The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-01-23
As Chairman Of the Com
mites Appointed to In
vestigate the Third House
He Makes Recommends
tions
PRIVILEGES OF OTHER STATES
SPEAKER ROBBINS HANDS IN A
MINORITY REPORT. WHICH
AGREES AND DIsAGREEs IN
FINDINGS AND REMEDIES.
Especial to ''The Jersey city News.'

|
| TRENTON. JAM. %, 1906.-Senator
Colby. of Essex. created a sensation last
night when he presented to Governor
/ Stokes the majority report of the Com
mittee appointed by last years House
! of Assembly ''to investigate the rules
and regulations Of other States affecting
the privileges Of lobbyists and to inyes-
tigate the rules of the House Of Assem-
bly, with relation to the admission of lob
byiste to the State capitol.
The report was signed by Mr.. Colby,
as chairman, and exAssemblyman Arch
ibald S. Alexander. of Hoboken. 1t
/ gives a detailed explanation of the in
| jury worked by lobbyists who advocated
vicious legislation and made numerous
recommendations for their expulsion or
to prevent their interference with legs
lation pending before the Legislature.
Speaker Samuel X. Robbins, also a
member of the committee. presented a
minoritSsgeport in which he protested
/ against some of the recommendations
made in the Colby report. while with
/ others he conceded, but recommended 9TH
I er measures to eradicate the existing evil.
The Colby resolution says in part:
Certain legislative measures. because
4 Of their effect on corporation interests,
their possible conflict with the rights Of
the citizens of the state and their techni-
/ cal and complex eharacer, require a
more careful judicial and painstaking
study and discussion than those in. gem
eral under consideration. 1t is impor-
tant that such measures should be ex-
4 amined by those of greatest ability and
experience among the legislators. It is
fitting also that deliberations upon the
] discussions of these subjects should be
! open, conducted with dignity and re-
enforced by the highest legal and techni-
cal advice Such time should be given
as may be required for painstaking and
! exhaustive treatment Of the subjects un-
4 der discussion. Delay in the enactment
of legislation would result in gain to the
general public andeto the legislators in
i knowledge of the import of the questions
under discussion. Obscure defects
would be brought to light and clearer
| understanding of the purpose and effect
Of the measures under consideration
would be reached.
4 The committee on the judiciary of the
senate and the house should be, and, as
a rule. generally are. composed of the
men best suited to the consideration of
measures Of this character. and we
would recommend that this committee
/ in each house should be considered as
i the proper COMMITTEES for the reference
| of all bills of the character indicated,
/ that they should sit as a court at stated
intervals for the consideration and open
/ discussion of measures of the general
/ character referred to and that encoura ge-
ment should be given to discussion before
4 the committee by those who are best
qualified to speak for or against the
measure without any abridgement of the
privilege Of private citizens to also ap-
pear and present their views on the sub
/ ject under discussion.
Inequality before the law has produced
class who enjoy special privileges of
| enormous values. and these values it is
| anxious to protect by any means avail
able, while the control of our political
parties by the corporations enables them
surreptitiously to secure new privileges
which only aggravate the situation and
/ proloIg the condition which leads inevi-
tably to corrupt state Of affairs.
This relation between the parties and
the corporations is not based on any 10y
atty to principles Or convictions, but is
purely a question Of money in the last
analysis. The corporations furnish the
money to the political party to secure its
continuance in power, and the party in
power for such consideration sells exemp-
tons or special privileges to the corpora
tons. The corruption and abuse is in
this relation more than in the vote Of
the legislator, for he probably is doing
only what he has been advised to do by
the leaders to whom he must look for
office or political advancement. This re-
lation, furthermore between the corpora
lions and political parties results ID the
FORMATION Of what IS commonly known as
ring" Or group Of men. who unite