political pat
ronage Our sheriffs should be free from
embarrassment Of solicitation on the part
Of any one for jury service either for
himself or for others. '.The professional
Juror has no part In a system of justice.
Jury reform has long agtated the bar
OF our state. The State Bar association
last year advocated a change In the meth
cd Of selecting jGries Last winter the
Hudson County Bar association prepared
a bill designed to remedy the present
evils In the methods of drawing juries.
They suggested that two lists of jurors
be kept to be designated respectively a
grand jury list and a petit jury list, with
a card index Of names and numbers; that
each name upon the jury list be desgnat-
ed by number and that in the drawing
of grand juries and petit jurles by law
each paper shall contain only the number
in lieu of the name which it designates on
the jury lists. This would seem to reduce
to a minimum any chance of fayoritism
in the selection of Jurors
would suggest, however, that the
Judge Of the court Of common pleas be
made the determining party In the selec-
ton of the panel.
Assembly Districts.
The primary law passed under the adj
ADMINISTRATION of my predecessor, Governor
Murphy is a safeguard against fraud and
disorder, guarantees to every voter the
assurance that he may cast his vote with
ont interference and have that vote hon.
estIy and fairly counted and secures with
in the party absolute and untrammeled
freedom of choice in the selection of par
fy candidates. Under its provisions no one
individual or organization can dictate
nominations Every candidate has an
equal chance and can appeal to the peo-
pie with the assurance OF success IL his
appeal is justified. The very fact that
the primary law makes possible the exeF-
else of power on the part of the people at
any time is perpetual reminder to those
in authority that they are the peoples
: servants and not the peoples masters
Another step In the direction of popular
government might be wisely considered
by the legislature. At the present time
both bodies OF our legislature represent
precisely the same constituencies. The
house of assembly, as now constituted, is
practically another senate composed of
more members, with a one year term. 1t
consists of multiple instead of individual
units. In many counties, especially in the
larger ones, imaginary districts have been
formed, and nominations are made with
fr~r n He.
tricts existing, not in law, but merely In
the fancy Of the nominating convention.
This fiction Is not a remedy for, but rather
a popular protest against, the present con-
dition. The members in those counties
that send more than one representative to
the house of assembly have, however, no
distinct and separate constituency to
whom they may answer and to whom they
are responsible Indeed, all these mem
bers might possibly come from single
community or a single place within the
county.
Such a system invites machine domina-
tion. On the other hand, the system of
assembly districts provides well defined
constituency from whom each member
receives his legislative authority, brings
him nearer to the people, makes him more
responsible to the voters gives the people
q more convenient and direct voice in
matters of legislation and accords more
with the principles of representative gov
nent. This can of course be accom-
he'd by constitutional amendment.
may be attempted safely in another
v. An act might be passed at this SEES
n of the legislature creating assembly
stricts and imposing some immediate
ify upon some public official, as, for in
ance the clerk Of the county. The fail
re of this official to perform this min
sterial duty at once could be followed BY
nandamus proceedings to bring the ques-
HIM apnfu bnf0ra the eOnrfS. A final de-
cision could then be promptly rendered
by our court OF last resort which has not
yet passed upon this matter.
At the last session of the Legislature the
house of assembly appointed a committee
TO Investigate the subject of the so called
lobby and report thereon. with recon-
mendations. That report will doubtless
be laid before you In the course of youl
deliberations. The Legislature should take
such action as viii shield itself from any
suspicion Of corrupt influence.
Corrupt Practices.
The purity OF the ballot is necessary to
safe and honest government Honest cleo
tions and honest officials go hand in hand.
The recent disclosures in business and po-
liticai circles, of which every American Is
ashamed are founded on corruption al
the polls. Unless we seek the sonrce OF
the evil as well as the punishment of the
wrongdoers our lesson has not been well
learned, Between the bride giver and the
bribe taker let there be no distinction.
Each is morally, cplpable. There cannot
be bride givers without bride takers To
condemn one and justify the other Is a
remedy that compromises with crime.
The punishment Of the bride giver ana
the bride taker az the same time, how
ever, is not always possible The difficulty
with our laws against bribery is that by
making both bride taker and bride givei
punishable at the same time both are
driven to take refuge under the right to
refuse to testify on the ground OF self in
elimination. Under these conditions CON
viction Is ditfcult.
/ would amend the bribery laws by linn
iting the penalties for their violation to
Acknowledgement for term OF years, ac-
eording to the number of the offenses
committed If offenses against the bribery
laws were punishable by dlsfranchse-
fnent and the consequent disgrace, / be-
leve they would be Just as effective as
imprisonment, --aad enviction would be
more easily seexAnSf-1fs this punishment
did not prove -eMectfve a second offense
should be punfshssE -sl,ssimprisonment as
well as disfranciIlsefnent | would pro-
vide that the lnforiner whether he be the
bride giver or the bride taSer, should be
exempt from punishment.
Our laws should be more comprehensive
In the definition of bribery, The actual
giving of money or the promise OF a posi-
fion are not the only forms of corrupting
the voter There are other ways equally !
baneful and more insidious. The English
corrupt practices act forbids any form OF
1rfu linn he tFI